Microscopic Assessment of Prostate Secretions in Inflammatory Versus Non-inflammatory Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in Men

RATIONALE: Chronic abacterial prostatitis (CAP) occurs as inflammatory and non-inflammatory based on presence or absence of leukocytes in prostate secretions.

METHODS: Microscopic analysis of prostate secretion of 30 patients with CAP divided in Group 1 with "large" (> 1 drops) secretion (n = 15) and Group 2 with "small" (less than 1 drop) secretion (n = 15) obtained twice on the 1st and 2nd days without treatment. Group 1 was divided into 2 portions for micrscopy and Il-8 assessment.

RESULTS: According to first microscopy the inflammatory form of CAP occurred in 9 patients in Group 1 (60%) and 6 patients in Group 2 (40%) -15 of 30 patients and on second analysis similar results including 10 in Group 1 and 6 in Group 2- 16 of 30 patients. Further analysis confirmed inflammatory CAP only in 6 patients in Group 1, and 4 in Group 2. Complete coincidence of the results of the study of different portions of secretion in group 1 occurred 12 cases (80%). No statistically significant difference between IL-8 in prostate secretions from inflammatory and non-inflammatory CAP were seen.

CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of CAP may occur without increased leukocytes in prostate secretions, which remain a reliable feature of inflammatory CAP most readily confirmed when larger prostate secretions are present.