Purpose: We estimate the prevalence of urinary symptoms in Japanese men.
Materials and methods: A total of 289 eligible residents 40 to 79 years old completed a questionnaire with questions worded similarly to those of the international prostate symptom score (response rate 42%).
Results: The ratio of moderate-to-severe symptoms was 41%, 29%, 31% and 56% for each age decade from ages 40 to 79 years, respectively, after adjusting for nonresponse. Within each age decade the median international prostatic symptom score was higher for Japanese men than for United States men with little difference in rates of increase with participant age or bother.
Conclusion: Lower urinary tract symptoms were common in Japanese men, with age-related increases similar to those of United States men.