Can we predict prostate size by scoring baldness? The relationship of androgenic alopecia and lower urinary tract...

Prostate growth and androgenic alopecia are both under the influence of dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone can make prostates larger and men balder. Therefore, we assessed the association of men suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms and androgenic alopecia.

We enrolled 177 subjects which underwent a Green Light Laser Vaporization Procedure of the prostate between 2006 and 2017. We identified two groups of males with different levels of androgenic alopecia, classified according to the Norwood-Hamilton scale, which we compared in this study. lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire. Other parameters included demographics, urodynamics, prostate volume and prostate-specific antigen.

Mean patient age was 68 (47-87) years. Mean International Prostate Symptom Score was 20 (1-35). 59.3% of subjects were classified as bald using the Norwood-Hamilton scale (androgenic alopecia score). Mean prostate size (range) was 77.5 ml (21-245), mean Qmax was 9 ml/s (1-25), and mean PSA was 4.7 ng/ml (0.3-39). The androgenic alopecia score correlated with none of the other parameters. PSA and prostate volume correlated with the Schäfer obstruction classification. Qmax correlated with the Schäfer classification and International Prostate Symptom Score. International Prostate Symptom Score correlated with QoL. Schäfer classification correlated with PSA, prostate volume, Qmax and age.

As expected, various lower urinary tract symptoms parameters in our study correlated with each other. However, no correlation was found between the androgenic alopecia score and LUTS or prostate volume. This score cannot be used to estimate prostate size.