Results of an epidemiological survey using a modified American Urological Association symptom index for benign prostatic hyperplasia in France.

The prevalence of urinary symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia was studied in a community-based, nationwide, representative sample of 2,011 French men 50 to 80 years old. Symptoms were assessed by the American Urological Association symptom index. After exclusion of patients with prostate cancer, 6.9% of the subjects reported having undergone prostate surgery. Among the surgery-free subjects, nocturia and repeat voiding within 2 hours were the most prevalent symptoms. Based on the American Urological Association symptom index, 18.8% of the men were considered free of urinary symptoms, and 67%, 13% and 1.2%, respectively, ranked between 1 and 7, 8 and 19, and 20 or more. The proportion of men scoring greater than 7 approximately doubled with each decade of age. Our estimation indicated that in 1992 approximately 1.14 million French men had moderate to severe urinary symptoms that were likely to be associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Previous studies had yielded higher prevalence estimates, probably due to differences in sampling design and diagnostic criteria.