The International Prostate Symptom Score in a community-based sample of men between 55 and 74 years of age: prevalence and correlation of symptoms with age, prostate volume, flow rate and residual urine volume.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of symptoms of prostatism in the community and the correlation between these symptoms and age, prostate volume, flow rate and residual urine volume.


METHODS
The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was administered to a community-based population of 502 men aged between 55 and 74 years with no prostate cancer and no history of a prostate operation. Prostate volume parameters, flow rate variables and post-void residual urine volume were measured.


RESULTS
Overall, 6 and 24% of the men were severely and moderately symptomatic, respectively. The results of a detailed questionnaire such as the IPSS (only 12% of the men scored 0) contrast with the men's global perception of their voiding function (82% claimed to have 'no voiding complaints'). A good correlation was found between the total symptom score and the single disease-specific quality of life question that is included in the IPSS (r = 0.74, P = 0.001). There was a weak correlation between the IPSS and total prostate volume (r = 0.19, P < 0.001), and between the IPSS and physiological measures such as peak flow rate (r = -0.18, P < 0.001) and post-void residual urine volume (r = 0.25, P < 0.001). There was a very weak correlation between the IPSS and age (r = 0.09, P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
The parameters used to characterize benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) should be considered independently because no predictions about the value of a certain parameter can be made by knowing one of the other parameter values. Symptom scores should therefore not be used as a pre-selection criterion in the determination of the prevalence of clinical BPH without taking other measures into account. The interpretation of the parameter values in a clinical setting should take the lack of correlation and the variability of the parameter values into account.
Bosch
J L
JL
Department of Urology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Hop
W C
WC
Kirkels
W J
WJ
Schröder
F H
FH
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology