Effect of alpha-blocker use on morbidity and lower urinary tract symptoms in patients undergoing transrectal...

To evaluate voiding dysfunction and morbidity after transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy and to investigate whether pre-intervention alpha-blocker treatment had any effect on morbidity and voiding dysfunction.

The study included 197 consecutive patients who underwent TRUS-guided prostate biopsy between January 2014 and January 2018. The patients were divided into two groups, those receiving alpha-blocker (silodosin) and those not receiving alpha-blocker treatment before the procedure (controls). All patients were evaluated before and one week after the procedure with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), measurements of maximum flow rate (Q_max), post-void residual urine volume (PVR) and prostate volume, and procedure-related complications were also recorded. All analyzed parameters were compared by within-group and between-group evaluations.

There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of IPSS, Q_max and prostate volume values before biopsy. In the follow-up evaluation performed on the seventh day after biopsy, IPSS, PVR and prostate volume were found to be increased, whereas Q_max was decreased in the control group (p < 0.05). In the silodosin group, an increase in prostate volume was observed, but there were no significant changes in IPSS, Q_max and PVR values. Acute urinary retention (AUR) after the biopsy procedure developed in two patients (2%) in the silodosin group, and in nine patients (9.1%) in the control group (p = 0.02). No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of biopsy-related complications, except for AUR.

We believe that alpha-blocker treatment initiated before biopsy may be advantageous in preventing voiding dysfunction that may develop after the procedure.