Relationship between Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and International Prostatic Symptom Score

study, ABSTRACT Benign prostatic hyperplasia is the most common prostatic pathology and its incidence has accelerated recently Symptom Score (IPSS) is based on seven questions and their answers concerning urinary symptoms [7]. Data Selection: Literature published during 2008-2014 were selected for review from cross-sectional and cohort studies. Data Extraction: Data was collected and assembled from NCBI, Google Scholar, journals of Radiology and Urology. Conclusion: The accurate assessment of LUTS plays a pivotal role in the interpretation of benign prostatic hyperplasia therefore, the authenticity of symptom scores is crucially important. International prostatic symptom score is the paradigm questionnaire for subjective evaluation of symptoms of the lower urinary tract [8]. The IPSS and IPSS quality of life (QoL) questionnaire can be an important tool for the diagnosis of BPH.


INTRODUCTION
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has been a major health problem for aging males because of its related symptoms and complications. Although it is not a life threatening condition, BPH has an adverse effect on a patient's quality of life, as manifested in community and clinical trials [9].
LUTS associated with BPH usually affects 45% of males in their 50s, and 80% of males are affected by LUTS in their 70s [4]. According to another study, it has been computed that BPH affects approximately 50% of males at 60 years of age and 80% of males at 80 years [10]. Generally it causes no sign or symptom, but in some cases it causes LUTS which interferes with the quality of life [11]. BPH affected about 210 million men globally in 2010 and it is estimated that 612 million men will have BPH in 2018 [12] because prostatic enlargement is believed to begin at 30 years of age. The prostate gland enlarges in most males as they grow older. In the Boston Health Community Survey, prevalence of urinary symptoms heightened from 8% of males in 30-39 years age group to 35% of males in 60-69 years age group [13]. In Rancho Bernado Cohort Studies, 56% of males in 50-79 years of age,70% of males in 80-89 years of age and 90% of males in 90 years of age have lower urinary tract symptoms [14,15]. Proscar Safety Plus Efficacy Canadian Trial (PROSPECT) and Proscar Worldwide Efficacy and Safety Study (PROWESS) found out that males having enlarged prostate glands have the potential of developing acute urinary retention over 2 years [16].
Benign prostatic hyperplasia produces chronic and progressive symptoms of the lower urinary tract [17]. In order to evaluate the severity of symptoms, several scoring symptoms have been devised and among these International Prostatic Symptom Score is accepted worldwide by urologists [18].

BENIGN PROSTATIC ENLARGEMENT (BPE)
Benign prostatic enlargement is the most common etiology of lower urinary tract symptoms

OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE PARAMETERS OF BPH
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is diagnosed on the basis of objective and subjective parameters (24) .

INTERNATIONAL PROSTATIC SYMPTOM SCORE (IPSS)
International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) is a questionnaire designed to provide a symptom score for prostatic diseases such as prostatic cancer, prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia [27]. IPSS is used universally in clinical research and practice as a measure of severity of symptoms of the lower urinary tract in males [

IPSS QUALITY OF LIFE (QoL) OR BOTHER QUESTION (BQ)
One additional quality of life (QoL) question which is the eighth question of IPSS has scores from 0-6.QoL question states that : "If you were to spend the rest of your life with your urinary condition just the way it is now, how you would feel about this condition?". The scores range 0(delighted), 1 (pleased), 2 mostly satisfied), 3(mixed), 4 (mostly dissatisfied), 5 (unhappy),6 (terrible) [32].  Van  In populations with lower literacy rate, varying language and cultural diversity ,VPSS may be preferred .Studies conducted in Korea and Africa found out that patients can complete VPSS without any assistance [39]. A study conducted in Indonesia showed that VPSS significantly correlated with IPSS [40].

APPLICABILITY OF IPSS
The symptoms of BPH interfere with quality of life and affect patient's health status. Therefore, a reliable and consistent measure is a key factor for evaluation of these patients. 4. IPSS can also be used for following a patient's treatment response after preimplant brachytherapy [43]. 5. IPSS can be used routinely in management of patients of BPH [44].

DISCUSSION
BPH is a common and major health problem in males worldwide. The incidence and prevalence of BPH increases with age. Therefore, it is expected that the incidence and prevalence of BPH will increase with the aging world population.
Increasing cost of treatment and morbidity related to frequent prostatectomies have lead to a search for tools for better evaluation of LUTS.
A review of the literature shows that the IPSS is a simple, practical and reliable method to both diagnose BPH, assess its severity and select the appropriate treatment in a given patient. This is supported by numerous studies performed worldwide.
A study was done in Nigeria [41] to determine the value of IPSS in the management of patients with BPH. Using pretreatment IPSS, patients were divided into 3 groups: mild, moderate and severe symptom groups. Patients with mild symptoms were treated with watchful waiting as a mode of management. The moderate symptom group received doxazosin (α-blocker) & antimuscuranics, while the severe symptom group were treated by prostatectomy .A post treatment IPSS/QoL questionnaire was administered 3 months later. There was major improvement in IPSS score in moderate and severe symptom patient groups at 3 months posttreatment. Positive predictive value (PPV) of post treatment symptom improvement was found out to be 87% for severe group and 52% for moderate group as measured by IPSS/QoL [41]. The study concluded that IPSS is a valuable tool in management of patients with BPH. The treatment modalities used in this study have been studied with similar results in other studies.
Review of the literature suggests that emphasis should be given to the presence of severe symptoms as assessed by IPSS, poor quality of life and a large prostate and then appropriate therapy should be designed to treat patients medically or surgically .Therefore this should lead to a decrease in surgical intervention and related morbidity and cost. A large number of patients with mild or moderate disease will be managed successfully by medical treatment.
The study of Tsukamato T et al.
[31] emphasizes the dynamic component of BPH with a focus on symptoms rather than on enlargement of the prostate gland itself which has led to a shift from surgery to medical treatment. Similarly, a Chinese survey (30) found positive correlation of IPSS with BPH related objective parameters such as peak flow rate, prostate volume and PSA.
It is suggested by numerous studies that IPSS can be used for the interpretation of symptoms of BPH. Recently a study conducted in the Shanghai population [1] found that Transitional zone volume and length in BPH patients aged 40-70 years correlated positively with IPSS indicating the usefulness of IPSS in the evaluation of BPH. Another study done in Finland [45] using IPSS as the evaluating tool found that nocturia, a symptom of BPH, is the most prevalent symptom in the IPSS questionnaire and has the greatest negative impact on QoL in Finlanders. The Taiwanese study of Chute et al. [46] found that incomplete emptying, intermittency ,urgency, weak stream and nocturia are strongly correlated with prostate volume and age. Lee et al. [46] from Korea concluded in their study that nocturia and weak stream were the most prevalent BPH related symptoms and urgency had lowest prevalence. A Turkish study [47] suggests that nocturia and incomplete emptying significantly increases with age. Naceyet et al. [48] report that the prevalence of BPH in Newzealanders and Canadians using IPSS was 23%.Prevalence of BPH in USA, Japan and UK as determined by IPSS was 44% in their population. It follows therefore, that IPSS can be used to both detect and determine severity of BPH in order to select the most appropriate treatment.
Another aspect of BPH needs consideration. A study done in Nepal demonstrated no correlation between IPSS and prostate volume [18]. The small (fibrous) prostate or trapped prostate is simply the end result of double obstruction i.e dyssnergic bladder neck obstruction and with minor degrees of prostate enlargement. When the middle lobe of prostate enlarges it expands and gets trap by a tight bladder neck with high probabibilty of dssynergic bladder neck which burrows under it [49]. Therefore ,some patients with long standing severe obstructing and voiding symptoms usually have a small prostate volume and the lower urinary tract obstruction may coexist with a small prostate [18]. It must also be added that symptoms and bladder outlet obstruction are determined by many of such factors and not only by prostate volume alone. Other researchers have found that prostate volume should not be considered alone, it is the symptoms of poor quality of life that should be treated along with large prostate volume. In other words both symptoms and prostate volume are important .Prostate volume can be determined easily by non-invasive methods such as transabdominal sonography. Determination of prostate volume is helpful in several ways. It helps to decide upon appropriate therapy and may assist in the interpretation of serum PSA levels for the presence of prostate cancer or BPH.A number of treatment options, medical or surgical are available to rectify lower urinary tract symptoms in the BPH patient . [50].
It is pertinent to add that the prevalence of BPH in men aged 65 and over was found to be higher after assessment from IPSS score. The reason could be that elderly men suffering from BPH related symptoms never consulted urologists or other clinicians for their complaints and thought that these symptoms were age related and part of normal aging process and were untreatable [46]. Nevertheless, this factor underscores the fact that IPSS is a valuable tool in the evaluation of LUTS.
Majority of men aged 60 to 80 years with BPH have cognitive impairment, therefore VPSS may be preferred in these patients. The only drawback of VPSS questionnaire is that it does not cover all the symptoms of LUTS as are assessed by IPSS. [40] A Multinational survey of the aging male (51) [52]. Additionally, Bosch et al. [51] in their study concluded statistically significant and positive correlation between IPSS and QoL score.

CONCLUSION
From the review of literature, it can be confidently summarized that IPSS may be used as a diagnostic tool for interpretation of symptoms of BPH. It can also be used to formulate treatment strategies in men with LUTS/BPH [53].
Various studies have shown a strong positive correlation of IPSS,IPSS BQ (bother question) with BPH [33].
IPSS questionnaire can clearly identify the symptoms and their severity due to BPH [54]. It has also been shown that the correlation of prostate volume with IPSS plays a significant role in diagnosing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
The bothersomeness of symptoms and impact of benign prostatic hyperplasia on the essence of life is the essential inference of patients seeking treatment for BPH [55]. Therefore, there exists a strong relationship between BPH and IPSS.

FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
Language is one of the main obstacle in completing IPSS. In a country with limited education and low literacy rate, it is recommended that translation of IPSS in mother tongue of the population is essential. This will enable clinicians and patients to take advantage and benefits from IPSS, 1. IPSS should be translated into major language spoken by the population and the questionnaire should also be validated by research work done in this perspective. 2. IPSS should be used for further improving patient management with BPH. 3. IPSS should be considered for comparing different management modalities.

CONSENT
It is not applicable.

ETHICAL APPROVAL
It is not applicable.