Questionnaire survey of Japanese urologists concerning the diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Abstract

Objectives : We performed a questionnaire survey to investigate various issues in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome by Japanese urologists and to clarify the circumstances surrounding prostatitis in Japan. Methods : Japanese urologists ( n = 1869) were surveyed by mail using a 17-item questionnaire to determine current diagnostic and treatment practices for prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Physician’s practice patterns for chronic prostatitis

“…Nickel (1997) recommended a simpler and less expensive screening technique, namely the two-glass test (VB2 and VB3 or VB2 and EPS) be used to classify patients with CP. In Japan, although most urologists did not perform the four-glass test, they did perform the two-glass test (78.1%) to diagnose CP/CPPS (Kiyota et al, 2003). Thus, this result demonstrates that the two-glass test suits the circumstances in Japan.…”

“…Much like the Canadian PCPs and urologists, 55.6% of Korean urologists did not believe that EPS cultures or other localising tests helped differentiate or diagnose the various types of CP (Ku et al, 2005a). A survey of Japanese urologists indicated that the four-glass test was not routinely carried out mainly because urologists believed that the procedures involved were too complicated (Kiyota et al, 2003). In fact, potential reasons for not performing the Fifty per cent of the urologists perform semen cultures, 51% also perform a prostate massage with cultures according to Meares and Stamey.…”

“…This may lead to the belief of physicians that a psychosomatic component exists in many patients. Kiyota et al (2003) Japan 2003 Urologists. The total response rate was 40.7% (761/1869).…”

“…The degree of frustration and unhappiness in dealing with prostatitis was driven by a lack of confidence and comfort in their ability to accurately diagnose and subsequently rationalise treatment. In Japan, more than half of urologists (52.2%; 384/735) felt pessimistic about treating patients with chronic prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) (Kiyota et al, 2003). The reasons for this were problems caused by unstable complaints by patients (78.1%; 300/384), lack of confidence in the treatment (60.4%; 232/384) and lack of confidence in the diagnosis of the urologists (32.0%; 123/ 384).…”

“…UK (Luzzi et al, 2002) Sixty-one per cent of clinics reported using the four-glass test in diagnosis, 32% reported using the test in >90% of patients with CPPS, and 39% reported never using the test. Japan (Kiyota et al, 2003) The four-glass test was performed by only 1.5% (11/739) of all urologists. Most urologists (78.1%; 577/739) performed the two-glass test.…”