Summary of findings for the main comparison. Outcomes for validated symptom scores.
| Study (duration) | Score at entry | Mean change | Per cent change | P value |
| Finasteride vs placebo | ||||
| Abrams (1 year) (finasteride) | IPSS 19.4 | ‐4.8 | ‐13.7 | P > 0.05 |
| Abrams (1 year) (placebo) | IPSS 17.4 | ‐3.3 | ‐9.4 | |
| Andersen (2 years) (finasteride) | Boyarsky I 13.4 | ‐2.0 | ‐3.7 | P < 0.05 |
| Andersen (2 years) (placebo) | Boyarsky I 13.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | |
| Byrnes (1 year) (finasteride) | AUASI ‐‐ | ‐4.8 | ‐‐ | P < 0.05 |
| Byrnes (1 year) (placebo) | AUASI ‐‐ | ‐3.4 | ‐‐ | |
| Gormley (1 year) (finasteride 1 mg) | Boyarsky II 10.6 | ‐‐ | ‐9.0 | (vs PLA) NS |
| Gormley (1 year) (finasteride 5 mg) | Boyarsky II 10.2 | ‐‐ | ‐21.0 | (vs PLA) P < 0.05 |
| Gormley (1 year) (placebo) | Boyarsky II 9.8 | ‐‐ | ‐2.0 | |
| Kirby '03 (1 year) (finasteride) | IPSS 17.1 | ‐6.6 | ‐18.9 | (vs PLA) P > 0.05 |
| Kirby '03 (1 year) (placebo) | IPSS 17.2 | ‐5.7 | ‐16.1 | |
| Marberger (2 years) (finasteride) | Boyarsky I 14.5 | ‐3.2 | ‐9.1 | P < 0.05 |
| Marberger (2 years) (placebo) | Boyarsky I 14.3 | ‐1.5 | ‐4.3 | |
| Marks (6 months) (finasteride) | IPSS 17.0 | ˜6.5 | ˜18.6 | NS |
| Marks (6 months) (placebo) | IPSS 16.0 | ˜4.5 | ˜12.8 | |
| McConnell '03 (4.5 years) (finasteride) | AUASI 17.6 | ‐5.6 | ‐16.0 | P < 0.05 |
| McConnell '03 (4.5 years) (placebo) | AUASI 16.8 | ‐4.9 | ‐14.0 | |
| Nickel (2 years) (finasteride) | Boyarsky I 15.8 | ‐2.1 | ‐3.9 | P < 0.05 |
| Nickel (2 years) (placebo) | Boyarsky I 16.6 | ‐0.7 | ‐1.3 | |
| Polat (1 year) (finasteride) | AUASI 11.6 | ‐4.6 | ‐13.1 | P < 0.05 |
| Polat (1 year) (placebo) | AUASI 14.1 | ‐3.2 | ‐9.2 | |
| Tenover (1 year) (finasteride) | AUASI 19.03 | ‐4.96 | ‐14.30 | P < 0.05 |
| Tenover (1 year) (placebo) | AUASI 18.35 | ‐3.71 | ‐10.60 | |
| Yu (6 months) (finasteride) | AUASI 19.45 | ‐5.98 | ‐30.00 | P < 0.05 |
| Yu (6 months) (placebo) | AUASI 16.68 | ‐2.36 | ‐12.00 | |
| Finasteride 1 mg vs 5 mg | ||||
| Gormley (1 yr) (finasteride 1 mg) | Boyarsky II 10.6 | ‐‐ | ‐9.0 | (vs PLA) NS (vs 5 mg FIN) P < 0.05 |
| Gormley (1 year) (finasteride 5 mg) | Boyarsky II 10.2 | ‐‐ | ‐21.0 | (vs PLA) P < 0.05 |
| Gormley (1 year) (placebo) | Boyarsky II 9.8 | ‐‐ | ‐2.0 | |
| Finasteride vs doxazosin | ||||
| Kirby '03 (1 year) (finasteride) | IPSS 17.1 | ‐6.2 | ‐17.8 | (vs PLA) P > 0.05 |
| Kirby '03 (1 year) (doxazosin) | IPSS 17.1 | ‐8.4 | ‐24.0 | (vs FIN) P < 0.05 |
| Kirby '03 (1 year) (finasteride + doxazosin) |
IPSS 17.3 | ‐8.6 | ‐24.5 | (vs FIN) P < 0.05 (vs PLA) P < 0.05 |
| Kirby '03 (1 year) (placebo) | IPSS 17.2 | ‐5.7 | ‐16.1 | |
| McConnell '03 (4.5 years) (finasteride) | AUASI 17.6 | ‐5.6 | ‐16.0 | (vs FIN + DOX) P < 0.05 (vs PLA) P > 0.05 |
| McConnell '03 (4.5 years) (doxazosin) | AUASI 17.0 | ‐6.6 | ‐18.9 | |
| McConnell '03 (4.5 years) (finasteride + doxazosin) |
AUASI 16.8 | ‐7.4 | ‐21.1 | (vs PLA) P < 0.05 |
| McConnell '03 (4.5 years) (placebo) | AUASI 16.8 | ‐4.9 | ‐14.0 | |
| Finasteride vs tamsulosin | ||||
| Lee (24 weeks) (finasteride) | IPSS 19.0 | ‐5.8 | ‐30.5 | P > 0.05 |
| Lee (24 weeks) (tamsulosin) | IPSS 19.9 | ‐6.9 | ‐34.7 | |
| Rigatti (26 weeks) (finasteride) | IPSS 16.9 | ‐5.7 | ‐32.0 | P > 0.05 |
| Rigatti (26 weeks) (tamsulosin) | IPSS 16.3 | ‐6.3 | ‐37.3 | |
| Finasteride vs terazosin | ||||
| Lepor (56 weeks) (finasteride) | AUASI 16.2 | ‐3.2 | ‐9.2 | (vs TER) P < 0.05 (vs FIN + TER) P < 0.05 (vs PLA) P > 0.05 |
| Lepor (56 weeks) (terazosin) | AUASI 16.2 | ‐6.1 | ‐17.4 | |
| Lepor (56 weeks) (placebo) | AUASI 15.8 | ‐2.6 | ‐7.4 | |
| Lepor (56 weeks) (finasteride + terazosin) |
AUASI 15.9 | ‐6.2 | ‐17.7 | (vs PLA) P < 0.05 (vs TER) P > 0.05 |
| Finasteride vs Permixon® | ||||
| Carraro (6 months) (finasteride) | IPSS 15.7 | ‐6.2 | ‐17.8 | P = 0.14 |
| Carraro (6 months) (Permixon®) | IPSS 15.7 | ‐5.8 | ‐16.6 | |
| Finasteride vs PRO 160/120 | ||||
| Sökeland (48 weeks) (finasteride) | IPSS 11.8 | ‐5.6 | ‐16.0 | NS |
| Sökeland (48 weeks) (PRO 160/120) | IPSS 11.3 | ‐4.8 | ‐13.7 | |