Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in men is a common condition worldwide.[2]Krieger JN, Riley DE, Cheah PY, et al. Epidemiology of prostatitis: new evidence for a world-wide problem. World J Urol. 2003 Jun;21(2):70-4.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12712363?tool=bestpractice.com
In the US, it accounts for approximately 8% of urology consultations and 1% of primary care consultations.[8]Schaeffer AJ. Epidemiology and evaluation of chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2008 Feb;31 Suppl 1:S108-11.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18164597?tool=bestpractice.com
A population-based cross-sectional survey of 2500 men carried out in Finland showed a lifetime prevalence rate of prostatitis of 14.2%.[9]Mehik A, Hellström P, Lukkarinen O, et al. Epidemiology of prostatitis in Finnish men: a population-based cross-sectional study. BJU Int. 2000 Sep;86(4):443-8.
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A large systematic review of the epidemiology of prostatitis included five studies surveying 10,617 men and found an overall rate of prostatitis (defined using various criteria) of 8.2%, with prevalence ranging from 2.2% to 9.7%.[10]Krieger JN, Lee SW, Jeon J, et al. Epidemiology of prostatitis. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2008 Feb;31 Suppl 1(suppl 1):S85-90.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18164907?tool=bestpractice.com
CP/CPPS is the most common category of prostatitis; it is estimated to be the cause of 90% to 95% of cases of prostatitis.[3]Krieger JN, Nyberg L Jr, Nickel JC. NIH consensus definition and classification of prostatitis. JAMA. 1999 Jul 21;282(3):236-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10422990?tool=bestpractice.com
[11]Clemens JQ, Meenan RT, O'Keeffe Rosetti MC, et al. Incidence and clinical characteristics of National Institutes of Health type III prostatitis in the community. J Urol. 2005 Dec;174(6):2319-22.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16280832?tool=bestpractice.com
[12]Anothaisintawee T, Attia J, Nickel JC, et al. Management of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. JAMA. 2011 Jan 5;305(1):78-86.
https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2010.1913
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The condition predominantly affects men ages 36 to 50 years, but can affect men of all ages and shows no ethnic predominance.[6]Rees J, Abrahams M, Doble A, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a consensus guideline. BJU Int. 2015 Oct;116(4):509-25.
https://www.doi.org/10.1111/bju.13101
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25711488?tool=bestpractice.com
[8]Schaeffer AJ. Epidemiology and evaluation of chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2008 Feb;31 Suppl 1:S108-11.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18164597?tool=bestpractice.com
However, an estimation of the true prevalence of CP/CPPS is limited due to significant overlap of symptoms with other conditions, such as interstitial cystitis, prostate and bladder cancers, and other types of prostatitis, with population-based prevalence rates of prostatitis symptoms ranging from 1% to 14.2%.[4]Engeler D, Baranowski AP, Borovicka J, et al; European Association of Urology. EAU guidelines on chronic pelvic pain. March 2022 [internet publication].
https://uroweb.org/guidelines/chronic-pelvic-pain
[9]Mehik A, Hellström P, Lukkarinen O, et al. Epidemiology of prostatitis in Finnish men: a population-based cross-sectional study. BJU Int. 2000 Sep;86(4):443-8.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10971269?tool=bestpractice.com
[10]Krieger JN, Lee SW, Jeon J, et al. Epidemiology of prostatitis. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2008 Feb;31 Suppl 1(suppl 1):S85-90.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18164907?tool=bestpractice.com