BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA SPECIFIC HEALTH-STATUS MEASURES IN CLINICAL RESEARCH - HOW MUCH CHANGE IN THE AMERICAN-UROLOGICAL-ASSOCIATION SYMPTOM INDEX AND THE BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA IMPACT INDEX IS PERCEPTIBLE TO PATIENTS

Purpose: We assessed the relationship between changes in scores for th e American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index and benign prost atic hyperplasia (BPH) impact index with patient global ratings of imp rovement in a large Veterans Affairs trial comparing different pharmac ological therapies for BPH. Materials and Methods: The primary analyse s compared absolute score changes from baseline with global ratings of improvement-at 13 weeks for 1,218 men. Results: Subjects who rated th emselves as being slightly improved had a mean decrease in AUA symptom index and BPH impact index scores of 3.1 and 0.4 points, respectively . However, the baseline scores strongly influenced this relationship. Conclusions: These data provide guidance for investigators using the A UA symptom index and BPH impact index as outcome measures.