Inflammation of the prostate is a common cause of genitourinary complaints in adults males. Prostatitis can be classified based on the clinical and laboratory findings.
Symptoms associated with prostatitis:
(1) pain and/or discomfort (perineal, penile, testicular, rectal, inguinal, etc.)
(2) urinary dysfunction (frequency, urgency, change in stream, incomplete bladder emptying)
(3) ejaculatory disturbances (pain, bloody discharge, discolored ejaculate)
Classification:
(1) acute bacterial prostatitis
(2) chronic bacterial prostatitis
(3) chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome
(3A) inflammatory
(3B) noninflammatory
(4) asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis
Condition |
Clinical Findings |
Laboratory Findings |
acute bacterial prostatitis |
acute inflammation with an enlarged and tender prostate |
WBCs in prostatic fluid or post-massage urine; positive cultures |
chronic bacterial prostatitis |
symptomatic but not acutely inflamed |
WBCs in prostatic fluid or post-massage urine; positive cultures |
chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, inflammatory |
symptomatic |
WBCs in prostatic fluid or post-massage urine; negative cultures |
chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, noninflammatory |
symptomatic |
WBCs absent in prostatic fluid or post-massage urine; negative cultures |
asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis |
asymptomatic |
WBCs in prostatic fluid or post-massage urine; negative cultures |
Differential diagnosis includes:
(1) benign prostatic hypertrophy
(2) cystitis
(3) urethritis with/without sexually transmitted disease
Specialty: Urology, Infectious Diseases