Background and Purpose:Previous studies have demonstrated differences in surgical outcomes following radical prostatectomy based on ethnicity.
We compared sexual and urinary outcomes in African American (AA) patients 6 and 12 months following robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) to non-AA patients.
Patients and Methods: We reviewed our RARP database at our institution for patients with at least 12 months of follow-up. Erectile function was defined using the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index as erections "firm enough for masturbation and foreplay" or "firm enough for intercourse," while urinary continence was defined as being "pad-free." Only patients who were potent and pad-free preoperatively were included in the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare post-operative potency and urinary pad-free status between AA and non-AA patients while controlling for pertinent demographic, clinical, and pathologic variables.
Results: 140 AA patients and 576 non-AA patients were included in the urinary continence analysis, compared to 105 AAs and 500 non-AA patients included in the analysis of sexual function. At 12 months post-operatively a smaller proportion of AA patients were potent compared to non-AA patients (60% vs. 76.4%, p=0.001). Similarly, we found a lower incidence of pad-free status for AA patients at 12 months post-operatively (55.7% vs. 69.8%, p=0.039). Similar functional results were found at 6 months postoperatively for both analysis groups.
Conclusion: AA men appear to have worse urinary and sexual outcomes at 12 months following RARP compared to non-AA patients. At 6 months, there is no statistically significant difference. Further, longer-term studies are needed to validate these results.
Written by:
Decastro GJ, Jayram G, Razmaria A, Shalhav A, Zagaja GP. Are you the author?
New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University, Urology, 161 Fort Washington Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, New York, United States.
Reference: J Endourol. 2012 Feb 5. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1089/end.2011.0507
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22304399
