Effect of diabetes on lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia

Several studies have suggested a specific association between the presence and/or symptom intensity of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and diabetes but to our knowledge no definitive conclusion has been reached. Therefore, we examined the intensity of lower urinary tract symptoms in a large cohort of men with BPH with and without diabetes. We then determined whether the alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist tamsulosin similarly improved lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with BPH with or without diabetes.

The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS), maximum flow rate and post-void residual were determined in 9,856 men with clinically diagnosed BPH, of whom 1,290 also had diabetes, at baseline and after a 12 week, open label course of 0.4 mg. tamsulosin daily.

Logistic regression of the baseline data indicated that older age and I-PSS were independently associated with a statistically significant increase in the odds ratio of having diabetes. Accordingly, diabetics had a significantly greater baseline I-PSS and smaller maximum flow rate than non-diabetic patients on age-adjusted analysis, while residual urine was not significantly altered. Tamsulosin markedly improved lower urinary tract symptoms. The extent of improvement was similar in diabetic and nondiabetic patients, although some slight differences reached statistical significance due to large patient numbers.

The severity of lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with BPH and the likelihood of having diabetes are significantly associated. Within the limitations of an open label, observational study tamsulosin appears to reduce lower urinary tract symptoms similarly in patients with BPH with or without diabetes.