Characteristics of Patients Who Visit Urologic Outpatient Department via Health Promotion Center

Abstract

Purpose: Health examination is one of the methods to make the diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia. To evaluate factors leading to the visit to the outpatient department (OPD) in patients at the health promotion center (HPC) who did not undergo urology treatment.Materials and Methods: This observational study was based on data from an HPC database of 2,700 patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound between March 2018 and February 2021. Of these, 264 patients visited OPD. Factors affecting OPD visits, such as colonoscopy at HPC and daily fluid intake, were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors to predict the visit to OPD.Results: Age (p<0.001) and diagnosis of overactive bladder (p<0.001) were significantly correlated with the severity of the total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS); however, colonoscopy evaluation at HPC and daily fluid intake did not correlate. Prostate volume (PV) (p=0.002) and total IPSS (p<0.001) were identified as predictive factors for the visit at OPD via HPC. The cutoff value of total IPSS and PV were 12 points and 26.7 cm³. The total IPSS (8–11) at HPC group presented higher total IPSS at OPD and the total IPSS (12–19) at HPC group showed lesser total IPSS at OPD (1.9±2.8 vs. -1.0±4.2, p=0.008).Conclusions: Twelve or more total IPSS is a significant factor that determines the OPD visit. At HPC, the primary care physician should be considered to recommend OPD to patients who have 12 or more total IPSS and 26.7 cm³ or more PV at the same time.