Physical Therapy Korea (한국전문물리치료학회지)

Korean Research Society of Physical Therapy (한국전문물리치료학회)
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Effect of Non-invasive Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective Study

  • Ji-hyun Kim (Department of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Yonsei University) ;
  • Hye-seon Jeon (Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Yonsei University) ;
  • Oh-yun Kwon (Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Yonsei University) ;
  • Ui-jae Hwang (Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Yonsei University) ;
  • Eun Young Park (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University) ;
  • Su-jin Kim (Department of Urology, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University)
  • Received : 2024.07.20
  • Accepted : 2024.08.06
  • Published : 2024.08.20
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Abstract

Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) impacts the social, physical, and psychological well-being and quality of life of the patient. Several techniques exist for its management, including transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES). Objects: We aimed to demonstrate the effects of TES on ultrasonographic variables and quality of life in women with SUI. Methods: This prospective study recruited 21 women who had been diagnosed with grade 1 or 2 SUI between July 2018 and March 2019. The exclusion criteria were pregnancy and a history of urogenital surgery. All participants were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks after intervention initiation. The bladder neck position (BNP), length of the urethra (LU), funneling index (FI), and rhabdosphincter thickness (RT) were measured. The Incontinence-Quality of Life (I-QOL) was used to assess incontinence-specific quality of life. Statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: Twenty-one patients with SUI used TES for 8 weeks. BNP and FI significantly decreased after intervention (p < 0.05). LU, anterior and posterior RT (indicators of external sphincter hypertrophy) significantly increased post-intervention (p < 0.05). The total I-QOL score increased from 64.81 to 71.86 after the intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This intervention improved BNP, LU, FI, RT, and subjective indicators such as quality of life in women with SUI. Therefore, TES can be an effective non-surgical treatment method for improving SUI symptoms and quality of life in these patients.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors received financial and administrative support from the Yonsei University Research Fund (grant number 2018-51-0251). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or manuscript preparation.

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