Review: anticholinergic drugs improve symptoms but increase dry mouth in adults with overactive bladder syndrome
QUESTION: What are the effects of anticholinergic drugs in adults with overactive bladder syndrome?
Data sources
Studies were identified by searching the Cochrane Incontinence Group trials register (to January 2002) and reference lists of relevant papers.
Study selection
Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials in adults with symptomatic diagnosis of overactive bladder syndrome, urodynamic diagnosis of detrusor overactivity, or both, that compared an anticholinergic drug (given to decrease symptoms of overactive bladder) with placebo or no treatment. Studies of darifenacin, emepronium bromide or carrageenate, dicyclomine chloride, oxybutynin chloride, propiverine, propantheline bromide, tolterodine, and trospium chloride were included. Studies of terodiline or drugs with less direct anticholinergic effects were excluded.
Data extraction
Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers for trial quality, participants, interventions, and outcomes.
Main results
51 studies (32 parallel arm studies, n=6124 …
