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Sexual intercourse as a new option in the medical expulsive therapy of distal ureteral stones in males: a prospective, randomized, controlled study

  • Urology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the effect of sexual intercourse on the spontaneous passage of distal ureteral stones 5–10 mm in size.

Methods

A total of 190 male patients with distal ureteral stones were randomly divided into three groups. Patients in group 1 were administered tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day (n = 60). Patients in group 2 were asked to have sexual intercourse at least three times a week (n = 66). Patients in group 3 received standard medical therapy alone and acted as the controls (n = 64). The expulsion rate was controlled after 2 and 4 weeks. Differences between the groups were analyzed statistically by the Chi-square and Student’s t test. p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results

The mean ages of the patients in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 34.4 ± 13.5 (18–60), 38.6 ± 14.1 (18–63), and 36.92 ± 12.4 (18–59) years, respectively (p > 0.05). The mean stone size was 7.09 ± 1.4 mm in group 1, 7.01 ± 1.4 mm in group 2, and 7.1 ± 1.3 mm in group 3 (p > 0.05). Spontaneous passage rates in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 81.6, 81.8, and 51.5%, respectively, and it was significantly higher in group 1 (p = 0.0394) and group 2 (p = 0.0350). There was no significant difference between groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.9925). The analgesic needs in groups 1, 2, and 3 were found to be 1.3 ± 0.4, 1.2 ± 0.6, and 1.4 ± 0.4 times, respectively, and were significantly lower in the sexual intercourse group than in the control group (p = 0.0276).

Conclusions

Tamsulosin and sexual intercourse increase the spontaneous passage of distal ureteral stones 5–10 mm in size. At least three sexual intercourses per week seem to be at least as effective as tamsulosin. Sexual intercourse also reduces the need for analgesics in ureteric colic due to ureteral stones.

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Abbreviations

cAMP:

Cyclic adenylate monophosphate

cGMP:

Cyclic guanylate monophosphate

ESWL:

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy

MET:

Medical expulsive therapy

NANC:

Non-adrenergic non-cholinergic

NO:

Nitric oxide

PDE5i:

Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors

URS:

Ureterorenoscopic lithotripsy

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Zeki Bayraktar & Selami Albayrak

  2. Çamlık Mah. Piri Reis Cad. Papatya Sitesi No: 48, Pendik, 34890, Istanbul, Turkey

    Zeki Bayraktar

Authors
  1. Zeki Bayraktar
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  2. Selami Albayrak
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Correspondence to Zeki Bayraktar.

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Both the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in the study.

Ethical standard

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Human and animal rights

This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Bayraktar, Z., Albayrak, S. Sexual intercourse as a new option in the medical expulsive therapy of distal ureteral stones in males: a prospective, randomized, controlled study. Int Urol Nephrol 49, 1941–1946 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-017-1677-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-017-1677-9

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