Adjunctive Medical Therapy with an α-1A-Specific Blocker after Shock Wave Lithotripsy of Lower Ureteral Stones

INTRODUCTION: We assessed the efficacy of using an alpha-1A-specific blocker for improving the success rate in shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) for lower ureteral stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted from June 2005 to December 2006 and involved 107 patients. All the patients underwent SWL with the PCK Stonelith. The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: group 1 (34 patients) received tamsulosin, group 2 (35 patients) received terazosin, and group 3 (38 patients) received placebo. All patients were diagnosed by kidney-ureter-bladder X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography and intravenous urography. The number of colic episodes, lower urinary tract symptoms, analgesic dosage and days for spontaneous passage of the stones through the ureter were recorded by diary. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA, the chi(2) test, Fisher's exact test and the non-parametric Wilcoxon 2-sample t test. RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups regarding age, stone size, expulsion time and expulsion rate. The number of colic episodes and the analgesic dosage were significantly lower in group 1 compared with groups 2 and 3. A statistically significant difference was observed in lower urinary tract symptoms: lower urinary tract symptoms were observed in 4 of 34 patients in group 1 (12%), in 8 of 35 in group 2 (23%), and in 13 of 38 in group 3 (34%). Adverse effects were noted in 5 of 32 patients in group 2 (16%), which was significantly different in comparison with group 3. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of an alpha-1A-specific blocker reduced analgesic dosage and colic episodes after SWL of lower ureteral stones. There was no benefit with regard to increasing stone expulsion rate or decreasing expulsion time.