Pathophysiological relationships between lower urinary tract symptoms and the prostate do not strengthen over time

BACKGROUND. The aim of this survey was to examine the relationships among baseline prostate gland volume and changes in urinary symptomatology 3 years later. METHODS. A Scottish community-based cohort of 193 men aged 40-79 years who had prostate volume measured by transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) were followed-up at 3 years. RESULTS. Only baseline nocturia correlated with prostate volume (r = 0.202, P = 0.0057), although some relationships existed for the antero-posterior dimension of the prostate gland. More statistically significant relationships were evident for adenoma volume rather than prostate volume, but they still had relatively low correlations (range, 0.19-0.31). CONCLUSIONS. This study demonstrates the lack of relationships between prostate gland variables and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Those relationships that are statistically significant (at the P < 0.01 level) are weak, and only explain at most 9% of the total variation of prostate or adenoma volume or their dimensions.