Evaluation of the efficacy and tolerability of combination therapy for lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with chronic prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia

Abstract

Introduction. Chronic prostatitis (CP) is one of the most common urological diseases; CP often accompanies benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Quite often in patients with CP, obstructive, irritative and urethral symptoms are detected. However, there is simply no effective therapy for CP. Despite the lack of data on the proven effectiveness of herbal medicine in international clinical trials, this treatment for CP and BPH remains popular. Aim. To study clinical efficacy and safety of CHINCH herbal drug in treatment of patients with CP and BPH. Materials and methods. 820 men from 13 clinical centers of the Russian Federation with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with CP and BPH were included in the study. The patients were divided into 2 groups. Group I included 423 patients who were administered a complex therapy with Tamsulosin (0.4 mg, 1 capsule once a day for 2 months) and CHINCH (2 capsules 2 times a day for 2 months). Group II consisted of 397 patients who had only Tamsulosin (0.4 mg, 1 capsule once a day for 2 months). Results. According to uroflowmetry, the patients from the group with combined therapy showed significantly better average values of the maximum urine flow rate (Qmax) at the end of 2 months of the therapy, than the initial values in the group, as well as the values of the monotherapy group (p<0.05). All patients noted an increase in the urine flow rate after a month of taking drugs with an increase in the effect by the end of the program. All patients who were included in the observational program, marked an improvement in the quality of life (QoL). The QоL value in the group I became significantly higher (p <0.05) compared with the initial and intermediate values, as well as with the same values in the monotherapy group. All patients noted that the prescribed therapy was well tolerated. Discussion. The study showed, that both subjective and objective criteria for assessing the disease course improved in patients using our approach of complex therapy for lower urinary tract symptoms, associated with CP and BPH (CHINCH in combination with Tamsulosin). These results indicate that the use of herbal therapy in combination with basic therapy with Tamsulosin is an effective and safe treatment method for lower urinary tract symptoms, caused by CP and BPH. Our results are consistent with the data of other researchers. Conclusions. Combined therapy with an alpha-adrenergic blocker in combination with CHINCH, compared with monotherapy, can help to achieve a faster and more significant result in the relief of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by CP and BPH. The combined therapy allows to achieve a higher level of Qmax, IPSS and QOL values within a month, and by the end of the second month - to enhance this effect. The use of CHINCH is not accompanied by adverse effects and can be administered for a long time to relieve lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with CP and BPH.