Oestrogen helps women's incontinence
25 April 2003
Oestrogen can improve or cure women's incontinence, particularly urge incontinence, according to a Cochrane review.
(Cochrane reviews are conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration, an international organisation aimed at helping people make well-informed decisions about healthcare by undertaking scientific reviews of evidence for certain treatments.)
But combined oestrogen-progesterone may make things worse.
This led the reviewers to suggest that oestrogen-only treatment be indicated for limited periods, especially in women with an intact uterus, due to increased risk of endometrial and breast cancer (Cochrane 2003, issue 2).
They could not draw any firm conclusions about evidence for particular types of oestrogen, administration routes or combination of oestrogen with treatments other than progesterone.
The review contained data from 28 randomised controlled trials involving nearly 3000 women.
Overall, about 50 per cent of women on oestrogen were cured or improved compared with about 25 per cent on placebo, but there were no statistically significant differences with respect to frequency, nocturia (excessive urination during the night) or urgency.
Last Reviewed: 23 April 2003
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 25/4/03
