Objectives: To analyze medications used to treat urinary symptoms in patients before and after prostatic urethral lift (PUL) and determine if there are any significant relationships between several patient factors and onset of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms requiring treatment. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 226 patients who underwent PUL was performed. Data were collected on age, urinary medications, voiding questionnaires, and prostate volume from 6 months before to 6 months after the intervention. Patients were broken up into groups for analysis with age <60 age (group 1), age 60-75 years (group 2), and age >75 years (group 3). A t-test was used to obtain p-values of the changes in questionnaire answers and urinary medication use after the procedure. To look for significant linear correlations between variables, a Pearson correlation was obtained and a randomization test was performed to obtain p-values. Results: Significant International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Quality of Life (QOL) improvements were noted in all groups (p < 0.01). Total medication and Alpha-blocker decrease was significantly correlated with age (p = 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively). Older groups had a significant increase in Beta 3 agonist usage, with a significant decrease in usage in younger patients preoperatively. However, no significant linear increase was noted with age (p = 0.147). Prostate volume correlated with preoperative alpha-blocker use (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Older patients appear to have a higher incidence of medical treatment for de novo OAB symptoms after PUL. Prolonged medical therapy may delay surgical intervention, and intervention at an earlier age, unrelated to prostate volume, is postulated to be preventative of these symptoms. Further studies are needed to delineate long-term effects of medications, obstruction, and environmental factors that may lead to OAB after the obstruction is treated as well as the effect of early intervention on obstruction.
Keywords: benign prostatic hypertrophy; medical therapy; overactive bladder; prostatic urethral lift.