title: [Medical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The efficacy of finasteride depends on prostatic volume].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate that the efficacy of finasteride in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) depends on the prostate volume.
  
  
  METHODS
  75 patients with BPH were classified according to the prostate volume: 20-40 Gm (group I), 40-80 Gm (group II) and more than 80 Gm (group III). The average duration of treatment for all three groups was 16.2 months. Patients were evaluated for symptom score (I-PSS), quality of life, prostate volume by ultrasound, maximum urinary flow rate, residual urine, plasma PSA and testosterone levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ultrasound demonstrated a reduction in prostatic volume of 6.8-14.8 Gm. Symptom score was reduced by 9.2-15.5 points and quality of life 2-2.7 points. Maximum urinary flow rate increased 3.4-4.4 ml/sec and residual urine decreased in all three groups. Testosterone values showed no significant changes. PSA values showed a reduction of 1.3-1.7 ng/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of finasteride depends on the prostatic volume. Medical treatment is a temporary alternative to surgery due to its cost and because patients are unaccustomed to having to take a tablet daily.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Urología, Hospital Especialidades, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Granados Loarca
mesh_terms: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride
vernacular_title: Tratamiento médico de la hiperplasia prostática benigna. La eficacia del finasteride depende del volumen prostático.