title: The prevalence of prostatitis-like symptoms in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the prevalence of prostatitis-like symptoms and identified their associated risk factors in a population based Chinese sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  A volunteer group of 15,000 eligible men residing in Beijing, Anhui, Xi'an, Guangzhou and Gansu cities or provinces were invited randomly to take part in the survey to complete a questionnaire that elicited information regarding sociodemographics, Eysenck personality questionnaire, current stress and health ratings, lifestyle, medical history, expressed prostatic secretion evaluation, score of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index and International Index of Erectile Function-5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Information on 12,743 (84.95%) men was collected. Of these men 1,071 (8.4%) reported prostatitis-like symptoms (mean National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index pain score 7.55 +/- 3.22). The percent of chronic prostatitis was 4.5% (571) among the symptoms group according to past urological history and expressed prostatic secretion evaluation. Subjects with prostatitis-like symptoms (mean age 34.56 +/- 13.48 years) had higher mean pain and urinary symptoms scores (7.53 +/- 3.22 and 2.84 +/- 2.72, respectively) compared with subjects without prostatitis-like symptoms (1.18 +/- 2.32 and 0.72 +/- 1.66 for pain and urinary symptoms scores, respectively, mean age 30.7 +/- 10.17) (pain and symptoms scores, p <0.05). The quality of life score was 6.03 +/- 2.88 and 3.83 +/- 2.55 in groups with symptoms or nonsymptoms, respectively (p <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prostatitis-like symptoms are a multifactorial problem affecting men of all ages (15 to 60 years) and demographics, and the prevalence is high in China. The syndrome is closely related to alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, frequent intercourse, as well as fatigue, pressure and too little sleep. These findings suggest that risk factors for this condition are largely modifiable and highlight potential targets for future prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Chao-Zhao
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Hong-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Wei-Lie
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Tao-Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Zong-Yao
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Xian-Sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zheng-Xing
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhi-Guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult