Impact of Metabolic Syndrome on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Elderly Chinese Men

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in elderly Chinese men. Methods: A total of 401 elderly BPH patients were divided into the without or with MetS group to assess the associations of MetS and components of MetS with BPH. Urologic evaluation included prostate volume, International Prostate Symptom Score, serum prostate-specific antigen, duration of concomitant lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and maximum flow rate. Results: Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, triglyceride, fasting insulin (FINS), insulin resistance assessed by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) were greater and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was lower in BPH patients with MetS than in those without MetS. The patients with MetS showed a significantly larger prostate volume (p = 0.000) and longer duration of LUTS (p = 0.006) than those without MetS. Prostate volume was positively correlated with BMI (p = 0.000), FINS (p = 0.001), HOMA-IR (p = 0.003) and inversely correlated with HDL-C (p = 0.000). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that prostate volume was significantly correlated with HOMA-IR (p = 0.015). Conclusions: Our results suggest that MetS, BMI, low HDL-C level, increased serum insulin and especially insulin resistance are considered risk factors for prostate enlargement in elderly Chinese men.