Efficiency and Safety of Noninvasive and Intravesical Therapy for Adult Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD), a complex abnormality caused by multiple neurologic disorders, is a serious threat to patients' prognosis and quality of life. However, benefit and safety for various treatments are inconsistent. The aim of the current study was to investigate the available trials of adult NLUTD treatments and provide valuable insights for clinical practice.

METHODS

The data sources were Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to 31 December 2023. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted with randomized controlled trials in patients who were diagnosed with NLUTD, reporting clinical symptoms and urodynamic data. The main outcomes were incontinence episodes frequency (IEF) and maximum cystometric capacity (MCC). Secondary outcomes included frequency, maximum detrusor pressure, bladder compliance, volume of involuntary detrusor contraction, voided volume, incontinence, quality of life, and adverse events.

RESULTS

A total of 54 articles were eligible, evaluating 28 treatments and 4478 patients for efficacy and safety. Compared with the control group, the oxybutynin instillation demonstrated a mean reduction in IEF of - 2.65 episodes (95% confidence interval [CI]: - 4.64 to - 0.67), with a surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) value of 85.8%. Botulinum toxin trigone-combined injection resulted in a reduction of -2.30 episodes (95% CI: -3.23 to - 1.44; SUCRA 84.2%). Additionally, intravesical therapies significantly increased MCC: oxybutynin instillation (mean 227.75 mL, 95% CI 147.00 to 311.42, SUCRA 99.1%) and BTX300U (mean 147.88 mL, 95% CI 100.45-190.32, SUCRA 83.2%). Botulinum toxin injection emerged as the preferred option for improving most urodynamic outcomes and quality of life. However, the incidence of adverse events associated with intravesical injections was higher compared with oral medications and other noninvasive therapies. The three types of botulinum toxins (onabotulinum toxin, abobotulinum toxin, and incobotulinum toxin) demonstrated consistent efficacy in treating both IEF and MCC. Individual studies were sequentially excluded for analysis of network stability. Most results from the alternative networks were consistent with the original analysis, although specific trials influenced certain therapy rankings.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, oxybutynin instillation and intravesical botulinum toxin injection demonstrated significant advantages in improving symptoms and urodynamic parameters. Our findings support intravesical treatment as a safe and effective option, provided that patients are fully informed about their treatment choices. Clinically, intravesical therapies, oral medications, nerve stimulation, and other treatments should be integrated into shared decision-making processes, while some options require further research to bolster the supporting evidence.