Relationship between prostate volume, age and body mass index among patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia in the Niger Delta region, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in African men. Several reports have shown a significant relationship between prostate volume (PV), age and body mass index (BMI) in men with BPH. However, there is a dearth of literature on this subject relating to Nigeria, especially the Niger Delta region. This study, therefore, seeks to ascertain the correlation between PV, age and BMI of men with BPH.

Methods: This prospective, observational hospital-based study was carried out at our health facility between November 2017 and October 2018. Eighty (80) patients participated in this study and were recruited at first contact in the urology clinic. Each patient’s height and weight were measured and blood was taken for serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) estimation. The PV was estimated by a transrectal ultrasound scan (TRUS). Patients with PSA values greater than 4 ng/ml had a TRUS biopsy of the prostate done to rule out malignancy. A standardised form was used to collect the patients’ relevant information. Data were entered and analysed using Statistical Programming for Social Sciences version 22 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, United States). For all statistical tests, p < 0.05 was regarded as significant.

Results: The mean age of the participants in this study was 68.12 years while the mean PV was 87.9 ml with a range of 34–234 ml. The mean BMI was 24.6 kg/m² with a range of 17.8–31.4 kg/m².  There was no correlation between PV and patients’ age (p = 0.345) or between PV and patients’ BMI (p = 0.410).

Conclusion: There is no statistically significant correlation between PV, patients’ age and BMI in this study. However, the equations and models generated from this study can facilitate further studies on prostate growth and may enhance the early diagnosis of BPH.