Benign prostatic hyperplasia prevalence, and its association with metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study in Syria

Abstract

Abstract Background: To assess the prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients and whether there is an association between lower urinary tract symptoms linked to Benign prostatic hyperplasia and metabolic syndrome in the Syrian community. Methods: The participants of this observational cross-sectional study were Benign prostatic hyperplasia patients aged 40 years and above from Homs, Syria. An interview questionnaire performed to collect the data from all patients who came to the urinary clinic of Homs Military Hospital in the period of 10 January to 10 March, 2023. We used International Prostate Symptom Score to assess the urinary symptoms, and we used The US National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel criteria to define the metabolic syndrome Results: The final sample size was 426 patients. The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 46.2%. Patients with metabolic syndrome had higher International Prostate Symptom Score compared to patients without metabolic syndrome (21 vs 18, P<0.001), and 59.3% of patients with metabolic syndrome suffered from severe symptoms compared to 36.2% of patients without metabolic syndrome who suffered from severe lower urinary tract symptoms (P<0.001). There was a positive association between (waist circumference, diabetes, triglycerides) (P < 0.001), HDL (P=0.014) and higher International Prostate Symptom Score. However, there was no statistically significant association between blood pressure and International Prostate Symptom Score (P=0.879). Conclusion: Our results showed that patients with metabolic syndrome had a higher International Prostate Symptom Score. This idea should be used to design a new benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms treatment.