The effect of two weeks of treatment with dutasteride on bleeding after transurethral resection of the prostate.
OBJECTIVE
Dutasteride affects the prostate by reducing intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone and prostate tissue vascularity. We evaluated the effect of pretreatment with dutasteride for two weeks on perioperative and postoperative bleeding during transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).


METHODS
Eighty-three patients who had benign prostatic hyperplasia together with the criteria for eligibility for TURP were included. The dutasteride group consisted of 40 patients who were treated with dutasteride (0.5 mg/d) for two weeks before surgery, and the control group consisted of 43 patients who did not receive dutasteride. Blood loss was evaluated in terms of reduction in serum hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels, which were measured before, immediately after, and 24 hours after surgery. We also measured the durations of indwelling urethral catheter use, continuous saline bladder irrigation, and hospitalization.


RESULTS
Lower mean blood loss was observed in the dutasteride group than the control group immediately after and 24 hours after surgery (ΔHb=0.65±1.27 g/dL vs. 1.16±0.73 g/dL, 1.30±1.00 g/dL vs. 1.86±1.05 g/dL respectively, p=0.019, p=0.011; ΔHct=1.89%±3.83% vs. 3.47%±2.09%, 3.69%±2.95% vs. 5.39%±3.23% respectively, p=0.016, p=0.011). In addition, there were fewer days of indwelling urethral catheter use (2.95±1.02 d vs. 3.92±1.14 d, p=0.000), continuous saline bladder irrigation (1.81±1.08 d vs. 2.36±1.06 d, p=0.016), and hospitalization after TURP (3.95±1.09 d vs. 4.76±1.19 d, p=0.001) in the dutasteride group.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative treatment with dutasteride for two weeks before TURP reduces surgical bleeding and length of hospitalization after TURP. This pretreatment can be used to decrease surgical bleeding associated with TURP.
Department of Urology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyu Shik
KS
Kim
Department of Urology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Won Sik
WS
Jeong
Department of Urology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sung Yul
SY
Park
Department of Urology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yong Tae
YT
Kim
Department of Urology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Hong Sang
HS
Moon
Dutasteride; Prostatic hyperplasia; Transurethral resection of prostate