Epidemiology

Primary prostate pain syndrome (PPPS) is a common condition worldwide.[2] In the US, it accounts for approximately 8% of urology consultations and 1% of primary care consultations.[8] A population-based cross-sectional survey of 2500 men carried out in Finland showed a lifetime prevalence rate of prostatitis of 14.2%.[9] A large systematic review of the epidemiology of prostatitis included five studies surveying 10,617 men and found an overall rate of prostatitis (defined using various criteria) of 8.2%, with prevalence ranging from 2.2% to 9.7%.[10]

PPPS is the most common category of prostatitis; it is estimated to be the cause of 90% to 95% of cases of prostatitis.[3][11][12] The condition predominantly affects men aged 36 to 50 years, but can affect men of all ages and shows no ethnic predominance.[6][8] However, an estimation of the true prevalence of PPPS is limited due to significant overlap of symptoms with other conditions, such as interstitial cystitis, prostate and bladder cancers, and other types of prostatitis, with population-based prevalence rates of prostatitis symptoms ranging from 1% to 14.2%.[4][9][10]

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