Prostatic calcifications are associated with an elevated risk of storage-related lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and nocturia in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), investigators reported at the 2019 International Continence Society annual meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Cosimo De Nunzio, MD, of Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, and colleagues identified the link in a study of 201 men with LUTS secondary to BPH. They used transrectal ultrasonography to evaluate prostatic calcifications and evaluated LUTS using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The investigators considered a storage IPSS of 4 or higher and nocturia defined as 2 or more episodes per night to be significant.
Overall, 90 men (45%) had prostatic calcifications and 71 (35%) had nocturia (2 or more episodes). Of the 90 men with calcifications, 44 (49%) presented with at least 4 calcifications. Compared with men who had no prostatic calcifications, men with 4 or more calcifications had a significantly higher storage IPSS (5 vs 4) and more nocturia episodes (2 vs 1). On multivariable analysis, prostatic calcifications were significantly associated with nearly 2.9-fold and 2.7-fold increased odds of storage LUTS and nocturia, respectively.
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“Although these results should be confirmed, and the pathophysiology is yet to be completely understood, assessment of prostatic calcifications is suggested in the evaluation of patients with LUTS and may reflect the presence of prostatic inflammation which is considered as a proxy of prostatic calcification,” the authors concluded in their study abstract.
Reference
De Nunzio C, Cancrini F, D’Annunzio S. et al. Prostatic calcifications are associated with storage LUTS and nocturia in patients with benign prostatic enlargement: a prospective cohort analysis. Presented at the 2019 International Continence Society annual meeting held September 3-6 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Abstract 37.
