Simple Blood Tests May Predict Severe Symptoms in Enlarged Prostate,New Research Suggests
december 14,2025 – A groundbreaking study indicates that readily available blood tests could help physicians identify men at heightened risk of experiencing debilitating symptoms from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH),a prevalent condition affecting aging men. The research, completed in late 2024, underscores the significant role of systemic inflammation and lifestyle choices in the progression of BPH and its associated urinary difficulties.
Identifying At-Risk individuals
The examination,involving 232 men diagnosed with BPH between August and October 2024,revealed that over a third – 84 participants – suffered from severe urinary symptoms. Researchers meticulously analyzed clinical data, lifestyle factors, and routine bloodwork to pinpoint the strongest predictors of symptom severity. Specifically,they assessed several immune-inflammation indices derived from standard blood counts,evaluating thier diagnostic accuracy.
Men aged 65 and older were found to be more than twice as likely to experience severe symptoms. Furthermore, a lack of regular physical activity and central obesity were also identified as significant risk factors. However, the most compelling findings centered on elevated levels of inflammatory markers within the blood.
Inflammation Markers as Key Predictors
Elevated values of the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), the Pan-Immune-Inflammation Index (PII), and the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) were each associated with nearly a threefold increase in the odds of severe BPH symptoms.
Among the blood-based indices examined, SII demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.736 in receiver operating characteristic analysis. This indicates a moderate, yet valuable, ability to distinguish between men with and without severe symptoms. An SII value exceeding 564.92 × 10³ correctly identified severe cases with 69% sensitivity and 72% specificity. PII exhibited comparable performance, while NLR
