Epidemiology of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Comorbidities in Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations

In the United States, research into the etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and the incidence and treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in racial/ethnic minority patients is just beginning, despite a high incidence of both conditions in these populations. The relative risks for the development of BPH and commonly comorbid conditions in African Americans and Latinos may be increased compared with the white majority population. This heightened risk may be attributable to factors such as autonomic hyperactivity and metabolic abnormalities, which appear at a higher rate in African Americans and Latinos. Differences in genetic factors related to androgen receptor CAG repeats, the androgen signaling pathway, and in the cellular composition of the prostate also contribute to racial/ethnic differences in the incidence of clinical BPH and LUTS. Despite the disproportionately high rates of BPH-associated risk factors and comorbidities associated with the condition, a large proportion of minority patients with BPH and LUTS are undiagnosed and untreated. Expanding the information base on BPH and LUTS in minority patients may help to narrow existing ethnic/racial disparities in treatment and to reduce the impact of LUTS on the quality of life of these patients.