Clinical Research Directory

Electroacupuncture as a Treatment for Refractory Overactive Bladder

This study is a single-site feasibility randomised controlled trial evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of electroacupuncture (EA), percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), and sham electroacupuncture in women with refractory overactive bladder (OAB) who have not achieved satisfactory improvement following standard pelvic health physiotherapy. The primary aim is to determine whether a larger definitive trial is feasible by assessing recruitment, consent, retention, treatment adherence, data completeness, intervention delivery, blinding credibility, safety, and participant acceptability. Thirty-six participants will be randomly allocated to receive electroacupuncture, PTNS, or sham electroacupuncture over a 12-week treatment period. Outcome assessments will be completed at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. The findings will inform the design of a future definitive randomised controlled trial and contribute to the evidence base for non-pharmacological treatment options for overactive bladder.

A Prospective Evaluation of a Prescription Digital Therapeutic for Treatment of Overactive Bladder in Women: The RiSolve Trial

The RiSolve Trial is a prospective, single-arm, post-market clinical investigation designed to evaluate the effectiveness, usability, and safety of a prescription digital therapeutic (PDTx) for women suffering from overactive bladder (OAB). The study is sponsored by the University of Galway and led by Professor Andrew W. Murphy. It is scheduled to begin in August 2025 and conclude in March 2026, and will be conducted through the Primary Care Clinical Trials Network at the University of Galway. Sixty adult women based in the Republic of Ireland will be recruited to take part. Eligible participants must be at least eighteen years old, fluent in English, own a smartphone, and report bothersome OAB or urgency incontinence symptoms. Women who are pregnant, receiving certain bladder-related treatments, or using specific medications or devices will be excluded. Overactive bladder is a chronic condition defined by urgency, urinary frequency, nocturia, and often urgency incontinence. It is highly prevalent among women and significantly impacts quality of life, with effects ranging from sleep disruption to reduced occupational performance and heightened risks of anxiety and depression. Standard treatment guidelines recommend a tiered approach, beginning with behavioural therapy, followed by pharmacological options, and finally invasive procedures such as Botox injections or neuromodulation. Behavioural therapy, although considered the gold standard, is often difficult for patients to access due to limited provider availability, cost, and stigma. RiSolve was developed to overcome these barriers by offering a comprehensive, digital, prescription-only therapeutic program. The investigational device, the RiSolve App (REF: PDTxA001), is a CE-marked Class I medical device developed in accordance with the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR 2017/745). It delivers an eight-week structured program combining behavioural therapy with a novel digital cognitive behavioural therapy component. Content includes bladder training, pelvic floor exercises, urge suppression strategies, education on bladder health and diet, and general wellbeing modules covering sleep, stress, and exercise. The app also provides interactive tools such as quizzes, bladder diaries, and personalised feedback. Patients complete clinically validated questionnaires and receive auto-generated progress reports, which are also shared with healthcare providers. In its design, RiSolve builds on earlier pilot work with a prior app developed at the University of Galway, which demonstrated improvements in OAB symptoms and quality of life. The primary aim of the study is to assess usability of the RiSolve App, measured using the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS). Secondary objectives include evaluating symptom improvement using the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire short-form Symptom Severity scale (OAB-q SF SS) and assessing quality of life changes with the OAB-q SF HQoL scale. Safety outcomes will focus on identifying any device-related serious adverse events.

Stimulating Percutaneous Array for Urinary Reflex Control (SPARC)

The Confidanz Smart Patch System consists of a Smart Patch containing one transcutaneous gel electrode and one percutaneous microneedle array electrode that sits directly superficial to the posterior tibial nerve. An applicator is used by the patient to deploy the microneedles into the skin. A Capital Stimulation Unit (CSU) is magnetically aligned with the Smart Patch and generates biphasic current wave form to the posterior tibial nerve through the patch. The CSU is connected to a mobile application via Bluetooth, allowing control over the stimulation intensity parameters. Primary Objective: To investigate the safety of the Confidanz Smart Patch System for adults diagnosed with idiopathic overactive bladder. Secondary Objective: To measure the reduction from baseline in average incontinence events (IE) per day at 6- and 12-weeks. Primary Hypothesis: The use of the Confidanz Smart Patch System is safe for use in adults with idiopathic overactive bladder.