Correlation Between Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen and Testosterone Following Bilateral Total Orchidectomy for Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer in Jos, Nigeria.

Background: Prostate cancer is a common malignancy affecting men beyond the middle age. Monitoring of treatment of the disease using serum testosterone and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) offers an index of treatment efficacy and a reflection of disease progression, respectively. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between changing values of serum PSA and serum testosterone in patients with advanced prostate cancer following bilateral total orchidectomy (BTO). Materials and Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study carried out over a 1-year period among patients who met the inclusion criteria. Each patient underwent detailed clinical evaluation including history, as well as physical examination with digital rectal examination of the prostate. Also, samples of serum PSA and testosterone were obtained and sent to the same chemical pathology laboratory before intervention with BTO, then at 2, 4, and 6 months. The values of serum PSA and testosterone were obtained and changes over this period were compared for both parameters. The analyses included independent inferential analysis of serum testosterone and serum PSA over a period of 6 months and a correlation of the two parameters over the same period. Results were analysed using SPSS version 23. P value of <0.05 was regarded significant. Charts and tables were used for data expression. Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests were used for individual inferential analysis of serum testosterone and PSA. The Spearman ranked correlation coefficient test was used to determine the degree of correlation of serum testosterone and serum PSA levels while Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to determine the degree of correlation between the percentage changes in serum testosterone and PSA measured over the period of the study. Results: A total of forty-two men with mean age of 68.49 ± 8.86 years who had advanced prostate cancer were recruited. The histologic type of prostate cancer diagnosed for all the patients was adenocarcinoma. The mean Gleason score was 7.98 ± 1.09, while the modal Gleason grade group represented was grade group 5. There were statistically significant changes in serum testosterone and PSA levels in response to bilateral total orchidectomy with P value of <0.001. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between serum testosterone and serum PSA levels following bilateral total orchidectomy with p values of 0.492, 0.358, 0.134, and 0.842 at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 months, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the percentage changes in serum testosterone and PSA measured between baseline and 2 months with P value of <0.001. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between the percentage changes in serum testosterone and PSA measured between baseline measured against 4 months and 6 months with P value of 0.998 and 0.638, respectively. Conclusion: The study showed that reduction in serum levels of testosterone and PSA following BTO was significant. It also revealed no statistically significant correlation between serum testosterone and serum PSA measured over 6 months following bilateral total orchidectomy.

The predictive value of intravesical prostatic protrusion on the outcome of trial without catheter in patients with acute urinary retention from benign prostatic hyperplasia at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria: a prospective observational study.

Introduction: acute urinary retention represents a significant and painful event in the natural history of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This study was to determine the value of intravesical prostatic protrusion in predicting the outcome of trial without catheter in patients presenting with acute urinary retention from benign prostatic hyperplasia. Methods: this was a prospective observational study carried out over a one-year period among 78 patients with acute urinary retention from benign prostatic hyperplasia who presented at the Accident and Emergency Department of Jos University Teaching Hospital. They were clinically evaluated, and a urethral catheter was passed to relieve the retention. Trans-abdominal ultrasound assessment of intravesical prostatic protrusion, was performed after relief of acute urinary retention. Patients were placed on tamsulosin tablets 0.4mg daily for three days and they had a trial without catheter on the third day. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the predictive power of intravesical prostatic protrusion on the outcome of trial without catheter in patients with acute urinary retention from benign prostatic hyperplasia. A p value of <0.05 was considered as significant. Results: seventy-eight patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age and was 65.00 (SD 7.28) years. The mean intravesical prostatic protrusion, voided volume and maximum flow rate were 13.04 (SD 10.94) mm, 89.46 (SD 6.14) mls and 7.63 (SD 5.69) ml/s respectively. Intravesical prostatic protrusion (area under the curve= 0.843, p=0.001) predicted the outcome of trial without catheter with a cut off mark of <7.4, using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Conclusion: intravesical prostatic protrusion significantly predicted the outcome of trial without catheter in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia presenting with acute urinary retention. It is a useful tool in the initial evaluation of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia presenting with acute urinary retention.

Surgical management of benign prostate hyperplasia in Nigeria: open prostatectomy versus transurethral resection of the prostate.

INTRODUCTION: transvesical (open) prostatectomy (OP), an invasive surgical procedure, is a common form of treatment offered to patients with benign prostatic enlargement in emerging economies. Recently, there has been an increase in the use of electrosurgical means in treating benign prostate hyperplasia in our environment, especially transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). This study compares the perioperative, short-term outcomes and complications of open prostatectomy and TURP. METHODS: the records of men who had prostatectomies (OP and TURP) from Jan 2016 to Dec 2019 for prostate gland less than 80g were reviewed. The patients´ age, size of the prostate gland, duration of surgery (mins), blood transfusion, clot retention, length of catheterisation (days), hospital stay (days), postoperative infection, postoperative incontinence, reoperation, bladder neck stenosis and urethral stricture were analysed. RESULTS: fifty-nine patients were studied. Twenty-nine patients had OP, while 30 had TURP. Mean age for OP was 63.8 (SD 7.2) years, while for TURP is 68.5 (SD 8.0) years (p=0.019). The mean for length of catheterisation for OP vs TURP was 9.1 (SD 3.7) vs 3.3 (SD 1.03) days (p=0.001), mean hospital stay was 9.6 (SD 4.1) and 4.7 (SD 2.2) days (p=0.001) for OP and TURP while duration of surgery (mins) for OP and TURP was 106.7 (SD 15.2) vs 53.8 (SD 14.0) minutes (p=0.001). The blood transfusion rate was 13.8% and postoperative incontinence 13.8% in OP, while in the TURP group, the reoperation rate was 3.3% and urethral stricture at a rate of 3.3%. Overall complications showed no statistical difference (p=0.462) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: the patients who underwent TURP had shorter hospital stay, shorter duration of surgery and catheterisation, and less frequently required blood transfusion compared to those who had open prostatectomy. However, reoperation rate was higher compared to open prostatectomy. The overall complication was fewer with TURP, but this is not statistically significant; hence both forms of surgical therapy remain relevant in a poor resource setting.

Dorsal onlay buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty for bulbar urethral stricture: a single centre experience.

INTRODUCTION: the successful treatment for urethral strictures demands not just attention to surgical details but careful selection of the reconstructive technique. For long segment urethral strictures substitution urethroplasty is required. This study sought to determine the success rate and complications of dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft (BMG) urethroplasty for long segment urethral strictures in our hospital. METHODS: this was a retrospective study carried out at Jos University Teaching Hospital from March 2015 to March 2018. The case notes of male patients who had dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty for long segment bulbar urethral stricture within the study period were retrieved. Patients´ demographics, cause and nature of urethral strictures, duration of follow up, the success rate and complications were collected and subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS® version 22. RESULTS: twenty-four men with mean age of 45 years (range 14-67 years) had dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty during the study period. The mean stricture length was 4.5cm (range, 2-7cm). After a mean follow up duration of 2 years (range, 1 4 years), 21(87.5%) patients had a successful urethroplasty as they were able to pass urine at one year post urethroplasty without lower urinary tract symptoms, while 3(12.5%) had recurrence of the urethral stricture. At the recipient site, 2(8.3%) patients had primary bleeding that did not require blood transfusion. Also, 2(8.3%) patients had superficial wound infection which was treated with antibiotics. At the donor site, 4(16.7%), 2(8.3%), 4(16.7%) had donor site swelling, transient bleeding and soreness respectively. CONCLUSION: dorsal onlay BMG urethroplasty has a good success rate and minor complications and therefore suitable for long segment bulbar urethral strictures.

Predictors of urethral stricture recurrence following urethroplasty: a retrospective review at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Incidence of urethral stricture recurrence ranges between 2% to 36.4% with 75% occurring within the first 6 months of surgery. Hence, they need to identify the predictors of recurrence following urethroplasty. METHODS: This is a retrospective study involving patients that had urethroplasty from January 2008 to December 2017. Patients' records were reviewed. Analyzed data were for patients with a minimum follow up of one year from the time of urethroplasty and included aetiology of urethral stricture, presence of suprapubic cystostomy, prior urethral dilatation, urine M/C/S, site of urethral stricture, length of urethral stricture, type of urethroplasty, level of training of the surgeon, type of urethral stent used and duration of stenting. Analysis was done using SPSS version 23. P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Eighty seven urethroplasties were done, from January 2008 to December 2017. However, only records of 44 patients were accessible. Twenty patients completed duration of follow up ≥ one year. Urethral stricture recurrence was defined as resurgence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) within one year. Median age of the patients was 39.5 (± 19) years. Urethral stricture recurrence rate was 25% with mean time to recurrence from urethroplasty of 5.3 (±3) months. The use of preoperative suprapubic catheter (SPC) for urinary diversion as well as urethroplasties performed by the consultants had a lower incidence of recurrence. CONCLUSION: This study found urethral stricture recurrence of 25%. The level of training of surgeon vis-à-vis the expertise and experience seems to be an important factor, though not statistically significant in determining the outcome of urethroplasty.

Problems with administration of international prostate symptom score in a developing community.

BACKGROUND: The IPSS form has been found useful for assessing symptom severity, which assists in treatment choice and in monitoring patients on therapy. The form should be self-administered and requires some level of literacy. We assessed the problems associated with its administration in a developing community. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The IPSS form was administered to patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia at the Urology Clinic of the Jos University Teaching Hospital from November 2004 to October 2005. Those who did not understand the questions or who could not read English required explanations. RESULT: There were a total of 70 patients who agreed to fill out the forms. Their ages ranged from 40 to 104 years with a mean of 63.6. The IPSS scores ranged from 3 to 35 with a mean of 18.3. About 56.7% of the patients had quality of life scores of ≥ 5. Only 2 (2.9%) patients were initially uncooperative in filling out the forms. Twenty-four (34.3%) did not understand English. Of the 46 (65.7%) that understood English, 28 (40.0%) could speak but could not read English, thus 52 (74.3%) could not read English. Ten (14.3%) patients thought the questions were either not comprehensive or clear enough. CONCLUSION: Illiteracy is a major drawback with the administration of the IPSS form, with 74.3% of patients unable to read English. Attempts should be made to draft the forms in the main language(s) spoken or read in a particular locality so as to gain maximally from the benefits of the IPSS. Relevant bodies should improve on the education of the populace.

Problems with Administration of International Prostate Symptom Score in a Developing Community

Background: The IPSS form has been found useful for assessing symptom severity; which assists in treatment choice and in monitoring patients on therapy. The form should be self-administered and requires some level of literacy. We assessed the problems associated with its administration in a developing community.Materials and Methods: The IPSS form was administered to patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia at the Urology Clinic of the Jos University Teaching Hospital from November 2004 to October 2005. Those who did not understand the questions or who could not read eng required explanations.Result: There were a total of 70 patients who agreed to fill out the forms. Their ages ranged from 40 to 104 years with a mean of 63.6. The IPSS scores ranged from 3 to 35 with a mean of 18.3. About 56.7 of the patients had quality of life scores of ? 5. Only 2 (2.9) patients were initially uncooperative in filling out the forms. Twenty-four (34.3) did not understand eng. Of the 46 (65.7) that understood eng; 28 (40.0) could speak but could not read eng; thus 52 (74.3) could not read eng. Ten (14.3) patients thought the questions were either not comprehensive or clear enough.Conclusion: Illiteracy is a major drawback with the administration of the IPSS form; with 74.3 of patients unable to read eng. Attempts should be made to draft the forms in the main language(s) spoken or read in a particular locality so as to gain maximally from the benefits of the IPSS. Relevant bodies should improve on the education of the populace