title: Treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: levofloxacin, doxazosin and their combination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We performed a prospective, randomized study to examine the efficacies of levofloxacin and doxazosin alone and as a combination therapy in patients with National Institutes of Health (NIH) category III chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men with a NIH diagnosis of category III chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and who had experienced pelvic pain for more than 3 months during the last 6 months were enrolled. All patients underwent treatment for 6 weeks. The patients were assessed at baseline and after 2 and 6 weeks by using the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index. Eighty-one men (average age 40.1 years) were randomized to either the levofloxacin group (n = 26), the doxazosin group (n = 26), or the combination group (n = 29).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average baseline NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index total scores were 22.6, 22.4, and 24.1, respectively. At 6 weeks, the total scores were 11.2 (response rate 50.3%), 17.7 (response rate 21.1%), and 13.1 (response rate 45.6%), respectively. The levofloxacin group showed a higher response rate than the doxazosin group, not at 2 weeks but at 6 weeks (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For a 6-week short-term treatment levofloxacin is more effective than doxazosin for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. In addition, levofloxacin monotherapy was also more effective when compared with the combination therapy.
authors: Department of Urology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Chang Wook
authors: CW
authors: Jeong
authors: Dae Jung
authors: DJ
authors: Lim
authors: Hwancheol
authors: H
authors: Son
authors: Sang Eun
authors: SE
authors: Lee
authors: Hyeon
authors: H
authors: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017292:Doxazosin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin; D017292:Doxazosin