ASSOCIATION OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA WITH MALE PATTERN BALDNESS

Objectives. Both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and male pattern b aldness (androgenic alopecia) share the pathogenesis of an androgen-de pendent disorder and afflict a large population of elderly men with ch ronobiologic progress. However, it is unclear whether these diseases a re related epidemiologically. We evaluated the association of frequenc y and severity of male pattern baldness between patients with BPH and a control group. Methods. A total of 225 patients with BPH (mean age 6 9.3 +/- 6.5 years) and 160 controls (mean age 68.5 +/- 6.4 years), all over 60 years of age, were included in this study. The estimation of baldness severity was based on Norwood's classification (grade I to VI I). The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and genetic tenden cy for baldness were also evaluated. The difference between IPSS and g rade of baldness between the two groups was analyzed by the Mann-Whitn ey test and the frequency of inherited baldness was compared by the ch i-square test. Correlation between severity of baldness and IPSS in ea ch group was estimated by Spearman's rank correlation method. Results. The patients with BPH had an apparently higher grade of male pattern baldness in comparison with that of controls (median value of grade IV versus III, P <0.001). The proportion of men with male pattern baldne ss of grade IV or higher in the BPH group was significantly larger tha n that of controls (53.8% versus 36.9%, P <0.01). There was a greater frequency of inherited baldness in the BPH group than in the controls (31.6% versus 12.5%, P <0.001). No significant correlation was noted b etween baldness severity and IPSS in either group. Conclusions. This s tudy demonstrates a strong association of BPH with male pattern baldne ss. (C) 1998, Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.