Changes of Serum PSA after Alpha Adrenergic Blocker Treatment in Patients with BPH

Shin, Jae Hyuk; Oh, Moon Mok

Abstract

PURPOSE: To find if the alpha adrenergic blocker, terazosin, changes the PSA in BPH patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients with a PSA level over 2.5ng/ml, who visited our hospital with lower urinary tract symptoms, were reviewed, and excluded from having prostate cancer (n=101). After a routine check up for BPH, included history taking, a physical examination, laboratory examinations and a transrectal ultrasound, on their first visit, the PSA level and IPSS were checked again after 4 weeks of alpha adrenergic blocker (terazosin) management.
RESULTS
The average size of the prostates and age of the patients were 40.6ml and 67.7 years, respectively. Overall, the PSA levels before the treatment was 4.12+/-2.03ng/ml, which decreased significantly, to 3.57+/-1.99ng/ml, after the terazosin treatment (p=0.002). The subgroups, divided by age, prostate size and IPSS score, all showed meaningful declines in the PSA levels, but with no statistical differences.
CONCLUSIONS
The results from this research shows that terazosin treatment reduces the PSA levels in BPH patients complaining of lower urinary tract symptoms, and the changes in the pattern of the level may help to differentiate prostatic cancer, and reduce the incidence of a prostatic biopsy.