SynthesisBMC urology2015
The beneficial effect of alpha-blockers for ureteral stent-related discomfort: systematic review and network meta-analysis for alfuzosin versus tamsulosin versus placebo.
Synthesis in BMC urology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 49 citations in OpenAlex.
- Complications and symptom burden of ureteral double-J stents: a systematic review of prevalence, risk factors, and management strategies.World journal of urology · 2026Pooled it
- The Beneficial Effects of Alpha-Blockers, Antimuscarinics, Beta 3-Agonist, and PDE5-Inhibitors for Ureteral Stent-Related Discomfort: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis from KSER Update Series.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Pooled it
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- PRISMA-combined α-blockers and antimuscarinics for ureteral stent-related symptoms: A meta-analysis.Medicine · 2017Pooled it
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- Effect of perioperative tamsulosin on successful ureteral access sheath placement and stent-related symptom relief: A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study.Investigative and clinical urology · 2024Trial
- Mirabegron Versus Tamsulosin in Reducing Double-J Stent-Related Symptoms: A Prospective Comparative Study.Cureus · 2025Article
- Ureteral stent symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the use of mirabegron and tamsulosin.BJUI compass · 2025Review
- Vardenafil and Tamsulosin in the Management of Ureteral Stent-Related Symptoms: A Prospective Comparative Study.Urology research & practice · 2025Article
- Postoperative pain management after ureteroscopy: focused approaches to reducing opiate dependence.Pain management · 2025Review
- Mirabegron for intramural ureteral stones with vesical irritability: a prospective study.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- Efficacy of combination therapy tadalafil plus tamsulosin in ureteral stents-related symptoms relief.Central European journal of urology · 2024Article
- Article
- Postoperative opioid-free ureteroscopy discharge: A quality initiative pilot protocol.Current urology · 2021Article
- Opiate Exposure and Predictors of Increased Opiate Use After Ureteroscopy.Journal of endourology · 2019Article
- Ureteral Stent Discomfort and Its Management.Current urology reports · 2018Review
- Comparison of safety and efficacy of silodosin, solifenacin, tadalafil and their combinations in the treatment of double-J stent- related lower urinary system symptoms: A prospective randomized trial.Turkish journal of urology · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study was carried out a network meta-analysis of evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate stent-related discomfort in patients with alfuzosin or tamsulosin versus placebo.
methodsRelevant RCTs were identified from electronic databases. The proceedings of appropriate meetings were also searched. Seven articles on the basis of RCTs were included in our meta-analysis. Using pairwise and network meta-analyses, comparisons were made by qualitative and quantitative syntheses. Evaluation was performed with the Ureteric Stent Symptoms Questionnaire to assess the urinary symptom score (USS) and body pain score (BPS).
resultsOne of the seven RCTs was at moderate risk of bias for all quality criteria; two studies had a high risk of bias. In the network meta-analysis, both alfuzosin (mean difference [MD];-4.85, 95 % confidence interval [CI];-8.53--1.33) and tamsulosin (MD;-8.84, 95 % CI;-13.08--4.31) showed lower scores compared with placebo; however, the difference in USS for alfuzosin versus tamsulosin was not significant (MD; 3.99, 95 % CI;-1.23-9.04). Alfuzosin (MD;-5.71, 95 % CI;-11.32--0.52) and tamsulosin (MD;-7.77, 95 % CI;-13.68--2.14) showed lower scores for BPS compared with placebo; however, the MD between alfuzosin and tamsulosin was not significant (MD; 2.12, 95 % CI;-4.62-8.72). In the rank-probability test, tamsulosin ranked highest for USS and BPS, and alfuzosin was second.
conclusionThe alpha-blockers significantly decreased USS and BPS in comparison with placebo. Tamsulosin might be more effective than alfuzosin.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.