Relationship between condom usage and lower urinary tract symptoms in sexually active young men

Objective: The effect of condom usage on the presence and intensity of the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in sexually active young men was evaluated.

Materials and methods: Seventy patients (35 were using condoms and the other 35 were not), who applied to our outpatient clinic with LUTS between December 2009-May 2009, who were sexually active, aged 18-45 years, and complying with study criteria were included in the study. Patients have been evaluated with anamnesis, physical examination, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire, 2-cup test, uroflowmetry, postvoid residual volume, and transrectal ultrasonography.

Results: Mean age of the patients was 31.79±7.23 years, sexually active time was 123.29±74.03 months, and symptom duration was 31.23±32.29 months. Although condom usage has no significant effect on IPSS, urinating with strain, dysuria, frequent urination, nocturia; feeling of pain or discomfort during ejaculation was more common among condom users (59.6% vs. 40.4%, p=0.041). Mean uroflowmetry Qmax value was 20.80±1.95 and 15.83±2.56, in non-condom users and condom users, respectively (p<0.001). Five non-condom users (14.3%) and 10 condom users (28.6%) showed positivity in post-massage urine culture (p=0.244). Two non-condom users and 8 condom users showed coagulase negative staphylococcus in urine culture (p<0.01). Twenty-five condom users (57.1%) and 9 non-condom users (25.7%) showed positivity in post-massage chlamydia cell culture (p=0.015).

Conclusion: Condom usage is a predisposing factor for LUTS. Increment of gram-positive bacteria and Chlamydia trachomatis positivity in post-massage prostate secretion culture shows analogy with the pain during ejaculation in these patients and gives preliminary data on the retrograde flow hypothesis.