title: Treatment with a uroselective α1-blocker improves voiding and sexual function: a study in Thai men with lower urinary tract symptoms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile dysfunction (ED) negatively affect quality of life. The α1-blockers are effective for LUTS suggestive of benign prostatic hypertrophy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effect of a uroselective α1-blocker on both voiding and sexual dysfunction in Thai men with LUTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 488 men with LUTS who received 10 mg alfuzosin monotherapy once daily (OD) at a men's health clinic, 313 men (64%) completed 8 months of alfuzosin treatment and filled the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relationships among the IPSS, IIEF-5 score, and select clinical characteristics were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. To identify changes from the baseline, the chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used for categorical or dichotomous variables and a paired Student's t-test was used for continuous variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 313 men were followed up for a mean (standard deviation [SD]) of 35.6 (2.2) weeks. LUTS were categorized by IPSS as moderate in 100 patients (31.9%) and severe in 213 patients (68.1%). ED was graded according to the IIEF-5 as normal in 46 patients (14.7%), mild in 29 patients (9.3%), mild to moderate in 81 patients (25.9%), moderate in 47 patients (15.0%), and severe in 110 patients (35.1%). ED is associated with LUTS (P=0.008). After 8 months of alfuzosin treatment, the mean (SD) IPSS and IIEF-5 score significantly improved from 19.95 (6.4) to 11.13 (4.6) (P<0.001) and from 11.5 (6.9) to 14.9 (5.7) (P<0.001), respectively. However, the IIEF-5 score did not improve significantly in patients with severe LUTS as determined using the IPSS. The most common adverse event with alfuzosin treatment was mild (dizziness, 2.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with 10 mg alfuzosin OD is safe and effective in improving voiding and sexual function in Thai men with LUTS and ED.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. sompolpermpong@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sompol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Permpongkosol
authors.forename: Santichai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krilad-O-Larn
authors.forename: Krisada
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ratana-O-Larn
mesh_terms: D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013785:Thailand; D014554:Urination / Q000187:drug effects*; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D011799:Quinazolines; C047638:alfuzosin