Prevalence and risk factors for scrotal lesions/anomalies in a cohort of Brazilian men ? 40 years of age

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for cutaneous lesions of the scrotum and intrascrotal lesions/anomalies among men included in a prostatic cancer screening program in a Brazilian metropolitan city. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study, private outpatient healthcare service. METHODS: 1731 men aged 40 years or over, participating in a prostate cancer screening program conducted by the municipal public employees' healthcare system, underwent systematic urological assessment by a single examiner. RESULTS: The prevalence of scrotal diseases in our sample was 44.7% (773/1731). Tinea cruris occurred in 203 (11.7%) of the participants, with higher risk among diabetics and lower prevalence among nonwhite individuals; scrotal tinea in eight (0.5%), with higher risk among hypertensive men; subcutaneous nodules in 12 (0.7%), especially in individuals with low schooling level; hydrocele in 283 (16.4%), with higher frequency among participants over the age of 60 years, diabetics or individuals with previous histories of nonspecific urethritis; spermatoceles in 174 (10.1%), with greater prevalence among individuals over the age of 60 years or diabetics, and lower frequency among individuals who underwent vasectomy; unilateral testicular hypotrophy/atrophy in 167 (9.7%) and bilateral hypotrophy/atrophy in 93 (5.4%), both occurring more frequently in individuals over the age of 60 years; absence of palpable testicles due to cryptorchidism in 7 (0.4%); and epididymitis/orchitis in 5 (0.3%), with higher prevalence among diabetics. No cases of cancer were identified in this sample. CONCLUSIONS: Scrotal diseases were highly prevalent in this population of Brazilian men.