VESPER: Stress Urinary Incontinence STUDY (VESPER-SUI)

September 17, 2025 updated by: Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Randomised, Sham Controlled Trial of Fotona Smooth Erbium Yag Laser In the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence

Patients seen with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) that have failed conservative treatments will be offered to participate in a sham controlled RCT of outpatient therapy with the Fotona Smooth Erbium Yag laser. Patients will be randomised to either outpatient laser treatments or sham treatments. Patients will be blinded to which arm they have been randomised. Patients will be asked to complete appropriate relevant symptom and quality of life questionnaires prior to treatment and then at 6 and 12 months following the final treatment. At 6 months Sham patients will be un-blinded and offered the laser therapy if they wish.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

All patients with urodynamically proven SUI, who have failed/declined conservative therapies and their history suggests mild to moderate SUI, will be informed about the study and consented if they wish.

They will be invited to attend a screening visit. At this visit, they will be asked to perform a standardised 1 hour pad test. Their medical history will be checked and they will undergo a clinical and vaginal examination, pregnancy test and dip stick urinalysis.If their 1 hour pad weight is >2g and <25g and they meet all other inclusion / exclusion criteria, they will be eligible for inclusion.

At the Baseline visit, the patient will have medical history confirmed, and be asked to complete a standing and supine (lying) cough test. They will be given the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire (PISQ-12) questionnaire. Patients will be randomised using a computer randomisation programme and blinded to their allocated arm: active treatment or sham treatment.

Patients will then undergo 3 outpatient treatment visits. The timing of visits will be 1 month apart. At each visit they will be asked if they have any further questions and if they are happy to continue to participate in the study. If happy to participate, they will have their urine tested for infection (dipstick urinalysis) and pregnancy test at each treatment appointment. If urinalysis is negative, they will receive an outpatient Incontilase laser treatment. At each of their 3 outpatient appointments, they will be asked about any deleterious effects since their last appointment and asked to complete an ICIQ-SF and Patient Global Impression of Improvement questionnaire (treatment 2 onwards). Patients will receive 3 treatments in total.

Patients will be invited to attend a follow up visits 6 & 12 months after the 3rd treatment and asked to complete ICIQ-SF, PISQ-12 and PGI-I symptom questionnaires and undergo a clinical examination. They will be asked to perform a cough test supine (lying) and standing and at 6 and 12 months also perform a 1 hour pad test as described earlier (see appendices). Patients randomised to the Sham arm will be un-blinded at 6 months and offered the treatment if they wish and followed up for six months.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United Kingdom
    • Hampshire
      • Basingstoke, Hampshire, United Kingdom, RG24 9NA
        • Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Adult Female, 18 years of age or older
  2. Clinical and UDS diagnosis of Stress Urinary Incontinence
  3. SUI on 1-hour Pad weight test between 2g and 25g (SUI I: 2-10g, SUI II:11-25g)
  4. No significant improvement in urinary incontinence from at least one previous conservative treatment, such as pelvic floor muscle training

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Pre-existing bladder pathology including prior radiation treatment
  2. Pregnancy
  3. BMI>35
  4. Radical pelvic surgery or previous incontinence surgery
  5. Urinary tract infection or other active infections of urinary tract or bladder
  6. SUI on 1 hour pad weight test >25g (SUI III: >25g)
  7. Any form of pelvic organ prolapse greater than stage 2, according to POP-Q
  8. Diagnosis of urge incontinence
  9. Diagnosis of collagen disorders eg.benign joint hypermobility / Elhers-Danlos / Marfans etc.
  10. Incomplete bladder emptying
  11. Vesicovaginal fistula
  12. Faecal incontinence
  13. Unwillingness or inability to complete follow-up schedule
  14. Unwillingness or inability to give Informed Consent
  15. Failure to comply with diary requirements during extended baseline period

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Treatment arm
Therapeutic dose regime
Procedure: Laser therapy
Erbium YAG laser
Placebo Comparator: Sham arm
Sub-therapeutic dose regime
Procedure: Laser therapy
Erbium YAG laser

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assessment of 1hr pad weight test
Time Frame: 6 months
The change in standardised 1hr pad weight test from baseline to 6 months following treatment compared with the sham arm.
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in cough stress test from baseline to 6 months post treatment
Time Frame: 6 months
change in cough stress test (positive or negative, ie urine leakage or no leakage)
6 months
Change in cough stress test from baseline to 12 months post treatment
Time Frame: 12 months
change in cough stress test (positive or negative, ie urine leakage or no leakage)
12 months
change in 1-hour pad weight test from baseline to 12 months post treatment
Time Frame: 12 months
change in 1-hour pad weight test (urine leakage over 1hr measured in g)
12 months
International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF) from baseline to 6 months post treatment
Time Frame: 6 months
Change in mean test scores range = 0 - 21; low score = mild symptoms, high score = significant impact on quality of life
6 months
International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF) from baseline to 12 months post treatment
Time Frame: 12 months
Change in mean test scores range = 0 - 21; low score = mild symptoms, high score = significant impact on quality of life
12 months
Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire (PISQ-12) from baseline to 6 months post treatment
Time Frame: 6 months
Change in mean test scores range = 0 - 48; Higher value = increased sexual function, lower value = less sexual function
6 months
Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire (PISQ-12) from baseline to 12 months post treatment
Time Frame: 12 months
Change in mean test scores range = 0 - 48; Higher value = increased sexual function, lower value = less sexual function
12 months
Patient's Global Impression of Improvement (PGII) at 6 months post treatment
Time Frame: 6 months
Assessments of patients' outcome of treatment; range 1 - 7; range 1 (very much worse) to 7 (very much improved)
6 months
Patient's Global Impression of Improvement (PGII) at 12 months post treatment
Time Frame: 12 months
Assessments of patients' outcome of treatment; range 1 - 7; range 1 (very much worse) to 7 (very much improved)
12 months
Pain visual analogue scale
Time Frame: 3 months
Patient reported assessment of pain on 10cm visual analogue scale during treatment, range 0 - 10cm; 0= no pain, 10= severe pain
3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Christian Phillips, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 6, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 30, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 28, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 21, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 24, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 22, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 17, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2019-FAM-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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