Metabolic syndrome in the etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is a growing health burden in the world and Turkish population, affecting the length and the quality of life. Although it involves some interrelated metabolic abnormalities like central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, insulin resistance and following hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance; insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are the basic components of its patho-physiology. Recently the relationship between the metabolic syndrome, benign prostatic hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms has been announced with research and clinical studies. The main factors in this relationship can be summarized as; insulin like growth factor activity, sympathic nervous system activity and increase in smooth muscle tone, nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase activity and Rho kinase activity. The aim of this paper is to summarise the important articles about this topic explaining the patho-physiology.