[Peyronie's disease. Evaluation of 3 therapeutic modalities: propoleum, laser and simultaneous propoleum-laser]

To compare the results of treatment of peyronie's disease with propoleum, laser, and simultaneous propoleum-laser.

Prospective research. Twenty-eight patients with Peyronie's disease from the hospitals Freyre de Andrade,Fajardo, Clinico Quirúrgico y Habana Campo were studied between May 2002 and August 2003. They were divided into three groups: 1) treatment with propoleum: 10 patients; 2) treatment with laser: 8 patients; and 3) treatment with propoleum + laser: 10 patients. A registered formula of Propoleum powder was employed in daily 900 mg capsules over six months. 30 sessions of laser were applied to the plaque divided in periods of 10 sessions every 2 months.

age, race, date of disease start/clinical improvement correlation, beginning of improvement after treatment. Data were processed in a statistical software (Epinfo-6) and multivariate analysis with non parametric methods was employed.

Mean age was between 4th and 7th decade in all groups. Caucasian race was predominant. The propoleum-laser group achieved the greater diminishment of the plaque among those with one or two years of disease evolution. Pain was not the main symptom in these patients. The greater diminishment of the curvature was obtained in the propoleum groups, with a mean diminishmeet of 10.8 (propoleum only) and 10.3 (Propoleum+ laser) in comparison to the laser group with a mean decrease of 8 and mean increase of 12.6. Mean plaque diminishment measured clinically was 2.3 cm and 1.5 cm in the propoleum groups, respectively, and 1.2 cm in the laser group. Ultrasound measurement mean diminishment was 2.3 mm and 12.16 mm in the propoleum groups. The laser results were not comparable due to the low number of patients in relation to the other groups.

1-best results appeared in the groups treated with propoleum in patients with 1-2 years of disease. 2-Diminishment of the curvature angle, physical or ultrasound measurement of the plaques was greater in the propoleum groups. 3-After the start of treatment, the propoleum-laser group referred early improvements, and the propoleum group referred continuous progressive improvement; only a few patients in the laser group referred improvement. 4-Treatment with propoleum was more effective and laser increased its action, being propoleum in monotherapy less complex in its application and with a better cost-benefit ratio.