The effects of transrectal radiofrequency hyperthermia on patients with chronic prostatitis and the changes of MDA, NO, SOD, and Zn levels in pretreatment and posttreatment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of transrectal radiofrequency hyperthermia (TRFH) in 159 patients with chronic prostatitis (CP) and explore the changes of reactive oxygen species in CP patients pretreatment and posttreatment.

METHODS: Patients diagnosed with CP were randomized to 6 weeks of tamsulosin plus clarithromycin, TRFH, or TRFH with tamsulosin plus clarithromycin group. The primary outcome measure was evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index. Malondiadehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nitrogen monoxide (NO) were measured by biochemical assay. Zinc (Zn) content was assayed by atomical spectrophotography.

RESULTS: All 105 patients in the TRFH or TRFH with tamsulosin plus clarithromycin group showed statistically significant improvement of pain, quality of life, and micturition domains compared with the tamsulosin plus clarithromycin group. Regardless of type IIIa or type IIIb CP, there was a significant improvement in the TRFH or TRFH with tamsulosin plus clarithromycin group compared with tamsulosin plus clarithromycin group (P<.05). Compared with pretreatment, MDA, NO, and Zn were decreased in type II and IIIa, whereas SOD was only increased significantly in type II (P<.05).

CONCLUSION: Our study reveals TRFH as an effective therapy option for CP, especially type IIIa or type IIIb CP. The results of TRFH with tamsulosin plus clarithromycin group was superior to the TRFH group or the tamsulosin plus clarithromycin group alone. In comparison with pretreatment, differences in reactive oxygen species levels and Zn in CP patients suggest that these factors could be used as a biomarker to evaluate the symptoms of CP and the effects of treatment.