Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis is a painless
inflammation
Inflammation (from la, wikt:en:inflammatio#Latin, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or Irritation, irritants, and is a protective response involving im ...
of the
prostate
The prostate is both an Male accessory gland, accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found only in some mammals. It differs between species anatomically, ...
gland where there is no evidence of infection.
It should be distinguished from the other categories of
prostatitis
Prostatitis is an umbrella term for a variety of medical conditions that incorporate bacterial and non-bacterial origin illnesses in the pelvic region. In contrast with the plain meaning of the word (which means "inflammation of the prostate"), the ...
characterised by either pelvic pain or evidence of infection, such as
chronic bacterial prostatitis
Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a bacterial infection of the prostate gland. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as acute bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS).
Signs and symptoms
Chronic ba ...
,
acute bacterial prostatitis and
chronic pelvic pain syndrome
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), previously known as chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, is long-term pelvic pain and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) without evidence of a bacterial infection. It affects about 2–6% ...
(CPPS).
It is a common finding in men with
benign prostatic hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called prostate enlargement, is a noncancerous increase in size of the prostate gland. Symptoms may include frequent urination, trouble starting to urinate, weak stream, inability to urinate, or loss o ...
.
Signs and symptoms
These patients have no history of genitourinary pain complaints, but
leukocytosis
Leukocytosis is a condition in which the white cell (leukocyte count) is above the normal range in the blood. It is frequently a sign of an inflammatory response, most commonly the result of infection, but may also occur following certain parasit ...
is noted, usually during evaluation for other conditions.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is through tests of semen, expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) or prostate tissue that reveal inflammation in the absence of symptoms.
Treatment
No treatment required. It is standard practice for men with infertility and category IV prostatitis to be given a trial of antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatories, although evidence of efficacy are weak.
Since signs of asymptomatic prostatic inflammation may sometimes be associated with
prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...
, this can be addressed by tests that assess the ratio of free-to-total PSA. The results of these tests were significantly different in prostate cancer and category IV prostatitis in one study.
Additional images
Image:Gray1160.png, Prostate, urethra, and seminal vesicles.
Image:Gray539.png, The arteries of the pelvis.
Image:Gray1136.png, Male pelvic organs seen from right side.
References
External links
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{{Male diseases of the pelvis and genitals
Inflammatory prostate disorders