REDUCE trial links prostate inflammation, lower urinary tract symptoms

Evidence of a relationship between prostate inflammation and lower urinary tract symptoms exists in men enrolled in the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) trial, a 4-year, phase III, placebo-controlled study that evaluates whether dutasteride (Avodart) decreases the risk of biopsy-detectable prostate cancer.

The study included 8,224 men, 50 to 75 years of age, with PSA ≥2.5 ng/mL and ≤10 ng/mL (ages 50-60) or ≥3 ng/mL and ≤10 ng/mL (age >60) and an International Prostate Symptom Score
Statistically significant, but relatively weak correlations were found between average and maximum chronic inflammation and IPSS variables (correlation coefficients, 0.057 and 0.036, respectively; p
“The study entry criteria that selected older men and decreased enrollment of men with a greater degree of inflammation and LUTS may have limited the strength of the relationship between the degree of chronic inflammation and LUTS. It may actually be stronger,” said lead investigator J. Curtis Nickel, MD, of Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.

The impact of baseline prostate inflammation on progression of LUTS and/or associated complications will be determined during a 4-year longitudinal follow-up. The study was published in European Urology (2008; 54:1379-84).