OAB Research 2017 Roundup
You’ve heard countless times about proper hydration or how certain foods might may worsen your symptoms, and you’ve listened to your doctor tout the benefits of a bladder training program.
While all of these treatments are still all up-to-date, here is the latest news about OAB.
Genetic Treatment for OAB
As we all know, the pharmaceutical industry grows by leaps and bounds every year. We shell out hundreds (and maybe even thousands) of dollars to treat our chronic conditions each year.
Although these medications get more pricey, they do get specific and work better. For example, there is an OAB medication that is in the works that targets our genetic makeup.
According to the Genetic Literacy Project, a gene was identified during a genome-wide association study (GWAS) that may contribute to stress urinary incontinence. Thanks to the identification of this medication, women with OAB may eventually be able to take a medication that is peculiar to this issue.
This study identified the following genes as possibly having “an issue":
- CHRM3 – this gene is already targeted with the drugs available
- SULF2
- EDN1 – targets a protein on the interior of blood vessels; this is the gene that will be targeted with new therapies
Further research has to be done. Genetic treatment is still in its infancy – but keep watching!
The Link between OAB and Metabolic Syndrome
Uro Today recently reported a link between people with metabolic syndrome, OAB, and serum nerve growth factor (NGF).
What does this mean?
Serum samples were collected from 90 women – women with OAB, women with both OAB and metabolic syndrome, and a control group (women without OAB or metabolic syndrome). All groups were evenly distributed, with 30 patients. Serum NGF was collected from all of the women.
The researchers found that the women in group two (the group that had both OAB and metabolic syndrome) had significantly higher levels of serum NGF than both the control group and the women with just OAB.
The researchers speculate that “…possible sympathetic overactivity, pro-inflammatory status, oxidative stress and other pathological conditions associated with MetS and potentially involved in the development of OAB lead to increased serum NGF levels. These findings may help to shed light on the complicated pathogenesis of OAB.”
Neuromodulation – What Is It?
Uro Today reports that there are various types of neuromodulation on the forefront. There are different types of cutting-edge treatments that some doctors are even using right now – sacral neuromodulation (SNM), posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), and dorsal genital nerve stimulation.
The Internal Neuromodulation Society defines neuromodulation as “…technology that acts directly upon nerves. It is the alteration—or modulation—of nerve activity by delivering electrical or pharmaceutical agents directly to a target area.”
As you can tell, this is amazing and it's going to get more amazing.
Uro Today note that the current neuromodulation techniques do not use real-time data. However, researchers are currently working on therapies that would utilize the patient’s bodies.
For example, “Dorsal genital nerve, pudendal nerve, S3 afferent nerve roots, and S1 and S2 ganglia have all been used as targets for stimulation. Some of these have also been used as sources of afferent nerve information to detect significant bladder events and even to estimate the fullness of the bladder.”
