Effect of terazosin on prostatism in men with normal and abnormal peak urinary flow rates.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if men with normal peak urinary flow rates (PFR) and prostatism respond to terazosin.


METHODS
Forty-one men over the age of 50 years with an American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score greater than 8, postvoid residual urine volume (PVR) less than 300 mL, and no clinical or biochemical evidence of prostate cancer were treated with terazosin independent of the baseline PFR. The effect of terazosin on the AUA symptom score and PFR were compared for subjects with a PFR of 15 mL/s or less (group I) and those with a PFR greater than 15 mL/s (group II).


RESULTS
The baseline age, AUA symptom score, prostate volume, and PVR were not significantly different between the two groups. The mean changes in AUA symptom score were -45.0% and -49.5% for groups I and II, respectively. The mean changes in PFR were 7.0% and -26.6% for groups I and II, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The effect of terazosin on AUA symptom score is independent of baseline PFR, indicating that the mechanism of action of terazosin is not exclusively mediated by reduction of bladder outlet obstruction. Randomized controlled studies are required to confirm this provocative observation.
Lepor
H
H
Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.
Nieder
A
A
Feser
J
J
O'Connell
C
C
Dixon
C
C
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011224:Prazosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014563:Urodynamics
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; C041226:Terazosin; D011224:Prazosin