Short-term Effects of a Systematized Bladder Training Program for Idiopathic Overactive Bladder: A Prospective Study

This study was to investigate whether a systematized bladder training (BT) program is effective for patients with idiopathic overactive bladder (OAB). A prospective study was conducted on 105 patients with OAB from March 2009 to November 2011. We developed a 30 minutes BT program, which consisted of first, refraining from going to the bathroom after feeling an urge to void, second, in order to stop thinking about voiding, ceasing action and thought temporarily, and third, performing pelvic floor exercises 5 to 6 times. Before and after BT, the patients filled out voiding diaries as well as the following questionnaires; International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire for overactive bladder (ICIQ-OAB), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), overactive bladder questionnaire (OAB-q), the short form 36-item health survey (SF-36) questionnaire, the work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire, and a patients' perception of treatment benefit (PPTB). A final analysis was performed from on 85 patients (38 male, 47 female) with idiopathic OAB. After the first BT, the results of the ICIQ-OAB showed improvement in frequency, nocturia, and urgency (P