The impact of participation in a study of medical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms on the incidence of prostate surgery.
Is the incidence of prostate surgery influenced by participation in a study of medical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)? In order to research the possible answers to this question, we established a retrospective, observational study of the 127 patients from Norway who participated in the Scandinavian Reduction of the Prostate Study (SCARP), which was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled 2-year study to assess the clinical efficacy of 5 mg finasteride in patients with an enlarged prostate and moderate LUTS. In the present study, the ten Norwegian urologists who were involved in SCARP, performed a chart review and recorded all cases of prostate surgery that had taken place during the 2-year SCARP period and the year following SCARP. The incidence of prostate surgery was 19.8 per 1,000 person-years during the SCARP period, versus 127 per 1,000 person-years the following year (P < 0.001). Among the Norwegian participants in SCARP, prostate surgery was performed more frequently after completion of SCARP. Several possible explanations are discussed.
Eri
L M
LM
Department of Urology, Aker Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Sivertsen
S
S
Nagelhus
J
J
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride