Effects of alfuzosin with methylprednisolone for spontaneous expulsion and pain control of lower ureteral stone

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of alfuzosin with methylprednisolone on expulsion and pain control of lower ureteral stones <10 mm in size. Between June 2005 and June 2007, 113 patients with lower ureteral stones <10 mm in size were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into a control group (group I) and medical expulsive therapy group (group II). Group I (n = 66) received oral analgesics daily and group II (n = 47) received the same analgesics along with 10 mg alfuzosin and 8 mg methylprednisolone for 4 weeks orally once a day. The treatment was continued until stone expulsion or to a maximum of 4 weeks. All patients were allowed 25 mg pethidine hydrochloride intramuscular injections if needed for suboptimal pain control. The average stone size was 6.15 mm in group I and 5.42 mm in group II. Of the 113 patients, 80 became stone free (70.7 %). Group II had significantly higher stone free rates (82.9 vs. 62.1 %, p = 0.014), fewer expulsion times (mean 4.4 vs. 7.3 days, p = 0.001), and mean number of intramuscular analgesic injections (0.8 vs. 2.1) compared to group I. Alfuzosin with methylprednisolone treatment seems safe and effective for lower ureteral stones <10 mm in size as demonstrated by the increased stone free rate, earlier expulsion, and reduced additional analgesic therapy.