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International Prostate Symptom Score

This PatientPlus article is written for healthcare professionals so the language may be more technical than the condition leaflets. You may find the abbreviations list helpful.

The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) is used in the assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men (LUTS).1,2,3,4 See related articles on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and LUTS.

The I-PSS is free for the use of individual clinicians and non-funded research and is available on the web here.

I-PSS© 1992 Michael J Barry, All rights reserved.
I-PSS contact information and permission to use: Mapi Research Trust, Lyon, France. E-mail: contact@mapi-trust.org - Internet: www.mapi-trust.org


The I-PSS was orginally based on the American Urological Association seven item symptom score (AUA-7).1 The "quality of life" question was added by the World Health Organization when it was adopted by the International Consensus Committee as an international questionnaire for evaluating prostatic symptoms. Although the single "quality of life" question may not capture the full impact of prostate symptoms, it can be used as a starting point for a doctor-patient discussion on management.

Document references

  1. Barry MJ, Fowler FJ Jr, O'Leary MP, et al; The American Urological Association symptom index for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Measurement Committee of the American Urological Association. J Urol. 1992 Nov;148(5):1549-57; discussion 1564. [abstract]
  2. Bosch JL, Hop WC, Kirkels WJ, et al; The International Prostate Symptom Score in a community-based sample of men between 55 and 74 years of age: prevalence and correlation of symptoms with age, prostate volume, flow rate and residual urine volume. Br J Urol. 1995 May;75(5):622-30. [abstract]
  3. Wadie BS, Ibrahim EH, de la Rosette JJ, et al; The relationship of the International Prostate Symptom Score and objective parameters for diagnosing bladder outlet obstruction. Part I: when statistics fail. J Urol. 2001 Jan;165(1):32-4. [abstract]
  4. Eckhardt MD, van Venrooij GE, Boon TA; Symptoms and quality of life versus age, prostate volume, and urodynamic parameters in 565 strictly selected men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology. 2001 Apr;57(4):695-700. [abstract]

Internet and further reading

© EMIS 2011Author: Dr Huw ThomasReviewer: Dr Paul Scott
Document ID: 2331Document Version: 28Last Reviewed: 30 Jun 2009
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