Key Takeaways from the landmark PARTEM Trial

Key Takeaways from the Landmark PARTEM Trial on Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE) vs Medical Therapy for BPH.

The multicenter PARTEM trial compared PAE to combined medical therapy (alpha-blocker + 5-alpha reductase inhibitor) in men with drug-resistant bothersome LUTS related to BPH >50ml.

Here are the top highlights:

• PAE provided a significantly greater reduction in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) at 9 months vs combined therapy (-10.0 vs -5.7 point reduction)
• PAE provided better improvement in sexual quality of life than combined therapy
• 23% of patients were non-adherent to the combined medical regimen
• At 9 months, 42% in the medical group considered PAE vs only 9% in the PAE group considering surgery – indicating patient preference for PAE
• PAE benefits were durable for up to 2 years in symptom relief, QoL, and sexual function
• PAE was cost-effective vs combined therapy, with a 94% probability of being more effective but more expensive up to 9 months 

This first-of-its-kind RCT  demonstrates PAE is safe, and more effective than combined medical therapy for symptomatic BPH > 50 ml after the failure of alpha-blocker therapy, with durable 2-year results and better patient satisfaction.To learn more about the PARTEM Trial, review the publication here and listen to the 1-hour journal club review by the GEST research committee.