RESUMEN
PURPOSE: As our society ages, a disease like benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are increasing and needs consequent management. Recently, through the expansion of the communication infrastructure and terminals, a network services can be provided. However, the concern about distant medical management is increasing. We introduce here the Personal BPH Control Program (PBCP) and its application to clinical patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have asked BPH patients to input the variable elements on the digital survey through the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) once a week. We used the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the average flow rate as the variable elements. We have used an algorithm to determine the patients condition. With this, we have developed a program that helps patients to adjust their visits to the hospital. RESULTS: According to the input elements, we have determined that the patients' condition was good (visit the hospital every 3 months) when the IPSS decreased, compared with the baseline and when the average flow rate was up above 2ml/sec. The patients' condition was a warning (visit the hospital every 2 months) when the IPSS was increased to below 3 and the average flow rate was down below +/- 2ml/sec, and the patients' condition was urgent when the IPSS increased to above 4 and the average flow rate was down above 3ml/sec. CONCLUSIONS: We expect that the PBCP has great socioeconomic utility when applying it to patients. A portable personal apparatus for measuring the flow rate is now being developed. When sufficient examples of applying the symptom algorithm have accumulated, we are going to report afterward the prospects of using the PBCP in the future.