Efficacy of magnetic stimulation for female stress urinary incontinence: a meta-analysis

AIM: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of magnetic stimulation (MS) in treating female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and providing an alternative treatment for patients who are unwilling to undergo surgery. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated MS as a remedy for female SUI were retrieved from various electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry system. Moreover, reference lists for related papers were carefully screened for relevant studies. RESULTS: A total of six RCTs evaluating the effect of MS in treating female SUI were included in this study. Compared with the placebo group, the MS group exhibited higher quality-of-life scores [mean difference (MD) 0.59, 95% credibility interval (CI) 0.23–0.95; p = 0.001] and lower International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire scores (MD −3.93, 95% CI −5.85 to −2.01; p < 0.0001). Moreover, they exhibited a higher objective cure rate (odds ratio 8.49, 95% CI 3.08–23.37). In addition, MS treatment reduced the number of episodes of urinary incontinence (MD −1.42, 95% CI −2.24 to −0.59; p = 0.0007) and urine loss on pad test (MD −4.67, 95% CI −8.05 to −1.28; p = 0.007). There were no significant treatment-related adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of MS in the treatment of female SUI. The results have important implications for patients who do not wish to undergo surgical therapy. We found that MS treatment for SUI has positive outcomes, however, future studies should aim at establishing the best protocol for optimizing the therapeutic effect.