Electrostimulation of the posterior tibial nerve in individuals with overactive bladder: a literature review.
Marilia Barbosa Santos Garcia, João Santos Pereira
PMID 30349175WHAT IT FOUND
Tibial nerve stimulation shows promise for overactive bladder, but the evidence is weak.
Most trials had poor methodological quality, small samples, and inconsistent designs. Clinicians should view it as a potential option, not a proven standard.
Key findings
01The review found low to medium methodological quality in the included studies, which may interfere with their reliability and clinical application.
02Only 26.6% of the included articles scored above five items on the PEDro scale, indicating a lack of standardized, high-quality clinical studies.
03While individual trials reported positive outcomes like reduced incontinence or improved quality of life, the review notes that small sample sizes, mixed participant diseases, and lack of control groups complicate comparisons and may bias results.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review only included studies found in the PEDro database, which may have missed relevant literature. The included studies had small sample sizes and varied patient characteristics (e.g., neurogenic vs. idiopathic OAB), making it difficult to generalize findings. Many studies lacked blinding or proper control groups, increasing the risk of bias. Interventions were not standardized (different frequencies, durations, and electrode placements), so it is unclear what specific protocol works best. Unpublished data from dissertations and theses were not included.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the positive results in individual trials cited within this review as definitive proof of efficacy. The review itself concludes that the methodological quality of these trials is low to medium, and the results may be biased by small samples and lack of blinding. Tibial nerve stimulation should be viewed as an area needing more rigorous research, not a proven treatment.