title: Long-term alpha-blockers and anticholinergic combination treatment for men with lower urinary tract symptoms in real-life practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the treatment outcomes and clinical courses for men with lower urinary tract symptoms, after long-term treatment of alpha-blocker and anticholinergic combination in real-life practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 210 men, with lower urinary tract symptoms, had combination therapy for 3 months. Patients were reevaluated and were decided on an alpha-blocker single treatment or a combination therapy, according to the patient-reported outcome for 2 years. The patient responses in 2-year treatment were divided into 3 groups, which depended on clinical courses: 56 patients had an alpha-blocker single therapy after 3-month combination therapy (group I); 106 patients had a continuous alpha-blocker therapy with intermittent 3-month anticholinergic therapy (group II); 48 patients with continuous storage symptoms maintained a combination therapy (group III). Endpoints included 2-year changes in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Qmax, and residual volume.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group III had significantly increased IPSS total and subscores compared to that of the other groups in the baseline characteristics. IPSS total and subscores significantly decreased at 3 months and were maintained for 2 years in all groups. Increase in Qmax was significant in all the groups at 3 months, and its increase was still significant after 2 years. Residual urine volume increased in all the groups at 3 months, but changes at 2 years were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After 3 months of alpha-blocker and anticholinergic combination treatment, 73.4 % of the patients still needed a combination therapy. Although only one patient developed acute urinary retention, voiding difficulty was common (13.3 %), after a combination treatment in the real-life practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-040, Korea.
authors.forename: Woong Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Jang Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Yong Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyuk Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung Hoo
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Sae Woong
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae-Kon
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ji Youl
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists