OBJECTIVETo observe the impact of electroacupuncture (EA) on the quality of life in the patients of female mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) and evaluate its clinical efficacy.

METHODSEA was adopted in 25 cases of MUI at Zhongliao (BL 33) and Huiyang (BL 35), needle retaining for 30 min each time. The treatment was given once every two days, three treatments a week, totally for 12 weeks of treatment. The incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QOL), the incontinence impact questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7), the urogenital distress inventory short form (UDI-SF) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) were adopted in the comparison before and after treatment. The efficacy was evaluated.

RESULTSThe curative rate was 52.0% (13/25) and the total effective rate was 96.0% (24/25) in 25 cases. In comparison before and after treatment, in I-QOL, the score of limiting behaviors was increased up to (30.32 ± 3.39) from (11.52 ± 2.45), the score of psychosocial impacts was up to (36.48 ± 2.90) from (13.52 ± 2.25) and the score of social isolation was up to (21.52 ± 1.61) from (9.84 ± 2.23). The score of IIQ-7 was decreased, down to (2.48 ± 1.36) from (11.96 ± 3.45), the score of UDI-SF was down to (2.92 ± 0.95) from (8.84 ± 2.58) and VAS score was down to (1.40 ± 0.91) from (6.96 ± 1.65). The differences were all significant statistically in comparison (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA improves effectively the quality of life in MUI patients and the clinical efficacy is apparent.