Effect of detrusor botulinum toxin a injection on urothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic spinal cord injury: a clinical and immunohistochemistry study before and after treatment.

[OBJECTIVE] The objective of this study is to investigate the changes of urothelial junction proteins, apoptosis and suburothelial inflammation after detrusor injection of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO).

[METHODS] A total of 26 patients with chronic suprasacral SCI and NDO were enroled. The urothelium was assessed by cystoscopic biopsy at baseline, 3 and 6 months after a single treatment of 300 U BoNT-A into the detrusor. Immunofluorescence staining of E-cadherin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and tryptase for mast cell activity were performed. Urothelial apoptosis was also evaluated. The differences in urothelial dysfunction were compared between baseline and 3 and 6 months after treatment. Bladder biopsies from patients undergoing anti-incontinence surgery served as controls.

[RESULTS] A single 300-U BoNT-A injection into the detrusor significantly decreased detrusor pressure and increased bladder compliance at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Significantly lower E-cadherin and ZO-1 expressions and increased mast cell and apoptotic cell counts were noted in SCI bladders compared with controls (all P<0.001). Significantly greater distributions of E-cadherin (P<0.001) and ZO-1 (P=0.05) expressions were noted 3 months after BoNT-A injection. However, these changes had declined by 6 months after treatment. Activated mast cells and urothelial apoptosis showed no significant differences between baseline and 3 or 6 months.

[CONCLUSION] Urothelial dysfunction and adhesive and junction protein concentrations in SCI patients' bladders recovered after BoNT-A treatment. However, this effect decreased with time. Thus, neurogenic inflammation after SCI was not adequately improved after a single BoNT-A injection.