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Benign prostatic hyperplasia in elderly Thai men in an urban community: the prevalence, natural history and health related behavior.

PROBLEM
Although benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in elderly Thai men the prevalence in the community and its natural history is unknown.


OBJECTIVES
To determine the prevalence of symptomatic BPH and its natural history. To determine the health related behaviors which have an impact on the voiding symptoms.


MATERIAL AND METHOD
879 elderly men aged > or = 60 years from communities around Siriraj Hospital were studied. The International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) and Quality of Life (QOL) scores were evaluated in the participants at the beginning of the study and 1 year later. The overall assessment, complications and health related behaviors were also evaluated.


RESULT
The prevalence of symptomatic BPH in the community was 41.3 per cent. In terms of overall assessment at 1 year follow-up, symptomatic BPH patients (IPSS 8-35), the rate of "improved", "same" and "worse" was 10.6, 70.2 and 19.2 per cent respectively. The complication rate was about 10 per cent. Three quarters of the elderly men had health related behavior at risk.


CONCLUSION
The prevalence of symptomatic BPH was high. Its natural history was unpredictable and some BPH symptoms may be influenced by their behaviors.