Autologous cell injections may benefit women with SUI

Transurethral ultrasonography-guided injections of autologous myoblasts and fibroblasts appear to be effective in treating women with stress urinary incontinence, according to a study published in The Lancet (2007; 369:2179-86).

Hannes Strasser, MD, of the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria, and colleagues studied 63 women with stress urinary incontinence between 2002 and 2004. Of these women, 42 were randomly assigned to receive injections of autologous myoblasts and fibroblasts, and 21 received conventional endoscopic injections of collagen.

Primary outcome measurements were an incontinence score (0 to 6) based on a 24-hour voiding diary, a 24-hour pad test, and a patient questionnaire.

At 12 months follow-up, 38 of 42 women injected with autologous cells were completely continent, compared with two of 21 who received collagen. The median incontinence score decreased from a baseline of 6 (complete incontinence) to 0 for patients treated with autologous cells, and remained at 6 for patients treated with collagen (p<.0001).

Ultrasonographic measurements showed that the mean thickness of the rhabdosphincter increased from a baseline of 2.13 mm for all patients to 3.38 mm for patients treated with autologous cells and to 2.32 mm for patients treated with collagen (p<.0001).

Contractility of the rhabdosphincter increased from a baseline of .58 mm to 1.56 mm in patients treated with autologous cells and to 0.67 mm in controls (p<.0001). The change in the thickness of the urethra after treatment was not significantly different between treatment groups.

No adverse effects were reported in any patient.