title: Long-term (7 to 8-year) experience with finasteride in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of finasteride, a specific type II 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, on symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate volume, and urinary flow during a 7 to 8-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 190 men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia and enlarged prostates entered one of two Phase II double-blind 3 to 6-month studies. Of these, 156 patients continued taking open-label finasteride, and more than 70 patients completed 7 to 8 years of treatment. The symptoms were scored using a patient self-administered modified Boyarsky symptom questionnaire. Prostate volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasonography, and the maximal urinary flow rate was assessed noninvasively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with finasteride for 7 to 8 years led to sustained improvement in symptoms, reduction in prostate volume (28% from baseline), and increased urinary flow (median 2.5 mL/s from baseline). Decreases in dihydrotestosterone (86%) and prostate-specific antigen (54%) levels were also maintained. Long-term finasteride treatment was safe and generally well tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term treatment with finasteride was well tolerated and resulted in durable symptom relief and improvement in prostate volume and urinary flow.
authors.affiliation: Cornell University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Imperato-McGinley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McConnell
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bracken
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pappas
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daurio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stoner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waldstreicher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014554:Urination
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride