Conditions: Urethral Sphincter Activity
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 56
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
Lower urinary tract symptoms such as urinary leakage and overactive bladder affect millions of American women. Women may develop these problems because the innervation of the muscles of the bladder and urethra are injured. Most research on treating these problems has focused on the abnormalities of the bladder muscle, but newer studies have shown abnormalities in the innervation and muscle function of the urethra.

Women with these symptoms may benefit from treatment with medications to improve their urethral function. However, to truly understand what types of medications will help women with these symptoms, the investigators wish to study how these medications affect innervation and muscle function in healthy women who do not have lower urinary tract symptoms.

Detailed description:
Women without urinary incontinence or bladder symptoms (healthy controls)will undergo urethral testing prior to randomization to one of 5 medications or placebo. Participants will take an oral medication for 2 weeks and then return for repeat testing.

Arms:
arm 1: Pseudoephedrine 120mg extended release tablets arm 2: Solifenacin 5mg capsule arm 3: Tamsulosin 0.4mg capsule arm 4: Imipramine 25mg tablet arm 5: Cyclobenzaprine 10mg tablet arm 6: Sham

Interventions: intervention 1: Pseudoephedrine intervention 2: Tamsulosin intervention 3: Imipramine intervention 4: Cyclobenzaprine intervention 5: Lactose capsule intervention 6: Solifenacin
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Pseudoephedrine ER 120 mg by mouth once daily for 2 weeks intervention 2: Tamsulosin 0.4mg by mouth daily for 2 weeks intervention 3: Imipramine 25mg daily by mouth for 2 weeks intervention 4: Cyclobenzaprine 10mg daily by mouth for 2 weeks intervention 5: Lactose capsule 1 by mouth daily for 2 weeks intervention 6: Solifenacin 5mg by mouth daily for 2 weeks

Protocol document: