Optimal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level for decreasing benign prostatic hyperplasia in men not taking statin medication: A historical cohort study

Tissue immunoexpression of IL-6 and IL-18 in aging men with BPH and MetS and their relationship with lipid parameters and gut microbiota-derived short chain fatty acids

Recent studies indicate that inflammation is one of the causes of the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Inflammation may result from past infections, metabolic disorders, but also from the state of functioning of the intestinal microbiota. The aim of the study was to assess whether the diagnostic lipid parameters for metabolic syndrome and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are related to the immunoexpression of interleukins in prostate tissue with benign hyperplasia. The study involved 103 men with BPH, who were divided into two groups depending on the presence of MetS. We analysed tissue immunoexpression of two proinflammatory interleukins: IL-6, which is known to be involved in the development of BPH, and IL-18, which has not been analysed so far. The results of our study indicate that men with BPH + MetS in the stroma of the prostate have a significantly higher overall percentage of IL-6+ cells compared to men without MetS (p = 0.034). The analysis of IL-18 immunoexpression in prostate tissue indicated that in men with BPH + MetS, the glandular part of the prostate had a significantly higher percentage of cells with strong IL-18 expression (p = 0.040). We also noticed a relationship between tissue expression of IL-6 and IL-18 and lipid parameters (TG and HDL). We conclude that lipid disorders occurring in men with BPH increase inflammation in the prostate gland. Moreover, it has also been demonstrated for the first time that, indirectly, through SCFAs, the gut microbiota can act to prevent or create an inflammatory microenvironment in the prostate gland.

Genetically elevated bioavailable testosterone level was associated with the occurrence of benign prostatic hyperplasia

BACKGROUND

Recent studies identified several risk factors of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), including dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity. But they were not so reliable and some studies contradicted with one another. Hence, a reliable method is urgently needed to explore exact factors that facilitated BPH development.

METHODS

The study was based on Mendelian randomization (MR) design. All participants were from the most recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with large sample size. The causal associations between nine phenotypes (total testosterone level, bioavailable testosterone level, sex hormone-binding globulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyper-tension, and body mass index) and BPH outcome were estimated. Two sample MR, bidirectional MR, and multivariate MR (MVMR) were performed.

RESULTS

Increase in bioavailable testosterone level was able to induce BPH based on nearly all combination methods [beta (95% confidence interval (CI)): 0.20 (0.06-0.34) for inverse variance weighted (IVW)]. The other traits seemed to interact with testosterone level and did not cause BPH generally. Higher triglycerides level was likely to raise bioavailable testosterone level [beta (95% CI): 0.04 (0.01-0.06) for IVW]. In MVMR model, bioavailable testosterone level was still associated with BPH occurrence [beta (95% CI) 0.27 (0.03-0.50) for IVW].

CONCLUSIONS

We for the first time validated the central role of bioavailable testosterone level in the pathogenesis of BPH. The complex associations between other traits and BPH should be further investigated.

Analysis of platelet and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio and diabetes mellitus with benign prostatic enlargement

Background

The etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is still elusive. The aim of this study was to provide preventive and prognostic parameters associated with diabetes mellitus with benign prostatic enlargement (BPE).

Methods

Diabetic patients were collected retrospectively from February 2021 to December 2022, including monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). Diabetic patients were divided into two groups by whether the prostate volume was greater than or equal to 30 ml, which were diabetes mellitus without BPE (DM) and diabetes mellitus with BPE (DM+BPE). The baseline characteristics were compared, the risk and protective factors associated with DM+BPE were determined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression, and the parameters associated with prostate volume were determined using correlation analysis.

Results

Of the 671 patients collected, age and prostate volume were significantly higher in the DM+BPE than in the DM; MLR was higher in the DM+BPE than in the DM; and platelet was significantly lower in the DM+BPE than in the DM. Univariate logistic regression showed that age was a risk factor, while protective factors for DM+BPE were lymphocytes and platelet. Multifactorial logistic regression showed that age was a risk factor, while platelet was the protective factor for DM+BPE. In the total overall (n=671), prostate volume was positively correlated with age. Prostate volume was negatively correlated with lymphocytes and platelet. In DM+BPE (n=142), prostate volume was positively correlated with age and MLR.

Conclusion

Platelet was a protective factor for DM+BPE and was negatively correlated with prostate volume, whereas MLR was positively correlated with prostate volume in DM+BPE.