OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between varicocele and benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms in patients over the age of 40 years.
METHODS: A total of 1040 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated for prostate volume, testicular volume, testicular consistency, total testosterone, total prostate-specific antigen and body mass index. A questionnaire including International Prostate Symptom Score and a uroflow test were also carried out. The presence and grade of varicocele was determined in each patient by physical examination.
RESULTS: Varicocele was found bilaterally in 22.3% and unilaterally in 25.7% of the patients. There was no difference in terms of age and body mass index distribution between subgroups. When grouping patients for varicocele laterality, total testosterone (P = 0.04), prostate volume (P = 0.009) and total prostate-specific antigen (P = 0.02) level were significantly different. Similarly, these parameters were significant between patients with grade 1, 2 and 3 varicocele. Total testosterone level (P = 0.02) and prostate volume (P = 0.035) were found to be significantly different when patients were grouped according to testicular size. A positive correlation was found between testosterone level and prostate volume (P = 0.004; r2 = 0.084).
CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral and/or higher-grade varicocele is associated with lower prostate volume and testosterone levels, as well as lower prostate-specific antigen levels. However, it is not associated with dynamic components of benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms in patients over the age of 40 years.
Written by:
Otunctemur A, Ozbek E, Besiroglu H, Dursun M, Sahin S, Koklu I, Erkoc M, Danis E, Bozkurt M, Gurbuz A. Are you the author?
Department of Urology, Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Reference: Int J Urol. 2014 Jul 23. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1111/iju.12583
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25056570