title: Epidemiologic survey of lower urinary tract symptoms in Asia and Australia using the international prostate symptom score.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms was determined by survey as an initial step in estimating the significance of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in Asia and Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The symptom index (0 to 35) and quality-of-life (QOL) index (0 to 6) of the international prostate symptom score were measured in 7588 men in 9 Asian countries and 146 men in Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of Asian men considered to be symptomatic (symptom index > or = 8) were 18%, 29%, 40%, and 56% in the age groups of 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70 to 79 years, respectively. For Australian men, these figures were 36%, 33%, and 37% in the 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70 to 79 year age groups, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our estimates indicate that the prevalences of symptomatic men in Asia and Australia are similar to or greater than those in Europe and America, and suggest BPH is similarly common in these areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tokyo University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawabe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okajima
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kumazawa
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: dela Cruz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tantiwang
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bapat
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia; D001315:Australia; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology