title: Transition zone ratio and prostate-specific antigen density: the index of response of benign prostatic hypertrophy to an alpha blocker.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to determine whether the indices of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) are related to the clinical response to tamsulosin, a long-acting selective alpha 1-blocker.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) were treated with tamsulosin hydrochloride (0.2 mg/day) for 2 months. The findings on TRUS and uroflowmetry and the AUA symptom score before treatment were compared with those obtained at the end of the 2 month treatment period. For the indices of TRUS, transition zone (TZ) volume, transition zone ratio (TZ ratio = TZ volume/total prostate volume), total prostate volume, and prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant correlation between the pretreatment TZ ratio and the residual urine volume (r = 0.421, P = 0.0005). Patients with a lower TZ ratio and/or PSAD responded well to the treatment. The correlation between the PSAD value and the percent change in peak urinary flow rate was statistically significant (r = -0.432, P = 0.0009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TRUS provides simple parameters of PSAD that can be used to predict the response of patients to tamsulosin hydrochloride.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ushiyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawabe
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077409:Tamsulosin; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014563:Urodynamics
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D013449:Sulfonamides; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D000077409:Tamsulosin