title: The benign prostatic hyperplasia registry and patient survey: study design, methods and patient baseline characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the design and baseline cohort characteristics of the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Registry and Patient Survey, an ongoing, prospective, observational, disease registry documenting management practices and patient outcomes in men in the USA with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH (LUTS/BPH) in actual clinical practice settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men with LUTS/BPH who were either untreated or treated with alpha(1)-adrenergic blockers (ABs), 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs), a combination of these medications, or anticholinergics, and who met selection criteria, were enrolled at sites throughout the USA. At each visit, standardized forms and validated questionnaires were completed to assess the physicians' management practices and patients' clinical characteristics, sexual function, and health-related quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the close of recruitment (February 2005), 6909 men (mean age 66.0 years) were enrolled at 402 sites by urologists and primary-care physicians. Before enrolment, 49% of the men were managed with watchful waiting (WW), 21% with uroselective AB monotherapy, 11% with non-uroselective AB monotherapy, 6% with 5ARI monotherapy, 11% with AB + 5ARI, and 2% with anticholinergics. After enrolment, 42% were on WW and 26% were on selective AB monotherapy; changes in other management groups were minimal. Overall, 33% of the men had mild, 52% had moderate and 15% had severe LUTS. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (53%), high cholesterol (45%) and sexual dysfunction (36%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BPH Registry and Patient Survey will provide information on physician management practices and outcomes of men with LUTS/BPH, while examining the effects of demographics, socio-economics, comorbidities, and medical therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The University of Texas South-Western Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. claus.roerborn@utsouthwestern.edu
authors.forename: Claus G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Roehrborn
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Nuckolls
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Steers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D011364:Professional Practice; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D053448:Prostatism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012042:Registries; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology