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Diabetes and benign prostatic hyperplasia: Emerging clinical connections

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Current Prostate Reports

Abstract

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are highly prevalent in older men and represent a substantial challenge to public health. Increasing epidemiologic evidence suggests that diabetes significantly increases the risks of BPH and LUTS. Plausible pathophysiologic mechanisms to potentially explain these associations include increased sympathetic tone, stimulation of prostate growth by insulin and related trophic factors, alterations in sex steroid hormone expression, and induction of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of clinical and epidemiologic research on diabetes and BPH/LUTS, describes hypothesized pathophysiologic mechanisms linking these conditions, and recommends future directions for research and clinical care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Urology and Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Room 1025, Michigan House, 2301 Commonwealth Boulevard, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA

    Aruna V. Sarma

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  1. Aruna V. Sarma
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  2. J. Kellogg Parsons
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Correspondence to Aruna V. Sarma.

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Sarma, A.V., Parsons, J.K. Diabetes and benign prostatic hyperplasia: Emerging clinical connections. Curr prostate rep 7, 157–165 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11918-009-0022-x

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