title: Histopathologic characterization of hereditary benign prostatic hyperplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies suggest the presence of a hereditary form of benign prostatic hyperplasia (H-BPH). This study was undertaken to characterize the histopathologic features of BPH in these men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Because study subjects with H-BPH were young (mean age 59 years) and had a large prostate (mean prostate weight 61 g), we compared the histopathologic findings in these men with those in two different control groups: (1) age-matched control subjects (mean age 59 years; mean prostate weight 31 g), and (2) prostate weight-matched control subjects (mean age 70 years; mean prostate weight 61 g). Using a color video image analysis system, we morphometrically determined stromal/epithelial ratios in histologic sections taken from 12 men with H-BPH, 36 age-matched control subjects, and 36 prostate weight-matched control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stromal/epithelial ratio was 2.6 +/- 1.4 in the men with H-BPH, 2.7 +/- 1.7 in the age-matched control subjects, and 1.7 +/- 0.9 in the prostate weight-matched control subjects. Regression analysis, which controlled for the differences in prostate weight or patient age between men with H-BPH and age-matched and prostate weight-matched control subjects, respectively, revealed a significant difference between men with H-BPH and prostate weight-matched control subjects (P = 0.015) but no difference from age-matched control subjects (P = 0.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The larger prostates in young men with H-BPH are characterized by a higher stromal/epithelial ratio than are similar-sized prostates in older men with sporadic BPH. This finding gives rise to speculation that H-BPH is associated with an increase in stromal elements.
authors.affiliation: James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Doehring
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sanda
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Partin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sauvageot
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Juo
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Beaty
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*