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Updated: May 9, 2026
05:25
Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Prostatic fibrosis, lower urinary tract symptoms, and BPH
Jose A Rodriguez-Nieves1, Jill A Macoska
1Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Michigan, 2966 Taubman Medical Library, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0619, USA.
Nature Reviews. Urology
|July 17, 2013
Summary
Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) involves progressive prostate issues. Emerging research suggests tissue fibrosis contributes to LUTD, indicating antifibrotic therapies as a potential new treatment approach.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Pathobiology
- Medical Research
Background:
- Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) indicate lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), a progressive condition.
- LUTD can lead to severe complications like urinary retention, recurrent infections, and renal impairment if untreated.
- Prostate involvement in LUTD is linked to aging and inflammation, with inflammation potentially causing tissue fibrosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of tissue fibrosis in the pathobiology of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD).
- To propose antifibrotic agents as a novel therapeutic strategy for LUTD.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent studies linking tissue fibrosis to LUTD.
- Epidemiological association analysis of inflammation and subsequent tissue fibrosis.
Main Results:
- Tissue fibrosis in the lower urinary tract is increasingly recognized as a factor associated with LUTD.
- Inflammation from various causes is epidemiologically linked to fibrosis in multiple organs, including the prostate.
Conclusions:
- Fibrosis may be a significant, previously unrecognized pathobiology contributing to LUTD.
- Antifibrotic therapies represent a promising new avenue for treating men with LUTD, particularly those unresponsive to current treatments.
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