Prognostic Significance of the Pre-operative Symptoms in Patients after Radical Nephrectomy for Treating Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: We investigated the relationship of the pre-operative symptoms to the other clinicopathologic factors that are known to be significant prognostic indicators for patients with renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the 398 patients who underwent an operation for renal cell carcinoma between March 1998 and May 2004, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of the 293 who were diagnosed and operated on for localized renal cell carcinoma. The patients were divided into three groups according to their pre-operative clinical symptoms. We then evaluated the patients' characteristics, the pathological factors such as the cell type, tumor size, nuclear grade, the pathological T stage, tumor necrosis, the presence of a sarcomatoid component and multifocality by using ANOVA analysis. The overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. RESULTS: Of the 293 cases, 118(40.3%) were in the symptomatic group and 175(59.7%) were in the asymptomatic groups. There was significant difference in the age, tumor size, the pathological T stage and tumor necrosis between the groups. There was a significant difference in the survival rates between the groups(p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative symptoms are important prognostic factors for patients with localized renal cell carcinoma. Therefore, determining the more specified symptoms is required for separating the groups with different survival after radical nephrectomy.

The Difference in Mode of Administration of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) in Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) is generally self- administrated; however, it is doubtful that the self-administrated IPSS score correctly reflects patients' symptoms; therefore, the difference in the IPSS self-administrated score and physician-interviewed patients was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 202 patients completed two IPSS questionnaires during the same office visit, one by self-administration and the other by physician-interview, at two medical centers, one located in an urban area and the other in a rural area. The mean total symptom score and the score for each question, and the quality of life score were compared between the two modes of administration. A multi-logistical regression analysis was performed to identify differences due to the effects of age, the order of administration, location and educational level. RESULTS: The mean total symptom score and quality of life score were higher in the self-administrated than physician-interviewed group (14.16 vs. 13.07, p=0.001, 3.27 vs. 3.2, p=0.090). The residual sense (2.03 vs. 1.97, p=0.20), frequency (2.07 vs. 1.97, p=0.026), interruption (1.83 vs. 1.61, p=0.002), urgency (1.89 vs. 1.55, p=0.001), weak stream (2.74 vs. 2.60, p=0.042), hesitancy (1.77 vs. 1.59, p=0.005) and nocturia (1.82 vs. 1.77, p=0.12) were also higher in the self-administrated group. The multi- logistical regression analysis revealed statistically significant differences in relation to age and location. CONCLUSIONS: The self-administrated IPSS score was higher than the physician-interview score, especially in relation to an older age and an urban location. Therefore, active intervention should be considered during the administration of the IPSS, especially for old aged patients living in urban areas.

A Validation and Reliability Study for the Korean Version of the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: We wanted to validate the Korean use of a linguistically alternative Korean version of the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ), and we wanted to compare it with the original English version. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two bilinguists independently translated the original English version of the MSHQ into written Korean. A panel consisting of the aforementioned translators and two bilingual authors reviewed the translations to form a single reconciled forward translation of the Korean version of the MSHQ. Another translator, who had never seen the Korean version of MSHQ, back-translated this first draft into English. Test-retest methodology was used to assess the reliability, while Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency. RESULTS: The linguistic differences between the original English version and the translated Korean version were not significant. Three sexual function domains (ejaculation, erection and satisfaction) discriminated well between the men with and without benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)/ lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and sexual dysfunction. Three domains of sexual function were identified in the test-retest reliability study, each of which showed a high degree of internal consistency (alpha=0.95, 0.90 and 0.93, respectively) and test-retest reliability (r=0.89, 0.81 and 0.87, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Translation and linguistic validation of the Korean version of the MSHQ was completed. Also, the test-retest reliability was acceptable. We have shown that the Korean version of the MSHQ is suitable, reliable, valid and sensitive to clinical changes in the Korean population.