• Francesc Bobé Armant, M Eugenia Buil Arasanz, Ana Isabel Allué Buil, Amàlia Morro Grau, Mónica Maxenchs Esteban, and Montserrat Gens Barberà.
• EAP Tárraco. Institut Català de la Salut. Tarragona. España. elsmua@comt.es
• Aten Primaria. 2006 Oct 31; 38 (7): 387391387-91.

ObjectiveTo relate the symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) to their repercussions on quality of life.DesignMulti-centred, observational, prospective study.SettingPrimary care.ParticipantsMen with BPH in 2000-2003. Inclusion criteria were: agreeing to take part, being aged 50-79, and having moderate symptoms evaluated by means of the IPSS questionnaire.Exclusion CriteriaPrevious treatment for BPH and having a chronic or disabling illness that might affect perception of quality of life. The presence of irritative and obstructive symptoms was appraised.Main MeasurementsThe IPSS questionnaire appraising predominant symptoms and, through the last question, quality of life was self-administered. Descriptive statistics were worked out and differences in proportions of the different groups were analysed by the chi2 test, with differences taken as significant at P < .05.ResultsWe got 536 replies, with average age 66.2. Nycturia was the most common symptom, suffered by 88.1% of patients. A total of 256 patients (47.8%) had irritation as main clinical symptom, and 280 (52.2%), obstruction. On analysing repercussions on quality of life, it was found that obstructive symptoms were worse tolerated: 65.7% versus 9.4% of the group with irritation.ConclusionsIn treating BPH, we must bear in mind preferences of patients. They tolerate obstructive symptoms worse, and these are a criterion for referral to specialists and even surgery.

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