Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: What’s New in Medical Treatment?

Pharmacological treatment is a cornerstone in the management of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).  The objective of this study was to review emerging evidence in the medical treatment of LUTS.

An Embase/Pubmed-based literature search was conducted in December 2017, screening for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective and retrospective series, animal model studies, and reviews on medical treatment of LUTS.

The main medical innovation in recent years in overactive bladder (OAB) has been the approval of the first β3-adrenoceptor agonists (mirabegron) and intradetrusor onabotulinum toxin A, while several other drugs such as antiepileptics, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, or other β3-agonists have brought promising results in phase 3 trials. Intraprostatic injections of various drugs for LUTS/benign prostatic hyperplasia have been investigated, but results of phase 3 trials are still pending, while combination therapies of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors + α-blockers or finasteride have been proved as superior to single therapies in RCTs conducted in these patients. Two new formulations of desmopressin have been approved for nocturia in the USA (desmopressin nasal spray) and Europe/Canada/Australia (desmopressin orally disintegrated tablet). Fedovapagon, a vasopressin V2 receptor agonist, has recently completed a large phase 3 trial in male patients with nocturia. Other phase 3 trials are ongoing in bladder pain syndrome (AQX 11-25, a SHIP-1 activator) and in neurogenic detrusor overactivity (mirabegron and abobotulinum toxin A).

In conclusion, medical treatment of LUTS is a very active research field with recently approved drugs for nocturia (desmopressin acetate nasal spray/orally disintegrated tablet) and numerous emerging drugs currently investigated in OAB, LUTS/benign prostatic hyperplasia, nocturia, bladder pain syndrome, and neurogenic detrusor overactivity.

Patient summary - Medical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms is a very active research field with recently approved drugs for nocturia (desmopressin acetate nasal spray/orally disintegrated tablet) and numerous emerging drugs in overactive bladder, nocturia, neurogenic detrusor overactivity, bladder pain syndrome, or benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Authors: Benoit Peyronnet1, Benjamin M. Brucker2 , Martin C. Michel3 

1. Department of Urology, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
2. Department of Urology, New York University, New York, NY, USA; 
3. Department of Pharmacology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany

Eur Urol Focus. 2018 Apr 14. pii: S2405-4569(18)30094-4. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2018.04.005. [Epub ahead of print]

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