ABSTRACT

Purpose:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an extremely common disease throughout the world. Quality of life of the BPH patients is seriously affected. One should evaluate the potential negative effects of BPH disease not only in patients but also in relatives of the patients. Particularly the partners would need such an assessment in terms of alterations in their quality of lives. Due to the properties of the BPH disease, partners of the patients can be seriously affected. In this review, we investigate the current data on quality of life regarding the partners of BPH patients and discuss the possible specific approaches on this issue.

Results:

Although few studies have studied on this subject in the literature, remarkable outcomes were obtained. Accordingly, in partners of the BPH patients, quality of life has significantly been altered. Particularly there is a correlation between International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the scale of partners' quality of life and this must be evaluated. Based on these data in the management process of BPH patients, partners are as important as the patients.

Conclusıon:

BPH indirectly affects the partners of patients. Therefore, the quality of life status of partners should also be considered when a specific treatment modality is offered for a particular BPH patient.