The lifetime prevalence of prostatitis in Finnish men aged 20–59 years was 14.2%, i.e. higher than the figures of 4–11% given by earlier published data. The incidence density of prostatitis was 37.8 per 10 000 person years at risk.
63% of the men in northern Finland had their worst symptoms of prostatitis during the wintertime (November–March) and 58% regarded the cold climate as a reason for their chronic symptoms of prostatitis.
17% of the men with prostatitis reported a fear of undetected prostate cancer and 2.2% of possible sexually transmitted disease, while 3.2% reported some degree of suicidal thinking.
43% of the men reported disturbances in their sexual life (temporary impotence) due to prostatitis symptoms, and 24% decreased libido.
The tissue pressure measurement method, commonly used in orthopaedics, was succesfully modified for intraprostatic tissue pressure measurements.
The intraprostatic tissue pressures were found to be significantly higher in patients with chronic prostatitis than in those with BPH or controls.
PTPM made it possible to differentiate between the categories of CP/CPPS (IIIA and IIIB) and can exclude cases with pelvic pain arising outside the prostate.