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The Role of Phenotyping in Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

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Abstract

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a chronic pain syndrome identified by the presence of noninfectious pelvic or perineal pain lasting longer than 3 months. Current diagnoses and treatments for the syndrome solely depend on and target symptoms, respectively. Thus far, the mechanistic disturbances responsible for the pathogenesis of CP/CPPS have remained largely elusive and treatments, and therefore, continue to be ineffective. To move toward successful management and treatment of CP/CPPS, it is necessary to elicit the underlying biological mechanisms responsible for the syndrome. Therefore, a phenotyping system that is able to bridge the gap between current symptom-based diagnosis and future mechanistic approaches to diagnosis and treatment is needed. In this article, we examine current CP/CPPS phenotyping systems, analyze their utility, and make suggestions for changes in clinical approaches to the syndrome that would both promulgate a mechanistic understanding and advance treatment approaches.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Brandon A. Mahal, Jeffrey M. Cohen, Stephen A. Allsop, John B. Moore, Salman F. Bhai & Jordan D. Dimitrakoff

  2. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Kirstein 316, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Brandon A. Mahal, Jeffrey M. Cohen, Stephen A. Allsop, John B. Moore, Salman F. Bhai, Gino Inverso & Jordan D. Dimitrakoff

  3. Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Gino Inverso

Authors
  1. Brandon A. Mahal
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  2. Jeffrey M. Cohen
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  3. Stephen A. Allsop
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  4. John B. Moore
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  5. Salman F. Bhai
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  6. Gino Inverso
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  7. Jordan D. Dimitrakoff
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jordan D. Dimitrakoff.

Additional information

Brandon Mahal and Jeffrey Cohen contributed equally to this work.

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Mahal, B.A., Cohen, J.M., Allsop, S.A. et al. The Role of Phenotyping in Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. Curr Urol Rep 12, 297–303 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-011-0196-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-011-0196-y

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