Diagnostic and therapeutic status of benign prostatic hyperplasia outpatients at department of geriatrics in China

To assess the diagnostic and therapeutic modality preferences of physician implementation of the Chinese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) for geriatric BPH patients. This cross-sectional survey was conducted at 33 medical centers located in 11 different cities in China (4 in north; 7 in south). A total of 190 physicians were requested to record their preferences in diagnostic tests and treatment options for elderly BPH cases. The physician response rate was 97.4%. Respondents generally selected those practices consistent with the guidelines, but their preferences for recommended tests varied. The use of medical history, ultrasonography and urinalysis was higher (> 90.0%) and that of uroflowmetry was lower (31.2%). In addition, the rate of use of recommended tests was higher among physicians in the north than those in the south. Drug therapy was the preferred treatment option. The proportion of drug treatment increased with the severity of symptoms in elder patients. In the south, the proportion of drug treatment in severe cases increased to 82.6% versus 61.9% in mild cases. In the north, the proportion of rug treatment in severe cases increased to 83.5% versus 54.6% in mild cases. This study provides insights into the physician preferences of diagnosis and treatment. The physicians generally comply with the BPH clinical practice guidelines. It may also serve as a practical reference for updating and improving the Chinese Clinical Practice Guidelines for BPH.