Related Experiment Videos
BPH epidemiology and risk factors.
1Department of Urology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
The Prostate. Supplement
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is common in older men, affecting up to 80% microscopically. Age and androgens are key factors, but other risks remain unconfirmed.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Epidemiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Benign enlargement of the prostate gland, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is highly prevalent in aging males.
- Incidence rates indicate gross enlargement in 40% of 70-year-old males, with microscopic foci in 80%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
- To review trends in BPH-related mortality.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing epidemiological data and World Health Organization mortality statistics.
- Analysis of age and androgen supply as potential prerequisites for BPH.
Main Results:
- BPH prevalence varies by ethnicity, being more common in Black, Caucasian, and Jewish populations, and less common in Far Eastern males.
- A significant decrease in deaths attributed to BPH has been observed over the last 12 years.
- Increasing age and androgen levels are identified as necessary factors for BPH development.
Conclusions:
- While age and androgens are confirmed prerequisites for BPH, other risk factors lack definitive evidence.
- Epidemiological data for BPH must be interpreted cautiously due to inherent study limitations.