Association between symptomatology and uroflowmetry in benign prostatic hypertrophy

The symptoms of 128 consecutive patients (mean age 65 years) with benign prostatic hypertrophy were assessed and compared with flowmetry recordings. The 84 patients (65%) with peak flow rates greater than or equal to 2 standard deviations from the mean were considered to have abnormal flowmetry and their symptoms were compared with those of the 44 men with normal peak flows. No significant correlation between peak flow rate and age was found within this group. Symptoms of poor stream, nocturia, post-micturition dribble and nocturnal or full-bladder hesitancy were present in over two-thirds of the whole series. Poor stream, hesitancy and nocturnal or full-bladder hesitancy were found to have significant associations with abnormal flowmetry recordings but also to have a high incidence within the normal flowmetry group. Discriminant analysis was unable to define a symptom complex which would accurately predict those within our group with abnormal peak flows. It was concluded that symptomatology and flowmetry evidence of lower urinary tract obstruction are not associated and subjective and objective evidence must be considered independently in selecting candidates for prostatectomy.