TY - JOUR
T1 - Google searches for stress urinary incontinence treatment options
T2 - a worldwide trend analysis in the synthetic mesh controversy era
AU - Guérin, Sonia
AU - Khene, Zine Eddine
AU - Peyronnet, Benoit
AU - Bensalah, Karim
AU - Zimmern, Philippe E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - Purpose: To analyze trends in worldwide public interest in the treatment options for stress urinary incontinence around the latest FDA 2019 ban on vaginal mesh for prolapse. Methods: We used the web-based tool Google Trends to analyse online searches related to the following terms: ‘pelvic floor muscle exercises’, ‘continence pessary’, ‘pubovaginal slings’, ‘Burch colposuspension’, ‘midurethral slings’, ‘injectable bulking agents’. Data were expressed as relative search volume on a scale of 0–100. Comparisons of annual relative search volume and average annual percentage change, were analyzed to assess loss or gain of interest. Finally, we assessed the impact of the last FDA alert. Results: The mean annual relative search volume for midurethral slings was 20% in 2006 and significantly decreased until 8% in 2022 (p < 0.01). A regular decrease interest was recorded for autologous surgeries but a regain of interest for pubovaginal slings was registered since 2020 (+ 2.8%; p < 0.01). Conversely, a steep interest was noted for injectable bulking agents (average annual percentage change: + 4.4%; p < 0.01) and conservative therapies (p < 0.01). When trends were compared before and after the FDA 2019 alert, a lower research volume was found for midurethral slings, while a higher research volume was observed all others treatments (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The online public researches about midurethral slings have considerably decreased following warnings on the use of transvaginal mesh. There seems to be a growing interest in conservative measures, bulking agents, and recently pubovaginal slings.
AB - Purpose: To analyze trends in worldwide public interest in the treatment options for stress urinary incontinence around the latest FDA 2019 ban on vaginal mesh for prolapse. Methods: We used the web-based tool Google Trends to analyse online searches related to the following terms: ‘pelvic floor muscle exercises’, ‘continence pessary’, ‘pubovaginal slings’, ‘Burch colposuspension’, ‘midurethral slings’, ‘injectable bulking agents’. Data were expressed as relative search volume on a scale of 0–100. Comparisons of annual relative search volume and average annual percentage change, were analyzed to assess loss or gain of interest. Finally, we assessed the impact of the last FDA alert. Results: The mean annual relative search volume for midurethral slings was 20% in 2006 and significantly decreased until 8% in 2022 (p < 0.01). A regular decrease interest was recorded for autologous surgeries but a regain of interest for pubovaginal slings was registered since 2020 (+ 2.8%; p < 0.01). Conversely, a steep interest was noted for injectable bulking agents (average annual percentage change: + 4.4%; p < 0.01) and conservative therapies (p < 0.01). When trends were compared before and after the FDA 2019 alert, a lower research volume was found for midurethral slings, while a higher research volume was observed all others treatments (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The online public researches about midurethral slings have considerably decreased following warnings on the use of transvaginal mesh. There seems to be a growing interest in conservative measures, bulking agents, and recently pubovaginal slings.
KW - Google Trends
KW - Infodemiologic analysis
KW - Internet
KW - Mass media
KW - Public opinion
KW - Stress urinary incontinence
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U2 - 10.1007/s00345-023-04474-0
DO - 10.1007/s00345-023-04474-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 37358599
AN - SCOPUS:85163008626
SN - 0724-4983
VL - 41
SP - 2217
EP - 2223
JO - World journal of urology
JF - World journal of urology
IS - 8
ER -