title: Association of Prostate Blood Flow with Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of prostate blood flow (PBF) with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in aged males using Doppler spectral waveform (DSW) analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective analysis involving 133 aged males with clinical diagnosis of LUTS. DSW parameters (peak-systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistive index (RI)) were measured at bilateral neurovascular bundles (NVB), periurethral, and capsular branches by Doppler transrectal ultrasound with the patient in the right lateral decubitus position. The associations of PBF parameters and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, total IPSS scores were significantly correlated with the RI of bilateral NVB vessels (r2 = 0.03, 0.04; p = 0.04, 0.02, respectively), and PSV of left NVB vessels. PSV of bilateral NVB vessels were associated with the storage score (p = 0.022 and p = 0.016), but not with the voiding score. The sum of the frequency and urgency score was also associated with EDV of both capsular and urethral branches (p = 0.043 and p = 0.009, respectively), and PSV of NVB vessels on both sides (p = 0.045 and p = 0.019, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an association between PBF and LUTS, especially with storage symptoms. The findings may provide some insights in understanding the underlying pathophysiology of lower urinary tract dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuan-Yu
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yuh-Shyan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chia-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: I-Hung
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tzong-Shin
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tzai
authors.forename: Yat-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011467:Prostate / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler