NEW DELHI: There has been an alarming hike in benign prostatic hyperplasia cases worldwide, especially in the low and middle-income groups in the last ten years, according to the latest findings of a study published in the Lancet.
The study found that within South Asia, the increase in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — also called prostate gland enlargement — a common condition as men get older, has been maximum in Bangladesh (129 per cent) followed by India (90.9 per cent).
According to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the cases of people with such conditions jumped to 94 million in 2019 from 51.1 million in 2000, a hike of around 70 per cent.
Prostate gland enlargement can cause several urinary problems in men, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder. It can also cause bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems. The study spans 21 regions and 204 countries and territories from 2000 to 2019. “As more people are living longer worldwide, the absolute burden of benign prostatic hyperplasia is expected to continue to rise in the coming years, highlighting the importance of monitoring and planning for future health system strain,” said the study.
When the numbers are broken down into regions, the highest growth has been witnessed in tropical Latin America (an increase of 98.4 per cent) followed by east (97.5 per cent) and South Asia (91.4 per cent).
Explaining the findings and the methodology followed, the report said that GBD is the largest and most comprehensive scientific effort to produce estimates of health loss due to 369 diseases and injuries.
“Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common urological disease among older men. The age-specific prevalence of benign hyperplasia has been estimated from autopsy studies to be 8% in the fourth decade of life, 50% in the sixth decade of life, and 80% in the ninth decade of life,” said the study.
The study also found that while the number of cases has increased, age standardisation has remained static.
“Our study suggests a close and nuanced link between the benign prostatic hyperplasia burden and national sociodemographic status and the potential for intervention to make an impact,” said the study
‘Conditions jumped to 94 million in 2019’
According to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the cases of people with such conditions jumped to 94 million in 2019 from 51.1 million in 2000, a hike of around 70 per cent.