[Safety and efficacy of anticholinergic and alpha-blocker combination therapy in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia]

ABSTRACT

Although voiding symptoms are classically related to BPH, as many as 50% of patients can experience irritative symptoms. We compared safety and efficacy of combination therapy using alpha-blocker with anticholinergic agents with tamsulosin alone. We compared anticholingergic and alpha-blocker combination therapy versus alpha-blocker alone in BPH patients with dominant irritative symptoms in a clinical trial during 2006. Eighty four patients who fulfilled the inclusion/exclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups of tamsulosin monotherapy versus tamsulosin and an anticholinergic agent combination therapy. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were analyzed using international prostate symptom score [IPSS] and residual urine volume. Total IPSS was significantly improved in both groups. We considered significant improvements in total IPSS were also seen for the combination therapy group [P=0.0008 within group], but not for the monotherapy group. At the end of treatment, median PVR was not significantly higher for the co-therapy group [51.6 mL] than for the monotherapy group [47.0 mL] [P=0.173]. There was no retention in either group. Combination of alpha-blocker and anticholinergics in BPH patients with dominant irritative symptoms is a reasonable and safe therapeutic option without any increase in urinary retention rate