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 alone 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 exercises, 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 incontinence. A quantitative statistical analysis of the studies identified leads to different conclusions from those in the systematic review.