Abstract
BackgroundTo evaluate and compare the recurrence rate of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms after solifenacin treatment in patients who stop the drug suddenly versus those who gradually wean the drug after improvement of their condition.MethodsOur study included 60 patients with idiopathic OAB and treated with solifenacin 5 mg twice daily for one month. After improvement of their condition, we divided the responders into two groups, group I stopped the drug suddenly, while group II underwent gradual weaning of the drug.ResultsThe recurrence rate of symptoms of OAB was 33.3% and 60% after 1 and 3 months in patients who stopped the solifenacin suddenly after improvement of their symptoms, while it was 6.7% and 23.3% after 1 and 3 months in patients who gradually weaned solifenacin.ConclusionAfter the improvement of OAB symptoms, gradual weaning of solifenacin can help in decreasing the recurrence rate of symptoms.
Highlights
To evaluate and compare the recurrence rate of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms after solifenacin treatment in patients who stop the drug suddenly versus those who gradually wean the drug after improvement of their condition
We studied the effect of weaning of solifenacin in treatment of OAB patients as regards efficacy, side effects, and symptoms recurrence
We found a significant improvement of OAB symptoms after use of solifenacin in 70 out of 80 (87.5%) patients enrolled in the study, a result close to that of Oresković and his colleagues who reported significant improvement in 92.2% of patients treated with solifenacin [12]
Summary
To evaluate and compare the recurrence rate of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms after solifenacin treatment in patients who stop the drug suddenly versus those who gradually wean the drug after improvement of their condition. The International Continence Society (ICS) defines OAB as the complaint of urinary urgency, which may be accompanied by frequency and nocturia, with or without urgency urinary incontinence, in the absence of urinary tract infection (UTI) or other obvious pathology [1]. OAB causes a major burden for both patients and physicians. It is widespread in the world (ranges from 15% to 20% of middle age population). Muscarinic receptor antagonists are the first-line pharmacotherapeutic agents for the treatment of OAB. Several antimuscarinic drugs are available for the treatment of OAB with significant efficacy and variable pharmacokinetic and adverse effect profiles [3]
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