title: Age-stratified normal values for prostate volume, PSA, maximum urinary flow rate, IPSS, and other LUTS/BPH indicators in the German male community-dwelling population aged 50 years or older.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish age-stratified normal values for prostate volume, serum total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration, maximum urinary flow rate (Q (max)), micturition and postvoid residual urine volumes, IPSS, and quality of life. These community-derived values of healthy older men are necessary to correctly judge patients with lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of LUTS/BPH-related determinants in community-dwelling men in the city of Herne, Germany after exclusion of subgroups with co-morbidities or co-medications with possible influence on the key items.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis is based on 1,763 participants. In these men aged 50-80 years, mean total prostate volume continuously increased from 24 to 38 cc and mean PSA concentration from 1.1 to 2.5 ng/ml. PSA concentration in men with a prostate volume <25 cc also showed a continuous increase with aging, starting at 0.8 in the youngest and ending at 1.9 ng/ml in the oldest age group. Mean Q (max) of free uroflowmetry (from 22.1 to 13.7 ml/s) and mean micturition volume (from 329 to 193 cc) showed a continuous decrease that was dependent on prostate size. Mean postvoid residual urine was nearly unchanged over the age groups at approximately 20-30 cc. Although IPSS increased continuously with aging (from 4 to 7), QoL remained unchanged at 2 over the age groups. Prostate size had a minor impact on IPSS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Normal values for investigated LUTS/BPH-related determinants and the influence of aging hereon should serve as references during the assessment of Caucasian patients in Europe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, PAN-Klinik, Zeppelinstr. 1, 50667, Cologne, Germany. r.berges@pan-klinik.org
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berges
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oelke
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053448:Prostatism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014554:Urination / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen