three older woman laughing together outdoors

Urinary Incontinence in Older WomenComparing three of the latest pharmacologic and non-drug treatments

Do you know someone who struggles with urinary incontinence (UI) and could be at some risk of falling? We're conducting a study to find out if the way we treat UI can affect the risk of falling in older women.

UI is a common problem in older adults, and it's associated with a higher risk of falling. But we're not sure if the treatments currently available either reduce or increase this risk. We want to answer that question and see if one treatment is better than the others.

How You Can Help

We're looking for women aged 60 or older who have UI and could be at some risk of falling. To determine fall risk, we'll ask if they've fallen in the past year if they feel unsteady when standing or walking, or if they worry about falling. If they meet these criteria and agree to participate, they'll be randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups.

We're comparing three treatments :

  1. Pelvic Floor Muscle Training: A 12-week program with six visits to a female pelvic health physical therapist.
  2. Mirabegron (Myrbetriq): A daily medication taken for 12 weeks.
  3. Trospium XL: A once-daily extended-release medication taken for 12 weeks.

Participants will be assessed at the beginning of the study, at 12 weeks, and 6 months. We'll cover the cost of the treatment, and participants will be compensated.

We are looking for Women who are:

  • Aged 60 or older,
  • Experience urgency UI or overactive bladder, and
  • Are willing to answer a few questions about their fall risk

Steve Fisher, PhD is the Principal investigator of this study. This project is supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact Us

Paula Skinkis
Clinical Research Coordinator
Phone: (409) 772-1907
Email:  pskinkis@utmb.edu 

Mariel McConville
Lead Research Coordinator
Phone: (409) 266-1759
Email:  mamcconv@utmb.edu 

logo