title: α1-adrenergic receptor antagonists versus placebo for female lower urinary tract symptoms: A meta-analysis.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of α1-adrenergic receptor antagonists (α1ARAs) versus placebo for female patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted. The main outcome indices used to measure the effectiveness were the total International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and maximum urinary flow rate of female patients receiving treatment for LUTS. The I-PSS quality of life (QOL) and average urinary flow rate (AFR) were also observed and analyzed. Two randomized controlled trials with a total of 213 patients were included. Meta-analysis results were as follows: Following 4 weeks of treatment, patients taking α1ARAs presented a significant advantage over patients under placebo in terms of total I-PSS [standardized mean difference (SMD), -0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.94 to -0.39] but no difference was observed in maximum urinary flow rate (SMD, -0.05; 95% CI, -0.32 to 0.22) between the experimental and control groups. The I-PSS QOL post-treatment was lower in the α1ARA group compared with that in the placebo group (SMD, -0.86; 95% CI, -1.32 to -0.40) according to one study, and in the other study the improvement of AFR was not significant (SMD, 0.09; 95% CI, -0.25 to 0.43). It was concluded that α1ARAs are more effective than placebo in female patients with LUTS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wan-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Kan
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Xiong
keywords: female lower urinary tract symptoms; placebo; α1-adrenergic receptor antagonists