Half of men over 40 years old experience at least one urinary symptom, which can have a significant effect on their daily lives
TRIUMPH (TReating Urinary symptoms in Men in Primary Healthcare) is a study of treating men who have urinary problems (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, LUTS) that have a significant impact on their daily lives. LUTS refer to problems such as more frequent passing of urine during the day, having to pass urine overnight or having to rush to the toilet urgently, slow stream while passing urine, or dribbling afterwards
The study will test whether patients who receive advice based on a nurse’s assessment of their specific urinary symptoms improves the patients control of his symptoms compared with the usual care offered by GPs.
Most men are diagnosed and treated by their GP and usual care is typically giving general advice on lifestyle and offering tablets, such as an alpha-blocker for the prostate. However, there are many factors which may not be specifically identified and fully considered, including the potential to avoid tablets by addressing factors such as the patient’s caffeine intake. Detecting these and offering relevant advice is time-consuming, but potentially beneficial to the patient.
The TRIUMPH study will randomly divide the patients who volunteer for the trial into two equal groups. One group will receive usual care the other will receive personalised care.
GP practices in Bristol and Southampton will recruit men to the study, and each practice will provide only one type of LUTS treatment (either usual care, or the personalised care).
The trial will run for three years, ending in October 2020. A total of 840 men will take part across at least 24 GP practices from the Bristol and Southampton regions.