title: Role of mepartricin in category III chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a randomized prospective placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the efficacy of mepartricin versus placebo with regard to symptom improvement in patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and to verify a relation between hormonal levels and clinical improvement in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with CPPS were included in our study and randomized into two groups of 13 subjects each. Group 1 patients were treated with mepartricin (40 mg daily) and group 2 patients with placebo. All patients underwent treatment for 60 days. At the beginning and end of therapy, all patients underwent evaluation, including a standardized history, physical examination, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, and beta-estradiol measurements, and a National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a decrease in the total NIH-CPSI score from 25.0 to 10.0 in group 1 and from 25.0 to 20.0 in group 2, revealing a 60% and 20% improvement in groups 1 and 2, respectively. A statistically significant decrease was observed with regard to pain (from 11.0 to 4.0 and from 10.0 to 8.0, respectively) and quality of life (from 10.0 to 5.0 and 10.0 to 9.0, respectively). No statistically significant difference was observed in urinary dysfunctions. The luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone values were similar in both groups before and after treatment; the 17-beta-estradiol levels were significantly lower in group 1 compared with group 2 at the end of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mepartricin provides significant symptomatic improvement in men with CPPS compared with placebo. The role of mepartricin in decreasing estrogen plasmatic levels and their concentration in the prostate may account for this clinical improvement.
authors.affiliation: Luciano Giuliani Urology Department, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo Franco
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: De Rose
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giglio
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carmignani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008613:Mepartricin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D008613:Mepartricin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone