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Screening and Diagnostic Considerations in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

  • Diagnosis
  • Published:
Disease Management & Health Outcomes

Summary

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an ever present threat to aging men. The gradual demographic shift of the population of the western world appears to be towards the elderly. The increasing burden on both individuals and the healthcare system, therefore, is going to increase in the foreseeable future. Although BPH is not a life-threatening condition, it can have serious consequences on the normal function of the lower urinary tracts. The overlap in terms of presentation exists with malignant prostatic disease and this needs to be considered when investigating these patients. The morbidity caused by BPH should not be underestimated for the sufferer, especially where there are ready treatments available and the opportunity to exclude other even more serious conditions.

This article reviews the latest publications and papers looking at diagnosis and, in particular, identifying those at risk, the assessment of severity using symptom scores and discussing the methods and effectiveness of the various investigative tools. Controversy exists over the role of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in detecting prostate cancer and the role of urodynamics versus symptom scores in the treatment and assessment of BPH patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. Investigations include the blood test for PSA to pick up those with carcinoma of the prostate, in addition, urodynamic studies, in particular flow rate and post-void residual volume, can diagnose and assess the severity of bladder outflow obstruction, assess and help exclude causes other than BPH.

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  1. Royal Hallamshire Hospital, The Central Sheffield University Hospitals, Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2JF, England

    Nicolas P. Bryan &  Christopher R. Chapple

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  1. Nicolas P. Bryan
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Correspondence to Christopher R. Chapple.

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About the Authors: Dr C.R. Chappie is Consultant Urologi-cal Surgeon at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. His specialist and research interests include the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia using pharmacotherapy and the new minimally invasive treatments, urodynamics, incontinence and functional reconstruction of the lower urinary tract.

Dr N.R Bryan is a Research Fellow at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. He trained at St Thomas’ Hospital and has undergone basic surgical training at Sheffield. He is now doing urology research concentrating on urinary incontinence as well as treating benign prostatic disease.

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Bryan, N.P., Chapple, C.R. Screening and Diagnostic Considerations in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Dis-Manage-Health-Outcomes 2, 178–188 (1997). https://doi.org/10.2165/00115677-199702040-00002

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