Sham treatment compared with 30 or 60 min of thermotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized study

Objective To study the differences in subjective and objective results afte r 30 or 60 min of transurethral thermotherapy (TUMT) or sham treatment in m en with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Patients and methods Forty-four patients with lower urinary tract symptoms caused by BPH were randomized to undergo 30 or 60 min of TUMT or sham treat ment (14, 16 and 14 patients, respectively). The patients were evaluated us ing symptom scores, timed micturition, free Row rates and urodynamics befor e and after treatment. They were followed for 1 year, at the end of which t hey rated the treatment results on a self-administered visual analogue scal e. Results Forty-two patients completed the study. The treatment failed in som e patients in all groups, but the improvement in maximum and median flow ra tes, timed micturition and micturition frequency (day and night) was greate r after TUMT than in the sham-treated group. Symptom scores also improved m ore after TUMT, although not. significantly. There was a good correlation b etween the decrease in urinary frequency, especially nocturnal, and the pat ients' perception of a successful treatment, whereas the increase in maximu m urinary Row rate was apparently of little importance. Conclusions TUMT had a better effect than the placebo treatment, having a g reater impact on irritative than on obstructive symptoms. More patients wer e satisfied after the 30-min than after the 60-min treatment.