ICONS Research Trial Update

Urinary incontinence (UI) following acute stroke is common, affecting between 40%-60% of people in  hospital, but is often poorly managed.  The ICONS:  Identifying Continence Options after Stroke cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial aimed to evaluate the preliminary  effectiveness and potential cost-effectiveness of a systematic voiding programme (SVP), with or without  supported implementation, for the  management of UI after stroke in secondary care.  The SVP comprised  of a comprehensive continence  assessment followed by prompted voiding for patients with  cognitive impairments . For those cognitively able bladder training  was undertaken together with a weekly  review.

Twelve stroke services in England and Wales and 413 patients admitted to hospital with stroke and UI took part.  Stroke services were randomised to receive the SVP (n=4), the SVP plus supported implementation (n=4), or usual care (n=4).

Findings will be presented at the 2013 UK Stroke Forum.

If you are interested in finding out more about ICONS,

please contact :               

Lois Thomas, lhthomas@uclan.ac.uk, 01772 893643.

 

The protocol giving more details of what the research involves has been published online: 

 

Lois H Thomas, Caroline L Watkins,   Beverley French, Christopher Sutton, Denise Forshaw, Francine Cheater, Brenda Roe, Michael J Leathley, Christopher Burton, Elaine McColl and Jo Booth for The ICONS Project Team and the ICONS Patient, Public and Carer   Involvement Groups (2011)  Study protocol: ICONS: Identifying continence options after stroke: A randomised trial. Trials 12: 131.         

http://www.trialsjournal.com/content/12/1/131