Benign prostatic hyperplasia with chronic bladder outlet obstruction has been associated with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).
To evaluate this further, 60 autopsy cases of men with PTE were compared with 60 age-matched controls. The criteria for outlet obstruction were macroscopic prostatic enlargement with bladder trabeculation and benign prostatic hyperplasia on microscopy. Ten of the 60 men (16.7%) with fatal PTE had evidence of bladder outlet obstruction (age 57-78 years; mean 71.4 years). Of the 60 controls, 12 had evidence of bladder outlet obstruction (20%) (age 67-86 years; mean 75.5 years). No significant relationship could be demonstrated between bladder outlet obstruction and fatal PTE cases (p = 0.8). Given reports of this association, however, it is possible that bladder distension with venous compression may act as a risk modifier in certain individuals in association with other significant comorbidities, but this risk appears low.
Written by:
Rosenfeld HE, Byard RW. Are you the author?
The University of Adelaide Medical School, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
Reference: J Forensic Sci. 2012 May;57(3):663-4.
doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.02042.x
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22268535