Alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptor Blockers for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose To assess the effectiveness of alpha-1 adrenergic receptor blockers (α1-blockers) in the treatment of female lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Methods A literature search was conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Fourteen studies with 1,319 patients were ultimately included. The study comprised 2 analyses: a comparison of urinary symptom scores, maximal flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual (PVR) urine volume before and after α1-blocker administration in 8 prospective, open-label studies and 5 randomized clinical trials (RCTs); and an evaluation of the same variables in α1-blocker and placebo groups in 4 RCTs. Results The first meta-analysis showed that, following treatment, patients exhibited statistically significant symptom relief (mean difference [MD], -5.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], -7.71 to -3.99; P