- *Corresponding Author:
 - Liping Wu
Intensive Care Unit Department, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
E-mail: wuliping9811@163.com 
| This article was originally published in a special issue, “Trending Topics in Biomedical Research and Pharmaceutical Sciences” | 
Indian J Pharm Sci 2022:84(1) Spl Issue “204-207”  | 
      
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms
Abstract
The paper aimed to explore the ability of bioelectric technology combined with acupoint stimulation on the collagen concentration and prognosis of invalid. Between June 2020 and June 2021, the study recruited 400 patients who underwent stress urinary incontinence in urology and reconstructive pelvic surgery. They were divided into the experimental group (bioelectric technology combined with acupoint stimulation, n=200) and control group (simple bioelectric stimulation, n=200) according to the odd-even method of admission order. The recovery status of the collagen concentration was matched between the two groups. The use of bioelectric technology combined with acupoint stimulation helped to improve stress urinary incontinence. The total effective rate of the study group was 92.0 %, which was higher than the control group. After treatment, the levels of abdominal leak point pressure, maximum urethral closure pressure, bladder compliance and collagen increased in the two groups, which were different from those before treatment (p<0.05). The improvement of the experimental group was better (p<0.05). The combination of bioelectric technology and acupoint stimulation in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence could advance the curative effect, increase pelvic floor muscle strength and improve the urodynamic status and the patient’s collagen concentration.
Keywords
Stress urinary incontinence, acupoint stimulation, bioelectrical stimulation, pelvic floor muscle strength
Urinary incontinence is usually a concept of unintended urination leakage, which will produce  serious economic effect. It belongs to female pelvic floor  dysfunction disease and the average  prevalence rate is 3 %-55 % in the  world. It has seriously affected the physical and mental health and living status of female patients [1]. Urinary incontinence is estimated to cost more than $
  30 billion annually  in medical care. Stress Urinary  Incontinence (SUI) refers to the urinary leakage when exerting  force. It is one-third of them present  with simple or mixed SUI symptoms [2,3]. With the full liberalization  of the "three-child policy" in China, the cure of SUI is of paramount importance. Surgical treatment is often adopted  for severe urinary  incontinence and to manage mild and moderate  SUI [4,5]. In this study, the bioelectric technology combined with acupoint stimulation was used to guide  the patients to Kaigl rehabilitation  exercise, evaluate whether there was  difference between each method and determine  whether one or two methods were more effective than not receiving active  treatment, so as to compare the therapeutic  effects on female SUI. Between June 2020 and  June 2021, the study recruited 400 patients who underwent SUI in urology and reconstructive pelvic surgery. They were divided into the experimental group and control  group according to the odd-even  method of admission order. The recovery status of  the collagen concentration was  matched between the two groups. The  paper aimed to explore the ability of bioelectric technology combined with acupoint stimulation on the collagen concentration and prognosis of  invalid. This study was approved by Institutional Review  Committee of Nosodochium and  all invalid signed the informed consent  form for the experiment. Between June 2020 and June 2021, the study enrolled  400 patients who had SUI in their gynecology department. They were separated into an experimental group  (n=200) and a control group (n=200)  according to the even and odd method  of admission order. General information was shown in Table 1. Inclusion criteria-Subject had urodynamic SUI and a cough pressure test that  was positive; test for leakage >3  g using a pad of standard bladder  capacity (200 ml); SUI occurs at least three  times a week on average [6-10]. Exclusion criteria-Invalid affect  muscle and nerve tissue; invalid with advanced  genital prolapse, active or recurrent  urinary tract infection and urethral sphincter  insufficiency requiring surgical  treatment; patients with severe cardiovascular, liver, kidney, lung, blood system diseases, etc.; incontinence surgery  and invalid with cardiac pacemaker. In the control group, routine  pelvic floor muscle training and  instruction as well as pelvic floor low-frequency  bioelectric stimulation were given. The sequence of saucer contraction was as follows.  20 times of repeated contraction for 2 s and  recovery for 2 s; 20 replicates for  1 s contraction and 1 s recovery; 5-10 s contractions and 10 s recoveries were repeated, followed by 5 violent contractions that  simultaneously stimulated coughing  with an interval of 1 min between groups.  All movements were performed  in small groups  of 45 min each time. The electrode for transvaginal electrical stimulation was cylindrical  with a length of about 10 cm and a width of about 3.5 cm with bimetallic rings. The electrodes were inserted one-third  of the way into the vagina, near the sciatic  spine, near the pudendal nerve,  at the horizontal of the pubococcygeus.  The bipolar square wave can be  transmitted to the extent that the invalid can comfortably tolerate.  The low- frequency electrical stimulation was  applied to Yu-mu acupoints in the experimental group using neuromuscular electrical stimulation apparatus. The duration of needle retention stimulation was 30 min for each  time, 20 times in total [11-15]. All subjects had a complete test. All subjects were required  to complete Incontinence Quality of  Life (I-QoL). The main results measured  were an objective cure for SUI. Secondary indicator included  change in I-QoL. The only two available  Optional Practical Training  (OPT) were pleased, answering  "satisfactory" mean that the invalid  did not want a distinguish treatment. Answering "unsatisfactory" mean that the invalid wanted a distinguish treatment. Data in this study were all processed using Statistical Package  for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20.0 statistical analysis software (International Business Machines  Corporation (IBM), United States).  Results were expressed  as mean or range or mean with Standard Deviation  (SD) for continuous range variables and baseline  characteristics for patients  were expressed as medians  and percentages. For continuous variables, the  differences among the groups were compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test, if the overall differences were statistically  significant. Least Significant  Difference (LSD)-t test or χ2 analysis was used for pairwise matching between the groups [16-20]. Pad weights were reduced in both groups and pad weights  were lower in invalid receiving combination therapy than in controls  (p=0.003). After 6 mo of treatment, the effective rates of patients  in the experimental group reached more than 90 % as shown in Table 2. Post-treatment SUI rating results  were described in detail.  The rating results of the I-QoL questionnaire were shown in Table 3. 6 mo  later, there was a significant change  (p=0.002) in the test group’s quality of life matched  to the control group. The urination diary was analyzed  and the combined treatment group  had a better effect in reducing the onset of SUI (p<0.001). After 6 mo of  treatment, the pelvic floor muscle strength of the experimental group significantly improved  (Table 4). After 6 mo of treatment,  the Abdominal Leak Point Pressure (ALPP), Maximum Urethral Closure  Pressure (MUCP), Bladder  Compliance (BC) and collagen concentration were all increased (p<0.05). The level of  Interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the experimental group after treatment  was higher (p<0.05) as shown in Table 5. Urinary incontinence can place a cost burden on individuals and health-care systems.  It has a complex pathophysiology that requires different treatment techniques in  accordance with the involved mechanisms at the origin of urinary  incontinence. Some researchers have proposed the concept of pelvic floor nerve and muscle damage leading  to genital prolapse. Its injury can lead to pelvic floor muscle weakness, leading to the prolapse of pelvic organs and the relaxation. Therefore,  neuromuscular injury has an important  role in the control. Treatments have  emerged with the aim of rebuilding the ability of the muscles. Techniques can treat this condition. Combination therapy was used as a first  line treatment for SUI because of its  efficacy. But, despite guidance, 30 %  of women are unable to correct voluntary pelvic floor muscle contraction. Acupoint stimulation has been  shown to be effective in alleviating the symptoms with SUI in women, but noninferiority of the primary endpoint has not been established in  comparison with other physical  therapy techniques. Acupoint stimulation is safe and well tolerated. Electrical  stimulation is a long-term approach  to the treatment of SUI. But studies  have conflicting results.  Intravaginal electrical stimulation has been reported to be  effective for urge urinary  incontinence but ineffective for SUI, according to a systematic review. However, electrical stimulation improved  the rate  of SUI in   women better than   in women without treatment  (3.93, 95 % Confidence Interval (CI), 1.43 to 10.80, p=0.008).  Previous study proved acupoint  stimulation. There was no statistical significance among both groups, but both methods  hoist urine leakage and  quality of life. In the present study, bioelectric technology and acupoint stimulation significantly improved SUI, including mean urine leakage, number of incontinent times.  Although there was a trend towards  acupoint stimulation, there were no relevant  differences among groups for these measures.  By 12 w, the percentage of measures significantly raised in both groups and in this study,  the quality of life hoist.  After 6 mo of treatment, the effective rates of patients  in the experimental group  reached more than 90 %. The pelvic  floor muscle strength, ALPP, MUCP, BC and collagen  concentration levels were all increased, with  significant differences compared  with those before treatment. In conclusion, the combination of bioelectric technology and acupoint stimulation in the treatment  of SUI could advance the  curative effect, increase pelvic floor muscle strength and improve the urodynamic status and the patient’s collagen  concentration.
| Group | Cases (n) | Age (x̄±s, y) | Body Mass Index (BMI) (x̄±s, kg/m2) | Natural childbirth maternity (n) | Maternity through other means (n) | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | 200 | 29.4±3.7 | 29.5±3.6 | 94 | 73 | 
| Control group | 200 | 29.9±4.3 | 29.2±3.4 | 96 | 68 | 
| t/χ2 | 0.292 | 0.063 | 0.157 | 0.169 | |
| p value | 0.731 | 0.735 | 0.489 | 0.836 | 
Table 1: The General Data of Invalid
| Group | n | Pad adsorption before treatment (ml) | Pad adsorption after treatment (ml) | Cured (n, %) | Valid (n, %) | Invalid (n, %) | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | 200 | 39.7±5.4 | 8.2±3.5* | 146 (73.0) | 38 (19.0) | 16 (8.0) | 
| Control group | 200 | 38.9±5.9 | 21.9±51.7 | 72 (36.0) | 49 (24.5) | 79 (39.5) | 
| t/χ2 | 0.18 | 1.15 | 12.14 | 2.23 | 5.12 | |
| p value | 0.482 | 0.003** | 0.014 | 0.028 | 0.019 | 
Note: *p<0.05 vs. the control group; **p<0.01 vs. the control group
Table 2: Comparison of Pad Weights and Therapeutic Effects of Patients (x̄±s)
| Group | n | SUI level | SUI attack rate (n, %) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Experimental group | 200 | 146 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 28 (14.0) | 
| Control group | 200 | 72 | 18 | 31 | 38 | 41 | 86 (43.0) | 
| t/χ2 | 48.52 | 2.86 | |||||
| p value | 0.002** | 0.000 | |||||
Note: **p<0.01 vs. the control group, SUI means Stress Urinary Incontinence
Table 3: Post-Treatment Sui Rating Results
| Group | n | Pelvic floor muscle strength grade | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Experimental group | 200 | 0 (0.0) | 72 (36.0) | 81 (40.5) | 46 (23.0) | 1 (0.5) | 0 (0.0) | 
| Control group | 200 | 0 (0.0) | 26 (13.0) | 46 (23.0) | 59 (39.5) | 48 (24.0) | 5 (2.5) | 
| t/χ2 | 45.01 | ||||||
| p value | 0.000** | ||||||
Note: **p<0.01 vs. the control group
Table 4: Results of Muscular Strength Test
| Group | n | ALPP (cm, Water (H2O)) | MUCP (cm H2O) | BC (cm H2O) | Collagen (mg/l) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-treatment | After treatment | Pre-treatment | After treatment | Pre-treatment | After treatment | Pre-treatment | After treatment | ||
| Experimental group | 200 | 82.36±4.19 | 103.24±7.52 | 68.52±3.19 | 93.72±3.55 | 40.91±5.47 | 55.55±4.63 | 72.68±11.06 | 89.76±8.19 | 
| Control group | 200 | 83.91±5.04 | 92.07±5.19 | 70.01±4.08 | 83.96±2.76 | 39.64±5.98 | 50.09±4.38 | 73.12±10.04 | 85.17±8.63 | 
| t/χ2 | 0.339 | 9.557 | 0.304 | 9.826 | 0.255 | 9.903 | 0.284 | 7.652 | |
| p value | 0.905 | 0.000** | 0.837 | 0.000** | 0.794 | 0.000** | 0.881 | 0.024* | |
Note: *p<0.05 vs. the control group; **p<0.01 vs. the control group; ALPP means Abdominal Leak Point Pressure; MUCP means Maximum Urethral Closure Pressure; BC means Bladder Compliance
Table 5: Comparison of Urine Flow Mechanics and Collagen Concentration of Two Groups
Conflict of interests:
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
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