The association between anogenital distance and benign prostatic hyperplasia related lower urinary tract symptoms in Chinese aging men

Digit Length Ratio as an Indicator of Fetal Androgen Levels: Relationship to Prostate Volume-Related Men Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the 2nd and 4th digit ratios, which are associated with fetal androgen exposure, and prostate volume and testosterone levels, both of which are linked to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

METHODS

Male patients presenting to our urology clinic with increased prostate volume and LUTS were categorized into two groups: those with BPH and those without (non-BPH). For both groups, the right-hand 2D:4D finger ratio, testosterone levels, prostate volume, uroflow parameters, and IPSS scores were recorded.

RESULTS

The 2D:4D ratio, prostate volumes, Qmax, and IPSS scores differed significantly between the BPH and non-BPH groups (p = 0.023, 0.002, 0.000, 0.001). No significant difference was observed in total testosterone levels between the groups (p = 0.381). The 2D:4D ratio was negatively correlated with prostate volume and IPSS (r = -0.389, -0.308) and positively correlated with Qmax (r = 0.301).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that the 2D:4D ratio is a straightforward and effective tool for assessing BPH patients, as it correlates with the severity of LUTS symptoms. This non-invasive measure offers potential value in evaluating LUTS, and with age standardization, it could be applied more broadly across age groups. Further large-scale studies are needed to refine its standardization and expand upon current findings.

Anogenital distance and the risk of Late-onset hypogonadism

OBJECTIVE

to investigate the association between anogenital distance (AGD) and the risk of Late-onset Hypogonadism (LOH).

METHODS

We prospectively recruited 145 consecutive patients referred for transrectal prostate biopsy due to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) elevation or abnormal digital rectal examination, between September 2019 and December 2021. Two variants of AGD, anus to scrotum base (AGDas) and anus to dorsal insertion of penis (AGDap) were measured. Serum total testosterone levels in fasting conditions between 07.00 and 11.00 h were determined. Patients filled out the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale questionnaire.

RESULTS

LOH was diagnosed in 29% of the participants and presented both AGDs shorter than men without LOH, with an AGDap of 116.09 mm (9.02 mm) versus 128.71 (10.76), and an AGDas 29.70 (8.01) versus 39.93 (11.64); both p < 0.05. ANCOVA test showed a significant association between the presence of LOH and both AGD measurements. Besides, AGD measurements presented adequate accuracy for the diagnosis of LOH.

CONCLUSIONS

This work adds to the scientific evidence that AGD-a biomarker of fetal exposure-could provide a non-invasive measure to address LOH, providing a potential useful clinical tool.

Exploring the association between caffeine intake and benign prostatic hyperplasia: results from the NHANES 2005-2008

Background

Coffee is a physiologically active food component prevalent throughout the world, but the association between caffeine intake and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has been limited in extensive epidemiological studies.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the association between caffeine intake and BPH in adults in the United States using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2008. Caffeine intake (mg/day) was evaluated based on a 24-h dietary recall. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the independent relationship between caffeine intake and BPH, and the results are presented as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), subgroup analysis was also performed.

Results

A total of 2,374 participants were analyzed. After fully adjusting for potential confounders, logistic regression analysis revealed that higher caffeine intake was associated with a greater risk of BPH (ORT3vs1 = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.01-2.27; p = 0.04). In addition, this relationship was consistently observed across different subgroups, including individuals with lower education levels, a poverty income ratio (PIR) of 1.5 to 3.5, former smokers, married/living with partner individuals, those with uric acid levels of 5.5 to 6.5 mg/dL, those with hypertension, and those without cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Conclusion

This study is the first to find a positive correlation between caffeine intake and BPH, but further research is needed to determine the exact causal relationship between these factors.

Association between dietary niacin intake and benign prostatic hyperplasia: a population-based results from NHANES 2003-2008

PURPOSE

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) commonly impacts the quality of life in older men. However, there is lack of research on relationship between dietary niacin intake and the risk of BPH. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between dietary niacin intake and the risk of BPH.

METHODS

Data from the NHANES spanning 2003 to 2008 were utilized. BPH was determined using a self-report questionnaire, while dietary niacin intake was calculated based on the mean of two distinct diet interviews. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to explore the association, supplemented with restricted cubic splines and subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 700 males were enrolled, of which 653 men had BPH. After adjusting for all covariates, a high dietary intake of niacin was associated with an increased risk of BPH (OR: 1.04; 95%CI: 1.01-1.07). Furthermore, when the lowest dietary niacin intake is used as the reference, the highest tertile is associated with an increased risk of BPH (OR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.24-4,42). Restricted cubic splines demonstrated a positive correlation between dietary niacin intake and BPH risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The study results demonstrated a positive association between dietary niacin intake and the risk of BPH in elderly men in the US. These findings underscore the importance of systematic assessment before supplementing micronutrients in elderly men.

Association of serum uric acid levels with benign prostatic hyperplasia in US men: results from NHANES 2005-2008

BACKGROUND

The relationship between uric acid (UA) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is controversial and has rarely been studied in American populations.

METHODS

Data from two cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, comprising data from 2005 to 2008, were used. The majority of BPH were identified by self-report. We investigated the relationship between UA and BPH using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

2,845 participants were enrolled in the study, including 531 participants with BPH and 2,314 controls. After fully adjusting for all confounders, the risk of developing BPH was reduced by 18% for every 100 μmol/L increase in UA (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.69-0.97, p = 0.023). Participants in the highest quartile of UA were found to have a reduced likelihood of developing BPH (ORQ4vs1 = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.41-0.91) in comparison to those in the lowest quartile of UA. Subgroup analyses found that among those younger than 60 years, non-Hispanic whites, former smokers, heavy drinkers, those without diabetes, or those with hypertension, high UA remained negatively associated with BPH.

CONCLUSIONS

The above results suggest that UA may be a potential protective factor for BPH, but the mechanism needs to be further explored.

The inhibition of CFTR in the descended testis of SD rats with unilateral cryptorchidism induced by di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a kind of environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs), which has been confirmed to cause serious consequences, such as cryptorchidism. Patients with unilateral cryptorchidism still had oligospermia or infertility even if they received orchidopexy before puberty. Testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS) attributes this kind of problems to the abnormal testicular development during the embryonic period, and considers that the environmental exposure factors during pregnancy play a major role. Therefore, for unilateral cryptorchidism, even if one testicle has dropped to scrotum, it may be exposed to these substances and cause damage. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conduction regulator (CFTR) is very important for the maturation of male reproductive system. Previously, cryptorchidism was thought to cause abnormal expression of heat sensitive protein CFTR in testis, but the expression of CFTR in healthy side (descended side) testis was not clear. In this study, we established SD rats with unilateral cryptorchidism by exposure to DEHP (500 mg/kg/day) during pregnancy, and detected the expression of CFTR and downstream signal NF-κB/COX-2/PGE2 in bilateral testis. Finally, we found that the expression of CFTR and downstream signal NF-κB/COX-2/PGE2 in the undescended testis was significantly abnormal, but the expression of them in the descended testis was also abnormal to some extent. Therefore, we speculate that in addition to high temperature will affect the expression of CFTR, there may be other factors that cause abnormal expression of CFTR induced by DEHP, and lead to abnormal male reproductive function eventually, but the specific mechanism needs to be further studied.