Comparison of tamsulosin efficacy in subgroups of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms

We have compared the results of treatment with tamsulosin (0.4 mg once dail y) in subgroups of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic obstruction, based on two large-scale, open-label, observ ational studies. Improvements of IPSS or Q(max) were largely unaffected by patient age. Patients with severe symptoms benefited at least as much from treatment as those with mild or moderate symptoms, and the majority of pati ents with severe symptoms were shifted to the moderate or even mild symptom s group. We conclude that tamsulosin is effective in patients of all age gr oups, and should be considered as an alternative to surgery even in patient s with severe symptoms.