title: Clinical and Biochemical Influence of Prostatic Stones.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study aimed to explore clinical influence of prostatic stones on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), seminal plasma cytokines, and serum biomarkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 70 men aged ≤50 years with LUTS divided into 2 groups: group with stones (GSt) and group without prostatic stones (GNoSt). All subjects completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire and National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) scoring questionnaire. Pre- and post-prostate massage test and uroflowmetry were performed. The serum concentration of total prostate specific antigen (PSA), free PSA, and free/total PSA (f/t PSA) ratio, seminal concentration of cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GSt subjects had significantly more severe symptoms based on IPSS answers (p = 0.0289). All domains in NIH-CPSI scores were significantly higher in the GSt group: pain (p = 0.001), urinary symptoms (p = 0.023), quality of life (p = 0.008), and with overall (p = 0.003). GSt subjects also had significantly lower maximum urinary flow (Qmax; p = 0.011), lower f/t PSA ratio (p = 0.048), and higher concentration of IL-1β (p = 0.011) and IL-8 (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prostatic stones may influence the severity of LUTS and the symptoms of chronic prostatitis. They might reduce Qmax rate and lead to reduction of the f/t PSA ratio and produce more severe inflammation causing increased seminal concentration of IL-1β and IL-8.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soric
authors.forename: Mirnes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selimovic
authors.forename: Lada
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bakovic
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Šimurina
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Selthofer
authors.forename: Jerka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dumic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002137:Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000150:complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D012372:ROC Curve; D012212:Rheology; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; D016207:Cytokines; C508585:IL1B protein, human; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen
keywords: Cytokines; Inflammation; Lower urinary tract symptoms; Prostate; Prostate stones