Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Association between prostatic inflammation and detrusor overactivity in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia and
Evangelos Varelas1, Georgios Antoniadis2, Aikaterini Tsionga3
12nd Urology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Background:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) frequently leads to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in aging men. Detrusor overactivity (DO) is a common functional consequence of BOO, often persisting even after surgical intervention. Prostatic inflammation (PI) has been implicated in BPH pathogenesis, but its relationship with DO remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between histologically confirmed PI and DO in men undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for BPH-related BOO.
Methods:
We conducted a prospective, observational study involving 125 men aged ≥50 years with BPH, BOO confirmed by pressure-flow studies, and moderate-to-severe LUTS (IPSS ≥ 7). All patients had received standard medical therapy and were candidates for TURP. Urodynamic testing was performed before and three months after surgery. Based on baseline urodynamic findings, patients were categorized into two groups: those with DO (Group A) and those without (Group B). Resected prostate tissue was examined histologically, and PI was graded using the Irani score. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v26, with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) reported.
Results:
Prostatic inflammation was identified in 78.4% of patients overall and was significantly more prevalent in those with DO (84.9% vs. 69.2%; OR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.11-5.49, p = 0.02). Inflammation was also more severe in Group A. DO resolved postoperatively in 75.3% of patients, while persistent DO was associated exclusively with moderate-to-severe PI. The odds of persistent DO following TURP were significantly higher in this subgroup (OR = 4.00, 95% CI: 1.33-12.05).
Conclusions:
Prostatic inflammation is more frequent and severe in men with DO and is associated with its persistence after TURP. These findings suggest that PI contributes to both the pathogenesis and postoperative course of DO, supporting its role as a therapeutic target in BPH-related LUTS management.
Related Concept Videos
Urodynamic Studies: Uroflowmetry
Anatomy of the Genitourinary System II: Bladder and Urethra
The Micturition Reflex
The process begins with bladder filling, where the bladder wall stretches as urine accumulates. This stretching activates the urine storage reflex, mediated by the sacral spinal segments and the pontine storage center. Efferent sympathetic impulses stimulate the detrusor muscle to relax and the internal urethral sphincter to contract, facilitating...
Urinary Bladder
In males, the bladder is situated in front of the rectum, while in females, it is positioned anterior to the vagina and uterus. The bladder floor contains an inverted triangular area called the trigone, defined by the two ureteric...

