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The objective of this study was to assess the intra- and inter-investigator variation in the analysis of pressure-flow studies that were performed in men with lower urinary tract symptoms. Two hospitals were involved in this study. In each hospital 100 PFS were selected. Photocopies of printouts of all PFS were analyzed manually by six experienced investigators, including determination of P(detQmax) and Q(max). Afterward, all 200 PFS were analyzed again in a different order. For each P(detQmax) and accompanying Q(max) the AG-number was calculated. With these AG numbers, the intra-investigator SD, the inter-investigator SD and the intra- and inter-investigator SD combined were calculated. The intra- and inter-investigator SD combined was 10.7. This implies that if one investigator analyzes a PFS once and determines an AG number of 40, another investigator may determine an AG number between 40 +/- 2. 77*10.7 = 10-70, using a 95% confidence interval. The inter-investigator SD was 10.0 and the intra-investigator SD was 3.7. The reproducibility of the manual analysis of urodynamic studies is moderate owing to a considerable intra- and inter- investigator variation. This is mostly caused by the substantial intra-investigator variation.

Objectives: To assess the long-term effects of finasteride on pressure-flow parameters in men with urodynamically documented bladder outflow obstruction (BOO)., Methods: One hundred twenty-one men with benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) underwent a pressure-flow study (PFS) at 1 of 11 clinical centers. The PFS technique was standardized, and all tracings were read by a single reader unaware of the treatment group. Patients who were obstructed according to a modified Abrams-Griffiths nomogram were randomized to 5 mg finasteride (n = 81) or placebo (n = 40) for 12 months; all patients continuing into an open extension received finasteride during the second 12 months of therapy. Results of the initial 12-month study demonstrated the benefit of finasteride treatment on PFS parameters. To examine the continuing effects over time, an analysis of the data from 54 patients who completed 24 months of treatment with finasteride is provided., Results: Detrusor pressure at maximum flow (PdetQmax) continued to decrease during the second 12 months of therapy (decreases of 5.3 and 11.7 cm H2O at months 12 and 24, respectively). The percentage of patients obstructed by Abrams-Griffiths classification decreased from 76.2% at baseline to 66.7% at month 12 and 59.6% at month 24. An intention-to-treat analysis yielded similar results., Conclusions: Finasteride improves urodynamic measures of obstruction in men with BPE and LUTS, with continued improvement during the second 12 months of therapy.

Purpose: We assess the effect of finasteride, a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, on objective voiding parameters in men with lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic enlargement on digital rectal examination (known as clinical benign prostatic enlargement) in a double-blind placebo controlled multicenter study using strict standard pressure flow study techniques., Materials and Methods: A modification of the Abrams-Griffiths nomogram was used by 1 reader to ensure that all patients met objective criteria for bladder outlet obstruction at baseline. After performing a pressure flow study patients with obstruction were randomized 2:1 to receive 5 mg. finasteride (81) or placebo (40) daily. A second pressure flow study was performed at month 12. At baseline and month 12 free urinary flow studies and transrectal ultrasound were performed, and International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaires were completed. Patients were treated between May 1994 and July 1996., Results: Finasteride caused a significant decrease (-8.1 cm. water) in detrusor pressure at maximum flow (p <0.05 versus placebo p = 0.02), increase (+1.1 ml. per second) in maximum flow rate (p <0.05 versus placebo p = 0.02) and decrease (-22.8%) in prostate volume (p <0.05 versus placebo p <0.001). Men with prostates larger than 40 cc had greater improvement in detrusor pressure at maximum flow (between group difference -14.5 cm. water, 95% confidence interval -26.2 to -2.6, p = 0.02) and maximum flow rate (mean treatment effect +1.6 ml. per second, 95% confidence interval -0.2 to 3.0, p = 0.02) compared to those with prostates 40 cc or less (between group differences not significant)., Conclusions: Finasteride treatment resulted in improvements in urodynamic parameters, which were greater in men with large prostates.

Test-retest reliability of repeated voids in pressure-flow studies and the influence on maximum flow rate (Q(max)pQ), detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate (p(det)Qmax), voided volume, and residual urine were studied. Also the agreement in interpretation of pressure-flow tracings between investigators and a single blinded central reader acting as a quality control center (QCC) were assessed. In addition, correlations between p(det)Qmax and patient age, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), free maximum flow rate (Qmax), and prostate volume were calculated. Using suprapubic pressure recording, 216 men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) were investigated in 11 centers. In each pressure-flow study, three sequential voids were performed, and quality controlled recordings were analyzed for Q(max)pQ and p(det)Qmax by the QCC. Trans rectal ultrasound was used to measure the prostate volume. Mean Q(max)pQ did not change, but p(det)Qmax decreased significantly in the second and third sequential voids. Using the Abrams-Griffiths nomogram definition of obstruction, 125 patients (67%) were classified as obstructed from the first void, but only 111 patients (59%) from the third void. The agreement between the investigator assessment and that of a single blinded reader was good. There was no significant correlation between p(det)Qmax and patient age, IPSS, and Qmax, whereas a modest correlation was found between p(det)Qmax and prostate volume. In summary, there was no significant change in Q(max)pQ, but p(det)Qmax decreased for the three consecutive voids, which can be explained by a decrease in outlet resistance. The agreement between the investigator and QCC interpretations shows the value of a standardized technique, supporting the feasibility of multicenter urodynamic studies. There is a modest, but statistically significant, correlation between detrusor pressure and prostate size, supporting the hypothesis that prostate size is a contributing factor in symptomatic BPH.

The within and between examination variation in selected test parameters and test results in repeated pressure-flow studies was determined in a prospective study of consecutive pressure-flow examinations in 22 patients. The patients were pressure-flow tested twice within a month. Furthermore, it was evaluated whether there was a systematic change in the measured parameters during retesting. By using the Abrams-Griffiths nomogram, patients were classified as obstructed, equivocal, or unobstructed. Within and between examination variations in classification were evaluated. We found a systematic variation in P(det.Qmax) during testing, which in the absence of statistically significant systematic variations in P(det.Close) and Qmax, indicates a physiological effect of repeated pressure-flow studies, resulting in a less-obstructed second voiding. Supporting this, we found that all patients who changed group of classification of bladder outlet obstruction in the first examination shifted to a group of less obstruction, as did 66% of the patients who changed group of classification of bladder outlet obstruction in the second examination. Still, 80, respectively 85%, of the patients remained in the same group of classification of bladder outlet obstruction during retesting in the first and second examinations, respectively. Classifying the degree of bladder outlet obstruction by Qmax, P(det.Qmax), and P(det.Close) 85% of the patients reproduced their test results accurately in both examinations and taking only the first voiding in both examinations into account 95% reproduced their test results.

Lower-urinary-tract symptoms might be due to bladder dysfunction, infravesical obstruction, or both, and these conditions give rise to the same type of symptoms. Classification of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients into obstructed or unobstructed cases can be done only by pressure-flow studies. This classification has been demonstrated to be of predictive value for the outcome of surgical treatment, both symptomatically and urodynamically. Pressure-flow studies are therefore helpful in the pretreatment workup of patients in regard to both diagnosing the underlying pathophysiology and, consequently, stratifying patients for different treatments or watchful waiting. Different methods of interpreting pressure-flow investigations share the same theoretical foundation and therefore have only minor differences in classifying patients into obstructed or unobstructed cases. The more advanced methods make a more differentiated classification possible, but these are currently mostly of theoretical value in research.

Originally prostatectomy was performed for complications to infravesical obstruction. Today 70% are performed because of lower urinary tract symptoms which might be due to obstructive BPH, but also might be a consequence of detrusor weakness or other age-related functional changes in the lower urinary tract. Of patients operated for uncomplicated BPH, approximately 30% are urodynamically unobstructed. Traditional urological measures like residual urine volume, endoscopic impression of prostate and bladder, as well as prostate size and even urinary flow rate measurements, are not able to separate this group. The symptomatic outcome after surgery is statistically significantly worse in the urodynamically unobstructed group, while urodynamic improvement is only marginal. As pressure/flow studies are the only method to diagnose infravesical obstruction, this should therefore be considered before more invasive procedures intended to treat suspected infravesical obstruction are performed.

The Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS-1) comprises 12 questions related to voiding problems in benign prostatic hyperplasia. The patient himself scores each symptom as regards severity (symptom score) and impact on daily life (bother score). The precision of this patient-weighted (postal) questionnaire was investigated in terms of repeat frequencies of replies from 197 randomly selected men on two sequential occasions. The questionnaire was well understood by the patients. The median frequency of repeat in answers to the questions was 83.5% (range 0-99.7%). This frequency depended on the nature of the question and the severity or bother of the symptom. Repeatability as regards bother rose markedly when the bother score was made dependent of the symptom score, suggesting a relationship between the two. As with other questionnaires, the precision of those dealing with prostatism should be established before clinical use. The observed relationship between symptom score and bother score may be of diagnostic value.

In order to assess the efficacy and safety of alfuzosin, a selective alpha-1 receptor antagonist, 205 patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) were randomly assigned in a double-blind, placebo-controlled manner, to receive either alfuzosin 2.5 mg TID or placebo TID during 12 weeks. After 12 weeks symptom scores-assessed according to the Madsen-Iversen scale were significantly reduced in the alfuzosin group and peak flow rate significantly increased compared to the placebo group. There were no significant differences concerning adverse events or withdrawals. Alfuzosin proved to have a beneficial effect in patients with symptomatic BPH with few and minor adverse events.

Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common pathologic condition to afflict the aging male. Many patients with symptomatic BPH undergo prostatectomy without rigorous evaluation. Three concepts should be considered before any treatment of a patient with symptomatic BPH; Prostatic enlargement, symptomatology and bladder outflow obstruction., Patients and Methods: The study comprised 188 consecutive patients with symptomatic BPH, all eligible after pressure/flow examination. One-hundred-seventy-four of the patients answered the DAN-PSS questionnaire, 140 of the patients had their prostate size measured by transrectal ultrasonography. One-hundred-fifty-three patients were able to perform a free flow measurement upon arrival. Uroflowmetry, symptomatology and prostate size were matched with the results of pressure/flow examination., Results: Neither uroflowmetry, symptomatology nor prostate size correlated well with bladder outlet obstruction. The positive predictive value for infravesical obstruction was 88% if a maximum flow rate under 10 ml/s was used. Symptomatology could not be used to differentiate between patients with bladder outlet obstruction and patients without obstruction. The positive predictive value for infravesical obstruction was 76% if a prostate volume over 40 ml was chosen., Discussion: The purpose of diagnostic evaluation in patients with BPH, is to identify precisely the pathophysiology underlying the patients condition, so that rational therapy can be selected., Conclusion: The disease entity of BPH is characterized by the interaction of prostate enlargement, the subjective symptom complex of prostatism, and urodynamic infravesical obstruction. Since it is impossible to interpolate from one to another of these conditions, a comprehensive evaluation of a patient with symptomatic BPH should include an assessment of all of these conditions.

The preoperative urodynamic evaluations of twenty patients with myelomeningocele who had had artificial sphincter implantation because of urinary incontinence were reviewed. Four patients developed hydronephrosis and severe impairment of renal function between two and six years after implantation of the artificial sphincter. The condition was partly reversible after removal of the artificial sphincter. The urodynamic evaluation prior to implantation revealed in the four mentioned patients compared to the 16 patients with normal upper urinary tract, a tendency to lower bladder compliance, lower bladder capacity and more severe detrusor hyperreflexia, but it was not possible to make a clear discrimination between the two groups. Attention is drawn to this unfortunate combination of effects after artificial sphincter implantation. Periodic control of the upper urinary tract by urography is recommended.

One hundred and seven consecutive patients referred with symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction were studied using cystometry and combined pressure-flow-electromyographic investigation. The symptoms of infravesical obstruction were not statistically significantly correlated to the hydrodynamic documentation of increased bladder outlet resistance as judged by maximum flow rate and the calculated urethral resistance. Irritative symptoms such as frequency, nocturia, urgency and urgeincontinence were statistically significantly correlated to the presence of detrusor hyperreflexia. The functional disorder bladder neck dyssynergia was encounterd in 5% of the patients (95% confidence limits 1-10%). This diagnosis cannot be made by conventional urological investigations. It is concluded that objective demonstration of infravesical obstruction is mandatory in the selection of patients with symptoms of lower urinary tract dysfunction for surgery on the prostate or the bladder neck.

The cysto-urethroscopic findings in 93 out of 107 consecutive patients referred for symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction were assessed and graded with special reference to bladder wall trabeculation, patency of the bladder neck, prostatic occlusion of the urethra, the estimated prostatic weight and the bladder neck-verumontanum distance. The cysto-urethroscopic findings of trabeculation and prostatic enlargement were not statistically significantly correlated to the cystometric demonstration of detrusor hyperreflexia. However, urodynamic parameters of infravesical obstruction judged by the opening pressure, maximum flow rate and the calculated urethral resistance were statistically significantly correlated to the cysto-urethroscopic findings of prostatic occlusion of the urethra, increased bladder neck-verumontanum distance and an increased prostatic weight estimated at cystoscopy. It is concluded that cysto-urethroscopy gives good information of as well the site as the hydrodynamic severity of organic infravesical obstruction.

The bladder function was studied in 15 urologically normal females over 40 years of age. They volunteered for this study which consisted of urodynamic studies and lateral micturition cystourethrography. The data are presented in tables. There are only small differences in the urodynamic parameters between this material and a material of women under 40 years of age. It is clearly demonstrated that a gynaecological cystocele tells little or nothing about the bladder function or bladder support. None of the cystometrograms showed uninhibited detrusor contractions. It is underlined to repeat the micturition studies several times in order to obtain a voiding event which the subject recognizes as normal.

In a randomized study of transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) versus transvesical prostatectomy (TVP) in 75 patients a urodynamic evaluation was undertaken before and 6 months following operation. In the TURP group a resection to the surgical capsule was attempted in each case. Operative specimen weights in the two groups did not differ statistically significantly. 5 patients in each group had unexpected prostatic carcinoma. Rapid fill CO2 cystometry did not show any significant differences in bladder function between TURP and TVP patients 6 months following operation. In both groups a high incidence of detrusor instability was observed at follow-up. However, the incidence as well as the severity of the instability had decreased significantly following the two operative procedures. As judged from flowmetry and pressure flow investigation, relief of infravesical obstruction was almost complete in both groups. However, following treatment of postoperative strictures the patients with benign histology in the TVP group compared to the TURP group had higher maximum flow rate values and lower detrusor pressure values. Confidence limits for the differences between the two groups in detrusor pressure and maximum flow rate at follow-up did, however, hardly suggest clinically significantly differences. At urethral closure pressure profile measurement a statistically significantly shorter profile length was measured in TVP patients. The marginal differences in relief or infravesical obstruction might be due to differences in the amount of apical prostatic adenoma following operation.

Objectives: There are at least three clinically indistinguishable but genetically different types of autosomal dominant pure spastic paraplegia (ADPSP). Lower urinary tract symptoms are often present but have not been described in a homogeneous patient population. In this study lower urinary tract symptoms, cystometrical, and neurophysiological characteristics are described in patients with ADPSP linked to chromosome 2p21-p24.Methods: Lower urinary tract symptoms were recorded at an interview and according to a formalised questionnaire. Eleven patients were clinically evaluated and cystometry, measurements of the cutaneous perception threshold, bulbocavernosus reflex latency, and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) of the pudendal nerve were performed.Results: All patients experienced urinary urgency or urge incontinence. Rectal urgency and sexual dysfunction were reported by most patients. The cystometrical findings showed a mixed pattern of bladder dysfunction. The SSEPs were normal in all but the bulbocavernosus reflex latency was significantly prolonged in seven patients and the cutaneous perception threshold was raised in five patients.Conclusions: Lower urinary tract symptoms and probably also bowel and sexual dysfunction in patients with ADPSP linked to chromosome 2p21-p24 are due to a combination of somatic and autonomic nervous system involvement which support the proposed multisystem affection in ADPSP linked to chromosome 2p21-p24. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To report the results of a standard evaluation programme performed prior to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Patients and methods all 132 patients with symptoms of prostatism on the waiting list for surgery were invited to attend the hospital to undergo a physical examination, symptom evaluation and routine blood sampling. Of these, 117 attended. If the suspicion of BPH was sustained a transrectal ultrasound examination of the prostate and a urodynamic evaluation, including a pressure-flow study, were performed. Results Urodynamic evaluation was carried out in 80 of the 117 patients who attended the clinic. Infravesical obstruction was present in 61 patients while in 19 (24%) there was no obstruction. An operative procedure to relieve obstruction was performed in 65 patients (49%). Conclusions In a population of patients scheduled for TURP. 24% were found not to have an obstruction. This is in accordance with other reports. As the patients with few symptoms and those who did not have an obstruction were treated conservatively only 49% of the referred cases underwent prostatic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]