Abstract Context Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) represent one of the most common clinical complaints in adult men and have multifactorial aetiology. Objective To develop European Association of ...Urology (EAU) guidelines on the assessment of men with non-neurogenic LUTS. Evidence acquisition A structured literature search on the assessment of non-neurogenic male LUTS was conducted. Articles with the highest available level of evidence were selected. The Delphi technique consensus approach was used to develop the recommendations. Evidence synthesis As a routine part of the initial assessment of male LUTS, a medical history must be taken, a validated symptom score questionnaire with quality-of-life question(s) should be completed, a physical examination including digital rectal examination should be performed, urinalysis must be ordered, post-void residual urine (PVR) should be measured, and uroflowmetry may be performed. Micturition frequency-volume charts or bladder diaries should be used to assess male LUTS with a prominent storage component or nocturia. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) should be measured only if a diagnosis of prostate cancer will change the management or if PSA can assist in decision-making for patients at risk of symptom progression and complications. Renal function must be assessed if renal impairment is suspected from the history and clinical examination, if the patient has hydronephrosis, or when considering surgical treatment for male LUTS. Uroflowmetry should be performed before any treatment. Imaging of the upper urinary tract in men with LUTS should be performed in patients with large PVR, haematuria, or a history of urolithiasis. Imaging of the prostate should be performed if this assists in choosing the appropriate drug and when considering surgical treatment. Urethrocystoscopy should only be performed in men with LUTS to exclude suspected bladder or urethral pathology and/or before minimally invasive/surgical therapies if the findings may change treatment. Pressure-flow studies should be performed only in individual patients for specific indications before surgery or when evaluation of the pathophysiology underlying LUTS is warranted. Conclusions These guidelines provide evidence-based practical guidance for assessment of non-neurogenic male LUTS. An extended version is available online ( www.uroweb.org/guidelines ). Patient summary This article presents a short version of European Association of Urology guidelines for non-neurogenic male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The recommended tests should be able to distinguish between uncomplicated male LUTS and possible differential diagnoses and to evaluate baseline parameters for treatment. The guidelines also define the clinical profile of patients to provide the best evidence-based care. An algorithm was developed to guide physicians in using appropriate diagnostic tests.
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Surgical therapies for symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are many, and vary from minimally invasive office based to high-cost operative ...approaches. This Guideline presents effective evidence-based surgical management of male lower urinary tract symptoms secondary/attributed to BPH (LUTS/BPH). See accompanying algorithm for a detailed summary of procedures (figureFigure: see text).
The Minnesota Evidence Review Team searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and AHRQ databases to identify eligible studies published between January 2007 and September 2020, which includes the initial publication (2018) and amendments (2019, 2020). The Team also reviewed articles identified by Guideline Panel Members. When sufficient evidence existed, the body of evidence was assigned a strength rating of A (high), B (moderate), or C (low) for support of Strong, Moderate, or Conditional Recommendations. In the absence of sufficient evidence, information is provided as Clinical Principles and Expert Opinions (tableTable: see text).
Twenty-four guideline statements pertinent to pre-operative and surgical management were developed. Appropriate levels of evidence and supporting text were created to direct urologic providers towards suitable and safe operative interventions for individual patient characteristics. A re-treatment section was created to direct attention to longevity and outcomes with individual approaches to help guide patient counselling and therapeutic decisions.
Pre-operative and surgical management of BPH requires attention to individual patient characteristics and procedural risk. Clinicians should adhere to recommendations and familiarize themselves with criteria that yields the highest likelihood of surgical success when choosing a particular approach for a particular patient.
Prostate surgery can improve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) by relieving bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). However, surgery is less effective without BOO, or if detrusor underactivity is ...present. Urodynamics (UDS) can identify BOO and measure detrusor activity, but evidence in clinical practice is lacking.
Urodynamics for Prostate Surgery Trial: Randomised Evaluation of Assessment Methods (UPSTREAM) aimed to evaluate whether a care pathway including UDS would reduce surgery without increasing urinary symptoms.
UPSTREAM is a pragmatic, noninferiority, randomised controlled trial in men with bothersome LUTS, in whom surgery was an option, in 26 hospitals in England (ISRCTN56164274).
Participants were randomised (1:1) to routine care (RC) diagnostic tests, or RC plus UDS.
The primary outcome was the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS; patient-reported outcome scale from 0 to 35 points) 18 mo after randomisation, with a noninferiority margin of 1 point. Urological surgery rates were a key secondary outcome. The primary outcome was compared between the arms using linear regression, analysed on an intention-to-treat basis.
Between October 2014 and December 2016, 820 men (median age 68 yr) were randomised (393 and 427 in the RC and UDS arms, respectively). The UDS arm showed noninferiority of the mean IPSSs (UDS 12.6; RC 13.1; adjusted difference at 18 mo −0.33 95% confidence interval {CI} −1.47, +0.80). In the UDS arm, 153/408 (38%) received surgery compared with 138/384 (36%) in the RC arm (adjusted odds ratio 1.05; 95% CI 0.77, 1.43). A total of 428 adverse events (UDS 234; RC 194) were recorded, with related events similar in both arms and 11 unrelated deaths.
In this population, the UDS randomised group was noninferior to RC for the IPSS but did not reduce surgical rates. This study shows that routine use of UDS in the evaluation of uncomplicated LUTS has a limited role and should be used selectively.
For men with uncomplicated lower urinary tract symptoms, symptom improvements after treatment and the number of operations performed are similar, irrespective of whether or not urodynamic tests are conducted in addition to routine tests. Accordingly, routine use of urodynamics has a limited role in this population group.
The inclusion of urodynamics (UDS) in the diagnostic tests for male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) resulted in a noninferior symptom outcome (International Prostate Symptom Score) to routine care, 18 mo after randomisation. However, there was no reduction in the rates of surgery for treating bladder outlet obstruction. Accordingly, the findings show that routine use of UDS in the evaluation of uncomplicated LUTS has a limited role and should be used selectively.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Female lower urinary tract dysfunction is a common reason for women to seek medical attention. Health care providers should endeavour to evaluate and manage these patients on the basis of the best ...available evidence and recommendations.
Female lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are a common presentation in urological practice. Thus far, only a limited number of female LUTS conditions have been included in the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines compendium. The new non-neurogenic female LUTS guideline expands the remit to include these symptoms and conditions.
To summarise the diagnostic section of the non-neurogenic female LUTS guideline and the management of female overactive bladder (OAB), stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI).
New literature searches were carried out in September 2021 and evidence synthesis was conducted using the modified GRADE criteria as outlined for all EAU guidelines. A new systematic review (SR) on OAB was carried out by the panel for the purposes of this guideline.
The important considerations for informing guideline recommendations are presented, along with a summary of all the guideline recommendations.
Non-neurogenic female LUTS are an important cause of urological dysfunction. Initial evaluation, diagnosis, and management should be carried out in a structured and logical fashion based on the best available evidence. This guideline serves to present this evidence to health care providers in an easily accessible and digestible format.
This report summarises the main recommendations from the European Association of Urology guideline on symptoms and diseases of the female lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra) not associated with neurological disease. We cover recommendations related to diagnosis of these conditions, as well as the treatment of overactive bladder, stress urinary incontinence, and mixed urinary incontinence.
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Male lower urinary tract dysfunction represents a common problem in the community. Physicians should approach these patients based on the best available evidence. This summary provides the up-to-date ...recommendations for the evaluation and the management of men with lower urinary tract symptoms.
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common, often bothersome, and have multifactorial aetiology.
To present a summary of the 2023 version of the European Association of Urology guidelines on the management of male LUTS.
A structured literature search from 1966 to 2021 selected the articles with the highest certainty evidence. The Delphi technique consensus approach was used to develop the recommendations.
The assessment of men with LUTS should be practical. A careful medical history and physical examination are essential. Validated symptom scores, urine test, uroflowmetry, and postvoid urine residual, as well as frequency-volume charts for patients with nocturia or predominately storage symptoms should be used. Prostate-specific antigen should be ordered if a diagnosis of prostate cancer changes the treatment plan. Urodynamics should be performed for selected patients. Men with mild symptoms are candidates for watchful waiting. Behavioural modification should be offered to men with LUTS prior to, or concurrent with, treatment. The choice of medical treatment depends on the assessment findings, predominant type of symptoms, ability of the treatment to change the findings, and the expectations to be met in terms of the speed of onset, efficacy, side effects, and disease progression. Surgery is reserved for men with absolute indications, and for patients who fail or prefer not to receive medical therapy. Surgical management has been divided into five sections: resection, enucleation, vaporisation, and alternative ablative and nonablative techniques. The choice of surgical technique depends on patient’s characteristics, expectations, and preferences; surgeon’s expertise; and availability of modalities.
The guidelines provide an evidence-based approach for the management of male LUTS.
A clinical assessment should identify the cause(s) of symptoms and define the clinical profile and patient’s expectations. The treatment should aim to ameliorate symptoms and reduce the risk of complications.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract Context Most patients with neuro-urological disorders require life-long medical care. The European Association of Urology (EAU) regularly updates guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment ...of these patients. Objective To provide a summary of the 2015 updated EAU Guidelines on Neuro-Urology. Evidence acquisition Structured literature searches in several databases were carried out to update the 2014 guidelines. Levels of evidence and grades of recommendation were assigned where possible. Evidence synthesis Neurological disorders often cause urinary tract, sexual, and bowel dysfunction. Most neuro-urological patients need life-long care for optimal life expectancy and quality of life. Timely diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent upper and lower urinary tract deterioration. Clinical assessment should be comprehensive and usually includes a urodynamic investigation. The neuro-urological management must be tailored to the needs of the individual patient and may require a multidisciplinary approach. Sexuality and fertility issues should not be ignored. Numerous conservative and noninvasive possibilities of management are available and should be considered before a surgical approach is chosen. Neuro-urological patients require life-long follow-up and particular attention has to be paid to this aspect of management. Conclusions The current EAU Guidelines on Neuro-Urology provide an up-to-date overview of the available evidence for adequate diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of neuro-urological patients. Patient summary Patients with a neurological disorder often suffer from urinary tract, sexual, and bowel dysfunction and life-long care is usually necessary. The update of the EAU Guidelines on Neuro-Urology, summarized in this paper, enables caregivers to provide optimal support to neuro-urological patients. Conservative, noninvasive, or minimally invasive approaches are often possible.
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Prostatic artery embolisation (PAE) for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic obstruction (LUTS/BPO) still remains under investigation.
To compare the efficacy ...and safety of PAE and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in the treatment of LUTS/BPO at 2 yr of follow-up.
A randomised, open-label trial was conducted. There were 103 participants aged ≥40 yr with refractory LUTS/BPO.
PAE versus TURP.
International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) and other questionnaires, functional measures, prostate volume, and adverse events were evaluated. Changes from baseline to 2 yr were tested for differences between the two interventions with standard two-sided tests.
The mean reduction in IPSS after 2 yr was 9.21 points after PAE and 12.09 points after TURP (difference of 2.88 95% confidence interval 0.04–5.72; p = 0.047). Superiority of TURP was also found for most other patient-reported outcomes except for erectile function. PAE was less effective than TURP regarding the improvement of maximum urinary flow rate (3.9 vs 10.23 ml/s, difference of –6.33 –10.12 to –2.54; p < 0.001), reduction of postvoid residual urine (62.1 vs 204.0 ml; 141.91 43.31–240.51; p = 0.005), and reduction of prostate volume (10.66 vs 30.20 ml; 19.54 7.70–31.38; p = 0.005). Adverse events were less frequent after PAE than after TURP (total occurrence n = 43 vs 78, p = 0.005), but the distribution among severity classes was similar. Ten patients (21%) who initially underwent PAE required TURP within 2 yr due to unsatisfying clinical outcomes, which prevented further assessment of their outcomes and, therefore, represents a limitation of the study.
Inferior improvements in LUTS/BPO and a relevant re-treatment rate are found 2 yr after PAE compared with TURP. PAE is associated with fewer complications than TURP. The disadvantages of PAE regarding functional outcomes should be considered for patient selection and counselling.
Prostatic artery embolisation is safe and effective. However, compared with transurethral resection of the prostate, its disadvantages regarding subjective and objective outcomes should be considered for individual treatment choices.
A marked improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic obstruction can be found 24 mo after prostatic artery embolisation (PAE), and the procedure is associated with fewer adverse events than transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). However, improvements of subjective and objective outcomes are superior after TURP, and PAE might not represent a definitive treatment for a relevant proportion of patients. This should be considered for patient selection and counselling.
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Purpose This report reveals the results of a multicenter, randomized, controlled study using transurethral prostate convective water vapor thermal energy to treat lower urinary tract symptoms ...associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Materials and Methods Men 50 years old or older with an International Prostate Symptom Score of 13 or greater, maximum flow rate of 15 ml per second or less and prostate size 30 to 80 cc were randomized 2:1 between thermal therapy with the Rezūm® System and control. Thermal water vapor was injected into the transition zone and median lobe as needed. The control procedure was rigid cystoscopy with simulated active treatment sounds. The primary end point compared International Prostate Symptom Score reduction at 3 months. Treatment subjects were followed for 12 months. Results There were 197 men randomized (active 136, control 61). Thermal therapy and control International Prostate Symptom Score was reduced by 11.2 ± 7.6 and 4.3 ± 6.9 respectively (p <0.0001). Treatment subject baseline International Prostate Symptom Score of 22 decreased at 2 weeks (18.6, p=0.0006) and by 50% or greater at 3, 6 and 12 months, p <0.0001. The peak flow rate increased by 6.2 ml per second at 3 months and was sustained throughout 12 months (p <0.0001). No de novo erectile dysfunction was reported. Adverse events were mild to moderate and resolved quickly. Conclusions Convective water vapor thermal therapy provides rapid and durable improvements in benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms and preserves erectile and ejaculatory function. Treatment can be delivered in an office or hospital setting using oral pain medication and is applicable to all prostate zones including the median lobe.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) belong to the most frequent diseases in ageing men. Beyond the 6th decade of life, more ...than 30% of men suffer from moderate to severe LUTS requiring intervention. The pathophysiology of BPH/BPE is still incompletely understood. The dominant role of the androgen system and the androgen receptor is well defined. Androgen receptors are expressed in BPH tissue in which they are activated by the potent androgen dihydrotestosterone. Synthesis of dihydrotestosterone is under control of the 5α-reductase enzyme, activity of which is antagonized by finasteride and dutasteride. More recently, the impact of prostatic inflammation and metabolic parameters particularly for the development of BPE and LUTS has increasingly been recognized. A better understanding of the pathophysiology is a prerequisite for the development of novel, more effective medical treatment options.
Key Messages
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can be bothersome and negatively impact on a patient's quality of life (QoL).
As the prevalence of ...LUTS/BPH increases with age, the burden on the healthcare system and society may increase due to the ageing population. This review unifies literature on the burden of LUTS/BPH on patients and society, particularly in the UK.
LUTS/BPH is associated with high personal and societal costs, both in direct medical costs and indirect losses in daily functioning, and through its negative impact on QoL for patients and partners.
LUTS/BPH is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Men should be encouraged to seek medical advice for this condition and should not accept it as part of ageing, while clinicians should be more active in the identification and treatment of LUTS/BPH.
To assess the burden of illness and unmet need arising from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) presumed secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) from an individual patient and societal perspective with a focus on the UK. Embase, PubMed, the World Health Organization, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination were searched to identify studies on the epidemiological, humanistic or economic burden of LUTS/BPH published in English between October 2001 and January 2013. Data were extracted and the quality of the studies was assessed for inclusion. UK data were reported; in the absence of UK data, European and USA data were provided. In all, 374 s were identified, 104 full papers were assessed and 33 papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. An additional paper was included in the review upon a revision in 2014. The papers show that LUTS are common in the UK, affecting ≈3% of men aged 45–49 years, rising to >30% in men aged ≥85 years. European and USA studies have reported the major impact of LUTS on quality of life of the patient and their partner. LUTS are associated with high personal and societal costs, both in direct medical costs and indirect losses in daily functioning. While treatment costs in the UK are relatively low compared with other countries, the burden on health services is still substantial. LUTS associated with BPH is a highly impactful condition that is often undertreated. LUTS/BPH have a major impact on men, their families, health services and society. Men with LUTS secondary to BPH should not simply accept their symptoms as part of ageing, but should be encouraged to consult their physicians if they have bothersome symptoms.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK