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Interleukin‐8 levels in seminal plasma in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and nonspecific urethritis
Author(s) -
KHADRA ABBAS,
FLETCHER PATRICIA,
LUZZI GRAZ,
SHATTOCK ROBIN,
HAY PHILLIP
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.2006.06133.x
Subject(s) - prostatitis , medicine , chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome , urine , semen , urinary system , pathophysiology , urethritis , chronic bacterial prostatitis , pelvic pain , gastroenterology , cytokine , urology , gynecology , prostate , surgery , andrology , cancer
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether a range of cytokines were detectable in the seminal plasma and urine of men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and nonspecific urethritis (NSU), and whether cytokine levels correlated with symptom severity in CP/CPPS. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 87 men participated, 33 with CP/CPPS, 31 with NSU, and 23 controls. Interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐6, IL‐8 and IL‐10 were measured in seminal plasma and first pass urine, and the results were correlated with scores for pain, urinary symptoms and quality‐of‐life impact using a validated symptom index, the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH‐CPSI). RESULTS Seminal plasma levels of IL‐8 were higher in men with CP/CPPS and NSU than in controls ( P < 0.001), and the levels correlated with NIH‐CPSI symptom scores in men with CP/CPPS. There were no significant differences in urinary IL‐8 levels in the three groups, and no significant differences in levels of the other cytokines in either semen or urine. CONCLUSION Semen IL‐8 levels correlate with subjective symptoms in men with CP/CPPS. IL‐8 might contribute to the pathophysiology of CP/CPPS and NSU, and elevated levels might be a useful marker of the condition.