Means of reaching successful antenatal transfers to level 3 hospitals in cases of threatened very preterm deliveries: a national survey

Introduction Centralization of very preterm deliveries to level 3 hospitals is recommended to improve infant survival and prevent brain injury. We studied the clinical practices of centralization from level 2 to level 3 hospitals in cases of threatening very preterm delivery in Finland. Materials and methods Obstetricians in all 16 level 2 hospitals in Finland were invited to participate in an online survey regarding antenatal transfer to level 3 hospitals among women with threatened delivery below 32 gestational weeks. We report clinical thresholds used as indications and contraindications for antenatal transfers, and logistical factors related to transfers. Results Twelve out of 16 (75%) hospitals completed the survey. The lower gestational age threshold for antenatal transfer ranged from 22 + 0 to 23 + 0 weeks. All hospitals regarded preterm premature rupture of membranes, chorioamnionitis, and severe pre-eclampsia as indications for antenatal transfer to a level 3 hospital. Most hospitals reported transferring women in spite of regular contractions (interval over 5 min) or cervical dilatation up to 4 cm. Suspicion of placental abruption, abnormal cardiotocography tracing and poor maternal condition were the most frequently reported contraindications for antenatal transfer. The time to arrange antenatal transfer was less than 2 h in all hospitals, and overcrowding of level 3 hospitals rarely hindered antenatal transfer. Conclusions Successful centralization of very preterm deliveries is reached in Finland by rapid and active antenatal transfers. This study identified clinical thresholds used by obstetricians in a setting of long distances and high centralization rate.</div

Is the prevalence of overactive bladder overestimated? : A population-based study in Finland

Background. In earlier studies, one in six adults had overactive bladder which may impair quality of life. However, earlier studies have either not been population-based or have suffered from methodological limitations. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms, based on a representative study population and using consistent definitions and exclusions. Methodology/Principal Findings. The aim of the study was to assess the age-standardized prevalence of overactive bladder defined as urinary urgency, with or without urgency incontinence, usually with urinary frequency and nocturia in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology. In 2003-2004, a questionnaire was mailed to 6,000 randomly selected Finns aged 18-79 years who were identified from the Finnish Population Register Centre. Information on voiding symptoms was collected using the validated Danish Prostatic Symptom Score, with additional frequency and nocturia questions. Corrected prevalence was calculated with adjustment for selection bias due to non-response. The questionnaire also elicited co-morbidity and socio-demographic information. Of the 6,000 subjects, 62.4% participated. The prevalence of overactive bladder was 6.5% (95% CI, 5.5% to 7.6%) for men and 9.3% (CI, 7.9% to 10.6%) for women. Exclusion of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia reduced prevalence among men by approximately one percentage point (to 5.6% [CI, 4.5% to 6.6%]). Among subjects with overactive bladder, urgency incontinence, frequency, and nocturia were reported by 11%, 23%, and 56% of men and 27%, 38%, and 40% of women, respectively. However, only 31% of men and 35% of women with frequency, and 31% of subjects of both sexes with nocturia reported overactive bladder. Conclusions/Significance. Our results indicate a prevalence of overactive bladder as low as 8% suggesting that, in previous studies, occurrence has been overestimated due to vague criteria and selected study populations regarding age distribution and low participation.Background. In earlier studies, one in six adults had overactive bladder which may impair quality of life. However, earlier studies have either not been population-based or have suffered from methodological limitations. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms, based on a representative study population and using consistent definitions and exclusions. Methodology/Principal Findings. The aim of the study was to assess the age-standardized prevalence of overactive bladder defined as urinary urgency, with or without urgency incontinence, usually with urinary frequency and nocturia in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology. In 2003-2004, a questionnaire was mailed to 6,000 randomly selected Finns aged 18-79 years who were identified from the Finnish Population Register Centre. Information on voiding symptoms was collected using the validated Danish Prostatic Symptom Score, with additional frequency and nocturia questions. Corrected prevalence was calculated with adjustment for selection bias due to non-response. The questionnaire also elicited co-morbidity and socio-demographic information. Of the 6,000 subjects, 62.4% participated. The prevalence of overactive bladder was 6.5% (95% CI, 5.5% to 7.6%) for men and 9.3% (CI, 7.9% to 10.6%) for women. Exclusion of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia reduced prevalence among men by approximately one percentage point (to 5.6% [CI, 4.5% to 6.6%]). Among subjects with overactive bladder, urgency incontinence, frequency, and nocturia were reported by 11%, 23%, and 56% of men and 27%, 38%, and 40% of women, respectively. However, only 31% of men and 35% of women with frequency, and 31% of subjects of both sexes with nocturia reported overactive bladder. Conclusions/Significance. Our results indicate a prevalence of overactive bladder as low as 8% suggesting that, in previous studies, occurrence has been overestimated due to vague criteria and selected study populations regarding age distribution and low participation.Background. In earlier studies, one in six adults had overactive bladder which may impair quality of life. However, earlier studies have either not been population-based or have suffered from methodological limitations. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms, based on a representative study population and using consistent definitions and exclusions. Methodology/Principal Findings. The aim of the study was to assess the age-standardized prevalence of overactive bladder defined as urinary urgency, with or without urgency incontinence, usually with urinary frequency and nocturia in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology. In 2003-2004, a questionnaire was mailed to 6,000 randomly selected Finns aged 18-79 years who were identified from the Finnish Population Register Centre. Information on voiding symptoms was collected using the validated Danish Prostatic Symptom Score, with additional frequency and nocturia questions. Corrected prevalence was calculated with adjustment for selection bias due to non-response. The questionnaire also elicited co-morbidity and socio-demographic information. Of the 6,000 subjects, 62.4% participated. The prevalence of overactive bladder was 6.5% (95% CI, 5.5% to 7.6%) for men and 9.3% (CI, 7.9% to 10.6%) for women. Exclusion of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia reduced prevalence among men by approximately one percentage point (to 5.6% [CI, 4.5% to 6.6%]). Among subjects with overactive bladder, urgency incontinence, frequency, and nocturia were reported by 11%, 23%, and 56% of men and 27%, 38%, and 40% of women, respectively. However, only 31% of men and 35% of women with frequency, and 31% of subjects of both sexes with nocturia reported overactive bladder. Conclusions/Significance. Our results indicate a prevalence of overactive bladder as low as 8% suggesting that, in previous studies, occurrence has been overestimated due to vague criteria and selected study populations regarding age distribution and low participation.Peer reviewe

Evaluation of laparoscopic colposuspension and the tension-free vaginal tape procedure in the surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence

Abstract Though not a life threatening condition, involuntary loss of urine is a miserable situation. It has a multidimensional effect on the afflicted individuals, both men and women – and for the society. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two modern, minimally invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The techniques evaluated were laparoscopic colposuspension with mesh and staples (LCM) and the tension-free vaginal tape procedure (TVT). The study consisted of four parts. The first part (Study I) was an observational retrospective follow-up study. Data on the first forty patients operated on with LCM at Oulu University Hospital were collected. Patients had SUI or mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) with predominantly stress incontinence. The Studies II–IV were parts of a randomized, multicenter clinical trial, where LCM was compared with TVT. According to the predefined inclusion criteria 128 SUI women were randomly allocated into two treatment groups: 70 patients received TVT treatment as allocated and 51 LCM. There were seven drop-outs after randomization. After one year of follow-up the cure and improvement rate of the patients operated with LCM were ~ 90%. Also a significant improvement was found in Urinary Incontinence Severity Scores (UISS). At base line the score was 12.1 and after one year follow-up 2.7 (p &lt; 0.001). The bladder perforation rate was 15%. In Study II immediate cure rates and complications of LCM and TVT were studied. After six weeks of follow-up there was no difference in cure rates (~ 90%) between the procedures. There was no difference in complication rates. A significant difference was found in the use of anti-inflammatory / opioid drugs in the immediate post-operative period to relief the pain in favour for TVT. Hospital care was also significantly shorter after TVT than LCM. After one year of follow-up (Study III) TVT was found to give better result both objectively and subjectively. Negative stress test result was recorded in 85.7% in the TVT group and 56.9% in the LCM group. A significant difference was also found, when Visual Analoque Scale (VAS), King's College Health Questionnaire (KHQ) and UISS were used as outcome measures, in the favour of TVT. When 48-hour pad test was used as outcome measure there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. The cost-effectiveness (Study IV) of TVT was found to be better than that of LCM after one year of follow-up. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest, that TVT procedure is on the whole a cost-effective alternative for LCM in the treatment of female SUI

Figure 3

<p>Age-standardized prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms among Finnish people aged 18–79 years, 2003–2004. The red circle represents subjects with overactive bladder without urgency incontinence excluding the area of the red oval representing subjects with overactive bladder with urgency incontinence. The blue circle represents subjects with urinary frequency (defined as more than eight voids per day) and the green circle nocturia (defined as more than one void per night). Age-standardization was performed using the general population <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0000195#pone.0000195-The1" target="_blank">[21]</a>.</p

Overview of published population-based studies assessing the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB^*) among both sexes (MEDLINE and PubMed search to December 2006) with present study (<i>in chronological order</i>)

*<p>OAB, overactive bladder; UTI, urinary tract infection</p>†<p>In the European study, in five out of six countries, telephone interview was used (excluding Spain where direct interviews were conducted due to lower proportion of households having telephone)</p>‡<p>Out of 11,740 participants (of 17,231 households contacted), 5,539 were considered ineligible. To calculate response rate, the number of respondents was divided by eligible participants (<i>the former response rate</i>). If same proportion of non-participants, as there were ineligible among participants (47%), were also considered ineligible, response rate was greater (<i>the latter response rate</i>).</p>§<p>Study sample was close to representative of the general population regarding age, and/or age-standardization was used.</p

Exclusions of the study population of overactive bladder analysis: number of excluded subjects among 1725 men and 2002 women in Finland, 2003–2004

*<p>Acute (in past 2 weeks) or chronic urinary tract infection.</p>†<p>Excluding renal cancer.</p>‡<p>Due to e.g. painful bladder syndrome or radiation.</p>§<p>Puerperium defined as 6 weeks after childbirth.</p

Figure 2

<p>The prevalence of overactive bladder in Finland, 2003–2004. The blue bars indicate men with overactive bladder and the red bars women with overactive bladder. Age-standardization was performed using the general population <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0000195#pone.0000195-The1" target="_blank">[21]</a>.</p

Long-term Impact of Mode of Delivery on Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urgency Urinary Incontinence : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Context: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) are associated with physical and psychological morbidity, and large societal costs. The long-term effects of delivery modes on each kind of incontinence remain uncertain. Objective: To investigate the long-term impact of delivery mode on SUI and UUI. Evidence acquisition: We searched Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, and relevant major conference abstracts up to October 31, 2014, including any observational study with adjusted analyses or any randomized trial addressing the association between delivery mode and SUI or UUI >= 1 yr after delivery. Two reviewers extracted data, including incidence/prevalence of SUI and UUI by delivery modes, and assessed risk of bias. Evidence synthesis: Pooled estimates from 15 eligible studies demonstrated an increased risk of SUI after vaginal delivery versus cesarean section (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-2.19; I-2 = 57%; risk difference: 8.2%). Metaregression demonstrated a larger effect of vaginal delivery among younger women (p = 0.005). Four studies suggested no difference in the risk of SUI between spontaneous vaginal and instrumental delivery (aOR: 1.11; 95% CI, 0.84-1.45; I-2 = 50%). Eight studies suggested an elevated risk of UUI after vaginal delivery versus cesarean section (aOR: 1.30; 95% CI, 1.02-1.65; I-2 = 37%; risk difference: 2.6%). Conclusions: Compared with cesarean section, vaginal delivery is associated with an almost twofold increase in the risk of long-term SUI, with an absolute increase of 8%, and an effect that is largest in younger women. There is also an increased risk of UUI, with an absolute increase of approximately 3%. Patient summary: In this systematic review we looked for the long-term effects of childbirth on urinary leakage. We found that vaginal delivery is associated with an almost twofold increase in the risk of developing leakage with exertion, compared with cesarean section, with a smaller effect on leakage in association with urgency. (C) 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe