BALTIMORE, April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the American Urological Association (AUA), in partnership with the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU), released the 2024 clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of overactive bladder (OAB).

In population-based studies, OAB prevalence rates range from 7% to 27% in men and 9% to 43% in women. OAB symptom prevalence and severity tend to increase with age, and while a proportion of OAB cases remit during a given year, the majority of patients have symptoms for years. As OAB is a symptom-based diagnosis, the impact of the symptoms on quality of life is critical to the condition. The degree of bother caused by OAB symptoms directly affects OAB care-seeking, treatment intensity, and satisfaction with treatment. Therefore, assessment of patient-reported outcomes is a critical component of OAB management.

“This brand new guideline offers options for all patients with OAB with a focus on shared decision-making between patients with OAB and clinicians, as well as a personalized, tailored approach to care,” said chair and vice-chair Anne Cameron, MD, and Ariana Smith, MD. “From non-invasive behavioral changes to managing medical co-morbidities that may impact OAB symptoms to more invasive interventions, this guideline is an invaluable resource for clinicians and patients alike, offering a pragmatic approach to treatment selection that best suits the individual patients’ phenotype and preferences.”

The new guideline discusses the diagnosis and management of idiopathic non-neurogenic overactive bladder. This iteration:

• Expands on previous guidance to include the impact of non-urological contributing factors (e.g., medical comorbidity, obesity, constipation, pelvic floor dysfunction).
• Incorporates the recommendations for pharmacotherapy with further discussion of appropriate use.
• Eliminates the concept of “step therapy” and instead emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making to select the most appropriate management strategy.

This guideline is the product of a comprehensive systematic review, which underwent a rigorous peer review process involving experts from various professional backgrounds, as conducted by the AUA.

The full updated guideline is now available at auanet.org/OABGuideline

A summary of the guideline also appears at:

Cameron AP, Chung DE, Dielubanza EJ, et al. The AUA/SUFU guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic overactive bladder. J Urol. Published online April 23, 2024. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000003985.

https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000003985

Please use this reference to cite the guideline.

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 25,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

Corey Del Bianco
American Urological Association
443-909-4033
cdelbianco@auanet.org