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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of NT in reducing pain and minimising use of analgesics in patients., Design: Before and after intervention study., Setting: Llefià Primary Health Care centre in Badalona (Barcelona)., Participants: Eighty-two patients between the ages of 25 and 85 years old, who suffered pain that did not disappear after a month., Main Measurements: Data was collected to evaluate any change in pain and the use of analgesics in patients before intervention and then afterwards, at 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. This was conducted by means of interviews and use of the Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS)., Results: Mean VAS pre-treatment: 7.94 (SD: 1.68), mean VAS after two weeks 4.63 (SD: 2.79), after 3 months 3.73 (SD: 3.17), and after 6 months 3.48 (SD: 3,27) (P<.001 in the 3 comparisons, using the Wilcoxon-test for matched data). As regards analgesic use after treatment, 74.4% of patients reduced it after 2 weeks, 76.8% after 3 months and 80% after 6 months., Conclusions: Neural therapy can be effective in reducing pain, as well as the use of analgesics. Further clinical trials would be needed to confirm this assertion., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a high prevalence condition in men over 50 years that requires continued assistance between primary care and urology. Therefore, consensus around common referral criteria was needed to guide and support both levels. Medical history, symptom assessment with International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire, digital rectal examination and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement are diagnostic tests available for general practitioners that allow setting a correct BPH diagnose. Patients with an IPSS<8 should be monitored by evaluating them annually. Treatment with alpha-blockers and an evaluation at the first and third month is recommended in patients with an IPSS 8-20 and if the prostate is small, if the prostate size is large treatment with alpha-blockers or 5alpha-reductase inhibitors and evaluation at the third and six month is recommended, and in patients with a large prostate and a PSA >1.5 ng/ml combined treatment and evaluation at the first and sixth month is recommended. Some clear criteria for referral to urology are established in this document, which help in the management of these patients. Those patients with BPH who do not show any improvement at the third month of treatment with alpha-blockers, or the sixth month with 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, will be referred to urology. Patients will also be referred to urology if they have lower urinary tract symptoms, a pathological finding during rectal examination, IPSS>20, PSA>10 ng/ml or PSA>4 ng/ml and free PSA<20% or if they are <50 years with suspected BHP, or if they have any urological complication., (Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)