title: Continued improvement in pressure-flow parameters in men receiving finasteride for 2 years. Finasteride Urodynamics Study Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the long-term effects of finasteride on pressure-flow parameters in men with urodynamically documented bladder outflow obstruction (BOO).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty-one men with benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) underwent a pressure-flow study (PFS) at 1 of 11 clinical centers. The PFS technique was standardized, and all tracings were read by a single reader unaware of the treatment group. Patients who were obstructed according to a modified Abrams-Griffiths nomogram were randomized to 5 mg finasteride (n = 81) or placebo (n = 40) for 12 months; all patients continuing into an open extension received finasteride during the second 12 months of therapy. Results of the initial 12-month study demonstrated the benefit of finasteride treatment on PFS parameters. To examine the continuing effects over time, an analysis of the data from 54 patients who completed 24 months of treatment with finasteride is provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Detrusor pressure at maximum flow (PdetQmax) continued to decrease during the second 12 months of therapy (decreases of 5.3 and 11.7 cm H2O at months 12 and 24, respectively). The percentage of patients obstructed by Abrams-Griffiths classification decreased from 76.2% at baseline to 66.7% at month 12 and 59.6% at month 24. An intention-to-treat analysis yielded similar results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Finasteride improves urodynamic measures of obstruction in men with BPE and LUTS, with continued improvement during the second 12 months of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University Clinic der RWTH Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Tammela
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hedlund
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rollema
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nordling
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hald
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matos-Ferriera
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruskewitz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mustonen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Malice
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bach
mesh_terms: D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014563:Urodynamics
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride