Heritability of the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and the roles of age and zonal prostate volumes in twins.
OBJECTIVE
Both benign prostatic hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have been shown to increase with age in men, but a causal relationship between prostate volume and symptoms has not been established. This study had two aims, to investigate the inter-relationships of age, symptoms, and various zonal measurements in the prostate and to assess the impact of heritable influences on symptom score.


METHODS
Eighty-three monozygotic twin pairs and 83 dizygotic twin pairs were studied to determine age and LUTS as assessed by the American Urological Association symptom score. Their prostate volumes (total, transition zone, and peripheral zone) were measured by transrectal ultrasound.


RESULTS
There was significant evidence of pairwise correlation between transition zone and symptom score (P = 0.04) and between age and symptom score (P = 0.03). Age also showed significant correlation with all volume measurements. Heritability appears to account for 82.6% of the variability in symptom score in men older than 50 years.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence that age and transition zone volume play a role in LUTS, but also that their influence is not strong. Estimates of heritability suggest that hereditary factors contribute substantially to LUTS.
Meikle
A W
AW
Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
Bansal
A
A
Murray
D K
DK
Stephenson
R A
RA
Middleton
R G
RG
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*