Comparative effect of finasteride and dutasteride on chromogranin A levels.
The aim of this study was to verify and to compare in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients, the effect of finasteride versus dutasteride therapy on chromogranin A (CgA) serum levels, as a marker of neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation.


METHODS
This was a prospective randomised study in which 60 consecutive men with clinical diagnosis of BPH were randomised to a 6-month period of finasteride 5 mg/day versus dutasteride 4 mg/day versus control (no therapy). Total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), testosterone and CgA were analysed at randomisation and thereafter at one-, three- and six-month intervals.


RESULTS
In both Group A (finasteride) and Group B (dutasteride), but not in Group C (no therapy), a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in serum CgA levels was found at the three- and six-month intervals of therapy when compared with the start. Comparing the three groups, at three- and six-month intervals, serum CgA was significantly (p<0.05) higher in Group A and B than in Group C. At each interval, no significant (p>0.05) difference between Group A and B was found.


CONCLUSIONS
In this population, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, with no difference between finasteride and dutasteride, produced a significant increase in serum CgA levels, probably related to NE activation.
Department of Urology, University Sapienza of Rome, Italy. sciarra.md@libero.it
Alessandro
A
Sciarra
Stefano
S
Salciccia
Gianluca
G
Nesi
Susanna
S
Cattarino
Andrea
A
Alfarone
Alessandro
A
Gentilucci
Vincenzo
V
Gentile
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000368:Aged; D001378:Azasteroids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000097:blood*; D000068538:Dutasteride; D018120:Finasteride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D001378:Azasteroids; D053379:Chromogranin A; D018120:Finasteride; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D000068538:Dutasteride