Biofeedback or pelvic floor muscle exercises for female genuine stress incontinence: a meta-analysis of trials identified in a systematic review

Objective To test, by meta-analysis, the conclusion of a systematic review that biofeedback was no more effective than pelvic floor muscle exercises a lone for the treatment of female genuine stress urinary incontinence. Materials and methods Data extracted from the five trials identified in the systematic review were subjected to pooled analysis of odds ratios for the outcome of cure, Results The odds ratio for biofeedback combined with pelvic floor muscle ex ercises, compared with pelvic floor muscle exercises alone, leading to cure was 2.1 (95% confidence interval 0.99-4.4). Conclusions Biofeedback may be an important adjunct to pelvic floor muscle exercises alone in the treatment of female genuine stress urinary incontine nce. A quantitative statistical analysis of the studies identified leads to different conclusions from those in the systematic review.