Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Measures of Benign Prostate Enlargement in an Apparently Normal Nigerian Population

Abstract

Majority of the studies on the relationship of body mass index, prostate specific antigen, prostate volume and international prostate symptoms score IPSS) in the medical literature were conducted in symptomatic subjects. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between these variables in apparently normal Nigerian population. This was a prospective cross-sectional study of adult male subjects, forty years and above with no prior history of lower urinary tract symptoms or history suggestive of prostatic disease or surgery who presented voluntarily for screening during a public enlightenment lecture on prostate disease. Digital rectal examination (DRE) findings, Body mass index, prostate specific antigen prostate volume and international prostate symptoms score were determined. Subjects with suspicious findings on DRE or PSAof more than 10ng/ml were excluded from the analysis. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant on statistical analysis. The age distribution of the participants was 41 -66years with a mean of 50+/4.9sd. Majority of them were in the 4th decade of life. The body mass index of the majority of the studied group showed a range of 18.5-24.9 (n=43s, 66.1%). The mean total prostate specific antigen [PSA] of the participants was 1.98+/1.21sd with a range of 0.00-8ng/ml.. All the participants had an IPSS of 0-7. Correlation analysis among variables revealed only statically significant correlation between BMI & prostate volume and IPSS &quality of life There was significant relationship only between body mass index and prostate volume & IPSS and quality of life index. Weight reduction in an obese individual may slow than prostate enlargement and the possibility of reduction in the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (IPSS).