'Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG)'
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to describe the real-world therapeutic management of
patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperpla-
sia (BPH) (LUTS/BPH) attending primary care and urology clinics in Spain.
Methods: This observational, retrospective, multicentre study included men
≥50 years of age diagnosed with LUTS/BPH (≤8 years prior to study visit) (N = 670).
Therapeutic management according to healthcare service (primary care vs. urology
clinics) or progression criteria, proportion of patients with treatment change, patient
profile according to therapy and evolution of LUTS severity were assessed.
Results: Overall differences were noticed in the management of patients between
healthcare service (P < .001) and with or without progression criteria (P < .05). Most
patients received pharmacological treatment at diagnosis (70.7%; 474/670), which in-
creased at study visit (81.6%; 547/670) with overall similar profiles between primary
care and urology clinics for each therapy. α1-Blockers were the most used pharmaco-
logical treatment across healthcare settings at diagnosis (61.8%; 293/474) and study
visit (51%; 279/547). Only 27.1% (57/210) of patients with progression criteria at diag-
nosis and 35.6% (99/278) at study visit received 5α-reductase inhibitor (5ARI) alone
or in combination with a α1-blocker. Overall, most patients did not change treatment
(60%; 402/670) with a trend of more patients worsening in symptoms when not re-
ceiving α1-blocker plus 5ARI combination therapy.
Conclusion: Most patients with LUTS/BPH received pharmacological treatment;
however, most men with progression criteria did not receive a 5ARI alone or in combi-
nation. These results support the need to reinforce both primary care and urologists
existing clinical guideline recommendations for the appropriate medical management
of patients with LUTS/BPH