OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and safety of extracorporeal shock wave (ESW) in the treatment of pain symptom of type III B prostatitis.

METHODSWe treated 50 cases of type III B prostatitis by ESW once a week for 4 weeks. Then we evaluated the clinical effect and safety of the therapy based on the NIH-CPSI scores, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, IIEF-5 scores, prostate volume and morphous, state of urination, color of urine, results of routine semen analysis, and changes of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β) in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS).

RESULTSAll the patients successfully accomplished the treatment. Compared with the baseline, decreases were observed after 4 weeks of cytokine treatment in the pain scores (14. 61 ± 1. 82 vs 9. 36 ± 1. 47, P <0. 01), urination symptom scores (4. 59 ± 1. 01 vs.4. 66 ± 0. 89, P >0. 05) , quality of life scores (6. 51 ± 1. 03 vs 4. 56 ± 1. 02, P <0. 01), NIH-CPSI (25. 43 ± 1. 72 vs 18. 28 ± 2. 32, P <0. 01 ), and VAS (6. 59 ± 1. 10 vs 3. 02 ± 1. 07, P < 0. 01). The concentration of IL-6 in the EPS was significantly increased ([55.82 ± 6. 28] vs [86.59 ± 4. 55] ng/ml, P <0. 01) , while the level of TNF-α ([3.89 ± 0. 12] vs [3. 19 ± 0.22] ng/ml, P<0.01) and that of IL-1β ([3.21 ± 1.01] vs [1.48 ± 0.95] ng/ml, P< 0. 01) remarkably reduced after treatment. However, there were no statistically significant differences in IIEF-5 scores (18. 58 ± 2. 03 vs 18. 51 1. 89, P >0. 05) or various sperm parameters before and after treatment (P >0. 05). And no significant changes were observed in the prostate volume, morphous or internal echoes.

CONCLUSIONThe ESW therapy is effective and safe for the pain symptom of type III B prostatitis.