Does the time of administration (morning or evening) affect the tolerability or efficacy of tamsulosin?
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the time of dosing (morning or evening) affects the tolerability or efficacy of tamsulosin in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms.


METHODS
Data were analysed from an open-label, observational study in which patients were treated with 0.4 mg tamsulosin once daily for 12 weeks. Treatment effects were determined using the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index, the quality-of-life question of the International Prostate Symptom Score, a similarly phrased question about sexual satisfaction, the maximum urinary flow rate, the postvoid residual urine volume, and the overall efficacy and tolerability. The results were analysed statistically for differences between dosing times, using analysis of covariance for the quantitative variables and logistic regression for the qualitative variables.


RESULTS
While no specific recommendation about the dosing time was given in the trial, the retrospective analysis showed that 4420 and 2087 patients received tamsulosin in the morning and evening, respectively. Both groups had similar values for all variables before treatment. The efficacy and tolerability of tamsulosin treatment was also similar in both groups; there were small advantages for morning dosing, which were statistically significant because there were many patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to other alpha-blockers, night-time dosing is not necessary to improve the tolerability or efficacy of tamsulosin.
Michel
M C
MC
Department of Medicine, University of Essen, Essen, Germany. martin.michel@uni-essen.de
Neumann
H G
HG
Mehlburger
L
L
Schumacher
H
H
Goepel
M
M
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077409:Tamsulosin; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077409:Tamsulosin