{"title":"The Efficacy and Safety of Erbium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser Therapy for Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","authors":"Huilei Yan, Jialei Wang, Yefei Ding, Guanli Huang, Hao Ding, Wei Zhao, Yunbo Ma","doi":"10.1002/lsm.70012","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Objectives</h3>\n \n <p>The erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet(Er:YAG) laser therapy has recently emerged as a novel treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Er:YAG laser therapy in the management of SUI.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\n \n <p>We conducted a search in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, up to December 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that mentioned the use of Er:YAG laser therapy for the treatment of SUI. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>The meta-analysis included four publications with a total of 390 patients diagnosed with SUI. Posttreatment analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in the Er:YAG laser therapy group for the 1-h pad test (mean difference [MD]: −10.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], −17.32 to −3.53; <i>p</i> = 0.003) and the number of subjective cures as assessed by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) (odds ratio [OR]; 6.21, 95% CI; 1.55–24.84, <i>p</i> = 0.01). However, no significant differences were observed in the change of ICIQ-SF scores (MD: −0.15; 95% CI, −0.77 to 1.07; <i>p</i> = 0.75) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12) scores (MD: 0.81; 95% CI, −0.24 to 1.85; <i>p</i> = 0.13). In terms of comfort, pain visual analog score (VAS) was higher in the laser therapy versus sham therapy following both treatment sessions (The pain VAS after session one (MD; 3.72, 95% CI; 3.24–419, <i>p</i> < 0.00001). The pain VAS after session two(MD; 2.64, 95% CI; 2.12–3.15, <i>p</i> < 0.00001). Regarding adverse events, there were no statistically significant differences between the Er:YAG laser group and the sham group in terms of increased vaginal discharge (OR; 4.64, 95% CI; 0.27–78.30, <i>p</i> = 0.29), vaginal discomfort (OR; 1.31, 95% CI; 0.62–2.73, <i>p</i> = 0.48), and suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) (OR; 3.44, 95% CI; 0.57–20.58, <i>p</i> = 0.18).</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusions</h3>\n \n <p>Our meta-analysis indicates that the Er:YAG laser appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for SUI.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":17961,"journal":{"name":"Lasers in Surgery and Medicine","volume":"57 4","pages":"297-305"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Lasers in Surgery and Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lsm.70012","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"DERMATOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
The erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet(Er:YAG) laser therapy has recently emerged as a novel treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Er:YAG laser therapy in the management of SUI.
Materials and Methods
We conducted a search in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, up to December 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that mentioned the use of Er:YAG laser therapy for the treatment of SUI. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted.
Results
The meta-analysis included four publications with a total of 390 patients diagnosed with SUI. Posttreatment analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in the Er:YAG laser therapy group for the 1-h pad test (mean difference [MD]: −10.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], −17.32 to −3.53; p = 0.003) and the number of subjective cures as assessed by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) (odds ratio [OR]; 6.21, 95% CI; 1.55–24.84, p = 0.01). However, no significant differences were observed in the change of ICIQ-SF scores (MD: −0.15; 95% CI, −0.77 to 1.07; p = 0.75) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12) scores (MD: 0.81; 95% CI, −0.24 to 1.85; p = 0.13). In terms of comfort, pain visual analog score (VAS) was higher in the laser therapy versus sham therapy following both treatment sessions (The pain VAS after session one (MD; 3.72, 95% CI; 3.24–419, p < 0.00001). The pain VAS after session two(MD; 2.64, 95% CI; 2.12–3.15, p < 0.00001). Regarding adverse events, there were no statistically significant differences between the Er:YAG laser group and the sham group in terms of increased vaginal discharge (OR; 4.64, 95% CI; 0.27–78.30, p = 0.29), vaginal discomfort (OR; 1.31, 95% CI; 0.62–2.73, p = 0.48), and suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) (OR; 3.44, 95% CI; 0.57–20.58, p = 0.18).
Conclusions
Our meta-analysis indicates that the Er:YAG laser appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for SUI.
期刊介绍:
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine publishes the highest quality research and clinical manuscripts in areas relating to the use of lasers in medicine and biology. The journal publishes basic and clinical studies on the therapeutic and diagnostic use of lasers in all the surgical and medical specialties. Contributions regarding clinical trials, new therapeutic techniques or instrumentation, laser biophysics and bioengineering, photobiology and photochemistry, outcomes research, cost-effectiveness, and other aspects of biomedicine are welcome. Using a process of rigorous yet rapid review of submitted manuscripts, findings of high scientific and medical interest are published with a minimum delay.