Is benign prostatic obstruction surgery indicated for improving overactive bladder symptoms in men with lower urinary tract symptoms?

Medical Treatment Incidence and Persistence After Surgical Relief of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Suggestive of Benign Prostatic Obstruction: A Critical Analysis of the Literature

CONTEXT

The incidence and risk factors for persisting pharmacotherapy following surgical treatment of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the evidence on persisting pharmacotherapy of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) following surgical treatment of BPO.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses checklist (PROSPERO ID CRD42022310598). PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched in February 2022, with an updated search in October 2022. Studies evaluating pharmacotherapy in men aged >18 yr following surgical treatment of BPO were included.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Overall, ten nonrandomized studies and one post hoc analysis of two randomized controlled trials were included. The incidence of persisting medical treatment or medical retreatment varied strongly between time points and investigated surgical techniques. Among the investigated techniques, most data were available for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Persistence of pharmacotherapy after TURP at 6 mo ranged from 8.7% to 57% for the use of alpha-blockers. The use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors after TURP ranged from 5.5% at 6 mo to 19% at 6-24 mo, whereas the use of antimuscarinics ranged from 3.4% to 28.1% at 6 mo. Data on initiation of pharmacotherapy after TURP also differed between study and type of medication. At 12 yr, the use of alpha-blockers after TURP ranged from 12% to 38%. The risk factors associated with medication after BPO surgery were age, history of diabetes mellitus, history of cerebrovascular accident, preoperative medication use, as well as surgical techniques other than laser enucleation of the prostate.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacotherapy for LUTS is common after BPO surgery. The outcomes following different surgical techniques are heterogeneous, with limited data from randomized controlled trials. Future studies on surgical treatment of BPO should include the use of LUTS-related pharmacotherapy after BPO surgery as a secondary endpoint.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In the present systematic review, we investigated the risk of ongoing or novel therapy with drugs following surgery for benign prostate enlargement. We found that a non-negligible proportion of men will need to take drug therapy after surgery. Certain risk factors can be identified, which are associated with a higher risk of drug therapy after surgery.

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Depression: A Review

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) are frequently present in the general population as patients age with approximately a third of individuals experiencing LUTS during their lifetime. LUTS can be further defined as having any of the following symptoms: urinary hesitancy, straining, nocturia, increased urination frequency, and dysuria. LUTS has the potential for patients to contribute their symptoms to what can normally occur as we age. This can lead to a decrease in patients seeking care and could negatively impact patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL). In conjunction with LUTS, we obtained from our analysis that LUTS and depression are closely related and worsening depressive symptoms may increase the severity of LUTS. We also discerned three categories of factors that can yield major depression namely adversity, internalizing, and externalizing factors. Within these categories, trauma, social support, genetic factors, and minimal education appeared to increase the risk of depression in patients. With the recent increase in mental health awareness and more access to mental health care amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, further screening, and collaboration between providers to treat both urological and psychiatric symptoms could improve patient outcomes. It is important for providers to have an increased understanding of the mental and physical impact both LUTS and depression can have on patients' wellbeing. This has the potential to help patients be more open about their symptoms with the aim of better addressing LUTS and depression to positively impact their HRQL.

The relationship between bladder storage function and frequent micturition after TURP

PURPOSE

To investigate the relationship between preoperative bladder function and frequent micturition after transurethral resection of prostate in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

METHODS

We retrospectively included 80 eligible patients aged 54-87 years (mean age 69.8 years) who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate at our hospital from January 2019 to October 2021. Patients were divided into detrusor overactivity positive and negative groups, and according to bladder compliance, they were divided into: low (G1), normal (G2), and high (G3) bladder compliance groups.

RESULTS

The incidence and score of postoperative frequent micturition in the detrusor overactivity positive group were higher than those in the detrusor overactivity negative group. The incidence and score of postoperative frequent micturition in the low bladder compliance group were higher than those in the normal and high bladder compliance groups. There was no significant difference in the score of frequent micturition between the normal and high bladder compliance groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that frequent micturition was significantly correlated with detrusor overactivity, bladder compliance, maximum cystometric capacity, and maximum flow rate.

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed that patients with abnormal bladder storage functions (detrusor instability and low bladder compliance) before transurethral resection of the prostate were likely to have frequent and severe urination after transurethral resection of the prostate. Therefore, preoperative urodynamic examination to evaluate the urinary storage function of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia is of great significance to predict the occurrence and degree of postoperative frequent micturition.

Beyond Antimuscarinics: A Review of Pharmacological and Interventional Options for Overactive Bladder Management in Men

CONTEXT

The role of overactive bladder (OAB) treatment in women beyond antimuscarinics has been evaluated extensively. Beta-3 agonists, botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A), and nerve stimulation are indicated in these patients. However, data on male patients in this clinical scenario are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence on treatment options beyond antimuscarinics in men with OAB.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A search of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Central Database of Systematic Reviews databases was performed for relevant articles published between January 2000 and October 2020, using the following Medical Subject Headings: "male/man," "LUTS," "overactive bladder," "storage symptoms," "urgency," "nocturia," "incontinence," "beta-3 agonist," "PDE-5 inhibitors," "botulinum toxin," "sacral nerve stimulation/neurostimulation," "percutaneous/transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation," "PTENS," and "combination therapy." Evidence acquisition was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PROSPERO registration number is CRD42020201223.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Overall, 24 studies were retrieved. In male OAB, mirabegron (MIRA) is the most intensively investigated pharmacological option. A pooled analysis of five randomized clinical trials (RCTs), including 1187 patients, concluded that MIRA 50 mg was associated with a greater reduction in frequency versus placebo (-0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.74, -0.01, p <  0.05). A pooled analysis of three RCTs, including 1317 male patients, has also shown that the addition of MIRA 50 mg in men receiving the α₁-blocker tamsulosin improved the mean number of micturitions per day (-0.27, 95% CI: -0.46 to -0.09, p <  0.05), urgency episodes (-0.50, 95% CI: -0.77 to -0.22, p <  0.05), total OAB symptom score (-0.66, 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.38, p <  0.05), and mean volume voided (+10.76 ml, 95% CI: 4.87-16.64, p <  0.05). MIRA treatment is well tolerated in men. Other pharmacological treatment options, such as phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, should be considered investigational. BTX-A seems to be effective as third-line treatment in male OAB patients. A higher rate of intermittent self-catheterization (5-42%) is observed in male than in female patients. Data on nerve stimulation are scarce.

CONCLUSIONS

MIRA has the most robust data in terms of safety and efficacy in this patient population. Preliminary data in men suggest that BTX-A is indicated as an interventional treatment. Evidence for PDE-5 inhibitors and nerve stimulation is too limited to provide recommendations. Future studies in this population should aim to better define the best treatment sequence and to identify predictors for treatment response and failure, to determine a therapeutic approach tailored to patients' characteristics.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Overactive bladder is highly prevalent in men. Mirabegron 50 mg is the treatment option supported by the highest level of evidence when antimuscarinics failed. Botulinum toxin A injections seems to be an effective treatment as interventional option. Roles of nerve stimulation and phosphodiesterase inhibitors in male OAB patients are still to be defined.

[Male non-neurogenic overactive bladder]

INTRODUCTION

Male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and in particular overactive bladder (OAB) are a frequent reason for consultation in urology and have a significant functional impact in patients.

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize current knowledge on non-neurogenic OAB in male patients.

METHOD

A systematic literature review based on Pubmed, Embase, Google Scholar was conducted in June 2020.

RESULTS

The prevalence of OAB and benign prostatic hyperplasia increases with age. Symptoms of OAB, on the one hand, and symptoms of prostatic bladder outlet obstruction, on the other hand, can be concomitant and the causal link between the two types of symptoms is difficult to establish. In case of mixed symptoms, it is recommended to treat the most troublesome type of symptoms first and to inform the patient of the risks of failure or deterioration. Indeed, many patients remain symptomatic after prostate surgery and the predictive factors for failure remain to be defined. Thus, preoperative urodynamics is not routinely performed even in case of OAB. De novo detrusor overactivity after radical prostatectomy can reach 77% and persists in the majority of cases. The overall relative risk of storage symptoms after radiotherapy and brachytherapy is higher than that after prostatectomy. The etiology of OAB after prostate surgery is multifactorial. While drug treatments have proven to be effective, little data exists on second-line treatments for OAB after prostate surgery.

CONCLUSION

OAB in men is often linked to a prostatic bladder outlet obstruction. It is essential to inform patients about the possibility of persistence, deterioration, or occurrence of OAB after prostate surgery while the predictors of surgical failure are not clearly defined.

Persistent storage symptoms after TURP can be predicted with a nomogram derived from the ice water test

PURPOSE

To predict the persistence of storage symptoms after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) using a nomogram derived from the ice water test (IWT).

METHODS

The IWTs of 73 men with lower urinary tract symptoms and prostatic bladder outlet obstruction were retrospectively analyzed. The strength of the detrusor contraction was approximated by using the detrusor gradient of Δp_det /Δt at maximum detrusor pressure and the area under the curve. The parameters were utilized in a nomogram, which facilitated a severity categorization from 1 to 10. Patients with a positive IWT in the categories 1 to 2 were assigned to group A, categories 3 to 4 to group B and categories 5 and higher to group C. After TURP, patients with persisting storage symptoms were offered a botulinum toxin injection.

RESULTS

There were 32 patients (44%) with negative and 41 patients (56%) with positive IWTs. Patients with negative IWTs were classified in category 1. Regarding patients with positive IWTs, 14 (34%) were correlated to group A, 14 (34%) to group B, and 13 (32%) to group C. The necessity of a subsequent botulinum toxin injection correlated significantly with a higher nomogram category (P < .001) as well as higher severity categorization (P < .001). In multivariate analysis, the nomogram category was an independent predictor for botulinum toxin injection (P = .002, OR, 6.9, CI, 2.0-23.9).

CONCLUSION

The quantification of the detrusor contraction during the IWT allowed stratification of patients in risk categories for persistent storage symptoms after TURP and the potential need for later botulinum toxin injections.