Research highlights preventive measures and a nasal spray treatment option for patients
San Diego, CA, May 8, 2016 — New data being presented during the 111th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA 2016) highlights two potential therapeutic options for adults to reduce the prevalence of nocturia, one of the most bothersome of the lower urinary tract symptoms. Nocturia, a common urologic problem for millions of people worldwide, is defined as waking up two or more times per night to urinate.
It is often associated with having an overactive bladder or an enlarged prostate, but can also occur independently. Tomas L. Griebling, MD, MPH, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and Professor of Urology at the University of Kansas moderated the session, which was hosted at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA on Sunday May 8, 2016.
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Study of 2 Doses of SER120 (low dose Desmopressin) Nasal Spray in Patients with Nocturia: SER120 is a nasal spray with a novel formulation of low dose Desmopressin. Desmopressin, most notably used to treat bed-wetting in children aged 6 years and up, is a synthetic replacement for vasopressin, the hormone that reduces urine production. As part of a Phase 3 clinical study, researchers from multiple institutions across the United States, sought to determine if two doses of SER120 is an effective and safe option for treating adults aged 50 and older with nocturia, a common urological disorder characterized by frequent urination at night.
Results showed:
- Individuals taking SER120 urinated at night significantly less compared to those taking the placebo
- Individuals taking SER120 reported a statistically significant improvement in quality of life versus those taking the placebo
The Impact of Exercise on Nocturia: Breaking Down the Inflammatory Cycle: Previous studies suggest a possible inflammatory component to the disease process of nocturia, which has been connected to obesity, as well as C-reactive protein (CRP), a group of proteins that increase during inflammation. Recognizing the benefits of physical activity as a preventive health measure, researchers from Boston, MA sought to explore whether exercise could inhibit the inflammatory cycle and reduce the prevalence of nocturia in both men and women over the age of 20. After analyzing data from 10,166 individuals in the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers found that physically active men and women were less likely to report nocturia and CRP then those who reported little to no physical activity.
Additional results showed:
- While exercise does not prevent nocturia, it can keep it to a minimum
- The more an individual exercises, the more they are able to reduce the inflammatory cycle and the prevalence of needing to get up at night multiple times to urinate
- Those who exercised less, suffered more with nocturia and higher serum inflammation in the form of CRP
“These studies continue to highlight innovative research targeted at reducing the prevalence of nocturia,” said Dr. Griebling. “Preventive health measures such as exercise and higher levels of physical activity are easy and powerful ways to potentially reduce the need to urinate at night. And researchers continue to examine the potential utility of new formulations of desmopressin for the treatment of nocturia in adults.”