Prevalence of disturbed bowel functions and its association with disturbed bladder and sexual functions in the male population.

Background And Aim: Chronic constipation is usually associated with young women, and urinary and sexual dysfunction has been reported as co-morbidity. Elderly men also appear to suffer from chronic constipation, as well as lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction, but their association as co-morbidity has not been studied in the community. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of bowel symptoms in our community with particular reference to the association with urinary and sexual dysfunction in the male population.

The prevalence, symptom characteristics, and impact of irritable bowel syndrome in an asian urban community.

Objectives: To study the epidemiology, symptom characteristics and impact of IBS in an urban Asian population.

Methods: A validated bowel symptom questionnaire was administered at face-to-face interviews to a random sample of 3,000 households in Singapore.

Results: The response rate was 78.

Primary melioidotic prostatic abscess: presentation, diagnosis and management.

Introduction: In South-East Asia and Northern Australia, melioidosis (infection with Burkholderia pseudomallei) is a known cause of severe community-acquired sepsis. However, melioidosis presenting primarily as prostatic abscesses is very rare.

Methods: The presenting features, investigations and management outcome of five patients who developed melioidotic prostatic abscesses from 1997 to 2000 were reviewed in the present study.