Results of treatment with tamsulosin in men with acute urinary retention.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the outcome in men treated with temporary catheter drainage and tamsulosin after an episode of acute urinary retention (AUR).


METHODS
Thirty-three consecutive men with AUR were treated with tamsulosin 0.4 mg daily for at least 4 days before a trial of voiding. Those men who were able to void adequately continued taking tamsulosin and were evaluated at 2-week and 3-month follow-up. After 3 months, additional follow-up was obtained at regular intervals as determined by the treating physician.


RESULTS
Median follow-up was 6.5 months. Mean urine volume at the time of initial bladder drainage was 790 mL. Eighty-eight percent (29/33) of men were able to void initially. Transurethral prostatectomy or intermittent catheterization were necessary in 9 (27%) of 33 patients during the follow-up period. A poor quality-of-life score on the initial International Prostate Symptom Score (p = .038) and a high postvoid residual volume 2 weeks after catheter removal (p = .013) correlated with failure of medical therapy. Patients with AUR after nonurologic surgery had a significantly better outcome than those with AUR that did not occur postoperatively. Mean symptom score, quality-of-life score, and postvoid residual urine volume were 12.9, 2.7, and 111 mL, respectively, at 2-week follow-up and were 11.9, 2.8, and 61.7 mL, respectively, at 3-month follow-up. Mean peak urinary flow rate at 3 months was 7.7 mL/s.


CONCLUSIONS
Tamsulosin appears to be helpful in the management of men with AUR. The majority of men were able to avoid surgery after temporary catheter drainage.
Kim
H L
HL
Section Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Kim
J C
JC
Benson
D A
DA
Bales
G T
GT
Gerber
G S
GS
D000208:Acute Disease; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077409:Tamsulosin; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077409:Tamsulosin