title: Alfuzosin and symptoms of chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In men with chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome, treatment with alpha-adrenergic receptor blockers early in the course of the disorder has been reported to be effective in some, but not all, relatively small randomized trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of alfuzosin, an alpha-adrenergic receptor blocker, in reducing symptoms in men with chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Participation in the study required diagnosis of the condition within the preceding 2 years and no previous treatment with an alpha-adrenergic receptor blocker. Men were randomly assigned to treatment for 12 weeks with either 10 mg of alfuzosin per day or placebo. The primary outcome was a reduction of at least 4 points (from baseline to 12 weeks) in the score on the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) (range, 0 to 43; higher scores indicate more severe symptoms). A 4-point decrease is the minimal clinically significant difference in the score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 272 eligible participants underwent randomization, and in both study groups, 49.3% of participants had a decrease of at least 4 points in their total NIH-CPSI score (rate difference associated with alfuzosin, 0.1%; 95% confidence interval, -11.2 to 11.0; P=0.99). In addition, a global response assessment showed similar response rates at 12 weeks: 33.6% in the placebo group and 34.8% in the alfuzosin group (P=0.90). The rates of adverse events in the two groups were also similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings do not support the use of alfuzosin to reduce the symptoms of chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men who have not received prior treatment with an alpha-blocker. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00103402.)
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. jcn@queensu.ca
authors.forename: J Curtis
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Nickel
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Krieger
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McNaughton-Collins
authors.forename: Rodney U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pontari
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Shoskes
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Litwin
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Paige C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nadler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: Men Long
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Liong
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zeitlin
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chuai
authors.forename: J Richard
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Landis
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kusek
authors.forename: Leroy M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017211:Treatment Failure; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D011799:Quinazolines; C047638:alfuzosin