© 2 0 0 5 B J U I N T E R N A T I O N A L | 9 6 , 5 5 9 – 5 6 5 | doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2005.05684.x 559 Original Article RISK FACTORS IN MEN WITH CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN SYNDROME PONTARI et al A case-control study of risk factors in men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome MICHEL A. PONTARI 1 , MARY MCNAUGHTON-COLLINS 2 , MICHAEL P. O’LEARY 3 , ELIZABETH A. CALHOUN 4 , THOMAS JANG 4 , JOHN W. KUSEK 5 , J. RICHARD LANDIS 6 , JILL KNAUSS 6 , MARK S. LITWIN 7 and THE CPCRN STUDY GROUP* 1 Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 2 Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 3 Harvard University, Boston, MA, 4 Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 5 National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 6 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 7 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA. *A complete list of the CPCRN Study Group investigators can be found in [7], presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association, Orlando, Florida, May 25–30, 2002 Accepted for publication 18 April 2005 OBJECTIVE To compare the demographic, behavioural, clinical and medical history characteristics of men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and asymptomatic controls, to identify characteristics that might be associated with this syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS Self-administered epidemiological questionnaires were completed by 463 men with CP/CPPS and 121 asymptomatic age- matched controls. We compared the prevalence of possible risk factors between men with CP/CPPS and controls, using generalized Mantel-Haenszel tests, and developed multivariate predictive models using logistic regression methods, adjusting for clustering by clinical centre within both methods. RESULTS Compared to controls, men with CP/CPPS reported a significantly greater lifetime prevalence of nonspecific urethritis (12% vs 4%, P = 0.008), cardiovascular disease (11% vs 2%, P = 0.004), neurological disease (41% vs 14%, P < 0.001), psychiatric conditions (29% vs 11%, P < 0.001), and haematopoietic, lymphatic or infectious disease (41% vs 20%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION A wide range of self-reported medical conditions was associated with CP/CPPS. Further studies are necessary to determine whether they play a role in the pathogenesis of CP/CPPS. KEYWORDS chronic prostatitis, pelvic pain, urethritis, hypertension INTRODUCTION Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a syndrome in males characterized by pelvic pain with or without voiding symptoms. The vast majority of men with symptomatic prostatitis are category III according to the National Institutes of Health In the section on the lower urinary tract this month there are several papers of general interest. First, authors from the USA present a case-control study of risk factors in men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome. There are also papers presenting important data on alfuzosin, dutasteride, and tamsulosin versus naftopidil, respectively. In addition, the use of thermo-expandable prostate stents is further explored by authors from the UK and Denmark. Finally, authors from Austria describe the use of a new minimally invasive device in the treatment of incontinence after prostatectomy.