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Purpose: The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index (BII) have gained widespread use in clinical practice and clinical trials. Although Spanish translations of the I-PSS are available, to our knowledge none was developed for the Spanish speaking population in the United States using a methodology to ensure appropriateness for the diverse United States Spanish speaking population. An existing translation intended for another Spanish speaking country, such as Mexico, or a translation developed without input from each language group may not be understood by those who immigrated from other Latin American regions. Hence, the development of a Spanish translation for the United States should involve input from translators from each region of Latin America., Materials and Methods: We reviewed and modified an existing United States Spanish translation of I-PSS using a multiregional reconciliation panel comprised of representatives from each of the major Spanish language groups in the United States. For BII full translation methodology was used to develop a translation for the United States, including 2 forward translations using translators from more than 1 region, a multiregional reconciliation panel meeting, a back translation evaluation, cognitive debriefing interviews with representatives from each language group, developer review, a final evaluation for consistency and proofreading., Results: The revised I-PSS better reflects common Spanish wording in the United States, while the BII translation was confirmed to be comprehended by Spanish speakers in the United States originating from multiple regions of Latin America., Conclusions: United States Spanish translations of patient reported outcome measures should consider the diversity of the growing Spanish speaking population in the United States to ensure comprehension across the broad population originating from the multiple regions of Latin America.

Purpose: We investigated the interexaminer reliability of transrectal ultrasound measurement of total prostate and transition zone volume among 3 examiners with various levels of experience., Materials and Methods: A total of 121 patients 39 to 82 years old (average plus or minus standard deviation 60.7 +/- 10.3) from a single urology clinic volunteered to participate. Patients with prostate cancer, previous prostate surgery or recent invasive prostatic examination were excluded from study. Each individual was examined independently by each of 3 examiners with various levels of experience, including an attending urologist, a PGY-2 resident in the second year of general surgery before urology training and a PGY-4 resident in the second year of urology training. Transrectal ultrasound was performed in each case by each examiner in pre-specified random order., Results: Mean total prostate and transition zone volume was 35.9 +/- 27.2 and 15.6 +/- 18.8 ml., respectively. Interexaminer agreement or reliability of the ultrasound measurements was high for total prostate and transition zone volume (intraclass correlation 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95 to 0.97 and 0.93, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.95, respectively). For individual prostatic dimensions reliability estimates were 0.78 to 0.86, while for transition zone dimensions reliability was 0.85 to 0.90. Total prostate volume reliability was higher for prostate volume greater than 40 ml. versus smaller prostates (intraclass correlation 0.95, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.97 versus 0.77, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.84). Mean differences in transrectal ultrasound measurements by different examiners were highest for the resident with least experience., Conclusions: The reliability of transrectal ultrasound measured total prostate and transition zone volume is high for examiners with different levels of experience at this institution. Reliability in patients without prostate cancer appears to be better for larger volume prostates and for examiners with more experience.

Purpose: We describe longitudinal changes in peak urinary flow rates in community dwelling men in Olmsted County, Minnesota., Materials and Methods: A cohort of 2,115 men 40 years old or older was randomly selected from the Olmsted County, Minnesota population. Peak urinary flow rates and the American Urological Association symptom index were assessed in all men at baseline and biennially, and in a 25% random subsample prostate volume was determined by transrectal ultrasonography. The annualized percentage change in peak urinary flow rate (slope) was assessed for 492 men in the subsample during 6 years of followup., Results: Median peak urinary flow rate slope was -2.1% per year (25th percentile -4.0, 75th percentile -0.6). Peak urinary flow rate declined more rapidly with decreasing baseline rate, and increasing baseline age, prostate volume and symptom severity (all p = 0.001). When the variables were simultaneously adjusted for each other, a rapid decline (negative slope 4.5% or greater per year) was more likely in men 70 years old or older (odds ratio 46.4, 95% confidence intervals 16.8, 127.7) and those with a rate less than 10 ml. per second (42.0, 14.1, 125.3) at baseline compared to those 40 to 49 years old and those with a rate of 15 ml. or greater, respectively. Prostate volume and symptom severity were not statistically significant predictors of a rapid decline in peak urinary flow rate when variables were considered simultaneously., Conclusions: Despite variability in measurement of peak urinary flow rate, a consistent decline was observed when measured longitudinally in a community based cohort. Furthermore, this decline was associated with impairments in other physiological and anatomical measures of lower urinary tract function in an unselected cohort of men.

Purpose: We describe treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) among men participating in the Olmsted County study of urinary symptoms and health status among men during 10,000 person-years of followup., Materials and Methods: A cohort of 2,115 men 40 to 79 years old was randomly selected from an enumeration of the Olmsted County, Minnesota population (55% response rate). Participants completed a previously validated baseline questionnaire to assess symptom severity and voided into a portable urometer. A 25% random subsample underwent transrectal sonographic imaging of the prostate to determine prostate volume and measurement of serum prostate specific antigen. Followup included retrospective review of community medical records and completion of a biennial questionnaire to determine the occurrence of medical and surgical treatment for BPH in the subsequent 6 years., Results: During more than 10,000 person-years of followup 167 men were treated, yielding an overall incidence of 16.0/1,000 person-years. There was a strong age related increase in risk of any treatment from 3.3/1,000 person-years for men 40 to 49 years old to more than 30/1,000 person-years for those 70 years old or older. Men with moderate to severe symptoms (American Urological Association symptom index greater than 7), depressed peak urinary flow rates (less than 12 ml. per second), enlarged prostate (greater than 30 ml.) or elevated serum prostate specific antigen (1.4 ng./ml. or greater) had about 4 times the risk of BPH treatment than those who did not. After adjustment for all measures simultaneously an enlarged prostate (hazard ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1, 4.7), depressed peak flow rate (hazard ratio 2.7, 95% CI 1.4, 5.3) and moderate to severe symptoms (hazard ratio 5.3, 95% CI 2.5, 11.1) at baseline each independently predicted subsequent treatment., Conclusions: While repeat contact and availability of urological measurements during the study period may have influenced treatment decisions in this cohort, the data demonstrate that treatment is common in elderly men with nearly 1 in 4 receiving treatment in the eighth decade of life. Furthermore, these data suggest that men with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms, impaired flow rates or enlarged prostates are more likely to undergo treatment, with increases in risk of similar magnitude to those associated with adverse outcomes, such as acute urinary retention.

Purpose: We estimate the rate of prostate growth in randomly selected healthy community dwelling men., Materials and Methods: Prostate volume in an age stratified random sample of 631 white male residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota 40 to 79 years old without prior prostate surgery or prostate cancer was measured up to 4 times by transrectal ultrasound during a followup period of almost 7 years., Results: Estimated prostate growth rates increased with increasing age. However, the estimated average annual change was 1.6% across all age groups. Estimated prostate growth rates were high depending on baseline prostate volume with higher growth rates for men with larger prostates., Conclusions: While there is wide variability in prostate growth rates on an individual level, prostate volume appears to increase steadily at about 1.6% per year in randomly selected community men.

Purpose: Previous studies have suggested that central zone prostatic volume may be more strongly correlated with lower urinary tract symptom severity and peak urinary flow rates than total prostatic volume. We determine whether prostatic central zone volume and central zone index volume correlate better with these measures than total prostate volume in an age stratified, community based random sample of healthy white men., Materials and Methods: A cohort of 474 men were randomly selected from the 2,115 community dwelling men, 40 to 79 years old, who participated in the Olmsted County study of urinary symptoms and health status among men. All men had undergone transrectal ultrasound of the prostate. The total prostate and hypoechoic central zone volumes were caliper measured by 1 operator on static ultrasounds from baseline. Volumes were calculated with the prolate ellipsoid formula. The operator was blinded to clinical information and outcome. The associations between total prostate volume and central zone index (central zone volume/total volume), and American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index and peak urinary flow rates, respectively, were quantified with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient and least squares regression models., Results: There was a moderately strong correlation between patient age and central zone volume (rs 0.54, p <0.001), total prostate volume (rs 0.45, p <0.001) and central zone index (rs 0.38, p <0.001). The AUA symptom index and peak flow rates correlated less strongly with central zone volume (rs 0.17, p = 0.001 and rs -0.20, p <0.001, respectively) and total volume (rs 0.16, p <0.001 and rs -0.16, p <0.001, respectively). Central zone index weakly correlated with AUA symptom index (rs 0.08, p = 0.103) and peak urinary flow rate (rs -0.08, p = 0.0823). In regression models predicting AUA symptom index and peak flow rates central zone volume added little information after accounting for age and total prostatic volume in predicting AUA symptom index (p = 0.55) and peak flow rate (p = 0.84)., Conclusions: Central zone volume measured from static images optimized for total prostate volume no more closely correlated with lower urinary tract symptom severity or peak urinary flow rates than total prostate volume. Thus, the potentially greater imprecision in measuring central zone volume may not be offset by gains in strength of association with lower urinary tract symptom severity or peak urinary flow rates.

Purpose: We describe the distribution of post-void residual urine volume and its relationship to other urological measurements in a random sample of men., Materials and Methods: Post-void residual was measured by transabdominal ultrasonography after voiding and prostate volume was measured by transrectal ultrasonography in 477 randomly selected community dwelling white men as part of a baseline urological evaluation. Symptoms were characterized with the American Urological Association symptom index. Acute urinary retention cases with catheterization in the subsequent 3 to 4 years were identified through chart review., Results: The distribution of post-void residual was highly skewed with a median of 9.5 ml., and 25th and 75th percentiles equal to 2.5 and 35.4, respectively. There was a significant correlation of post-void residual with prostate volume (rs = 0.24, p <0.001). The odds of post-void residual greater than 50 ml. were 2.5 times greater for men with prostate volume greater than 30 ml. than those with smaller prostates. In regression analyses post-void residual did not appear to be associated with the American Urological Association symptom index, age or peak urinary flow rate. Men with enlarged prostate volume or post-void residual greater than 50 ml. at baseline were about 3 times as likely to have subsequent acute urinary retention with catheterization during 3 to 4 years of followup., Conclusions: These results suggest little variation in the distribution of post-void residual urine volume across age groups or levels of urinary symptoms and peak urinary flow rate. However, a somewhat stronger relationship was found between residual urine and prostate volume.

Purpose: We determined the occurrence of and risk factors for acute urinary retention in the community setting., Materials and Methods: A cohort of 2,115 men 40 to 79 years old was randomly selected from an enumeration of the Olmsted County, Minnesota population (55% response rate). Participants completed a previously validated baseline questionnaire that assessed symptom severity, and voided into a portable urometer to measure peak urinary flow rates. A 25% random subsample underwent transrectal sonographic imaging of the prostate to determine prostate volume. Followup was performed through a retrospective review of community medical records to determine the occurrence of acute urinary retention in the subsequent 4 years., Results: During the 8,344 person-years of followup 57 men had a first episode of acute urinary retention (incidence 6.8/1,000 person-years, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.2, 8.9). Among men with no to mild symptoms (American Urological Association symptom index score 7 or less) the incidence of acute urinary retention increased from 2.6/1,000 person-years among men 40 to 49 years old to 9.3/1,000 person-years among men 70 to 79 years old. By contrast, rates increased from 3.0/1,000 person-years for men 40 to 49 years old to 34.7/1,000 person-years among men 70 to 79 years old among men with moderate to severe symptoms (American Urological Association symptom index score greater than 7). Men with depressed peak urinary flow rate (less than 12 ml. per second) were at 4 times the risk of acute urinary retention compared with men with urinary flow rates greater than 12 ml. per second (95% CI 2.3, 6.6). Men with an enlarged prostate (greater than 30 ml.) experienced a 3-fold increase in risk (95% CI 1.0, 9.0, p = 0.04)., Conclusions: Lower urinary tract symptoms, depressed peak urinary flow rates, enlarged prostates and older age are associated with an increased risk of acute urinary retention in community dwelling men. These findings may help to identify men at increased risk of acute urinary retention in whom closer evaluation may be warranted.

Purpose: We determined age-related differences in prostate internal architecture and prostate volume by transrectal ultrasonography in Japanese men 40 to 79 years old., Materials and Methods: The 287 study participants were categorized by transition zone disease: group 1-not visible (normal prostate), group 2-visible, borders unclear (diffusely enlarged hyperplasia) and group 3-visible, border clear (nodularly enlarged hyperplasia)., Results: Group 1 comprised 40% of men 50 to 79 years old and showed slightly decreased median prostate volume with age. Prostate volume and its variance increased with age in group 3 but differed little across age in group 2., Conclusions: In a community sample the prostatic internal architecture relationship with age and prostate volume suggested differing growth patterns.

Purpose: Lower urinary tract symptoms are reported to have a significant impact on quality of life. However, the impact on specific aspects of health status is not clear. We evaluated the association between lower urinary tract symptoms, and physical and mental aspects of health using community based data from a cross-sectional component of a prospective cohort study., Materials and Methods: A total of 2,133 men 41 to 84 years old who were randomly selected from the Olmsted County, Minnesota population completed the 36-item health status questionnaire and a previously validated questionnaire assessing urinary symptoms. Eight domains, measured on a scale of 0 to 100, were used to assess general health status. Men were classified as having an impaired health status if they scored less than 75 points on the scale. Symptom severity (none, mild, moderate or severe) was measured from responses to the urinary symptom questionnaire., Results: The results demonstrated a cross-sectional decrease in mean health status scores for all 8 domains across levels of increasing urinary symptom severity. The strongest associations between health status scores and urinary symptoms (severe versus none) were observed for role limitation due to physical problems (odds ratio 15.7, 95% confidence interval 6.6 to 37.0), energy/fatigue (odds ratio 9.2, 95% confidence interval 4.7 to 18.1), role limitation due to emotional problems (odds ratio 8.7, 95% confidence interval 4.1 to 18.2) and general perception of health (odds ratio 7.2, 95% confidence interval 3.8 to 13.4). For these 4 dimensions men with mild urinary symptoms were also significantly more likely to have an impaired health status. Adjustment for age and co-morbidity did not alter the results., Conclusions: These findings suggest that urinary symptoms have a multidimensional association with physical and mental aspects of health. Although lower urinary tract symptoms may be the cause of an impaired health status, men with impaired health conditions may be more sensitive to prevalent urinary symptoms and more likely to report them. While the casual nature of this association has not been ascertained, these results may help to identify appropriate health dimensions to assess in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Purpose: We compared prostate volume and peak urinary flow rate in Japanese and American men 40 to 79 years old., Materials and Methods: Prostate volume and peak urinary flow rate were measured in eligible Japanese men and results were compared to those of a randomly selected American cohort., Results: Mean prostate volume plus or minus standard deviation averaged 20.3 +/- 10.6 ml. in Japanese and 29.6 +/- 13.4 ml. in American men, while predicted cross-sectional increases with age decade were 1.5 and 5.5 ml., respectively. Peak urinary flow rate was higher but the decrease with increasing age was greater in Japanese men., Conclusions: Prostate volume is larger and the increase with age is more pronounced in American than in Japanese men. However, Japanese men may have a higher peak urinary flow rate and greater cross-sectional decrease with age.

Purpose: We report the results of 3 contacts during 42 months of The Olmsted County Study of Urinary Symptoms and Health Status Among Men, a longitudinal cohort study of men 40 to 79 years old that was initiated in 1990 to describe changes in lower urinary tract symptom severity., Materials and Methods: At baseline and followup, men completed questionnaires that elicited urinary symptom severity with questions nearly identical to those of the American Urological Association symptom index:, Results: Overall, there was an average increase in American Urological Association symptom index of approximately 0.18 (95% confidence interval 0.13 to 0.24) points per year of followup. The average annual symptom score slope and variability in slope increased with patient age at baseline from a mean of 0.05 +/- 1.06 (standard deviation) per year among men in the forties to 0.44 +/- 1.35 per year for men in the sixties, and decreased to 0.14 +/- 1.42 per year for men in the seventies. The age-related changes in symptom severity mirror previous estimates of prostatic growth from autopsy prevalence studies., Conclusions: These results demonstrate a slow but measurable progression in urinary symptom severity among community dwelling men for 42 months of followup.

Purpose: We estimate the prevalence of urinary symptoms in Japanese men., Materials and Methods: A total of 289 eligible residents 40 to 79 years old completed a questionnaire with questions worded similarly to those of the international prostate symptom score (response rate 42%)., Results: The ratio of moderate-to-severe symptoms was 41%, 29%, 31% and 56% for each age decade from ages 40 to 79 years, respectively, after adjusting for nonresponse. Within each age decade the median international prostatic symptom score was higher for Japanese men than for United States men with little difference in rates of increase with participant age or bother., Conclusion: Lower urinary tract symptoms were common in Japanese men, with age-related increases similar to those of United States men.

We describe relationships among symptoms, prostate volume and peak urinary flow rate in an age stratified, community based random sample of white men 40 to 79 years old with no prior prostate surgery, prostate cancer or other conditions known to interfere with voiding. Symptoms were assessed with an instrument comparable to the American Urological Association symptom index. Prostate volume was estimated by transrectal ultrasonography and peak urinary flow rate was measured by a portable device. Subject age was significantly associated with symptom score but accounted for only 3% of its variation, while prostate volume and peak urinary flow rate explained only an additional 10% of the symptom variability. The odds (95% confidence interval) of moderate to severe symptoms increased with age from 1.9 (1.1 to 3.1), 2.9 (1.7 to 5.0) and 3.4 (1.8 to 6.1) for men 50 to 59, 60 to 69 and 70 to 79 years old, respectively, relative to men 40 to 49 years old. Adjusting for age, the odds of moderate to severe symptoms were 3.5 times greater for men with prostatic enlargement (more than 50 ml.) than for men with smaller prostates, while the odds were similarly increased (2.4-fold) for men not achieving a peak urinary flow rate of 10 ml. per second. Estimated odds changed little when other cutoff points were considered for peak urinary flow rate (15 ml. per second) or prostate volume (40 ml.). These results, based on randomly selected white men, suggest a somewhat stronger, albeit modest, relationship among symptoms, prostate size and urinary flow rate than previously reported in clinic based studies. The strength of these relationships is comparable to that found with other diseases.

Measurements of American Urological Association symptom score, peak urine flow rate and prostate specific antigen (PSA) are often followed over time in urological management. However, their interpretation is confounded by within-patient variability due to chance. Data from 2 clinical trials are used to examine the magnitude of this variation. When these measures are repeated at a short interval variation is modest and might easily be misinterpreted as a true change in patient condition. For example, approximately 20% of patients might be expected to have a chance increase or decrease in symptom score by at least 4.9 points, in peak urine flow rate by at least 4.1 ml. per second or in PSA by at least 1.6 ng./ml. Clinicians can use these data to help interpret repeated measures of these variables in patients, and can consider obtaining paired measurements to decrease the effect of chance variation when they plan on following them over time.

Urinary symptoms and the extent to which they interfere with living activities were compared in 2 community-based investigations that enrolled men 40 to 79 years old who were randomly sampled from Olmsted County, Minnesota (2,119) and the Forth Valley of Scotland (1,385). Both investigations included symptom questions with wording that is nearly identical to that of the American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index. Following AUA scoring conventions we grouped scores into mild (AUA score 0 to 7), moderate (score 8 to 19) and severe (score 20+) categories. Minnesota men had symptoms that were more frequent, more bothersome and caused greater interference with living activities than did Scottish men of comparable age (p < 0.0002). However, within each symptom score category, the extent to which symptoms interfered with living activities was essentially the same in both populations. Although there appear to be important differences in urinary symptom prevalence between Scotland and Minnesota, the AUA symptom index provides a consistent measure of the extent to which urinary symptoms interfere with living activities in both populations. These findings support use of the AUA symptom index in the diagnostic evaluation of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Urinary flow rates were measured in a randomly selected community sample of more than 2,000 men 40 to 79 years old with no history of prostate surgery, prostate cancer or certain other diseases known to interfere with normal voiding. Peak urinary flow rates decreased from a median of 20.3 ml. per second in men 40 to 44 years old to 11.5 ml. per second for men 75 to 79 years old, while voided volumes decreased from a median of 355.5 to 222.5 ml. for the same age ranges. Peak flow rates of less than 10 ml. per second were found in 6% of the men aged 40 to 44 years, increasing to 35% among men aged 75 to 79 years. Urological standards for peak urinary flow rate should be based on community data, and should account for age and voided volume. Our study may serve as the starting point for the development of community-based flow rate normal ranges. Nomograms are given to permit estimating flow rate percentiles as a function of age and voided volume.

To establish the age-specific prevalence of urinary symptoms among a community-based cohort of men, a randomly selected sample of men were screened and invited to participate in a longitudinal survey of urinary symptoms. The population of Olmsted County, Minnesota, as enumerated by the Rochester Epidemiology Project, formed the sampling base for this study. Men between 40 and 79 years old with no history of prostate or other urological surgery, and who also were free of conditions associated with neurogenic bladder were invited to participate. A previously validated questionnaire was completed by the subject. Urine flow measures, current medications and family histories of urinary disease were also obtained. Nonresponse corrected scores for a composite of obstructive symptoms showed moderate to severe symptomatology among 13% of the men 40 to 49 years old and 28% of those older than 70 years. Prostatism is a highly prevalent symptom complex among unselected men in the community. The specific urinary symptoms of nocturia, weak stream, restarting, urgency and sensation of incomplete emptying are strongly age-related and, therefore, may be predictive of a prostatic disease process.