Risk stratification for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) represents an important public health problem in ageing men due to frequently associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which may impair quality of life. BPH is also a progressive disease, mainly characterized by a worsening of LUTS over time, and in some patients by the occurrence of serious outcomes such as acute urinary retention and need for BPH-related surgery. The management of BPH and LUTS in men should move forward its focus on symptom control only. Indeed, the goals of therapy for BPH are not only to improve bothersome LUTS but also to identify those patients at risk of unfavourable outcomes in order to optimize their management and reduce complications. Risk stratification and tailored treatment should improve the reductions in both symptoms and the long-term consequences of BPH and BPH treatments. To do this, clinicians need to know possible factors that may support the develop of PBH and possible risks due to the BPH itself.