title: An argument for circumcision. Prevention of balanitis in the adult.
abstract: A cross-sectional study and a retrospective study were performed to determine the frequency of balanitis in a randomly selected group of dermatology patients. A total of 398 subjects were included in the cross-sectional study, 213 (53.5%) of whom had been circumcised. Balanitis was diagnosed in 2.3% of circumcised men and in 12.5% of uncircumcised men. In patients with diabetes mellitus, balanitis occurred with a prevalence of 34.8% in the uncircumcised population, compared with 0% in the circumcised population. Balanitis did occur with increased frequency in the diabetic population (16%), regardless of circumcision status, compared with the nondiabetic population (5.8%). Of 63 circumcisions performed at our institution between 1987 and 1989, 28.6% were for the treatment of balanitis; 44.4%, for phimosis (which was probably induced by chronic balanitis); 19% in preparation for placement of penile prostheses; and 8% for miscellaneous reasons. No complications of circumcision were reported. In this group of patients, balanitis was more frequent in diabetic than in nondiabetic uncircumcised men (50% vs 15.4%).
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach, Calif. 90822.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fakjian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001446:Balanitis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002944:Circumcision, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015917:Penile Prosthesis; D010688:Phimosis / Q000601:surgery; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies