title: Effects of finasteride on hematuria associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia: long-term follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report long-term follow-up in 18 patients with gross hematuria associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who have been treated with finasteride and to report preliminary follow-up in an additional 10 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of the 18 original patients, and 10 additional patients who had been placed on finasteride (5 mg daily) for intermittent gross hematuria associated with BPH, were reviewed. All had evaluations that were negative for tumor. A hematuria grading system was devised using grades 0, 1, 2, and 3 (grade 0 the least severe, grade 3 the most severe hematuria).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen of 18 patients have continued finasteride therapy. Mean follow-up is 31 months (range 10 to 47). Twelve had undergone prior prostatectomy. In this group, 3 patients had grade 1, 5 grade 2, and 4 grade 3 hematuria prior to treatment with finasteride. During finasteride therapy, 9 patients had grade 0, 2 grade 1 (pretreatment grades 2 and 3), and 1 grade 3 (pretreatment grade 3) hematuria. Of the 4 patients without prior prostate surgery, 2 had grade 0 (pretreatment grades 1 and 3), and 2 had grade 1 (pretreatment grade 2) hematuria. In summary, 14 of 16 patients improved according to their hematuria grade. We have since added another 10 patients to our study, with a mean follow-up of 11 months. Six of 7 patients who had previous prostatectomies in this group now have grade 0 hematuria. Overall, 8 of the 10 have improved according to hematuria grade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term follow-up has confirmed the efficacy of finasteride in treating gross hematuria associated with BPH and we now recommend finasteride as first line therapy in the treatment of BPH-associated gross hematuria. reserved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Puchner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006417:Hematuria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride