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Objective: To evaluate the correlation between the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and a new Visual Prostate Symptom Score (VPSS) using pictures rather than words to assess lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)., Methods: Four IPSS questions related to frequency, nocturia, weak stream, and quality of life (QoL) were represented by pictograms in the VPSS. Men with LUTS were given the IPSS and VPSS to complete. Peak (Qmax.) and average (Qave.) urinary flow rates were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t, Fisher's exact, and Spearman's correlation tests., Results: The educational level of the 96 men (mean age 64, range 33-85 years) evaluated August 2009 to August 2010 was school grade 8-12 (62%), grade 1-7 (28%), university education (6%), and no schooling (4%). The IPSS was completed without assistance by 51 of 96 men (53%) and the VPSS by 79 of 96 men (82%) (P<.001). Comparing education grade<7 vs grade>10 groups, the IPSS required assistance in 27 of 31 men (87%) vs 9 of 38 men (24%) (P<.001), and the VPSS required assistance in 10 of 31 men (32%) vs 3 of 38 men (8%) (P=.014). There were statistically significant correlations between total VPSS, Qmax. and Qave., total VPSS and IPSS, and individual VPSS parameters (frequency, nocturia, weak stream and QoL) vs their IPSS counterparts., Conclusions: The VPSS correlates significantly with the IPSS, Qmax. and Qave., and can be completed without assistance by a greater proportion of men with limited education, indicating that it may be more useful than the IPSS in patients who are illiterate or have limited education., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and the change of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) storage subscore after combination therapy (α-blocker and finasteride) in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) consistent with moderate-to-severe benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and compared with α-blocker-only treatment., Methods: A total of 1315 patients seen in 5 urology centers in Korea from January 2001 to August 2007, with LUTS secondary to BPH were enrolled. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to treatment pattern (α-blocker monotherapy vs combination therapy) and IPSS storage subscores (≥6 vs <6). The changes from baseline in prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen concentration, IPSS, and Q(max.) were analyzed. We also determined the statistical differences among 4 groups in the IPSS, Q(max.), quality of life score (QoL), and prostate volume., Results: Of the 1315 men, 217 (16.5%) completed the month 48 visit. All groups showed significant improvements in the IPSS total score, IPSS voiding subscores, and QoL at 1 year. However, the high storage subscore group at baseline showed a significantly higher improvement in IPSS total scores and IPSS voiding subscores compared with the low storage subscore group at year 4. IPSS storage subscores were improved only in patients with high storage subscores at baseline, especially in combination treatment group. The mean change in QoL score from baseline to year 4 was significantly improved in high storage subscore groups., Conclusions: Data from this retrospective analysis suggest that long-term combination treatment would be beneficial, especially to patients with severe storage symptoms at baseline., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the utility of recalled American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUA-SI) scores 6 months after an initial outpatient clinic visit. The AUA-SI is a validated questionnaire used to assess a patient's lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) over a 4-week period. However, patient recall of their LUTS at greater time points is currently unknown., Methods: Between May 2007 and August 2008, 98 patients completed the AUA-SI questionnaire at their initial visit ("Past"). At 6-month follow-up, patients recalled their AUA-SI and quality of life (QoL) scores ("Recall"). As a reference, patients also reported their current symptom scores ("Present"). Descriptive statistics, correlations, regression models, and kappa statistics were performed to assess the associations between the "Past" and "Recall" symptom scores as either categorical (mild, moderate, severe) or continuous (0-35 points) variables. Similar analyses were performed for QoL scores., Results: Analyses indicated significant correlations between the "Recall" and "Past" AUA-SI and QoL scores. Although 70% of patients remained in the same categorical groupings, 62% of patients had clinically significant differences (>or= 3 points) between "Recall" and "Past" scores. Approximately, 80% of patients recalled their QoL score accurately (

Objectives: To compare the safety and efficacy of the daily erectogenic therapy, tadalafil, on lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH-LUTS) in men with or without comorbid erectile dysfunction (ED)., Methods: Following a 4-week placebo run-in period, men with moderate-to-severe BPH-LUTS were randomized to placebo or tadalafil 2.5, 5, 10, or 20 mg once daily for 12 weeks. International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), IPSS quality of life, and BPH Impact Index were measured every 4 weeks. Safety was mainly assessed via spontaneous reports of adverse events. Data from men with (n=716) or without (n=340) ED at baseline were compared in posthoc analyses., Results: Men with ED were older and had more frequent hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and diabetes at baseline compared with men without ED. After 12 weeks, changes in IPSS in men with ED (least squares mean change from baseline, placebo: -2.4; tadalafil 2.5, 5, 10, 20 mg: -4.3, -4.8, -5.3, -5.6) and without ED (-2.4, -3.2, -5.3, -5.1, -4.5) were not significantly different (subgroup/interaction P values: .352/.644). Similar effects were observed for IPSS quality of life (with ED: -0.6, -0.9, -0.9, -1.0, -1.1; without ED: -0.6, -0.7, -0.9, -0.8, -0.8; 0.090/0.773) and BPH Impact Index (with ED: -0.7, -0.9, -1.3, -1.3, -1.4; without ED: -1.0, -0.7, -1.3, -1.3, -1.2; 0.753/0.852). Tadalafil was generally well tolerated, and men with or without ED had similar tolerability profiles., Conclusions: Changes in BPH-LUTS after 12 weeks of treatment with placebo or various doses of once daily tadalafil were similar in men with or without comorbid ED., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To quantify the bothersomeness of urinary symptoms in males with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)., Methods: A population-based postal survey of urinary symptoms among 2837 men aged 55, 65, or 75 years was conducted. The response rate was 75%, and data of both symptom and bother questions were eligible for 1803-2046 men, depending on the question. Bothersomeness of each urinary symptom was measured with a bother index (BI) as a ratio of the number of men with a bother score higher than a symptom score to that with a bother score lower than a symptom score. The BI was compared with the relative risk (RR), the prevalence of men with bother to those with symptom., Results: Urgency (46%) and postmicturition dribble (42%) were the most common symptoms. Any type of incontinence was considered highly bothersome (BI: 1.79-3.70). In light of the BI, most voiding and postmicturition symptoms except weak stream (BI: 1.14) were well tolerated. The variation of the BI (0.06-3.70) was substantially larger than that of RR (0.53-0.89) of the urinary symptoms., Conclusions: Bothersomeness of a symptom is an independent contribution in the assessment of LUTS. The BI may be a useful indicator of bothersomeness of urinary symptoms. The greater variation of the BI than that of RR indicates that the BI provides information on LUTS that cannot be described by prevalence or prevalence ratio only.