title: Prevalence, incidence estimation, risk factors and characterization of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in urological hospital outpatients in Italy: results of a multicenter case-control observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the prevalence and estimated the incidence and risk factors of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in urological hospital outpatients in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January to June 2006 patients from 28 Italian urological centers who were between 25 and 50 years old with symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome were consecutively enrolled in this prospective epidemiological case-control study. A total of 152 subjects of similar age, race and area of origin who were investigated for infertile couples but were otherwise healthy served as controls. All subjects provided a medical history and underwent different symptom scorings, clinical evaluation and microbiological tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 5,540 male urological outpatients 764 with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome were enrolled, including 225 (29.4%) at the first presentation and 539 (70.6%) who underwent previous treatment. Thus, the prevalence of the syndrome was 13.8%, while the estimated incidence was 4.5%. Cigarette smoking, a high caloric diet with low fruit and vegetable consumption, constipation, meteorism, slow digestion, a sexual relationship with more than 1 partner and coitus interruptus were more likely in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome than in controls (each p <0.001). The syndrome had a negative influence on sexual desire, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation (p <0.001). The Meares and Stamey test was positive in 13.3% of patients and in 2.9% of controls. Urethral swabs in patients with a negative Meares and Stamey test were positive for sexually transmitted pathogens in 6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence and estimated incidence of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in urological hospital outpatients in Italy are high. The syndrome is closely related to lifestyle, diet, smoking, gastrointestinal or anorectal disease and impaired sexual function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. riccardo.bartoletti@unifi.it
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bartoletti
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mondaini
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dinelli
authors.forename: Novello
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pinzi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gontero
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gavazzi
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giubilei
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prezioso
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzoli
authors.forename: Vieri
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Boddi
authors.forename: Kurt G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Naber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index