Recent insights into pharmaceutical treatments for underactive bladder: a scoping review of recent studies

Abstract

Underactive bladder is a relatively prevalent condition, yet there is only limited research into its diagnosis, treatment, and management. This has increased interest in researching novel treatments for underactive bladder and enhancing understanding of the underlying mechanisms of its presentation. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was followed as the guiding outline. An a priori protocol was developed prior to the commencement of any searching or database assessment and published online on the Open Science Framework, after which the PubMed database was searched for articles published over a five-year period from 1 April 2018 to 1 April 2023. Thirty records were identified, with eight included in the scoping review. Most studies were funded by industry, presenting the risk of considerable bias in study design or reporting. Overall, in the last five years, there have not been any new or upcoming treatments that present a consistent and evidence-based ability, across multiple articles, to alleviate underactive bladder. However, research is ongoing, and some receptor systems may hold some potential to assist in the prevention of the disorder.