Crossover comparison study on the therapeutic effects of tamsulosin hydrochloride and naftopidil in lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

There is no consensus on the evaluated efficacy of individual alpha(1)-blockers in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study compared the clinical benefits of tamsulosin hydrochloride with those of naftopidil in BPH. Men aged 54-84 years with a main complaint of BPH were randomly assigned to receive consecutive treatment with tamsulosin then naftopidil (T-N group, 25 patients), or naftopidil then tamsulosin hydrochloride (N-T group, 20 patients). The therapeutic effects were compared in a crossover design. Administration was continued for 28 days in each treatment period. Both groups showed similar improvements during the first treatment period. However, during the second treatment period after crossover, therapeutic effects were greater in the N-T group. Tamsulosin was more effective than naftopidil on intermittency, nocturia and quality of life scores. Tamsulosin and naftopidil have different efficacy profiles for LUTS associated with BPH.