Hu H, et al. - Authors probed the changes of urinary nerve growth factor (NGF) in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). They also assessed the relationship between NGF and changes of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and long-term treatment outcome after surgery. In BPH patients, NGF was related to OAB symptoms, as well as with the assessment of successful long-term treatment outcome of BOO with symptoms of OAB.

Methods

• Experts conducted a prospective study of 178 patients with BPH from Peking University People's Hospital between January 2011 and January 2013.
• Before surgery, they evaluated urinary NGF levels (commercial ELISA kit), prostate volume (PV), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of life (QoL), Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), ultrasound estimated post-void residual (PVR), and urodynamics.
• One year after TURP, urinary NGF levels, IPSS, and OABSS were assessed again.

Results

• Findings suggested that the urinary NGF/Cr levels were different between moderate and severe LUTS (10.513±4.255 vs 12.334±4.048 pg/μmol, P=0.002).
• Researchers did not note any significant difference between patients with III/IV and V/VI BOO grades (11.285±4.069 vs 11.781±4.437 pg/μmol, P=0.354), but differences were notable for urinary NGF/Cr levels in patients with non-OAB, mild, moderate, and severe OAB (8.132±3.489, 10.128±3.817, 13.232±3.290, and 14.029±3.820 pg/μmol, P < 0.001).
• They observed a decrease in urinary levels of NGF/Cr (8.978±4.022pg/μmol, P < 0.001 vs Baseline) and in IPSS and OABSS (10.2±5.4 and 4.3±3.7, respectively, P<0.001 vs baseline) 1 year after TURP.
• As per data, the Fair/Poor group had higher baseline NGF/Cr (12.319±4.017 vs 11.015±4.298 pg/μmol, P=0.045), higher 1-year NGF/Cr (10.847±4.267 vs 7.850±3.419 pg/μmol, P < 0.001), and smaller NGF/Cr postsurgical change (1.472±4.928 vs 3.165±4.863 pg/μmol, P=0.031) compared to the Good outcome group.