Switch from phytotherapy to tamsulosin in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH)

The aim of this observational prospective study was to evaluate the switch from phytotherapy to tamsulosin 0.4 mg once daily (o.d.) on efficacy, sexual function and tolerability in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) who have a poor response to at least 4 weeks of phytotherapy. The switch to tamsulosin 0.4 mg o.d. improves LUTS and related quality of life. Sexual function is also slightly improved. Tamsulosin is as well tolerated as phytotherapy and abnormal ejaculation appears to be no problem. Tamsulosin is perceived by both patients and urologists to be superior to preceding phytotherapy.     

Best practices for assessing and reporting tobacco use in urology oncology practice and research

Tobacco use is the cause of several urologic cancers. Persistent use after diagnosis is associated with worse cancer-specific, quality of life, and overall mortality outcomes. Cigarette smoking remains the most common form of tobacco use despite significant population-level decline over the past few decades. The burden of smoking-related urologic disease is under appreciated by urologists and patients which has resulted in gaps in clinical care and limitations to research progress. We sought to summarize evidence-based practices and guideline recommendations for assessing and reporting tobacco use in the clinical and research settings. With a focus on smoking, our two primary goals are: 1) to promote the adoption of standardized and validated measures of tobacco use and 2) to highlight evidence-based strategies for urologists to use in clinical practice.     

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is prevalent, bothersome and underdiagnosed in patients consulting urologists for benign prostatic syndrome (BPS)

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in patients visiting office-based urologists in Germany because of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and to evaluate the impact of ED on quality of life (QoL) in these patients. METHODS: 500 office-based urologists in Germany were invited to evaluate 20 consecutive patients for erectile dysfunction, who presented because of BPH-related LUTS. Physicians provided information on demographic factors, duration and treatment history of BPH, severity of LUTS, ED risk factors, and assessed the patient for the clinical diagnosis of ED. Patients were asked to complete the German version of the IPSS to measure LUTS severity. ED-patients quantified erectile dysfunction and impact on quality of life with validated German questionnaires (Cologne assessment of male erectile dysfunction KEED, and Qol-Med). RESULTS: Office-based urologists were aware of ED in 37.3% of 8768 patients presenting for LUTS before the study, 14.7% of patients were treated for ED. After the study-related assessment, physicians diagnosed ED in 62.1% of these patients and planned treatment in 46.9%. Severity of LUTS and ED prevalence correlated significantly after age-stratification. The incidence of ED was increased in patients with established ED risk factors. Mean QoL-Med score (best QoL: 100, worst QoL: 0) was 53.8 in patients with ED and 50.1 in ED-patients considering treatment. CONCLUSION: ED is highly prevalent in LUTS patients visiting an office-based urologist and is accompanied by a profound impact on the quality of life. Apparently, even during an urological consultation many ED-patients are hesitant to actively ask for treatment. Sexual issues should become key considerations for physicians managing patients with LUTS, especially since effective and well established oral treatment for ED is available.     

良性前列腺增生临床调研报告

目的 了解我国泌尿外科医师对良性前列腺增生(BPH)的认识程度以及BPH患者的临床特点.方法 调研对象为全国119家三级甲等医院的部分专职泌尿外科医师和BPH患者.医师问卷主要包括泌尿外科医师对BPH临床进展性的认识以及目前的诊治措施等问题.患者问卷主要包括BPH发病年龄、症状特点以及接受治疗的愿望等问题.结果 对合格的289份医师问卷和4253份患者问卷的分析结果显示98.6%的泌尿外科医师认为BPH是一种临床进展性疾病,但是对临床进展性高危因素的认识还存在一定的分歧.同时,98.1%的患者就诊时属于中、重度BPH,夜尿是影响患者生活质量的最主要症状.治疗过程中泌尿外科医师以及BPH患者共同关心的问题就是迅速改善下尿路症状.结论 本调研是第一次针对泌尿外科医师和BPH患者的专项临床调研,调研结果将从一个侧面反映我国BPH的治疗现状并有利于我国BPH诊疗指南的不断完善.     

Phytotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Phytotherapy has become a more popular treatment option among American men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The most popular herbal agent is saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), which is derived from the berry of the American dwarf palm tree. Pygeum africanum and beta-sitosterol are also used by many patients with BPH, either alone or in combination with saw palmetto. A significant limiting factor to our understanding of the use and effectiveness of phytotherapy is the lack of standardization of these products. Despite this lack of standardization and the variation in results that may be seen with herbal products, there is growing evidence from well-conducted clinical trials that phytotherapeutic agents may lead to subjective and objective symptom improvement beyond a placebo effect in men with BPH. In addition, histologic evidence has been presented demonstrating that saw palmetto causes atrophy and epithelial contraction within the prostate gland. Overall, it is likely that herbal therapy will continue to be used by a growing number of Americans to treat a variety of ailments. Physicians should attempt to remain open-minded regarding alternative approaches and educate themselves so that they may counsel patients in an informed and credible fashion.     

Introduction and Conclusions

Every year, an increasing quantity of new information is presented at the major urologic and oncologic congresses such as the European Association of Urology (EAU), the American Urological Association (AUA), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and so forth. Because of the delay until final publication of these data, it is very difficult for urologists to keep up to date with the new scientific information relevant for their own clinical practise. In light of this difficulty, a closed expert meeting “New Horizons in Urology” (NHU) was held in October 2006 in Marbella, Spain. The objective of this meeting was to provide practising urologists with the most important information with practical clinical relevance to urologists presented during the major urologic and oncologic meetings. This information was selected and presented by leading experts in the field of functional and oncologic urology. Nonmalignant disease areas that were considered were surgical interventions for lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH), benign bladder diseases, and stone disease. Malignant disease topics were prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer. Each session started with a clinical case workshop during which the attendee's opinion on the management of the clinical case was assessed via interactive voting, followed by a discussion of the expert panel. The sessions were closed with a brief update lecture. The current paper summarises the highlights of the closed expert meeting.     

Under-reporting of erectile dysfunction among men with unrelated urologic conditions

To evaluate the incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with unrelated urologic conditions paying special attention to the reasons for patient under-reporting. We asked 500 consecutive men over age 50 visiting their urologist's office for problems unrelated to ED, whether or not they had any difficulty with their potency. Those who gave a positive response were then asked to complete a questionnaire to assess their reasons for under-reporting and whether they had had any previous discussions with their primary-care physicians regarding their sexual function. Out of 500 men, 218 (44%) reported experiencing some degree of ED. Reasons for failure to discuss ED with their urologist included: 161 out of 218 (74%) were embarrassed; 27 out of 218 (12%) felt that ED was a natural part of aging; 20 out of 218 (9%) were unaware that urologists dealt with the problem of ED; and 10 out of 218 (5%) did not consider the problem worthy of attention. Only 48 of the 218 men with ED reported having previous discussions about their problem with their primary-care physicians. Of the 170 patients who did not report having such discussions, 140 (82%) reported that they would have liked their primary-care physician to have initiated a discussion of ED during their routine visits. In conclusion. a significant percentage of older men with some unrelated urologic complaint also suffer from some degree of ED and remain undiagnosed unless specifically questioned about this problem. By far, the most common reason for under-reporting of ED was patient embarrassment. While urologists are able to elicit information regarding erectile function on specific questioning, patients appear comfortable and willing to discuss their potency with primary-care physicians.     

医师对勃起功能障碍的认识和态度

目的 :医师对勃起功能障碍 (ED)的认识和态度对病人能否得到及时正确的诊治有重要的影响。本研究旨在调查专科医师和社区医师对ED的认识程度 ,对ED病人的态度 ,以及是否主动发现潜在的ED病人。　方法 :30 1名北京市泌尿外科、心内科、内分泌科、普通外科、骨科以及社区医师完成调查问卷。　结果 :被调查医师中83.4 %了解ED的定义 ,85 %知道ED是中老年男性的常见病 ,78.7%同意ED是影响身心健康的重要疾病 ,89.7%认为ED可能是慢性疾病的局部表现。全体被调查医师列举最多的危险因素依次为糖尿病 (45 .5 % )、高血压(12 .6 % )和冠心病 (12 .0 % )。 4 5 .5 %的医师曾遇到病人主动提出勃起功能问题。在病人主动提出勃起功能问题后 ,32 .6 %的医师将与病人对ED情况进行讨论 ,95 0 %的非泌尿外科专业和社区医师将病人转给泌尿男科医师。在全部被调查的医师中 4 3.5 %“从不”主动询问病人的勃起功能 ,在泌尿外科、非泌尿外科专业和社区医师中这一比例分别是 7.2 %、5 5 .3%和 6 0 .5 % (P <0 .0 1)。医师不主动询问病人的勃起功能的原因依次为 :“病人不主动提出勃起问题 ,就说明他没有这方面的问题”(42 .2 % ) ,“就诊本专业的病人没有ED”(2 0 .9% ) ,“ED不属于我的诊治范围”(17.3% ) ,“没时间”(15 .     

When to Treat the Prostate,the Bladder,or Both?

ContextPharmacological therapy for relieving lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) has evolved during the past years. The possible benefits of combination therapies to prevent disease progression or to treat LUTS/BPH with concomitant overactive bladder (OAB) or erectile dysfunction (ED) are currently studied.ObjectivesTo review the evidence provided in clinical trials and to assess the current medical practice concerning the pharmacological treatment of men suffering from LUTS/BPH.Evidence acquisitionThis paper is based on a presentation during the symposium “The future of LUTS/BPH: management beyond the prostate” at the European Association of Urology's 2008 annual meeting. The results of a Web survey evaluating the opinion of urologists about treatment of LUTS/BPH patients were discussed and an update lecture on medical therapy for LUTS/BPH was given.Evidence synthesisMen who are highly bothered by their symptoms but with a low risk of disease progression can achieve fast relief of symptoms with α₁-adrenoceptor (α₁-AR) antagonist monotherapy. Those patients at risk for LUTS/BPH progression can benefit from additional 5α-reductase inhibitor therapy. Concomitant OAB symptoms in LUTS/BPH patients can be treated with a combination of an α₁-AR antagonist and an antimuscarinic agent. An α₁-AR antagonist combined with a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor might improve symptoms in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and concomitant ED.ConclusionsThe pharmacological treatment of LUTS/BPH patients should be adapted to their individual risk of progression and their individual symptom profile.     

Phytotherapy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Introduction

The use of complementary and alternative medications for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia is a lucrative business in the USA with revenues reaching close to US$6.4 billion in sales for the 2014 fiscal year. Yet, despite its popularity, the evidence supporting the continued use of phytotherapy for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is questionable and a topic worth investigation given its wide spread use.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search utilizing Medline and PubMed was conducted to identify literature pertaining to phytotherapy for the management of BPH. Agents with at least modest clinical data were selected for in-depth review including Seronoa repens, Pygeum africanum, Secale cereale, and Hypoxis rooperi.

Results

Early clinical trials for each of the agents demonstrated mixed efficacy results with many studies pointing to a possible benefit for phytotherapy. On further examination of these studies, significant confounders such as poor product standardization, study design, and follow-up duration were identified. More recent, larger and more soundly constructed studies found no significant benefit for the use of phytotherapy in the treatment of BPH.

Conclusions

Twenty years ago, the urologic community was encouraged by trial results that suggested phytotherapy could effectively treat symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. Since that time, several well-constructed studies have consistently demonstrated that these agents are no more efficacious than placebo, despite being largely safe for ingestion.

     

Physician perceptions of sexual dysfunction related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms and sexual side effects related to BPH medications

In a large-scale epidemiology study, 50% of aging men reported erectile dysfunction (ED) or ejaculatory dysfunction (EjD), with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) an independent risk factor for each of these conditions. In light of the shift from urologists (UROs) to primary care/internal medicine physicians (PCPs) for the initial management of men with LUTS associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a survey was conducted to assess the perceptions of UROs and PCPs regarding sexual dysfunction (SD) in men with LUTS/BPH and the effects of BPH treatments (alpha(1)-adrenergic receptor antagonists (alpha-blockers) and 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs)) on sexual function. The survey was mailed to 7500 UROs and 2500 PCPs, with 1275 (13%) surveys returned (1087 by UROs, 177 by PCPs and 11 by other specialty). Alpha-blocker monotherapy was the most common medication prescribed by both UROs (56%) and PCPs (47%). UROs estimated that 19% of their patients with LUTS/BPH experienced SD owing to their symptoms compared with the estimate of 27% by PCPs. UROs estimated that 19% of their patients experienced SD owing to their BPH medication compared with the PCP estimate of 24%. The incidence of EjD owing to BPH medications estimated by UROs (32%) was higher than that estimated by PCPs (22%); the rate of ED estimated by PCPs (34%) was higher than that estimated by UROs (23%). UROs were more aware than PCPs of the specific sexual side effects caused by alpha-blockers versus 5ARIs. These results suggest that physicians are underestimating the prevalence of SD in men with LUTS/BPH. As men with LUTS/BPH are at increased risk for SD, physicians should be especially cognizant of BPH treatment-related sexual side effects.     

Intravesical chemotherapy use after radical nephroureterectomy: A national survey of urologic oncologists

To determine the use of prophylactic intravesical chemotherapy (pIVC) following radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) and barriers to utilization in a survey study of urologic oncologists.

Phytotherapy versus hormonal therapy for postmenopausal bone loss: a meta-analysis

This meta-analysis included 14 randomized controlled trials involving 780 patients to compare phytotherapy with hormonal therapy in the treatment of postmenopausal bone loss. Current evidence suggests that phytotherapy may possess a similar effect on bone mineral density (BMD) values but clinically is not associated with a high incidence of uterine bleeding and breast pain as is hormonal therapy. Clinical trials indicate that phytotherapy may be a potential treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of phytotherapy with that of hormonal therapy, to assess the quality of phytotherapy trials, and to identify herbs used commonly in the treatment of postmenopausal bone loss. A total of 43 electronic databases were searched. The quality of eligible trials was assessed using Jadad’s scale. Outcome measures were BMD values and adverse events. Revman 5.0 software was used for data syntheses and meta-analyses. The database search revealed 14 randomized controlled trials involving 780 patients that met the inclusion criteria, and four trials were graded as high quality (score 3–5). There was no significant difference in lumbar, femoral or forearm BMD values between subjects treated with phytotherapy and those treated with hormonal therapy (P>0.05), but the incidence of uterine bleeding and breast pain was significantly lower in those treated with phytotherapy than in those treated with hormonal therapy (P = 0.002 and P = 0.01). The six most commonly used herbs in the included trials were identified. Phytotherapy may not show effects beyond hormonal therapy, but may be safer than hormonal therapy in the treatment of postmenopausal bone loss. Further trials with high-quality study designs should be conducted in this field.     

Evaluating the acceptability of an online patient decision aid for the surgical management of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia

IntroductionThe growing number of surgical options available to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), may overwhelm patients and urologists when deciding on an optimal treatment. Therefore, we developed an online patient decision aid (PtDA) that includes all guideline-approved surgical modalities. The objective of this study was to assess the acceptability of the PtDA among former BPH surgery patients and urologists that treat BPH surgically.MethodsThe International Patient Decision Aids Standards were used to develop a PtDA that includes monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), bipolar TURP, GreenLight photovaporization, endoscopic enucleation of the prostate, Rezum, Urolift, Aquablation, open retropubic prostatectomy, and robotic simple prostatectomy as management options. Eleven urologists that regularly treat BPH and 19 patients who received BPH surgery were recruited. Alpha-testing was performed using a validated acceptability scoring system.ResultsFor all sections of the PtDA, most urologists agreed that the language used was easy to follow (91.9%), that the amount of information provided was adequate (63.6%), that the length of the PtDA was appropriate (63.6%), and that the outcomes reported were correct (81.8%). All 19 patient participants agreed that the language used was easy to follow, and most found that the amount of information provided was adequate (84.2%), that the length of the PtDA was appropriate (84.2%), and that the outcomes reported were well-explained (89.5%).ConclusionsOur PtDA was found to be acceptable among urologists and patients. These results demonstrate that most of the participants either recommend the use of this tool or plan to incorporate it in their clinical practice.     

Occupational risk of hepatitis B and C infections in urologists.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and the related risk factors among urologic surgery patients and urologists. This cross-sectional, prospective study included 300 consecutive urologic surgery patients and 24 urologists working in our department. The patients and urologists with positive serology for any of the hepatitis viruses were questioned for risk factors including previous transfusions, surgery, endoscopy, intravenous drug abuse and homosexuality. Positive serology for HBV and/or HCV was found in 47.4% of the patients, and the rate of the patients with antigenemia, the major risk group for the urology team, was 9.9%. Of the 24 urologists working in our department, 3 were antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) positive and 2 were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive. The presence of a risk factor among patients with HBsAg was found in 78.9% and in 100% of those with anti-HCV. The prevalence of hepatitis in urologic surgery patients and urologists is poorly described. This study indicates a high prevalence of HBV and HCV seropositivity in urology patients. In urology wards, the risk of hepatitis transmission is estimated to be appreciably high because of the renal transplantation procedure and frequent use of blood and blood-contaminated solutions for transurethral resections or catheter irrigations. Vaccination with HBV vaccine and application of universal precautions during daily practice seem to be the only and most effective means of protection against blood-borne infections.     

Erectile dysfunction as a harbinger for increased cardiometabolic risk

In August 2003, the Minority Health Institute (MHI) convened an Expert Advisory Panel of cardiologists and urologists to design a new practice model algorithm that uses erectile dysfunction (ED) as a clinical tool for early identification of men with systemic vascular disease. The MHI algorithm noted ED as a marker for the presence of cardiovascular disease and suggested that ED may well be a cardiovascular risk equivalent warranting aggressive secondary prevention management strategies, even in the absence of other cardiac or peripheral vascular symptoms. The MHI algorithm stipulates that all men 25 years of age and older should be asked about ED as a routine part of the cardiovascular history during any office visit. The presence of ED should prompt an aggressive assessment for occult vascular disease; many men with erectile difficulty would benefit from early, aggressive management of cardiovascular risk factors with both lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy to achieve optimal target goals under the existing treatment guidelines. Since publication of the algorithm in 2005, additional research studies have further supported the advisory panel recommendations.     

Fitoterapia en Urología. Evidencia científica actual de su aplicación en hiperplasia benigna de próstata y adenocarcinoma de próstata

ObjectiveTo evaluate the usefulness of phytotherapy in the treatment of the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic adenocarcinoma (ADCP).Acquisition of evidenceSystematic review of the evidence published until January 2011 using the following scientific terms: phytotherapy, benign prostate hyperplasia, prostatic adenocarcinoma, prostate cancer and the scientific names of compounds following the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. The databases used were Medline and The Cochrane Library. We included articles published until January 2011 written in English and Spanish. We included studies in vitro/in vivo on animal models or human beings. Exclusion criteria were literature not in English and Spanish or articles with serious methodological flaws.Synthesis of the evidenceWe included 65 articles of which 40 met the inclusion criteria. BPH: the most studied products are serenoa repens and pygeum africanum. There are many studies in favour of the use of phytotherapy but its conclusions are inconsistent due to the small number of patients, the lack of control with placebo or short follow-up. However the use of these products is common in our environment. ADCP: there is no evidence to recommend phytotherapy in the treatment of the ADCP. There are works on prevention but only at experimental level so there is no evidence for its recommendation.ConclusionsThe scientific evidence on the use of phytotherapy in prostatic pathology is conclusive not recommend ing the use of it for BPH or the ADCP.