BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine whether the indices of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) are related to the clinical response to tamsulosin, a long-acting selective alpha 1-blocker. METHODS: Sixty patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) were treated with tamsulosin hydrochloride (0.2 mg/day) for 2 months. The findings on TRUS and uroflowmetry and the AUA symptom score before treatment were compared with those obtained at the end of the 2 month treatment period. For the indices of TRUS, transition zone (TZ) volume, transition zone ratio (TZ ratio = TZ volume/total prostate volume), total prostate volume, and prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) were calculated. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between the pretreatment TZ ratio and the residual urine volume (r = 0.421, P = 0.0005). Patients with a lower TZ ratio and/or PSAD responded well to the treatment. The correlation between the PSAD value and the percent change in peak urinary flow rate was statistically significant (r = -0.432, P = 0.0009). CONCLUSION: TRUS provides simple parameters of PSAD that can be used to predict the response of patients to tamsulosin hydrochloride.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine whether the indices of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) are related to the clinical response to tamsulosin, a long-acting selective alpha 1-blocker. METHODS: Sixty patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) were treated with tamsulosin hydrochloride (0.2 mg/day) for 2 months. The findings on TRUS and uroflowmetry and the AUA symptom score before treatment were compared with those obtained at the end of the 2 month treatment period. For the indices of TRUS, transition zone (TZ) volume, transition zone ratio (TZ ratio = TZ volume/total prostate volume), total prostate volume, and prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) were calculated. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between the pretreatment TZ ratio and the residual urine volume (r = 0.421, P = 0.0005). Patients with a lower TZ ratio and/or PSAD responded well to the treatment. The correlation between the PSAD value and the percent change in peak urinary flow rate was statistically significant (r = -0.432, P = 0.0009). CONCLUSION: TRUS provides simple parameters of PSAD that can be used to predict the response of patients to tamsulosin hydrochloride.