Solifenacin is able to improve the irritative symptoms after transurethral resection of bladder tumors.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of solifenacin in the management of irritative symptoms after transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBTs) with subsequent intravesical chemotherapy.

METHODS

A total of 116 patients undergoing TURBT were randomly allocated into 2 groups, 58 patients in each group. Group 1 patients received solifenacin 5 mg, 6 hours before surgery and 5 mg per day, after surgery for 2 weeks, whereas group 2 patients received a placebo. Patients with low-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer received immediate postoperative instillation of epirubicin. Patients with medium- or high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer received postoperative instillation twice within 2 weeks, once immediately following the operation and once on the eighth postoperative day. All patients completed bladder diaries before surgery, on the 1st, 7th, and 14th days after removal of the catheter with overactive bladder symptom scores completed preoperatively, and on the 7th and 14th days. Additionally, the incidence and severity of catheter-related bladder discomfort were recorded at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after the surgery.

RESULTS

The incidence and the severity of catheter-related bladder discomfort in group 1, compared with group 2, were significantly reduced (P<.05). There was a significant difference in overactive bladder symptom scores between the 2 groups (5.67 vs 7.86; P<.001). Episodes of daytime, frequency, nocturia, urgency, and urge urinary incontinence in group 1 were also significantly lower than in group 2 (P<.05).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that solifenacin can be beneficial for the management of irritative symptoms after TURBT with subsequent intravesical chemotherapy.