Published Paper Details:

Objective: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tamsulosin and analgesic combination compared to analgesics only for renal stone patients following an ESWL therapy. Method: The independent variables in this study were the administration of tamsulosin and analgesic combination; and analgesic only consisting of Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), corticosteroids, or opioids. Stone-free rate (SFR) and renal colic incidence. A systematic search was performed in the PUBMED and Science-Direct databases for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT)s. The risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool 2. Result: Five studies with 821 patients were included based on the primary and secondary screening. In general, these five studies had low risks of bias, except for one study due to a deviation from the initial intervention. SFR analysis of the five RCTs was performed using a fixed-effects model due to the homogeneity of the studies (I2=13%). The combination group had a higher SFR compared to the analgesic only group (OR = 2,34 95% CI 1,67-3,28, p<0,00001). Combination group had a lower renal colic incidence compared to the analgesic only group (OR = 0,20 95% CI 0,11-0,37, p < 0,00001). The analysis was performed using a random-effects model due to the heterogeneity between studies (I2=62%). Conclusion: Tamsulosin and analgesics combination can be recommended for renal stone patients following ESWL as it has a higher SFR, and lower renal colic occurrence compared to analgesic only.