Head-to-head comparison of prostatic urethral lift and water vapor thermal therapy for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: a real-life study

Purpose

This study aimed at reporting a head-to-head comparison between water vapor thermal therapy using the Rezūm? system and prostatic urethral lift using the Urolift? system in men with lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Patients and methods

From December 2017 to November 2019, consecutive patients who underwent Rezūm? and Urolift? procedures in two urology centers have been retrospectively considered. Only patients with a prostate size less than 80 mL were included. We used the PSM method to adjust baseline differences between both groups. The co-primary endpoint included the change in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and IPSS- quality of life (QoL) from baseline to 12 months.

Results

A total of 61 (52.1%) and 56 (47.9%) patients underwent Rezum? and Urolift? procedures, respectively. After PSM adjustment, 24 patients were included in both groups. No serious adverse events occurred (>?Clavien II) in both groups. At 12 months, higher IPSS improvement was observed in the Rezum? group (median:4 [IQR 3–5]) than in the Urolift? group (median:8 [IQR 7–12]), without statistical difference (p?=?0.08). The improvement in term of QoL at 12 m was similar (p?=?0.43). The retreatment rates were 25% (Urolift?) and 8.3% (Rezum?), p?=?0.24. Erection and ejaculatory function scores did not change significantly in either treatment group. Results in the full cohort showed that Rezum? appeared to deliver greater improvements for IPSS and IPSS-QoL (p?<?0.001 and p?=?0.006, respectively) and lower reintervention rate (p?=?0.006) than Urolift?.

Conclusions

In this small retrospective study, our results indicate that both Rezum? and Urolift? provide a clinically significant improvement in symptoms and QoL, although some of these improvements were greater in the Rezum? arm. Future studies are needed to definitively assess which treatment would be best suited for each patient.

     

Prevalence and factors associated with anthropometric failure,vitamin A and iron deficiency among adolescents in a Nigerian urban community

BackgroundUnder nutrition is a problem of severe magnitude in low income countries like Nigeria. Adolescent school children might also be vulnerable. The dearth of data hinders planning of school health and nutrition programmes for school children.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of stunting, thinness; vitamin A and iron deficiencies among adolescent students in Nsukka urban, Nigeria and to determine factors that are associated with these nutritional problems.MethodsA total of 400 participants were randomly selected from 717 students aged 12 – 18 years in 3 randomly selected secondary schools. Questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and blood analyses were the data collection methods employed.ResultsThe prevalence of stunting was 33.3% and thinness 31.0%. Neither overweight nor obesity was observed. While 64.0% were anaemic; 44.0% had vitamin A deficiency (VAD). A total of 48.0% had both anaemia and stunting, 42% had VAD + thinness; while 40% had anaemia + VAD. Household income was a predictor of vitamin A status. Children from medium/high income households had higher odds of having VAD than those from low income households (AOR=0.14; 95% CI=0.031, 0.607; P=0.009). Household income (AOR=0.12; 95% CI=0.021, 0.671; P=0.016), and age (AOR=0.09; 95% CI=0.014, 0.587; P=0.012) were independent determinants of height-for-age status.ConclusionAmong urban adolescent students in Nigeria, stunting, thinness, anaemia and VAD were problems of public health significance. Age and household monthly income played major roles.