Objective

Lower urinary tract dysfunctions (LUTD) are very common in neurological diseases. TENS is a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of urinary and pelvic perineal symptoms, whose effectiveness has been proven in multiple sclerosis. Evaluate the benefits of treatment with TENS (U3 program) in clinical practice for neurological lower urinary tract dysfunctions (LUTD), incompletely controlled by the usual pharmacological treatment, on urinary symptoms and quality of life.

Materials/patients and methods

We performed a cohort, and prospective study, between June 2014 and September 2015 in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service in CHU Toulouse, Rangueil. We included patients with neurological LUTD, badly controlled by pharmacological treatments and with whom we prescribed TENS; they completed questionnaires of urinary symptoms (USP score) and of quality of life (Qualiveen) at baseline to 2 months and 6 months.

Results

Thirty-three patients were included (mean age 53.7 years, 70% women and 30% of patients with MS). Twenty-three patients were followed up at 2 months (M2) and 15 at 6 months (M6). TENS has been prescribed for purchase after 2 months of testing for 63.3% of patients (19 patients of the 30 who actually started the TENS). We find a statistically significant decrease in symptoms of over active bladder (OAB) ( p = 0.0012) and dysuria ( p = 0.0322) assessed by the USP score at M2. We find a statistically significant reduction of discomfort ( p = 0.0305) associated with urinary disorders at M2. There is no significant difference in M6. The study of correlations shows that TENS improves very symptomatic patients (on OAB in M2 and M6) or very disabled in terms of quality of life (on total Qualiveen to M2 and on the lived symptoms to M2 and M6).

Discussion/Conclusion

TENS can be considered as a good symptomatic treatment for neurological LUTD in clinical practice.