Comparison 1. Finasteride vs placebo.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Total symptom score (points) at endpoint (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	2	1089	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.19 [‐0.31, ‐0.07]
2 BPH progression (acute urinary retention) (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	4	4048	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.00 [‐0.01, 0.01]
3 BPH progression (acute urinary retention) (f/u > 1 yr)	2	5918	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.03 [‐0.05, ‐0.00]
4 BPH progression (need for surgical intervention) (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	7	6583	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.00 [‐0.01, 0.01]
5 BPH progression (need for surgical intervention) (f/u > 1 yr)	4	8038	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.03 [‐0.05, ‐0.00]
6 Any adverse event (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	4	5556	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.02 [0.94, 1.11]
7 Withdrawals due to adverse events (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	5	5521	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.15 [0.92, 1.45]
8 Patients reporting serious adverse events (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	2	4759	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.96 [0.81, 1.14]
9 Any adverse effects (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	2	4759	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.54 [1.28, 1.85]
10 Withdrawals due to adverse effects (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	4	5857	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.31 [0.89, 1.93]
11 Patients reporting serious adverse effects (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	2	2589	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	5.42 [1.00, 29.40]
12 Patients reporting sexual adverse effects (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	4	6271	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	2.07 [1.75, 2.44]
13 Any adverse event (f/u > 1 yr)	2	3781	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.99 [0.94, 1.04]
14 Withdrawals due to adverse events (f/u > 1 yr)	2	3747	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.09 [0.91, 1.31]
15 Adverse effects by effect	11		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
15.1 Decreased libido ‐ f/u ≤ 1 yr	5	3782	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	2.12 [1.40, 3.23]
15.2 Ejaculation disorder ‐ f/u ≤ 1 yr	5	4700	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	2.86 [1.79, 4.56]
15.3 Ejaculation disorder ‐ f/u > 1 yr	2	6208	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	3.25 [1.65, 6.40]
15.4 Impotence ‐ f/u ≤ 1 yr	6	4278	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	2.02 [1.38, 2.97]
15.5 Impotence ‐ f/u > 1 yr	3	4396	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.84 [1.26, 2.68]
16 Peak urine flow (mL/s) at endpoint (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	4	1195	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.20, 1.57]
17 Peak urine flow (mL/s) WMD (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	2	598	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.77 [0.09, 1.46]
18 QoL (BII ‐ points) WMD (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	2	3890	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.40 [‐1.04, 0.25]
19 Study discontinuations (f/u ≤ 1 yr)	11	7523	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.03 [0.93, 1.15]
20 Study discontinuations (f/u > 1 yr)	4	7262	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.87 [0.80, 0.94]