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Objective To determine whether the time of dosing (morning or evening) affects the tolerability or efficacy of tamsulosin in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms. Patients and methods Data were analysed from an open-label, observational study in which patients were treated with 0.4 mg tamsulosin once daily for 12 weeks. Treatment effects were determined using the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index, the quality-of-life question of the International Prostate Symptom Score, a similarly phrased question about sexual satisfaction, the maximum urinary flow rate, the postvoid residual urine volume, and the overall efficacy and tolerability. The results were analysed statistically for differences between dosing times, using analysis of covariance for the quantitative variables and logistic regression for the qualitative variables. Results While no specific recommendation about the dosing time was given in the trial, the retrospective analysis showed that 4420 and 2087 patients received tamsulosin in the morning and evening, respectively. Both groups had similar values for all variables before treatment. The efficacy and tolerability of tamsulosin treatment was also similar in both groups; there were small advantages for morning dosing, which were statistically significant because there were many patients. Conclusion In contrast to other α-blockers, night-time dosing is not necessary to improve the tolerability or efficacy of tamsulosin.

The sp-hybridized bonds in elemental carbon expected as primary product of low temperature electrochemical reduction of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) were proved by determination of C-C bond length from radial electron density distribution measurements. A value of (0.139 ± 0.002) nm was found for the C-C bonding distance for the carbon phase in the “as received” reduction products. This value, lower than 0.142 nm for graphitic sp2 bonds, can be explained only by the presence of a remainder (about 5–20%) of sp-hybridized bonds with a length of about 0.120 nm, whereas the majority of very reactive sp carbon chains was transformed to six-membered rings (sp2 bonds). On the contrary, a higher bonding distance of (0.145 ± 0.001)nm was found for carbons isolated from the reduction products, an evidence for the formation of a portion of tetrahedral sp3 bonds in edge-to-edge cross-linkages. Interlayer distances of 0.342 nm, constituted at 950°C, were unusually low in comparison with polymeric carbons prepared by pyrolysis.