title: Is the presence of varicocele associated with static and dynamic components of benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms in elderly men?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between varicocele and benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms in patients over the age of 40 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1040 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated for prostate volume, testicular volume, testicular consistency, total testosterone, total prostate-specific antigen and body mass index. A questionnaire including International Prostate Symptom Score and a uroflow test were also carried out. The presence and grade of varicocele was determined in each patient by physical examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Varicocele was found bilaterally in 22.3% and unilaterally in 25.7% of the patients. There was no difference in terms of age and body mass index distribution between subgroups. When grouping patients for varicocele laterality, total testosterone (P = 0.04), prostate volume (P = 0.009) and total prostate-specific antigen (P = 0.02) level were significantly different. Similarly, these parameters were significant between patients with grade 1, 2 and 3 varicocele. Total testosterone level (P = 0.02) and prostate volume (P = 0.035) were found to be significantly different when patients were grouped according to testicular size. A positive correlation was found between testosterone level and prostate volume (P = 0.004; r(2) = 0.084).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bilateral and/or higher-grade varicocele is associated with lower prostate volume and testosterone levels, as well as lower prostate-specific antigen levels. However, it is not associated with dynamic components of benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms in patients over the age of 40 years.
authors: Department of Urology, Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Alper
authors: A
authors: Otunctemur
authors: Emin
authors: E
authors: Ozbek
authors: Huseyin
authors: H
authors: Besiroglu
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Dursun
authors: Suleyman
authors: S
authors: Sahin
authors: Ismail
authors: I
authors: Koklu
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Erkoc
authors: Eyyup
authors: E
authors: Danis
authors: Muammer
authors: M
authors: Bozkurt
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Gurbuz
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms; prostate volume; prostate-specific antigen; total testosterone; varicocele