Transactions from the Thirty-Second Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons
The impact of the overactive bladder syndrome on sexual function: A preliminary report from the Multicenter Assessment of Transdermal Therapy in Overactive Bladder with Oxybutynin trial

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Objective

The objective of the study was to determine the impact of overactive bladder on sexual function from a preliminary analysis of the Multicenter Assessment of Transdermal Therapy in Overactive Bladder with Oxybutynin study.

Study design

The Multicenter Assessment of Transdermal Therapy in Overactive Bladder with Oxybutynin study was an open-label, prospective trial of 2878 subjects with overactive bladder, treated with transdermal oxybutynin for 6 months or less. The impact of overactive bladder on sexual function before and after treatment was assessed via item responses from the King's Health Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory-II (kappa-test).

Results

At baseline, 586 (23.1%) reported that overactive bladder had an impact on their sex life. Coital incontinence in 569 (22.8%) decreased after treatment to 438 (19.3%). Effects of overactive bladder on subjects' sex lives improved in 19.1% (worsened in 11.2%), and the effect on relationships with partners improved in 19.6% (worsened in 11.9%). Reduced interest in sex, reported by 52.1% at baseline, improved significantly. (all P < .0001).

Conclusion

Overactive bladder negatively affects sexual function. Treatment with transdermal oxybutynin improved sexual function and marital relationships.

Section snippets

Material and methods

The Multicenter Assessment of Transdermal Therapy in Overactive Bladder with Oxybutynin (MATRIX) study was an open-label, 6-month, randomized, multicenter, prospective, community-based trial of subjects with OAB. All participants received the Food and Drug Administration–approved 3.9 mg/day transdermal oxybutynin matrix patch changed twice weekly (every 3 to 4 days) for the duration of the study. Sites were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to have enrolled participants either receive additional

Results

The demographics of the study population are shown in Table I. Among the 2878 subjects with OAB recruited at 327 centers, the mean age was 62.5 years (± 14.8 years), 2508 of the patients (87.2%) were female, of whom 2104 (84%) were postmenopausal (ie, no pregnancy test was required or performed), and 2406 (83.6%) were Caucasian. At baseline, 1334 participants (46.4%) reported experiencing OAB symptoms for 4 years or longer, whereas 346 (12.0%) had experienced symptoms for 1 year or less. Of the

Comment

The degree to which OAB symptoms affect sexual function may be influenced by physiologic, psychosocial, or socioeconomic factors in addition to disease severity. Specific bladder symptoms may cause embarrassment and a resultant decrease in sexual interest. This may have a profound effect on an incontinent patient's marital or conjugal relationships. Yip et al4 compared 29 women with detrusor overactivity on urodynamic testing with those with normal urodynamics (28 women) and found a

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    Supported by Watson Laboratories (Morristown, NJ).

    Presented at the Thirty-Second Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, April 3-5, 2006, Tucson, AZ.

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