Magnetic stimulation in the treatment of female urgency urinary incontinence: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: This systematic review analyzes published studies about magnetic stimulation (MS) treatment for UUI and determines whether this treatment is effective and non-invasive. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase. The international standard for reporting results of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) was used to guide the methodology of this systematic review. The key search terms were as follows: “magnetic stimulation” and “urinary incontinence.” We limited the time frame to articles published from 1998, when the FDA approved MS as a conservative treatment option for UI. The last search was performed on 5 August 2022. Results: Two authors independently reviewed 234 article titles and abstracts, of which only 5 fitted the inclusion criteria. All 5 studies included women with UUI, but every study had different diagnostic and entry criteria for patients. They also differed in their treatment regimens and methodological approaches to assessing the efficacy of treating UUI with MS, which made it impossible to compare the results. Nonetheless, all five studies established that MS is an effective and non-invasive way of treating UUI. Conclusions: The systematic literature review led to the conclusion that MS is an effective and conservative way of treating UUI. Despite this, literature in this area is lacking. Further randomized controlled trials are needed, with standardized entry criteria, UUI diagnostics, MS programs, and standardized protocols to measure the efficacy of MS in UUI treatment, with a longer follow-up period for post-treatment patients.