Yoga for Treatment of Overactive Bladder in Pediatric Patients

August 19, 2026 updated by: Duke University
The goal of this pilot study is to assess the impact of yoga as a treatment modality in pediatric patients age 8-18 diagnosed with idiopathic overactive bladder as measured by validated questionnaires and urinary biomarkers. The main question it aims to answer is: Does yoga help improve overactive bladder symptoms in this patient population? Participants will take part in a weekly yoga session for a total of 6 weeks with validated questionnaires and urinary samples for biomarkers to be completed at the beginning, middle and end of the study. This study will follow a cross-over study design and patients will receive standard of care while not in the active treatment arm.

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Detrusor overactivity, otherwise known as overactive bladder (OAB) is the most common disease of voiding dysfunction in children and is characterized by urgency with or without incontinence. Current understanding of OAB suggests that it is a component of central sensitization whereby the central nervous system is in a persistent state of high reactivity. In this state, patients have lower thresholds for pain and for normal physiologic signals such as the sensation of bladder fullness. Yoga has been shown to favor parasympathetic output and appears to be effective in reversing central sensitization for patients with chronic pain. Further, both central sensitization and OAB have been associated with inflammation and so observation of urinary markers of inflammation allow an objective measurement, along with subjective symptom reporting, to measure treatment effects. Children with OAB are likely to become adults with similar urinary complaints and are also more likely to have anxiety, depression and other problems throughout development and maturation. Treatment for OAB in children is comprised of first conservative management with behavioral therapies including biofeedback, subsequent addition of pharmacologic treatment options and finally more invasive therapies including intradetrusor botulinum toxin injections and neuromodulation.

Yoga has been shown to have some positive health benefits in pediatric patients with pulmonary dysfunction, epilepsy, anxiety/depression and even in pediatric oncology patients with regards to quality of life during treatment. Additionally, yoga has been assessed as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of urinary incontinence and overactive bladder in predominantly adult female populations. That said, to date there have been no studies assessing the impact of yoga on detrusor overactivity in pediatric patient populations (< 19 years old). This is a pilot study in which the investigators hypothesize that yoga will lead to improved quality of life, reduced urinary symptoms and reduced expression of inflammatory urinary biomarkers.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

1

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • United States
    • North Carolina
      • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27701
        • Duke University 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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 8-18 years of age
  • History of non-neurogenic overactive bladder or detrusor overactivity and/or urinary incontinence (ICD 10 codes respectively - N32.81, N39.498)
  • Obtained legally effective informed consent and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) authorization from the participant or the participant's parent/legal guardian
  • Minor participant is willing and able to provide assent (as applicable)
  • Vancouver Dysfunctional Elimination Syndrome[15] score of ≥11 and a positive modified bother score within 30 days of consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Known or apparent untreated anatomical abnormality of lower urinary tract (i.e. untreated ureterocele)
  • Known neurogenic bladder (e.g., spina bifida, history of spinal cord injury, tethered cord)
  • Nerve damage that may impact pelvic floor function
  • History of chemodenervation of the bladder (e.g., via intravesical instillation or intradetrusor injection of botulinum toxin)
  • Active, untreated UTI at the time of enrollment (UTI undergoing active treatment is allowable)
  • Current or previous pregnancy at screening or planned pregnancy during the duration of the study, for females of childbearing potential
  • Any condition that, in the judgment of the investigator or treating clinician, precludes participation because it could affect participant safety

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: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 1.1: 8-12 yoga first
Behavioral: Yoga
Restorative Vinyasa Yoga
Experimental: 1.2: 13-18 yoga first
Behavioral: Yoga
Restorative Vinyasa Yoga
Experimental: 2.1: 8-12 yoga second
Behavioral: Yoga
Restorative Vinyasa Yoga
Experimental: 2.2: 13-18 yoga second
Behavioral: Yoga
Restorative Vinyasa Yoga

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in overactive bladder symptoms
Time Frame: 0, 6 and 12 weeks
Measured via Vancouver symptom score for Dysfunctional Elimination Syndrome with modified bother score (both parts of same survey assessment to be filled out). VDES score ranging from 5-65 with higher number representing worse symptoms; modified bother score ranges from 1-4 with 1= never bothered and 4= always bothered
0, 6 and 12 weeks
Change in expression of nerve growth factor
Time Frame: 0, 6 and 12 weeks
nerve growth factor urinary biomarker via urine specimen collection
0, 6 and 12 weeks
Change in expression of interleukin - 1B
Time Frame: 0, 6 and 12 weeks
Interleukin-1B urinary biomarker via urine specimen collection
0, 6 and 12 weeks
Change in expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Time Frame: 0, 6 and 12 weeks
tumor necrosis factor-alpha urinary biomarker via urine specimen collection
0, 6 and 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Duke University

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)

October 12, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 30, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 30, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

June 8, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 19, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Pro00112833

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

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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