Dry eye findings worsen with anticholinergic therapy in patients with urge incontinence.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To evaluate the effects of oral anticholinergic (OAC) drugs on tear secretion in women with overactive bladder over a 3-month follow-up period. METHODS: In this prospective study, 108 women with a diagnosis of overactive bladder were evaluated. All patients were examined ophthalmologically at baseline (day 0), and after 1 month (day 30) and 3 months (day 90) of OAC treatment. Tear film break-up time (BUT) and Schirmer 1 test results were recorded. The subjective complaints of the patients including dry mouth, and burning, dryness and foreign body sensation in the eyes, were also recorded. The chi-squared test or the paired sample t test as appropriate, was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 51.8 ± 9.2 years (30 - 69 years). The most frequent subjective complaints were dry mouth and dry eyes and both complaints were significant on both day 30 and day 90. Both tear film BUT and Schirmer 1 test results were significantly lower on day 30 and day 90. Dry eye measurement values worsened with prolongation of OAC treatment (p = 0.037 and p = 0.012 for BUT, and p = 0.046 and p = 0.035 for Schirmer 1 test, on day 30 and day 90, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: OAC treatment in women with overactive bladder significantly and progressively affects tear secretion.

Tiotropium Respimat Soft Mist Inhaler versus HandiHaler to improve sleeping oxygen saturation and sleep quality in COPD.

PURPOSE: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have poor sleep quality as a result of various alterations in oxygenation parameters and sleep macro- and micro-architecture. There is a shortage of data to support the efficacy of long-acting inhaled anticholinergic agents in improving these adverse effects, which are known to have a negative impact on clinical outcomes. We aimed to compare the tiotropium Respimat Soft Mist Inhaler and the HandiHaler in terms of their effects on sleeping oxygen saturation (SaO2) and sleep quality in patients with COPD. METHODS: In a randomized, open-label, parallel-group trial involving 200 patients with mild to moderate COPD (resting arterial oxygen tension >60 mmHg while awake), we compared the effects of 6 months' treatment with the two devices on sleeping SaO2 and sleep quality. Overnight polysomnography and pulmonary function testing were performed at baseline and after 6 months' treatment. RESULTS: A total of 188 patients completed the trial. Both groups showed significant improvement in minimum sleep SaO2 and time of sleep spent with SaO2 below 90 (TST90) compared to baseline. The patients using the Respimat had significantly better TST90 than did those using the HandiHaler. Sleep disturbance was highly variable in these patients, but the sleep stage durations were significantly better in the Respimat group. CONCLUSIONS: Sleeping SaO2 can be improved by tiotropium delivered using either the HandiHaler device or the Respimat Soft Mist Inhaler. However, the patients who used the Respimat device had significantly better TST90 and sleep architecture parameters.

Determinants of Long-Term Persistence with Tiotropium Bromide for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Tiotropium bromide, a long-acting anticholinergic agent, improves pulmonary function and quality of life of patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We retrospectively examined the factors that determine the long-term persistence with tiotropium bromide. Among 6,301 patients who underwent pulmonary function tests in our pulmonary clinic between 2006 and 2009, 644 met the following criteria: 1) age > 40 years, 2) ≥ 20 pack-years smoking history, and 3) forced expiratory volume in 1 sec / forced vital capacity ratio < 0.7. The clinical information, including the prescription of tiotropium, was obtained from the patients' records. Tiotropium was administered to 255 patients (40%), of whom 48 (19%) discontinued treatment within 1 year, and 65 (25%) discontinued treatment within the median observation period of 32 months. The drug was discontinued because of ineffectiveness in 35 patients (73%), and because of adverse drug effects in 13 patients (27%). Young age, current smoking, absence of respiratory symptoms alleviation, and less severe disease characterized by a) mild airflow limitation, b) mild to moderate emphysema, or c) no exacerbation of COPD during the 1(st) year of treatment were predictors of drug discontinuation.

Shifting to 4 × 1 intermittent catheterization without an early follow-up urodynamic study is possible in most patients with subacute spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVES: We retrospectively evaluated the frequency of changing to 4/day intermittent catheterization (IC) in patients with subacute spinal cord injury (SCI) who had been initiated on IC 6 times a day and started oral anticholinergic treatment following urodynamic investigation for decreased maximum cystometric capacity and undergone a follow-up urodynamic study within 45 days. The goal of the study was to see if the second urodynamic study was necessary. METHODS: The frequency of shifting to 4/day IC was investigated retrospectively in 27 patients with subacute SCI who were prescribed 6/day IC. RESULTS: In 25 of 27 patients a bladder capacity of 400 ml or more was reached in urodynamic study carried out in the following 45 days and the patients were shifted to 4/day IC. There was a significant difference between the anticholinergic pre-treatment (293 ± 39 ml) and post-treatment (531 ± 81 ml) capacities (P < 0.001). The mean increase in bladder capacity in all patients was 237.6 ± 79.5 ml (83.5 ± 32.1%). CONCLUSION: Patients with subacute SCI who were prescribed 6/day IC and were given an oral anticholinergic drug can be shifted to 4/day IC after 45 days without performing an early control urodynamic study if the patients use the drug properly. However in the long-run, periodic follow-up urodynamic studies should be carried out at appropriate intervals, according to the patients' clinical findings.

Cognitive impact of anticholinergic medication in MS: Adding insult to injury?

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is well recognized, being documented even in the earliest stages of the disease. Anticholinergic drugs (ACD) are frequently used to address bladdder symptoms in this population. ACD are known for their deleterious cognitive effects in older individuals; however their potential impact on cognition has received less attention in the context of MS. OBJECTIVE: To explore possible detrimental effects of bladder-directed ACD on cognitive functioning in MS. METHODS: 42 MS patients who had been on classical, bladder-directed ACD for ≥6 months were compared to 46 patients not receiving ACD, in terms of their scores on Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT) and Selective Reminding Test (SRT). Patients also completed questionnaires for fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale - MFIS) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen - BDIFS). RESULTS: Patients using ACD showed significantly lower SDMT and SRT scores compared to those not using ACD (p<0.001; t-test). The association of lower cognitive test performance with ACD usage was robust, even when other variables (like age, gender, EDSS, etc.) were considered. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that chronic use of classical ACD for bladder symptoms may have a negative impact on cognitive functioning in MS patients. These potential cognitive side effects need to be considered both in clinical practice and research settings.