Rociverine for nocturia in the elderly

Forty inpatient men and women, between 50 and 80 years of age, with nocturia due to bladder instability, resorption of postural edema, or senile involution were admitted to a clinical trial designed to test the possibility of reducing or eliminating nocturnal voidings by means of a single evening dose of rociverine or flavoxate. This six-day crossover trial was divided into three periods of two days each: pretrial, treatment with one drug, and treatment with the other drug. Either 20 mg of rociverine or 200 mg of flavoxate was given at 8 PM in randomized sequence. For each night of the study, the following data were recorded: interval between drug administration and first voiding, volume of first voiding, total volume of nocturnal urine, total volume of nocturnal urine plus volume of urine passed on waking, and total number of nocturnal voidings. The outcome was a significant reduction of the number of nocturnal voidings together with a marked lengthening of the interval between drug administration and first voiding, with no noteworthy differences between the two drugs. Considering the efficacy of rociverine and, even more important, the excellent tolerance of elderly patients to the drug, further study of rociverine in nocturia and in urinary incontinence seems indicated.