In a nutshell
This study examined if Vesomni (also known as Urizia/Volutsa) can improve quality of life in men with lower urinary tract symptoms. This study concluded Vesomni can improve quality of life in these men.
Some background
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) can have a negative impact on daily life. These symptoms can include nocturia (increased urge to urinate at night) and urinary incontinence (inability to control urination). LUTS are common in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, enlarged prostate).
Treating LUTS can be complicated, as there can be a number of causes. Alpha-(adrenoreceptor) blockers are often the first treatments used. These cause the bladder and prostate muscles to relax. In some patients, alpha-blockers will not provide an improvement in symptoms such as nocturia. Anti-muscarinic treatments may improve LUTS in patients who do not benefit from alpha-blocker treatment alone.
Vesomni is a combination of two different medicines called solifenacin and tamsulosin in one tablet. Solifenacin is an antimuscarinic, and tamsulosin is an alpha-blocker.
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is how a person feels about their physical and mental health over time. It is not known if Vesomni can improve HRQOL in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.
Methods & findings
493 males were included in this study. They were between 29-89 years old, and each patient received Vesomni daily. These patients had previously received ineffective monotherapy (one drug) for their LUTS symptoms. Quality of life was assessed through questionnaires before starting Vesomni, at 4-8 weeks (visit 1), and 40-52 weeks (visit 2) after starting the treatment.
Treatment with Vesomni improved patients' symptoms in 84.6% of patients. 77.1% of patients remained on Vesomni at visit 2.
195 patients experienced side effects during this study. The most common side effects were dry mouth (7.1%), constipation (4.7%), indigestion (2.3%), and blurred vision (1.6%). Lack of effectiveness of Vesomni was reported in 18 (3.1%) patients. Urinary retention (the inability to empty the bladder) was reported in four (0.7%) patients.
The bottom line
This study concluded Vesomni can improve quality of life in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.
The fine print
This study was funded by Astellas Pharma, the manufacturers of Vesomni.
What’s next?
If you have concerns about the treatment of LUTS/BPH, discuss this with your physician.
Published By :
Neurourology and urodynamics
Date :
Feb 22, 2019
