title: Relationships between American Urological Association symptom index, prostate volume, and disease-specific quality of life question in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
abstract: The American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index is both valid and reliable in identifying the need to treat patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and in monitoring their response to therapy. We evaluated the relationships between AUA symptom index, disease-specific quality of life question, and prostate volume in patients with BPH. A total of 100 patients who came to Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, for help due to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and who were diagnosed with BPH between October 2002 and June 2003 were included in the study. All patients were evaluated using transrectal ultrasonography, AUA symptom index, and disease-specific quality of life question. The disease-specific quality of life question showed good correlation with AUA symptom score (r = 0.815, p < 0.01), but weak correlation with prostate volume (r = 0.225, p < 0.05) and age (r = 0.274, p < 0.05). Prostate volume had weak correlation with AUA symptom score (r = 0.251, p < 0.05) and age (r = 0.472, p < 0.01), but good correlation with prostate specific antigen (r = 0.638, p < 0.01). In addition to AUA symptom index, we suggest using the disease-specific quality of life question to evaluate the influence on quality of life and response to treatment in clinical practice. Moreover, we should assess the impact of BPH symptoms rather than the increase in prostate volume during the management of BPH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Chu
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chii-Jye
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-Pin
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yii-Her
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Wen-Jeng
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chun-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen