OBJECTIVE: To perform a longitudinal investigation of the correlation between functional recovery and sex hormone levels after radical prostatectomy (RP).
PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 72 consecutive men undergoing RP between January 2012 and June 2013 were prospectively included and serially followed postoperatively for comparative analysis. They underwent measurements of luteinizing hormone (LH) and total testosterone (TT) levels prior to surgery and 3 and 12 months postoperatively. They filled out a health-related quality of life questionnaire before and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.
RESULTS: The mean LH level increased from 4.28 U/L at baseline to 5.53 U/L at 3 months and remained high at 12 months after RP (both p< 0.001). No significant changes were observed in the TT level after RP. LH at baseline correlated negatively with the urinary function score at 3 and 12 months after RP. (p=0.030 and 0.032, respectively). After RP, subjects with high baseline LH levels (n=37) were more likely than those with low LH levels to report lower urinary function scores (p=0.014). Multivariate analysis of variance in an interaction of time x LH level for urinary function scores indicated a significant relationship between changes in urinary function score and the LH level (p=0.004).
CONCLUSIONS: RP affects sex hormones by increasing LH levels, while TT levels remain stable after surgery. Baseline LH levels are significantly associated with the recovery of urinary outcomes after RP.
Written by:
Namiki S, Mitsuzuka K, Kaiho Y, Yamada S, Adachi H, Yamashita S, Saito H, Ito A, Nakagawa H, Takegami M, Arai Y. Are you the author?
Department of Urology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Urology, Japan Community Health care Organization Sendai Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
Reference: BJU Int. 2015 Feb 13. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1111/bju.13083
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25684579