PREVALENCE OF PROSTATISM IN JAPANESE MEN IN A COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY WITH COMPARISON TO A SIMILAR AMERICAN STUDY

Purpose: We estimate the prevalence of urinary symptoms in Japanese me n. Materials and Methods: A total of 289 eligible residents 40 to 79 y ears old completed a questionnaire with questions worded similarly to those of the international prostate symptom score (response rate 42%). Results: The ratio of moderate-to-severe symptoms was 41%, 29%, 31% a nd 56% for each age decade from ages 40 to 79 years, respectively, aft er adjusting for nonresponse. Within each age decade the median intern ational prostatic symptom score was higher for Japanese men than for U nited States men with little difference in rates of increase with part icipant age or bother. Conclusion: Lower urinary tract symptoms were c ommon in Japanese men, viith age-related increases similar to those of United States men.