Morgan Petronelli

A poster presented at the 2022 American Urogynecologic Society and International Urogynecological Association’s Annual Meeting showed how poor health literacy is common among patients with chronic pain, leading tp a lower quality of life, less health care utilization, and decreased adherence to self-management strategies.

Addressing the gaps in health literacy may lead to improvement in health outcomes and health care disparities among patients with chronic pelvic pain (CPP), according to the study investigators.

In the study, 45 participants were recruited from a multidisciplinary, female CPP program in outpatient CPP and FPMRS clinics located at a tertiary care center. Study participants provided clinical demographics and completed multiple validated outcomes measures that evaluated pain level, coping style of pain, psychological impact, and health literacy.

Results of the study demonstrated that CPP patients had adequate levels of health literacy; however, patients with lower health literacy had more depressive symptoms, higher pain catastrophizing, and greater pain intensity.

The authors recommend providers who treat CPP remain cognizant of patients’ diverse health literacy, as well as screen for comorbidities such as depression and pain catastrophizing. They suggest by improving the identification of limited health literacy and comorbid psychosocial factors, it could possibly decrease health disparities in women with CPP.

Additionally, proper health literacy identification may also empower patients to improve self-management of their CPP, be an active participant in decision-making, and engage in positive coping mechanisms that could possibly lead to a reduction in pain intensity, the authors concluded.

1. Tseng I, Pham Y, Malisch B, Joyce C, Fitzgerald C, Bennis S. Health Literacy in Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain. Poster presentation at the 2022 American Urogynecologic Society and International Urogynecological Association’s 47th Annual Meeting. June 14-18, 2022. Austin, Texas.

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Addressing the gaps in health literacy may lead to improvement in health outcomes and health care disparities among patients with chronic pelvic pain.

Study assesses impact of health literacy on chronic pelvic pain

There is insufficient data available comparing onabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA) outcomes in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) who have previously received 1 oral OAB agent versus those have who have received more than 1, according to the authors of an abstract presented at the 2022 American Urogynecologic Society and International Urogynecologic Association’s 47th Annual Meeting. 

To combat this lack of data, the investigators conducted a study that evaluated real-world urinary incontinence episodes and the benefit of onabotA in individuals who are refractory to 1 or more oral medications. This prospective, observational study (NCT02161159), enrolled adult OAB patients whose symptoms are inadequately managed by oral medications.

In the study, participants were naïve to botulinum toxin for OAB. Additionally, efficacy and safety analyses were conducted on patients who received >1 dose of onabotA, and adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were documented up to 12 months after onabotA treatment.

The investigators examined UI episodes at baseline for all participants who took oral medications (b-3 adrenergic agonist [b-3] and/or an anticholinergic [AC]) for OAB. Patients who took oral medications before, but not after onabotA treatment and had >1 diary entry at the designated timepoint were the only ones incorporated in the analyses of UI episodes.

Results of the study demonstrated that baseline episodes of patients treated with 1 oral medication were similar to those who took more than 1 oral medication. Also, reductions in UI at Week 12 following onabotA were not different based on the number of prior oral medications.

Moreover, 233 patients reported TBS at week 12, and of those patients, 88% were improved or greatly improved after onabotA treatment.

Safety data recorded 57 AEs in 38 patients (7.5%), 9 of which were serious. Also, urinary retention was reported in 5 patients (1.0%), and symptomatic urinary tract infection was reported in 2 patients (0.4%).

The authors concluded, “Treatment with onabotA led to significant reductions in UI episodes, with no significant improvement in patients who had been on more than one oral as compared to only one oral before onabotA treatment. Given these results, clinicians may want to consider onabotA treatment earlier as opposed to cycling through oral medications.”

1. Farrelly E, Lorenzo-Gomez M, Schulte-Baukloh H, Nelson M, Hamid R. OnabotulinumtoxinA Improves Idiopathic Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Patients Refractory to Oral Medications. Poster presentation at the AUGS and IUGA 2022 Scientific Meeting. June 14-18, 2022. Austin, Texas.

The investigators conducted a study that evaluated real-world urinary incontinence episodes and the benefit of onabotulinumtoxinA in individuals  refractory to 1 or more oral medications. 

Morgan Petronelli

Articles

Study assesses impact of health literacy on chronic pelvic pain

Study examines onabotulinumtoxinA outcomes in OAB based on number of prior oral agents