The Efficacy Of Electroacupuncture For Treatment Of Simple Female Stress Urinary Incontinence: Comparison With Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

Objective: This trial helps to determine whether electroacupuncture is a more effective treatment than PFM(pelvic floor muscle)training for patients with FSUI(female stress urinary incontinence), and evaluate its safety and patient acceptability of the two methods.Methods: 38 cases of female patients with stress urinary incontinence were recruited and treated at Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department in Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Sep.2014-Feb.2015. After we received full ethical approval and patient consent, participants would be randomized to receive electroacupuncture or PFM training. In electroacupuncture group, Bilateral Zhong Liao(BL33)and Hui Yang(BL35)were applied. After inserting needle, twirl, lift and thrust the needle for 3 times until patients have needling sensation. In pelvic floor muscle training group, standing/sitting/lying on back with knees bent. Continuously contracted pelvic floor muscle three times under the guidance of professional physician,10 seconds per time, or two times breathing time of contraction(inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale), then relaxed the whole body breathing another two times(inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale). Then contract pelvic floor muscle again. Repeat above movement in 15 minutes. The two group patients were both treated continuously for 2 months with 3 times a week, half an hour per time, 24 times in all. Frequency and amount of leakage, and severity index for urinary incon-tinence would be measured as primary outcome parameters, which were evaluated on each of weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8. Secondary outcome parameters included one hour pad test and patient subjective effectiveness evalu-ation which were evaluated on each of weeks 8,20,32.Results: By evaluating Frequency and amount of leakage, severity index for urinary incontinence, one hour pad test and patient subjective effectiveness evaluation. Electroacupuncture is more effective than pelvic floor muscle training in every outcome parameter. Effective rate of electroacupuncture is 94.7%, while pelvic floor muscle training group is 68.4%(P<0.05). Both of the two groups have no side effect, usually, patients first time to receive electroacupuncture treatment feel fear, but they finally agree to receive it after doctors explanation, for patients who feel doubt on the effect of PFM training, they finally receive it after doctors explanation.Conclusion: Electroacupuncture is a more effective method to stress urinary incontinence in short-term and long-term. However, PFM training is an ideal method for mild stress urinary incontinence women who have no time to treat in hospital or can’t accept electroacupuncture treatment. In our study, untoward reaction has not be founded in both two groups.