The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58228

Aruna V. Sarma, PhD¹, Julie C. McLaughlin, MS, MPH¹, Steven J Jacobsen, MD, MPH², William A. Blumentals, PhD³, Paul Dolin, PhD³, Rodney Dunn, MS¹, Kathleen A. Cooney, MD¹, James E. Montie, MD⁴, David Schottenfeld, MD⁵, and John T. Wei, MD⁶. (1) Urology, University of Michigan, 1016 Women's Trailer, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (2) Clinical Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, (3) GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, 1250 South Collegeville Road, UP 4305, Collegeville, PA 19426, (4) Urology Surgery, University of Michigan, 2916 TC, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (5) Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Michigan, 109 S. Observatory, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, (6) Department of Surgery/Urology, The University of Michigan, 2916 Taubman Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0330

Introduction: Population-based studies of prostatism and longitudinal data regarding changes in lower urinary tract symptom severity among African-American men have been limited. This is the first population-based longitudinal study that examines the progression of lower urinary tract symptoms in a cohort of African-American men aged 40-79. Methods: In 1996, a probability sample of 369 African American men, aged 40-79, residing in Genesee County, Michigan without a prior history of prostate cancer/surgery participated in a prostate cancer screening protocol. This included a detailed in-home epidemiologic interview, completion of the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI), measurement of serum total PSA, and a comprehensive urological examination, which included uroflowmetry, digital rectal examination, and transrectal ultrasound. Four years after baseline, in 2000, 182 men were re-contacted and completed the study protocol at follow-up. Results: The mean and standard deviation AUASI at baseline and follow-up were 7.3 (6.5) and 7.4(6.8), respectively. Although overall there was no significant change in the mean AUASI over the fours years of follow-up (-0.07; SD=6.1; p=0.7), the average symptom score slope and variability in slope increased with patient age at baseline from a mean of -0.43 (4.9) among men in the forties to 1.30 (6.3) among men in their seventies. Of the 99 (54.4%) men who reported mild to no symptoms (AUASI = 7) at baseline, 27 (27.3%) reported moderate to severe symptoms (AUASI = 8) at follow-up. Conclusion: We found a significant percentage of African-American men demonstrated a measurable progression in urinary symptom severity over time.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe identification of lower urinary tract symptoms and assess their severity over time.

Keywords: Aging, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.