Dr Raymond Tong received $2000 for his study into Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) which is one of the most common diseases affecting men beyond middle age. Although BPH is not a life threatening condition it does lead to a significant decrease in quality of life. It can lead to severe complications such as urinary retention, urinary tract infections and bladder stones. Nitrates provide a new approach to this common problem affecting the senior male members of our community. Nitrate patches will deliver a sustained release of nitric oxide to help the smooth muscle around the prostate and improve urinary flow whilst lowering urinary tract symptoms.
Unfortunately recruitment was slow and a number of patients had to drop out due to an unexpected side effect of headaches. This did not lead to any serious complications. Preliminary results from the first 34 patients indicated a trend towards improvement in the urine flow, emptying of the bladder and symptom severity with the treatment. However the effect was small and because of the low numbers the possibility that these results occurred because of chance cannot be excluded.
This was a small pilot study and will add to existing knowledge of this debilitating condition.
Tasmania's Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust was established in 1991.