A Prospective, Multicenter, Open-Label Study of Dose Escalation Therapy in Male Patients With Nocturia Refractory to 0.2-mg Tamsulosin Monotherapy

Safety and efficacy of tamsulosin 0.4 mg as an initial dose in 1,219 Korean patients with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms: data from a phase IV study

Background

An initial dose of tamsulosin 0.2 mg is frequently prescribed for Asian men. We investigated the safety and efficacy of tamsulosin 0.4 mg as the initial dose in Korean men with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) in everyday clinical practice.

Materials and methods

A phase IV study was conducted in South Korea. Eligible patients were prescribed tamsulosin 0.4 mg for 6 months. We excluded patients with previous exposure to LUTS drugs and patients with an international prostate symptom score (IPSS) < 8.

Results

The mean total IPSS, storage subscore, voiding symptoms subscore, and quality of life significantly decreased from 18.0, 10.8, 7.2, and 3.8 to 12.8, 7.5, 5.3, and 2.6, respectively, after 6 months of treatment. The number of nocturia episodes significantly decreased from 3.0 to 2.2 in patients who reported at least 2 nocturia events at baseline. A mean reduction in the IPSS was quantitatively equivalent in all age groups. The mean reduction in the IPSS was greater in the IPSS ≥ 20 group than in the IPSS < 20 group (mean reduction in the total IPSS: -2.6 in the IPSS < 20 group; -9.4 in the IPSS ≥ 20 group). All treatment-emergent adverse events were mild. The most frequently recorded treatment-emergent adverse event was dizziness, which was reported in 22 patients (1.8%).

Conclusion

Treatment of LUTS with tamsulosin 0.4 mg as the initial dose for 6 months in Korean men was effective in improving LUTS and showed a favorable safety profile in a real-life setting.

Development of a voiding diary using urination recognition technology in mobile environment

We invented a wearable device that can measure voiding time and frequency by checking a habitual series of characteristic motions among men. This study collected and analyzed urination time data collected smart bands worn by patients to resolve the clinical issues posed by using voiding charts. By developing a smart band-based algorithm for assessing urination time in patients, this study aimed to explore the feasibility of urination management systems. This study aimed to assess urination time based on a patient’s posture and changes in posture. Motion data were obtained from a smart band on the arm. An algorithm that identifies the three stages of urination (forward movement, urination, backward movement) was developed based on data collected from a 3-axis accelerometer and tilt angle data. Therefore, we analyze hidden Markov model (HMM)-based sequential data to determine urination time. Real-time data were acquired from the smart band. For data corresponding to a specific duration, the value of the signals was calculated and then compared with the set analysis model to calculate the time of urination. The final accuracy of the algorithm was calculated based on clinical guidelines for urologists. The experiment showed a high average accuracy of 92.5%, proving the robustness of the proposed algorithm. The proposed urination time recognition technology draws on acceleration data and tilt angle data collected via a smart band; these data were then analyzed using a classifier after applying the HMM method.