title: Association between lower urinary tract symptoms and serum levels of sex hormones in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the well-known association between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and male sexual dysfunction, few data are available that describe the relationship between LUTS and sex hormones. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association between the severity of LUTS and the serum levels of sex hormones in men.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 182 randomly selected men attending our general urology clinic were recruited. All participants completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and their sera were evaluated for serum levels of prostate-specific antigen, total and free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, and estradiol. Storage symptoms were evaluated by the sum of IPSS questions 2, 4, and 7. Voiding symptoms were evaluated by the sum of IPSS questions 3, 5, and 6. The relationship between the IPSSs and serum hormone levels was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On univariate analysis, the total IPSS was significantly associated with age, DHEA-S, and free testosterone. Storage symptoms were significantly associated with age, DHEA-S, free testosterone, and prostate-specific antigen. Voiding symptoms were significantly associated with age and DHEA-S. On multivariate linear regression analysis, only age was significantly associated with LUTS. However, within the subgroup of men 65-82 years old, DHEA-S was significantly associated with the total IPSS and storage symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, the severity of LUTS was not associated with serum levels of sex hormones in men. However, in older men, storage symptoms could be affected by the serum DHEA-S level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Fukui Faculty of Medical Science, Fukui, Japan. uroym@u-fukui.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: Taisei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneda
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen