[Place of duloxetine in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence].

Urinary incontinence is a public health problem, as more than three million women in France are concerned by this problem. The prevalence of stress urinary incontinence is about 40% among these women. Duloxetine is a molecule developed for the oral treatment of stress urinary incontinence. It is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which acts by increasing urethral sphincter tone. In several phase III trials, duloxetine administered orally at a high dose of 80 mg per day, significantly reduced episodes of incontinence. Total scores on the Incontinence Quality of Life questionnaire (I-QOL) were more markedly improved by duloxetine than by placebo. Nausea was an adverse effect observed in more than 25% of cases and required discontinuation of treatment in some patients. However, the encouraging preliminary results of duloxetine in this indication must be confirmed during phase IV post-marketing clinical trials.