Effect of penile rehabilitation with low intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy on erectile function recovery following robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy

Identify BCAT1 plays an oncogenic role and promotes EMT in KIRC via single cell RNA-seq and experiment

Background

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is a major subtype of renal cell carcinoma with poor prognosis due to its invasive and metastatic nature. Despite advances in understanding the molecular underpinnings of various cancers, the role of branched-chain amino acid transferase 1 (BCAT1) in KIRC remains underexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the oncogenic role of BCAT1 in KIRC using single-cell RNA-seq data and experimental validation.

Methods

Single-cell transcriptomic data GSE159115 was utilized to investigate potential biomarkers in KIRC. After screening, we used BCAT1 as a target gene and investigated its function and mechanism in KIRC through databases such as TCGA-GTEx, using genome enrichment analysis (GSEA), genome variation analysis (GSVA), gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of the Genome (KEGG). BCAT1 expression was detected in clinical tissue samples using Western Blotting (WB) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining techniques. We established cell lines stably overexpressing and knocking down BCAT1 and performed WB, qRT-PCR, cell scratch assay and transwell assay.

Results

BCAT1 was highly expressed in KIRC and was associated with disease prognosis and TME. Patients with mutations in the BCAT1 gene had shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). patients with high BCAT1 expression had shorter OS, progression-free interval (PFI), and disease-specific survival (DSS). GSEA showed that BCAT1 was significantly enriched in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). Bioinformatics analysis and WB and IHC staining showed that BCAT1 expression was higher in KIRC than in paracancerous tissues. In vitro experiments confirmed that BCAT1 in KIRC cells may promote EMT affecting its invasion, migration. We constructed a protein interaction network (PPI) to hypothesize proteins that may interact with BCAT1. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) revealed the immune infiltration environment of BCAT1. Furthermore, hypomethylation of the BCAT1 promoter region in KIRC may contribute to disease progression by promoting BCAT1 expression.

Conclusion

BCAT1 promotes KIRC invasion and metastasis through EMT and has prognostic predictive value and potential as a biomarker. It may become a novel biomarker.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer monitoring by cell-free circulating biomarkers

Background

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of male cancer-related deaths in Western countries, which is predominantly attributed to the metastatic castration-resistant stage of the disease (CRPC). There is an urgent need for better prognostic and predictive biomarkers, particularly for androgen receptor targeted agents and taxanes.

Methods

We have searched the PubMed database for original articles and meta-analyses providing information on blood-based markers for castration-resistant prostate cancer monitoring, risk group stratification and prediction of therapy response.

Results

The molecular markers are discussed along with the standard clinical parameters, such as prostate specific antigen, lactate dehydrogenase or C-reactive protein. Androgen receptor (AR) alterations are commonly associated with progression to CRPC. These include amplification of AR and its enhancer, point mutations and splice variants. Among DNA methylations, a novel 5-hydroxymethylcytosine activation marker of TOP2A and EZH2 has been identified for the aggressive disease. miR-375 is currently the most promising candidate among non-coding RNAs and sphingolipid analysis has recently emerged as a novel approach.

Conclusions

The promising biomarkers have the potential to improve the care of metastatic prostate cancer patients, however, they need further validation for routine implementation.

Assessment of sociodemographic and psychiatric characteristics of transgender adults seen at a Midwest tertiary medical center

Background

The National Academy of Medicine has formally identified transgender adults as an understudied population in critical need of health research. While national surveys, like the US Transgender survey, have characterized higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidality and socioeconomic need in the transgender community, studies have not examined the impact of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on mental health related outcomes.

Objective

To describe the sociodemographic and mental health characteristics of transgender adults seen at a large Midwest transgender clinic and to determine factors associated with self-reported mental health conditions.

Methods

Descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study of new transgender patients 18 years and older seen at a large Midwest transgender clinic between December 2019 and June 2022.

Results

A total of 482 charts were reviewed. During their initial evaluation, 11.6% (56/482) reported having a history of suicide attempt and 81.3% (392/482) reported a mental health diagnosis with the most common being depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Multivariable logistic regression results show no single factor was significantly associated with mental health diagnosis after adjusting for the effect of age and race. Patients who were new to gender affirming hormone therapy (54%, 254/468) are 2.0 (95% CI 1.4-2.9) times more likely to report having a mental health care provider than patients who were seen for continuation of therapy (46%, 214/468). Ten records with race not disclosed, 3 records with gender identity "other" and 2 records with gender identity not disclosed were excluded from analysis.

Conclusion

This study reinforces the finding that transgender adults have an increased lifetime prevalence of mental health conditions. The higher prevalence of mental health conditions in our clinic was not associated with sociodemographic factors included in the study. Furthermore, transgender patients are less likely to have seen mental healthcare providers after initiation of gender affirming hormone therapy.

Causal association between antidiabetic drugs and erectile dysfunction: evidence from Mendelian randomization

Background

Antidiabetic drugs are widely used in clinical practice as essential drugs for the treatment of diabetes. The effect of hypoglycemic drugs on erectile dysfunction has not been fully proven due to the presence of multiple confounding factors.

Methods

Two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) was used to examine the causal effect of antidiabetic drugs (including metformin, insulin and gliclazide) on erectile dysfunction. We used five robust analytic methods, of which the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method was the primary method, and also assessed factors such as sensitivity, pleiotropy, and heterogeneity. Effect statistics for exposures and outcomes were downloaded from publicly available data sets, including open Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and the UK Biobank (UKB).

Results

In some of the hypoglycemic drug use, there was a significant causal relationship between metformin use and erectile dysfunction [Beta: 4.9386; OR:1.396E+02 (95% CI:9.13-2135); p-value: 0.0004), suggesting that metformin increased the risk of erectile dysfunction development. Also, we saw that gliclazide use also increased the risk of erectile dysfunction [Beta: 11.7187; OR:0.0125 (95% CI:12.44-1.21E+09); P value: 0.0125). There was no significant causal relationship between insulin use and erectile dysfunction [Beta: 3.0730; OR:21.6071 (95% CI:0.24-1942.38); p-value: 0.1806).Leave-one-out, MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO analyses produced consistent results.

Conclusion

The use of metformin and gliclazide have the potential to increase the risk of erectile dysfunction. There is no causal relationship between the use of insulin and erectile dysfunction.

Clinical insights into nanomedicine and biosafety: advanced therapeutic approaches for common urological cancers

Urological cancers including those of the prostate, bladder, and kidney, are prevalent and often lethal malignancies besides other less common ones like testicular and penile cancers. Current treatments have major limitations like side effects, recurrence, resistance, high costs, and poor quality of life. Nanotechnology offers promising solutions through enhanced diagnostic accuracy, targeted drug delivery, controlled release, and multimodal imaging. This review reflects clinical challenges and nanomedical advances across major urological cancers. In prostate cancer, nanoparticles improve delineation and radiosensitization in radiation therapy, enable fluorescent guidance in surgery, and enhance chemotherapy penetration in metastatic disease. Nanoparticles also overcome bladder permeability barriers to increase the residence time of intravesical therapy and chemotherapy agents. In renal cancer, nanocarriers potentiate tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy while gene vectors and zinc oxide nanoparticles demonstrate antiproliferative effects. Across modalities, urological applications of nanomedicine include polymeric, liposomal, and metal nanoparticles for targeted therapy, prodrug delivery, photodynamic therapy, and thermal ablation. Biosafety assessments reveal favorable profiles but clinical translation remains limited, necessitating further trials. In conclusion, nanotechnology holds significant potential for earlier detection, precise intervention, and tailored treatment of urological malignancies, warranting expanded research to transform patient outcomes.

Gut microbiome: a novel preventive and therapeutic target for prostatic disease

The human gut microbiome (GM) impacts various physiological processes and can lead to pathological conditions and even carcinogenesis if homeostasis is disrupted. Recent studies have indicated a connection between the GM and prostatic disease. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This review aims to provide a summary of the existing information regarding the connection between the GM and various prostatic conditions such as chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer (PCa). Furthermore, the review aims to identify possible pathogenic mechanisms and suggest potential ways of targeting GM to prevent and treat prostatic disease. Due to the complexity of the mechanism between GM and prostatic diseases, additional research is required to comprehend the association between the two. This will lead to more effective treatment options for prostatic disease.

Urologic prosthetics: an imaging review of short- and long-term complications

PURPOSE

Urologic prosthetics offer significant quality of life enhancements for patients with stress urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Artificial urinary sphincter and penile prosthesis are the most commonly used prosthetics for these patients. Radiographic imaging offers important insight, guiding treatment when patients present with complications. Herein, we pictorialize normal radiographic findings and complications alike.

METHODS

We reviewed our IRB-approved prosthetics database, highlighting patients with prosthetic complications with available imaging. We collected imaging from patients without complications for baseline reference.

RESULTS

The radiographic appearance of orthotopic genitourinary prosthetics and a review of short- and long-term complications including hematoma, infection, malpositioning, leak and erosion are pictorialized.

CONCLUSION

Radiologic imaging serves as a vital complement to history and physical examination, aiding in the identification of complications and potentially streamlining surgical preparations. It is important for radiologists to familiarize themselves with standard prosthetic nomenclature, normal positioning and appearance, along with imaging findings of common complications.

Arthritis increases the risk of erectile dysfunction: Results from the NHANES 2001-2004

Objective

This study assessed the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and arthritis.

Methods

Weighted logistic regression and subgroup analyses were used to investigate the association between arthritis incidence and ED among participants in the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database.

Results

Among the participants, 27.8% and 18.5% had a self-reported history of ED and arthritis, respectively. ED was associated with arthritis (odds ratio [OR]=4.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.20-4.99; p<0.001], which remained significant after adjustment (OR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.00-1.96; p<0.001). Stratified by type of arthritis, after full adjustment, osteoarthritis remained significant (OR=1.11; 95% CI: 1.03-1.20; p=0.017), and rheumatoid arthritis (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 0.93-1.13; p= 0.5) and other arthritis (OR=1.04, 95% CI: 0.98-1.11; p=0.2) were not significantly correlated with ED. Multiple inference analyses confirmed the robustness of the results.

Conclusion

Our study showed that arthritis was strongly associated with ED. There is an urgent need to raise awareness and conduct additional research on the reasons behind this association in order to implement more scientific and rational treatment programs for patients with ED and arthritis.

Short-term effect of low-dose roxadustat combined with erythropoiesis-stimulating agent treatment for erythropoietin-resistant anemia in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis

Background

Erythropoietin resistance is present in some patients with chronic kidney disease, especially in those undergoing hemodialysis, and is often treated using roxadustat rather than iron supplements and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). However, some patients cannot afford full doses of roxadustat. This retrospective study investigated the efficacy of low-dose roxadustat combined with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO) therapy in 39 patients with erythropoietin-resistant renal anemia undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (3-4 sessions/week).

Methods

The ability of the combination of low-dose roxadustat and rhuEPO to increase the hemoglobin concentration over 12 weeks was assessed. Markers of iron metabolism were evaluated. Eligible adults received 50-60% of the recommended dose of roxadustat and higher doses of rhuEPO.

Results

The mean hemoglobin level increased from 77.67 ± 11.18 g/dL to 92.0 ± 8.35 g/dL after treatment, and the hemoglobin response rate increased to 72%. The mean hematocrit level significantly increased from 24.26 ± 3.99% to 30.04 ± 3.69%. The soluble transferrin receptor level increased (27.29 ± 13.60 mg/L to 38.09 ± 12.78 mg/L), while the total iron binding capacity (49.22 ± 11.29 mg/L to 43.91 ± 12.88 mg/L) and ferritin level (171.05 ± 54.75 ng/mL to 140.83 ± 42.03 ng/mL) decreased.

Conclusion

Therefore, in patients with ESA-resistant anemia who are undergoing hemodialysis, the combination of low-dose roxadustat and rhuEPO effectively improves renal anemia and iron metabolism.

Research progress on the relationship between chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and the microbiota of the reproductive system

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common pelvic pain syndrome in males, seriously affecting patients' quality of life. For a long time, CP/CPPS has been considered a complex and variable disease, and its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Currently, CP/CPPS is believed to be a group of diseases characterized by pelvic pain or discomfort, urinary abnormalities, and other symptoms, each with its unique etiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes, likely resulting from the action of pathogens or (and) certain non-infectious factors. Traditionally, CP/CPPS was thought to be unrelated to bacterial infections. However, in recent years, with the development of microbiology and the advancement of high-throughput sequencing technology, an increasing number of studies have suggested that microorganisms in the reproductive system may play an important role in the pathogenesis of CP/CPPS. The unique characteristics of CP/CPPS, such as its refractory nature and tendency to recur, may be closely related to the microbiota and their biological functions in the reproductive system. The relationship between CP/CPPS and reproductive system microorganisms is one of the current hot topics in microbiology and urology, receiving considerable attention from scholars in recent years and making a series of new advances. Through this review, we will comprehensively explore the relationship between CP/CPPS and reproductive system microorganisms, and look forward to future research directions, aiming to provide new ideas and methods for clinical diagnosis and treatment, thereby improving the treatment outcomes and quality of life of CP/CPPS patients.

A 23-year bibliometric analysis of the development of global research on hereditary renal carcinoma

Objectives

Medical research continues to be extensively devoted to investigating the pathogenesis and treatment approaches of hereditary renal cancer. By aspect including researchers, institutions, countries, journals, and keywords, we conduct a bibliometric analysis of the literature pertaining to hereditary renal cancer over the last 23 years.

Methods

From the Web of Science Core Collection, we conducted a search for publications published between January 1, 2000 and November 28, 2023. Reviews and original articles were included.

Results

A cumulative count of 2,194 publications met the specified criteria for inclusion. The studies of the included articles involved a collective of 2,402 institutions representing 80 countries. Notably, the United States exhibited the highest number of published documents, constituting approximately 45.49% of the total. The preeminent institution in this discipline is the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which maintains a publication volume of 8.98%. In addition to being the most prolific author (125 publications), Linehan WM's works received the highest number of citations (11,985). In a comprehensive count, 803 journals have published related articles. In the top 10 most recent occurrences were the terms "hereditary leiomyomatosis" and "fumarate hydratase."

Conclusion

This is the first bibliometric analysis of the literature on hereditary renal cancer. This article offers a thorough examination of the present status of investigations concerning hereditary renal cancer during the previous 23 years.

Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer and Combination Treatment Outcomes: A Review

Importance

Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer is currently an incurable disease. Despite a high response rate to androgen-deprivation therapy, most cases progress to castration-resistant disease, the terminal phase. This review provides a summary of the most recent evidence for current and emerging management strategies, including treatment intensification with combinations of therapies. It also provides recommendations on applying the evidence in clinical practice to encourage appropriate treatment to improve survival outcomes among patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

Observations

Androgen-deprivation therapy is the backbone of treatment for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer; however, it is insufficient alone to provide sustained disease control and long-term survival. Addition of an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor and/or docetaxel significantly improves survival, as demonstrated by several international phase 3 randomized clinical trials. Triplet therapy composed of androgen-deprivation therapy plus an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor plus docetaxel has been shown to improve overall survival over androgen-deprivation therapy plus docetaxel. In the ARASENS trial (darolutamide), the hazard ratios (HRs) were 0.68 (95% CI, 0.57-0.80) in the overall population; 0.71 (95% CI, 0.59-0.85) and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.35-1.05) in patients with de novo and recurrent disease, respectively; 0.69 (95% CI, 0.57-0.82) and 0.72 (95% CI, 0.41-1.13) in patients with high-volume and low-volume disease, respectively; and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.58-0.86) and 0.62 (95% CI, 0.42-0.90) in patients with high-risk and low-risk disease, respectively. In the PEACE-1 trial (abiraterone acetate + prednisone), the HRs were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.59-0.95; all de novo) in the overall population and 0.72 (95% CI, 0.55-0.95) and immature in the high-volume and low-volume subgroups, respectively. In the ENZAMET trial (enzalutamide), the HRs were 0.82 (95% CI, 0.63-1.06) in the overall population; 0.73 (95% CI, 0.55-0.99) and 1.10 (95% CI, 0.65-1.86) in the de novo and recurrent subgroups, respectively; and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.66-1.17) and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.33-1.10) in the high-volume and low-volume subgroups. Combination regimens are generally well tolerated, with adverse effects dependent on the profiles of the component drugs.

Conclusions and relevance

The findings of this review show compelling evidence from phase 3 randomized clinical trials in favor of initiating triplet combination therapy for patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer for the best overall survival. Patients who are eligible for chemotherapy should be offered androgen-deprivation therapy plus an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor plus docetaxel, particularly patients with high-volume, high-risk, or de novo metastatic disease.

Development and Validation of an 18-Gene Urine Test for High-Grade Prostate Cancer

Importance

Benefits of prostate cancer (PCa) screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) alone are largely offset by excess negative biopsies and overdetection of indolent cancers resulting from the poor specificity of PSA for high-grade PCa (ie, grade group [GG] 2 or greater).

Objective

To develop a multiplex urinary panel for high-grade PCa and validate its external performance relative to current guideline-endorsed biomarkers.

Design, Setting, and Participants

RNA sequencing analysis of 58 724 genes identified 54 markers of PCa, including 17 markers uniquely overexpressed by high-grade cancers. Gene expression and clinical factors were modeled in a new urinary test for high-grade PCa (MyProstateScore 2.0 [MPS2]). Optimal models were developed in parallel without prostate volume (MPS2) and with prostate volume (MPS2+). The locked models underwent blinded external validation in a prospective National Cancer Institute trial cohort. Data were collected from January 2008 to December 2020, and data were analyzed from November 2022 to November 2023.

Exposure

Protocolized blood and urine collection and transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic prostate biopsy.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Multiple biomarker tests were assessed in the validation cohort, including serum PSA alone, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial risk calculator, and the Prostate Health Index (PHI) as well as derived multiplex 2-gene and 3-gene models, the original 2-gene MPS test, and the 18-gene MPS2 models. Under a testing approach with 95% sensitivity for PCa of GG 2 or greater, measures of diagnostic accuracy and clinical consequences of testing were calculated. Cancers of GG 3 or greater were assessed secondarily.

Results

Of 761 men included in the development cohort, the median (IQR) age was 63 (58-68) years, and the median (IQR) PSA level was 5.6 (4.6-7.2) ng/mL; of 743 men included in the validation cohort, the median (IQR) age was 62 (57-68) years, and the median (IQR) PSA level was 5.6 (4.1-8.0) ng/mL. In the validation cohort, 151 (20.3%) had high-grade PCa on biopsy. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values were 0.60 using PSA alone, 0.66 using the risk calculator, 0.77 using PHI, 0.76 using the derived multiplex 2-gene model, 0.72 using the derived multiplex 3-gene model, and 0.74 using the original MPS model compared with 0.81 using the MPS2 model and 0.82 using the MPS2+ model. At 95% sensitivity, the MPS2 model would have reduced unnecessary biopsies performed in the initial biopsy population (range for other tests, 15% to 30%; range for MPS2, 35% to 42%) and repeat biopsy population (range for other tests, 9% to 21%; range for MPS2, 46% to 51%). Across pertinent subgroups, the MPS2 models had negative predictive values of 95% to 99% for cancers of GG 2 or greater and of 99% for cancers of GG 3 or greater.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study, a new 18-gene PCa test had higher diagnostic accuracy for high-grade PCa relative to existing biomarker tests. Clinically, use of this test would have meaningfully reduced unnecessary biopsies performed while maintaining highly sensitive detection of high-grade cancers. These data support use of this new PCa biomarker test in patients with elevated PSA levels to reduce the potential harms of PCa screening while preserving its long-term benefits.

Mathematical model of MMC chemotherapy for non-invasive bladder cancer treatment

Mitomycin-C (MMC) chemotherapy is a well-established anti-cancer treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, despite comprehensive biological research, the complete mechanism of action and an ideal regimen of MMC have not been elucidated. In this study, we present a theoretical investigation of NMIBC growth and its treatment by continuous administration of MMC chemotherapy. Using temporal ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to describe cell populations and drug molecules, we formulated the first mathematical model of tumor-immune interactions in the treatment of MMC for NMIBC, based on biological sources. Several hypothetical scenarios for NMIBC under the assumption that tumor size correlates with cell count are presented, depicting the evolution of tumors classified as small, medium, and large. These scenarios align qualitatively with clinical observations of lower recurrence rates for tumor size ≤ 30[mm] with MMC treatment, demonstrating that cure appears up to a theoretical x[mm] tumor size threshold, given specific parameters within a feasible biological range. The unique use of mole units allows to introduce a new method for theoretical pre-treatment assessments by determining MMC drug doses required for a cure. In this way, our approach provides initial steps toward personalized MMC chemotherapy for NMIBC patients, offering the possibility of new insights and potentially holding the key to unlocking some of its mysteries.

Decreased embryo developmental potential and lower cumulative pregnancy rate in men with multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella

Objective

Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) is characterized by abnormal flagellar phenotypes, which is a particular kind of asthenoteratozoospermia. Previous studies have reported a comparable intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome in terms of fertilization rate and clinical pregnancy rate in patients with MMAF compared with those with no MMAF; however, others have conflicting opinions. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes in individuals with MMAF are still controversial and open to debate.

Methods

A total of 38 patients with MMAF treated at an academic reproductive center between January 2014 and July 2022 were evaluated in the current retrospective cohort study and followed up until January 2023. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for the baseline clinical characteristics of the patients and to create a comparable control group. The genetic pathogenesis of MMAF was confirmed by whole exome sequencing. The main outcomes were the embryo developmental potential, the cumulative pregnancy rate (CLPR), and the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR).

Results

Pathogenic variants in known genes of DNAH1, DNAH11, CFAP43, FSIP2, and SPEF2 were identified in patients with MMAF. Laboratory outcomes, including the fertilization rate, 2PN cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate, and available blastocyst rate, followed a trend of decline in the MMAF group (p < 0.05). Moreover, according to the embryo transfer times and complete cycles, the CLPR in the cohort of MMAF was lower compared with the oligoasthenospermia pool (p = 0.033 and p = 0.020, respectively), while no statistical differences were observed in the neonatal outcomes.

Conclusion

The current study presented decreased embryo developmental potential and compromised clinical outcomes in the MMAF cohort. These findings may provide clinicians with evidence to support genetic counseling and clinical guidance in specific patients with MMAF.

Anastrozole monotherapy further improves near-adult height after the initial combined treatment with leuprorelin and anastrozole in early-maturing girls with compromised growth prediction: results from the second phase of the GAIL study

Background

The first phase of the GAIL study ("Girls treated with an Aromatase Inhibitor and Leuprorelin," ISRCTN11469487) has shown that the combination of anastrozole and leuprorelin for 24 months is safe and effective in improving the predicted adult height (PAH) in girls with early puberty and compromised growth prediction by +1.21 standard deviation score (SDS; +7.51 cm) compared to inhibition of puberty alone, +0.31 SDS (+1.92 cm).

Objectives and hypotheses

In the second phase of the GAIL study, we assessed the adult height (AH)/near-adult height (NAH) at the end of the first phase and, in addition, the efficacy of anastrozole monotherapy thereafter in further improving NAH.

Methods

We measured the AH (age 16.5 years)/NAH [bone age (BA), 15 years] of the 40 girls included, divided into two matched groups: group A (20 girls on anastrozole + leuprorelin) and group B (20 girls on leuprorelin alone). Group A was further randomized into two subgroups: A1 and A2. Group A1 (n = 10), after completion of the combined therapy, received anastrozole 1 mg/day as monotherapy until BA 14 years, with a 6-month follow-up. Group A2 (n = 10) and group B (n = 20), who received only the combined treatment and leuprorelin alone, respectively, were recalled for evaluation of AH/NAH.

Results

AH or NAH exceeded the PAH at the completion of the 2-year initial phase of the GAIL study in all groups, but the results were statistically significant only in group A1: NAH-PAH group A1, +3.85 cm (+0.62 SDS, p = 0.01); group A2, +1.6 cm (+0.26 SDS, p = 0.26); and group B, +1.7 cm (+0.3 SDS, p = 0.08). The gain in group A1 was significantly greater than that in group A2 (p = 0.04) and in group B (p = 0.03). Anastrozole was determined to be safe even as monotherapy in Group A1.

Conclusions

In early-maturing girls with compromised growth potential, the combined treatment with leuprorelin and anastrozole for 2 years or until the age of 11 years resulted in a total gain in height of +9.7 cm when continuing anastrozole monotherapy until the attainment of NAH, as opposed to +7.4 cm if they do not continue with the anastrozole monotherapy and +3.6 cm when treated with leuprorelin alone. Thus, the combined intervention ends at the shortest distance from the target height if continued with anastrozole monotherapy until BA 14 years.

Prostate cancer research: tools, cell types, and molecular targets

Multiple cancer cell types are found in prostate tumors. They are either luminal-like adenocarcinoma or less luminal-like and more stem-like non-adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma. These types are lineage related through differentiation. Loss of cancer differentiation from luminal-like to stem-like is mediated by the activation of stem cell transcription factors (scTF) such as LIN28A, NANOG, POU5F1 and SOX2. scTF expression leads to down-regulation of β2-microglobulin (B2M). Thus, cancer cells can change from the scT F ˜ B 2 M hi phenotype of differentiated to that of scT F ˙ B 2 M lo of dedifferentiated in the disease course. In development, epithelial cell differentiation is induced by stromal signaling and cell contact. One of the stromal factors specific to prostate encodes proenkephalin (PENK). PENK can down-regulate scTF and up-regulate B2M in stem-like small cell carcinoma LuCaP 145.1 cells indicative of exit from the stem state and differentiation. In fact, prostate cancer cells can be made to undergo dedifferentiation or reprogramming by scTF transfection and then to differentiate by PENK transfection. Therapies need to be designed for treating the different cancer cell types. Extracellular anterior gradient 2 (eAGR2) is an adenocarcinoma antigen associated with cancer differentiation that can be targeted by antibodies to lyse tumor cells with immune system components. eAGR2 is specific to cancer as normal cells express only the intracellular form (iAGR2). For AGR2-negative stem-like cancer cells, factors like PENK that can target scTF could be effective in differentiation therapy.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Clinical, and Biopsy Findings in Suspected Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

Multiple strategies integrating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical data have been proposed to determine the need for a prostate biopsy in men with suspected clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) (Gleason score ≥3 + 4). However, inconsistencies across different strategies create challenges for drawing a definitive conclusion.

Objective

To determine the optimal prostate biopsy decision-making strategy for avoiding unnecessary biopsies and minimizing the risk of missing csPCa by combining MRI Prostate Imaging Reporting & Data System (PI-RADS) and clinical data.

Data Sources

PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from inception to July 1, 2022.

Study Selection

English-language studies that evaluated men with suspected but not confirmed csPCa who underwent MRI PI-RADS followed by prostate biopsy were included. Each study had proposed a biopsy plan by combining PI-RADS and clinical data.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Studies were independently assessed for eligibility for inclusion. Quality of studies was appraised using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Mixed-effects meta-analyses and meta-regression models with multimodel inference were performed. Reporting of this study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Independent risk factors of csPCa were determined by performing meta-regression between the rate of csPCa and PI-RADS and clinical parameters. Yields of different biopsy strategies were assessed by performing diagnostic meta-analysis.

Results

The analyses included 72 studies comprising 36 366 patients. Univariable meta-regression showed that PI-RADS 4 (β-coefficient [SE], 7.82 [3.85]; P = .045) and PI-RADS 5 (β-coefficient [SE], 23.18 [4.46]; P < .001) lesions, but not PI-RADS 3 lesions (β-coefficient [SE], -4.08 [3.06]; P = .19), were significantly associated with a higher risk of csPCa. When considered jointly in a multivariable model, prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) was the only clinical variable significantly associated with csPCa (β-coefficient [SE], 15.50 [5.14]; P < .001) besides PI-RADS 5 (β-coefficient [SE], 9.19 [3.33]; P < .001). Avoiding biopsy in patients with lesions with PI-RADS category of 3 or less and PSAD less than 0.10 (vs <0.15) ng/mL2 resulted in reducing 30% (vs 48%) of unnecessary biopsies (compared with performing biopsy in all suspected patients), with an estimated sensitivity of 97% (vs 95%) and number needed to harm of 17 (vs 15).

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that in patients with suspected csPCa, patient-tailored prostate biopsy decisions based on PI-RADS and PSAD could prevent unnecessary procedures while maintaining high sensitivity.

Prostate Cancer Screening Uptake in Transgender Women

Importance

There is no consensus in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening guidelines regarding transgender women despite their known prostate cancer risk.

Objective

To identify factors associated with recent (within the last 2 years) PSA screening in transgender women compared with cisgender men.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This case-control study used data from the 2018 and 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys to characterize rates of PSA screening for prostate cancer within the past 2 years and multivariable logistic regressions to characterize factors associated with recent screening among transgender women. The BRFSS program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention annually surveys over 400 000 US adults on behavioral risk factors, chronic illnesses, and use of preventive services. Respondents to the BRFSS who were cisgender men or transgender women 40 years or older and who had complete PSA testing responses and no prostate cancer history were included; 313 transgender women and 138 937 cisgender men met inclusion criteria. Matching was performed by age, race and ethnicity, educational level, employment, annual income, survey year, and cost barriers to care. Data were collected on November 2, 2022, and analyzed from November 2, 2022, to December 3, 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Rates of and factors associated with recent PSA screening in transgender women.

Results

Among the 1275 participants included in the matched cohort (255 transgender women and 1020 cisgender men; 570 [44.7%] aged 55-69 years), recent PSA screening rates among transgender women and cisgender men aged 55 to 69 were 22.2% (n = 26) and 36.3% (n = 165), respectively; among those 70 years and older, these rates were 41.8% (n = 26) and 40.2% (n = 98), respectively. In the matched cohort, transgender women had lower univariable odds of recent screening than cisgender men (odds ratio [OR], 0.65 [95% CI, 0.46-0.92]; P = .02). In a hierarchical regression analysis adding time since the last primary care visit, effect size and significance were unchanged (OR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.42-0.87]; P = .007). After adding whether a clinician recommended a PSA test, there was no statistically significant difference in odds of screening between transgender women and cisgender men (OR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.45-1.27]; P = .21). The results were further attenuated when clinician-led discussions of PSA screening advantages and disadvantages were added (OR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.47-1.31]; P = .32). In a multivariable logistic regression among transgender women, having a recommendation for PSA testing was the factor with the strongest association with recent screening (OR, 12.40 [95% CI, 4.47-37.80]; P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this case-control study of one of the largest cohorts of transgender women studied regarding PSA screening, the findings suggest that access to care or sociodemographic factors were not principal drivers of the screening differences between transgender women and cisgender men; rather, these data underscore the clinician's role in influencing PSA screening among transgender women.

DNM3OS Enhances the Apoptosis and Senescence of Spermatogonia Associated with Nonobstructive Azoospermia by Providing miR-214-5p and Decreasing E2F2 Expression

Background

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a complex disease characterized by the spermatogenic dysfunction of testicular tissues. The roles played by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in NOA pathogenesis have not been extensively studied.

Methods

Microarray assays were performed on samples of testicular biopsy tissue obtained from patients with NOA for the purpose of identifying differentially expressed lncRNAs and messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts, and the results were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Mouse-derived GC-1 spermatogonia (spg) cells undergoing treatment with Adriamycin (ADR) were used to investigate the biological functions of the selected lncRNAs in vitro. The target microRNAs (miRNAs) of lncRNAs and the target mRNAs of miRNAs were predicted by a bioinformatics analysis. Functional studies performed using the CCK-8 assay, EdU incorporation assay, apoptosis detection, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining were conducted using GC-1 spg cells.

Results

Totals of 2,652 lncRNAs and 2,625 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in the testicular tissue of NOA patients when compared with patients in a control group. Dynamin 3 opposite strand (DNM3OS) was a provider of pe-miR-214-5p that positively regulates miR-214-5p expression in GC-1 spg cells. The E2 factor (E2F) family of transcription factor 2 (E2F2) was initially predicted and subsequently verified to be a downstream gene of miR-214-5p. E2F2 expression was upregulated after DNM3OS knockdown in ADR-treated GC-1 spg cells. Moreover, knockdown of either DNM3OS or miR-214-5p significantly alleviated ADR-induced decreases in cellular activity and proliferation, as well as increases in apoptosis and senescence of mouse spermatogonial GC-1 spg cells.

Conclusions

DNM3OS was found to regulate the apoptosis and senescence of spermatogonia by providing miR-214-5p and decreasing E2F2 expression, suggesting it as a novel target for gene therapy of male infertility.

Patient and Context Factors in the Adoption of Active Surveillance for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

Importance

Although active surveillance for patients with low-risk prostate cancer (LRPC) has been recommended for years, its adoption at the population level is often limited.

Objective

To make active surveillance available for patients with LRPC using a research framework and to compare patient characteristics and clinical outcomes between those who receive active surveillance vs radical treatments at diagnosis.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This population-based, prospective cohort study was designed by a large multidisciplinary group of specialists and patients' representatives. The study was conducted within all 18 urology centers and 7 radiation oncology centers in the Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Regional Oncology Network in Northwest Italy (approximate population, 4.5 million). Participants included patients with a new diagnosis of LRPC from June 2015 to December 2021. Data were analyzed from January to May 2023.

Exposure

At diagnosis, all patients were informed of the available treatment options by the urologist and received an information leaflet describing the benefits and risks of active surveillance compared with active treatments, either radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiation treatment (RT). Patients choosing active surveillance were actively monitored with regular prostate-specific antigen testing, clinical examinations, and a rebiopsy at 12 months.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes of interest were proportion of patients choosing active surveillance or radical treatments, overall survival, and, for patients in active surveillance, treatment-free survival. Comparisons were analyzed with multivariable logistic or Cox models, considering centers as clusters.

Results

A total of 852 male patients (median [IQR] age, 70 [64-74] years) were included, and 706 patients (82.9%) chose active surveillance, with an increasing trend over time; 109 patients (12.8%) chose RP, and 37 patients (4.3%) chose RT. Median (IQR) follow-up was 57 (41-76) months. Worse prostate cancer prognostic factors were negatively associated with choosing active surveillance (eg, stage T2a vs T1c: odds ratio [OR], 0.51; 95% CI, 0.28-0.93), while patients who were older (eg, age ≥75 vs <65 years: OR, 4.27; 95% CI, 1.98-9.22), had higher comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥2 vs 0: OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.02-3.85), underwent an independent revision of the first prostate biopsy (OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.26-4.38) or underwent a multidisciplinary assessment (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.38-5.11) were more likely to choose active surveillance vs active treatment. After adjustment, center at which a patient was treated continued to be an important factor in the choice of treatment (intraclass correlation coefficient, 18.6%). No differences were detected in overall survival between active treatment and active surveillance. Treatment-free survival in the active surveillance cohort was 59.0% (95% CI, 54.8%-62.9%) at 24 months, 54.5% (95% CI, 50.2%-58.6%) at 36 months, and 47.0% (95% CI, 42.2%-51.7%) at 48 months.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this population-based cohort study of patients with LRPC, a research framework at system level as well as favorable prognostic factors, a multidisciplinary approach, and an independent review of the first prostate biopsy at patient-level were positively associated with high uptake of active surveillance, a practice largely underused before this study.

Diagnosis and Management of Priapism

This JAMA Clinical Guidelines Synopsis summarizes the 2022 American Urological Association/Sexual Medicine Society of North America guidelines on diagnosis and management of priapism.

National Estimates of Gender-Affirming Surgery in the US

Importance

While changes in federal and state laws mandating coverage of gender-affirming surgery (GAS) may have led to an increase in the number of annual cases, comprehensive data describing trends in both inpatient and outpatient procedures are limited.

Objective

To examine trends in inpatient and outpatient GAS procedures in the US and to explore the temporal trends in the types of GAS performed across age groups.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study includes data from 2016 to 2020 in the Nationwide Ambulatory Surgery Sample and the National Inpatient Sample. Patients with diagnosis codes for gender identity disorder, transsexualism, or a personal history of sex reassignment were identified, and the performance of GAS, including breast and chest procedures, genital reconstructive procedures, and other facial and cosmetic surgical procedures, were identified.

Main Outcome Measures

Weighted estimates of the annual number of inpatient and outpatient procedures performed and the distribution of each class of procedure overall and by age were analyzed.

Results

A total of 48 019 patients who underwent GAS were identified, including 25 099 (52.3%) who were aged 19 to 30 years. The most common procedures were breast and chest procedures, which occurred in 27 187 patients (56.6%), followed by genital reconstruction (16 872 [35.1%]) and other facial and cosmetic procedures (6669 [13.9%]). The absolute number of GAS procedures rose from 4552 in 2016 to a peak of 13 011 in 2019 and then declined slightly to 12 818 in 2020. Overall, 25 099 patients (52.3%) were aged 19 to 30 years, 10 476 (21.8%) were aged 31 to 40, and 3678 (7.7%) were aged12 to 18 years. When stratified by the type of procedure performed, breast and chest procedures made up a greater percentage of the surgical interventions in younger patients, while genital surgical procedures were greater in older patients.

Conclusions and Relevance

Performance of GAS has increased substantially in the US. Breast and chest surgery was the most common group of procedures performed. The number of genital surgical procedures performed increased with increasing age.

Comparing Risk for Second Primary Cancers After Intensity-Modulated vs 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer, 2002-2015

Importance

Compared with 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can spare nearby tissue but may result in increased scatter radiation to distant normal tissue, including red bone marrow. It is unclear whether second primary cancer risk varies by radiotherapy type.

Objective

To evaluate whether radiotherapy type (IMRT vs 3DCRT) is associated with second primary cancer risk among older men treated for prostate cancer.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this retrospective cohort study of a linked database of Medicare claims and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program population-based cancer registries (2002-2015), male patients aged 66 to 84 diagnosed with a first primary nonmetastatic prostate cancer from 2002 to 2013, as reported to SEER, and who received radiotherapy (IMRT and/or 3DCRT without proton therapy) within the first year following prostate cancer were identified. The data were analyzed from January 2022 through June 2022.

Exposure

Receipt of IMRT and 3DCRT, based on Medicare claims.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The association between radiotherapy type and development of a subsequent hematologic cancer at least 2 years after prostate cancer diagnosis or a subsequent solid cancer at least 5 years after prostate cancer diagnosis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional regression.

Results

The study included 65 235 2-year first primary prostate cancer survivors (median [range] age, 72 [66-82] years; 82.2% White patients) and 45 811 5-year survivors with similar demographic characteristics (median [range] age, 72 [66-79] years; 82.4% White patients). Among 2-year prostate cancer survivors (median [range] follow-up, 4.6 [0.003-12.0] years), 1107 second hematologic cancers were diagnosed (IMRT, 603; 3DCRT, 504). Radiotherapy type was not associated with second hematologic cancers overall or any specific types evaluated. Among 5-year survivors (median [range] follow-up, 3.1 [0.003-9.0] years), 2688 men were diagnosed with a second primary solid cancer (IMRT, 1306; 3DCRT, 1382). The overall HR for IMRT vs 3DCRT was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.83-0.99). This inverse association was restricted to the earlier calendar year period of prostate cancer diagnosis (HR2002-2005 = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.94; HR2006-2010 = 1.14; 95% CI, 0.96-1.36), with a similar pattern observed for colon cancer (HR2002-2005 = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.46-0.94; HR2006-2010 = 1.06; 95% CI, 0.59-1.88).

Conclusions and Relevance

The results of this large, population-based cohort study suggest that IMRT for prostate cancer is not associated with an increased risk of second primary cancers, either solid or hematologic, and any inverse associations may be associated with calendar year of treatment.

Prostate Cancer in Transgender Women in the Veterans Affairs Health System, 2000-2022

This case series investigates the rate of prostate cancer diagnoses among transgender women treated in the Veterans Affairs health system.

Implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Gender-Affirming Care Worldwide: A Systematic Review

Importance

Gender-affirming care is a key clinical area that can benefit from implementation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Identifying barriers to and enablers of PROM implementation is needed to develop an evidence-based implementation strategy.

Objective

To identify (1) PROMs previously implemented for gender-affirming care and constructs measured, (2) how patients completed PROMs and how results were reported and used, and (3) barriers to and enablers of PROM implementation.

Evidence Review

In this systematic review, PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched from inception to October 25, 2021, and updated on December 16, 2022. Gray literature was searched through gray literature database, online search engine, and targeted website searching. Inclusion criteria were (1) original articles of (2) a formally developed PROM or ad hoc instrument administered for gender-affirming care to (3) patients accessing gender-affirming care. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool was used to evaluate quality of included studies. This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021233080).

Findings

In total, 286 studies were included, representing 85 395 transgender and nonbinary patients from more than 30 countries. A total of 205 different PROMs were used in gender-affirming care. No studies described using an implementation science theory, model, or framework to support PROM deployment. Key barriers to PROM implementation included issues with evidence strength and quality of the PROM, engaging participants, and PROM complexity. Key enablers of PROM implementation included using PROMs validated for gender-affirming care, implementing PROMs able to be deployed online or in person, implementing PROMs that are shorter and reduce patient burden, engaging key stakeholders and participants as part of developing an implementation plan, and organizational climate.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this systematic review of barriers to and enablers of PROM implementation in gender-affirming care, PROM implementation was inconsistent and did not follow evidence-based approaches in implementation science. There was also a lack of patient input in creating implementation strategies, suggesting a need for patient-centered approaches to PROM implementation. Frameworks created from these results can be used to develop evidence-based PROM implementation initiatives for gender-affirming care and have potential generalizability for other clinical areas interested in implementing PROMs.

Disparities in the Inclusion of Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups and Older Adults in Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials: A Meta-analysis

Importance

Prostate cancer (PCa) is marked by disparities in clinical outcomes by race, ethnicity, and age. Equitable enrollment in clinical trials is fundamental to promoting health equity.

Objective

To evaluate disparities in the inclusion of racial and ethnic minority groups and older adults across PCa clinical trials.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched to identify primary trial reports from each database's inception through February 2021. Global incidence in age subgroups and US population-based incidence in racial and ethnic subgroups were acquired from the Global Burden of Disease and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 21 incidence databases respectively.

Study Selection

All phase 2/3 randomized PCa clinical trials were eligible for age disparity analyses. Trials recruiting exclusively from the US were eligible for primary racial and ethnic disparity analyses.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

This study was reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines. Data were pooled using a random-effects model.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Enrollment incidence ratios (EIRs), trial proportions (TPs) of participants 65 years or older or members of a racial and ethnic subgroup divided by global incidence in the corresponding age group, or US population-based incidence in the corresponding racial and ethnic subgroup, were calculated. Meta-regression was used to explore associations between trial characteristics and EIRs and trends in EIRs during the past 3 decades.

Results

Of 9552 participants among trials reporting race, 954 (10.8%) were African American/Black, 80 (1.5%) were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 8518 (78.5) were White. Of 65 US trials, 45 (69.2%) reported race and only 9 (13.8%) reported data on all 5 US racial categories. Of 286 global trials, 75 (26.2%) reported the enrollment proportion of older adults. Outcomes by race and age were reported in 2 (3.1%) and 41 (15.0%) trials, respectively. Black (EIR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59-0.83) and Hispanic (EIR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59-0.83) patients were significantly underrepresented in US trials. There was no disparity in older adult representation (TP, 21 143 [71.1%]; EIR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.95-1.05). The representation of Black patients was lower in larger trials (meta-regression coefficient, -0.06; 95% CI, -0.10 to -0.02; P = .002).

Conclusions and Relevance

The results of this meta-analysis suggest that Black and Hispanic men are underrepresented in trials compared with their share of PCa incidence. The representation of Black patients has consistently remained low during the past 2 decades.

Experiences and Perspectives of Transgender Youths in Accessing Health Care: A Systematic Review

IMPORTANCE

Transgender and nonbinary youths have a higher incidence of a range of health conditions and may paradoxically face limited access to health care.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the perspectives and needs of transgender youths in accessing health care.

EVIDENCE REVIEW

MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched from inception to January 2021. Qualitative studies of transgender youths' perspectives on accessing health care were selected. Results from primary studies were extracted. Data were analyzed using thematic synthesis.

FINDINGS

Ninety-one studies involving 884 participants aged 9 to 24 years across 17 countries were included. We identified 6 themes: experiencing pervasive stigma and discrimination in health care, feeling vulnerable and uncertain in decision-making, traversing risks to overcome systemic barriers to transitioning, internalizing intense fear of consequences, experiencing prejudice undermining help-seeking efforts, and experiencing strengthened gender identity and finding allies. Each theme encapsulated multiple subthemes.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This review found that transgender youths contend with feelings of gender incongruence, fear, and vulnerability in accessing health care, which are compounded by legal, economic, and social barriers. This can lead to disengagement from care and resorting to high-risk and unsafe interventions. Improving access to gender-affirming care services with a cultural humility lens and addressing sociolegal stressors may improve outcomes in transgender and nonbinary youths.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Use of Prostate Magnetic Resonance Imaging Following an Elevated Prostate-Specific Antigen Test

IMPORTANCE

Prostate cancer screening and diagnosis exhibit known racial and ethnic disparities. Whether these disparities persist in prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilization after elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) results is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To assess potential racial and ethnic disparities in prostate MRI utilization following elevated PSA results.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study of 794 809 insured US men was drawn from deidentified medical claims between January 2011 and December 2017 obtained from a commercial claims database. Eligible participants were aged 40 years and older and received a single PSA result and no prior PSA screening or prostate MRI claims. Analysis was performed in January 2021.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between elevated PSA results and follow-up prostate MRI. For patients receiving prostate MRI, multivariable regressions were estimated for the time between PSA and subsequent prostate MRI. PSA thresholds explored included PSA levels above 2.5 ng/mL, 4 ng/mL, and 10 ng/mL. Analyses were stratified by race, ethnicity, and age.

RESULTS

Of 794 809 participants, 51 500 (6.5%) had PSA levels above 4 ng/mL; of these, 1524 (3.0%) underwent prostate MRI within 180 days. In this sample, mean (SD) age was 59.8 (11.3) years (range 40-89 years); 31 350 (3.9%) were Asian, 75 935 (9.6%) were Black, 107 956 (13.6%) were Hispanic, and 455 214 (57.3%) were White. Compared with White patients, Black patients with PSA levels above 4 ng/mL and 10 ng/mL were 24.1% (odds ratio [OR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65-0.89) and 35.0% (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.50-0.85) less likely to undergo subsequent prostate MRI, respectively. Asian patients with PSA levels higher than 4 ng/mL (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.58-0.99) and Hispanic patients with PSA levels above 10 ng/mL (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.59-0.99) were also less likely to undergo subsequent prostate MRI compared with White patients. Black patients between ages 65 and 74 years with PSA above 4 ng/mL and 10 ng/mL were 23.6% (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.91) and 43.9% (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35-0.91) less likely to undergo MRI, respectively. Race and ethnicity were not significantly associated with mean time between PSA and MRI.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among men with elevated PSA results, racial and ethnic disparities were evident in subsequent prostate MRI utilization and were more pronounced at higher PSA thresholds. Further research is needed to better understand and mitigate physician decision-making biases and other potential sources of disparities in prostate cancer diagnosis and management.

Variation in Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcome of Esophageal Cancer in a Regionalized Care System in Ontario, Canada

IMPORTANCE

Esophageal cancer remains one of the most deadly cancers, ranking sixth highest among cancers leading to the greatest years of life lost.

OBJECTIVE

To determine how patients with esophageal cancer are diagnosed and treated in Ontario's regionalized thoracic surgery centers.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study included patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018, identified from the Ontario Cancer Registry, in a single-payer health care system with regionalization of thoracic surgery in the province of Ontario, Canada.

EXPOSURES

Exposures included incidence of esophageal cancer and stage at diagnosis; time from the first health care visit until treatment; and the use of specialist consultations, endoscopic ultrasonography, positron emission tomography and computed tomography, endomucosal resection, esophagectomy, neoadjuvant therapy, adjuvant therapy, radiation alone, and chemotherapy alone or in combination with other treatment.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Outcome measures included wait times, health care use, treatment, and overall survival. Data were analyzed from March 2020 to February 2021.

RESULTS

There were 10 364 patients (mean [SD] age, 68.3 [11.9] years; 7876 men [76%]) identified during the study period. The incidence of esophageal cancer increased over the study period from 1041 in 2010 to 1309 in 2018, which was driven by a 30% increase in the number of adenocarcinomas. The time from first health care encounter to start of treatment was a median 93 days (interquartile range, 56-159 days). Endoscopic ultrasonography was observed for 12% of patients, and positron emission tomography and computed tomography (CT) in 45%. Use of endoscopic mucosal resection was observed for 8% of patients with stage 0 to I disease. A total of 114 of 547 patients (21%) receiving endoscopic resection had a subsequent esophagectomy. Only 2778 patients (27%) had consultations with a thoracic surgeon, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist, whereas 1514 patients (15%) did not see any of these specialists. Of 3047 patients who had an esophagectomy, those receiving neoadjuvant therapy had better overall survival (median survival, 36 months; 95% CI, 32-39 months) than patients who received esophagectomy alone (median survival, 27 months; 95% CI, 24-30 months) or those who received esophagectomy with adjuvant therapy (median survival, 36 months; 95% CI, 32-44 months) despite significant early mortality (log-rank P < .001). There was significant variation in treatment modality across hospitals: esophagectomy ranged from 5% to 39%; esophagectomy after neoadjuvant therapy ranged from 33% to 93%; and esophagectomy followed by adjuvant therapy ranged from 0 to 34% (P < .001). Perioperative mortality was higher at 30 days for patients receiving esophagectomy at low-volume centers (odds ratio [OR], 3.66; 95% CI, 2.01-6.66) and medium-volume centers (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.33-3.23) compared with high-volume centers (P < .001). A longer wait time until treatment was associated with better overall survival (median overall survival was 15 to 17 days vs 5 to 8 days for patients who received treatment earlier than 30 days vs 30 days or longer after diagnosis; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The results of this cohort study suggest that despite regionalization, there was significant regional variability in volumes at designated centers and in the evaluation and treatment course for patients with esophageal cancer across Ontario.

Clinical Outcomes Following Acute Residential Psychiatric Treatment in Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents

IMPORTANCE

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals, who have a gender identity that differs from their sex assigned at birth, are at increased risk of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, self-injurious behavior, and suicidality, relative to cisgender peers.

OBJECTIVE

To examine mental health outcomes among TGD vs cisgender adolescents in residential treatment.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study's longitudinal design was used to compare groups at treatment entry and discharge, and 1-month postdischarge follow-up. The setting was an adolescent acute residential treatment program for psychiatric disorders. Participants were TGD or cisgender adolescents enrolled in the treatment program. Statistical analysis was performed October 2019 to March 2021.

EXPOSURE

Adolescents participated in a 2-week acute residential treatment program for psychiatric disorders.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Primary outcomes were depressive (the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]) and anxiety (the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children [MASC]) symptoms, and emotional dysregulation (the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale [DERS]), measured at treatment entry and discharge, and postdischarge follow-up. Age of depression onset, suicidality, self-injury, and childhood trauma also were assessed at treatment entry.

RESULTS

Of 200 adolescent participants who completed treatment entry and discharge assessments, the mean (SD) age was 16.2 (1.5) years; 109 reported being assigned female at birth (54.5%), 35 were TGD (17.5%), and 66 (49.3%) completed 1-month follow-up. TGD participants had an earlier mean (SD) age of depression onset (TGD: 10.8 [2.4] years vs cisgender: 11.9 [2.3] years; difference: 1.07 years; 95% CI, 0.14-2.01 years; P = .02), higher mean (SD) suicidality scores (TGD: 44.4 [23.1] vs cisgender: 28.5 [25.4]; difference: 16.0; 95% CI, 6.4-25.5; P = .001), more self-injurious behavior (mean [SD] RBQ-A score for TGD: 3.1 [2.5] vs cisgender: 1.7 [1.9]; difference: 1.42; 95% CI, 0.69-2.21; P = .001) and more childhood trauma (eg, mean [SD] CTQ-SF score for emotional abuse in TGD: 12.7 [5.4] vs cisgender: 9.8 [4.7]; difference: 2.85; 95% CI, 1.06-4.64; P = .002). The TGD group also had higher symptom scores (CES-D mean difference: 7.69; 95% CI, 3.30 to 12.08; P < .001; MASC mean difference: 7.56; 95% CI, 0.46 to 14.66; P = .04; and DERS mean difference: 18.43; 95% CI, 8.39 to 28.47; P < .001). Symptom scores were significantly higher at entry vs discharge (CES-D mean difference, -12.16; 95% CI, -14.50 to -9.80; P < .001; MASC mean difference: -3.79; 95% CI, -6.16 to -1.42; P = .02; and DERS mean difference: -6.37; 95% CI, -10.80 to -1.94; P = .05) and follow-up (CES-D mean difference: -9.69; 95% CI, -13.0 to -6.42; P < .001; MASC mean difference: -6.92; 95% CI, -10.25 to -3.59; P < .001; and DERS mean difference: -12.47; 95% CI, -18.68 to -6.26; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This cohort study found mental health disparities in TGD youth relative to cisgender youth, with worse scores observed across assessment time points. For all participants, primary clinical outcome measures were significantly lower at treatment discharge than at entry, with no significant differences between discharge and 1-month follow-up. Given the substantial degree of mental health disparities reported in TGD individuals, these findings warrant focused clinical attention to optimize treatment outcomes in gender minority populations.

Health Insurance Coverage of Permanent Hair Removal in Transgender and Gender-Minority Patients

Importance

Hair removal can be an essential component of the gender affirmation process for gender-minority (GM) patients whose outward appearance does not align with their gender identity.

Objective

To examine the health insurance policies in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace and Medicaid policies for coverage of permanent hair removal for transgender and GM patients and to correlate the policies in each state with statewide protections of coverage for gender-affirming care.

Design and Setting

Private health insurance policies available on the ACA marketplace and statewide Medicaid policies were examined in a cross-sectional study from September 1 to October 31, 2019, and January 17 to 30, 2020. Policies were assessed for coverage of permanent hair removal. Language concerning hair removal was found in each policy's medical or clinical coverage guidelines and separated into general categories.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Logistic regression analyses were performed to compare Medicaid policies and ACA policies in states with and without transgender protections.

Results

A total of 174 policies were analyzed, including 123 private insurance policies and 51 statewide Medicaid policies. Of these policies, 8 (4.6%) permitted the coverage of permanent hair removal without explicit restrictions. The remaining 166 policies (95.4%) broadly excluded or did not mention gender-affirming care; prohibited coverage of hair removal or did not mention it; or only permitted coverage of hair removal preoperatively for genital surgery. The ACA marketplace policies in states without transgender care protections were less likely to cover hair removal without restrictions than ACA policies in states with protections (2 of 85 policies [2.4%] in states without transgender care protections vs 5 of 38 policies [13.2%] in states with transgender care protections), and Medicaid policies were less likely to cover preoperative or nonsurgical hair removal compared with ACA policies (6 of 51 Medicaid policies [11.8%] vs 47 of 123 ACA policies [38.2%]).

Conclusions and Relevance

Despite adoption of statewide restrictions on GM health care exclusions by several states, most Medicaid and ACA policies examined in this study did not cover permanent hair removal for transgender patients. Many GM patients seeking hair removal may be required to pay out-of-pocket costs, which could be a barrier for gender-affirming care.

Comparison by Race of Conservative Management for Low-Risk and Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancers in Veterans From 2004 to 2018

Importance

Conservative management (ie, active surveillance or watchful waiting) is a guideline-based strategy for men with low-risk and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. However, use of conservative management is controversial for African American patients, who have worse prostate cancer outcomes compared with White patients.

Objective

To examine the association of African American race with the receipt and duration of conservative management in the Veterans Health Administration (VA), a large equal-access health system.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used data from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse for 51 543 African American and non-Hispanic White veterans diagnosed with low-risk and intermediate-risk localized node-negative prostate cancer between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2013. Men who did not receive continuous VA care were excluded. Data were analyzed from February 1 to June 30, 2020.

Exposures

All patients received either definitive therapy (ie, prostatectomy, radiation, androgen deprivation therapy) or conservative management (ie, active surveillance or watchful waiting).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Receipt of conservative management and (for patients receiving conservative management) time from diagnosis to definitive therapy.

Results

The median (interquartile range) age of the 51 543 veterans in our cohort was 65 (61-70) years, and 14 830 veterans (28.8%) were African American individuals. Compared with White veterans, African American veterans were more likely to have intermediate-risk disease (18 988 [51.7%] vs 8526 [57.5%]), 3 or more comorbidities (15 438 [42.1%] vs 7614 [51.3%]), and high disability-related or income-related needs (9078 [24.7%] vs 4614 [31.1%]). Overall, 20 606 veterans (40.0%) received conservative management. African American veterans with low-risk disease (adjusted relative risk, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92-0.98; P < .001) and intermediate-risk disease (adjusted relative risk, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87-0.97; P = .002) were less likely to receive conservative management than White veterans. Compared with White veterans, African American veterans with low-risk disease (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.50-1.95; P < .001) and intermediate-risk disease (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.27-1.69; P < .001) who received conservative management were more likely to receive definitive therapy within 5 years of diagnosis (restricted mean survival time [SE] at 5 years, 1679 [5.3] days vs 1740 [2.4] days; P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study, conservative management was less commonly used and less durable for African American veterans than for White veterans. Prospective trials should assess the comparative effectiveness of conservative management in African American men with prostate cancer.

Geographic Distribution of Racial Differences in Prostate Cancer Mortality

IMPORTANCE

While racial disparities in prostate cancer mortality are well documented, it is not well known how these disparities vary geographically within the US.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize geographic variation in prostate cancer-specific mortality differences between black and white men.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study included data from 17 geographic registries within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2014. Inclusion criteria were men 18 years and older with biopsy-confirmed prostate cancer. Men missing data on key variables (ie, cancer stage, Gleason grade group, prostate-specific antigen level, and survival follow-up data) were excluded. Analysis was performed from September 5 to December 25, 2018.

EXPOSURE

Patient SEER-designated race (ie, black, white, or other).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Fine and Gray competing-risks regression analyses were used to evaluate the difference in prostate-cancer specific mortality between black and white men. A stratified analysis by Gleason grade group was performed stratified as grade group 1 and grade groups 2 through 5.

RESULTS

The final cohort consisted of 229 771 men, including 178 204 white men (77.6%), 35 006 black men (15.2%), and 16 561 men of other or unknown race (7.2%). Mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 64.9 (8.8) years. There were 4773 prostate cancer deaths among white men and 1250 prostate cancer deaths among black men. Compared with white men, black men had a higher risk of mortality overall (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.39 [95% CI, 1.30-1.48]). In the stratified analysis, there were 4 registries in which black men had worse prostate cancer-specific survival in both Gleason grade group 1 (Atlanta, Georgia: AHR, 5.49 [95% CI, 2.03-14.87]; Greater Georgia: AHR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.10-3.22]; Louisiana: AHR, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.06-3.07]; New Jersey: AHR, 2.60 [95% CI, 1.53-4.40]) and Gleason grade groups 2 through 5 (Atlanta: AHR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.46-2.45]; Greater Georgia: AHR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.07-1.56]; Louisiana: AHR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.07-1.54]; New Jersey: AHR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.24-1.87]), although the magnitude of survival difference was lower than for Gleason grade group 1 in each of these registries. The greatest race-based survival difference for men with Gleason grade group 1 disease was in the Atlanta registry.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that population-level differences in prostate cancer survival among black and white men were associated with a small set of geographic areas and with low-risk prostate cancer. Targeted interventions in these areas may help to mitigate prostate cancer care disparities at the national level.

Association of Testosterone Therapy With Risk of Venous Thromboembolism Among Men With and Without Hypogonadism

Importance

Testosterone therapy is increasingly prescribed in patients without a diagnosis of hypogonadism. This therapy may be associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) through several mechanisms, including elevated hematocrit levels, which increase blood viscosity.

Objective

To assess whether short-term testosterone therapy exposure is associated with increased short-term risk of VTE in men with and without evidence of hypogonadism.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This case-crossover study analyzed data on 39 622 men from the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounter Database and the Medicare Supplemental Database from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017, with 12 months of follow-up. Men with VTE cases who were free of cancer at baseline and had 12 months of continuous enrollment before the VTE event were identified by International Classification of Diseases codes. Men in the case period were matched with themselves in the control period. Case periods of 6 months, 3 months, and 1 month before the VTE events were defined, with equivalent control periods (6 months, 3 months, and 1 month) in the 6 months before the case period.

Exposures

National drug codes were used to identify billed testosterone therapy prescriptions in the case period (0-6 months before the VTE) and the control period (6-12 months before the VTE).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcome in this case-only experiment was first VTE event stratified by the presence or absence of hypogonadism.

Results

A total of 39 622 men (mean [SD] age, 57.4 [14.2] years) were enrolled in the study, and 3110 men (7.8%) had evidence of hypogonadism. In age-adjusted models, testosterone therapy use in all case periods was associated with a higher risk of VTE in men with (odds ratio [OR], 2.32; 95% CI, 1.97-2.74) and without (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.47-2.77) hypogonadism. Among men without hypogonadism, the point estimate for testosterone therapy and VTE risk in the 3-month case period was higher for men younger than 65 years (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.91-4.68) than for older men (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 0.90-3.14), although this interaction was not statistically significant (P = .14).

Conclusions and Relevance

Testosterone therapy was associated with an increase in short-term risk for VTE among men with and without hypogonadism, with some evidence that the association was more pronounced among younger men. These findings suggest that caution should be used when prescribing testosterone therapy.

Rapid perceptual processing in two- and three-dimensional prostate images

Radiologists can identify whether a radiograph is abnormal or normal at above chance levels in breast and lung images presented for half a second or less. This early perceptual processing has only been demonstrated in static two-dimensional images (e.g., mammograms). Can radiologists rapidly extract the "gestalt" from more complex imaging modalities? For example, prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) displays a series of images as a virtual stack and comprises multiple imaging sequences: anatomical information from the T2-weighted (T2W) sequence, functional information from diffusion-weighted imaging, and apparent diffusion coefficient sequences. We first tested rapid perceptual processing in static T2W images then among the two functional sequences. Finally, we examined whether this rapid radiological perception could be observed using T2W multislice imaging. Readers with experience in prostate mpMRI could detect and localize lesions in all sequences after viewing a 500-ms static image. Experienced prostate readers could also detect and localize lesions when viewing multislice image stacks presented as brief movies, with image slices presented at either 48, 96, or 144 ms. The ability to quickly extract the perceptual gestalt may be a general property of expert perception, even in complex imaging modalities.

Prostate cancer detection from multi-institution multiparametric MRIs using deep convolutional neural networks

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) of the prostate aids in early diagnosis of prostate cancer, but is difficult to interpret and subject to interreader variability. Our objective is to generate probability maps, overlaid on original mpMRI images to help radiologists identify where a cancer is suspected as a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD). We optimized the holistically nested edge detection (HED) deep convolutional neural network. Our dataset contains T2, apparent diffusion coefficient, and high b -value images from 186 patients across six institutions worldwide: 92 with an endorectal coil (ERC) and 94 without. Ground-truth was based on tumor segmentations manually drawn by expert radiologists based on histologic evidence of cancer. The training set consisted of 120 patients and the validation set and test set included 19 and 47, respectively. Slice-level probability maps are evaluated at the lesion level of analysis. The best model: HED using 5 × 5 convolutional kernels, batch normalization, and optimized using Adam. This CAD performed significantly better ( p < 0.001 ) in the peripheral zone ( AUC = 0.94 ± 0.01 ) than the transition zone. It outperforms a previous CAD from our group in a head-to-head comparison on the same ERC-only test cases ( AUC = 0.97 ± 0.01 ; p < 0.001 ). Our CAD establishes a state-of-the-art performance for predicting prostate cancer lesions on mpMRIs.

Acute Clinical Care for Transgender Patients: A Review

IMPORTANCE

Transgender is an umbrella term used to describe individuals whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from assigned sex at birth. There are an estimated 1.4 million transgender adults in the United States, and this number is increasing. Clinicians will increasingly be caring for transgender patients. Topics considered in this narrative review include terminology, how to address transgender patients, obtaining an inclusive history that takes into account gender-affirming surgery, managing hormone therapy and other clinical issues, consideration for hospitalized patients, interpreting laboratory values in the setting of hormone use, legal issues, and considerations for health systems.

OBSERVATIONS

Best practices in caring for a transgender patient include using a patient-identified name and pronoun, using gender-neutral terminology until the appropriate term is identified by the patient, and obtaining a surgical history inclusive of an anatomic inventory. Gender-affirming hormones can modify disease-specific risk factors or confer risk for in-hospital complications. They can also cause changes in laboratory values; however, studies are limited to observational studies and case series. Some data are derived and extrapolated from cisgender populations. There are also unique systems-based concerns, including lack of procedures for standardized collection of gender identity and lack of sufficiently comprehensive electronic health record platforms. Vulnerabilities exist for hospitalized transgender patients in the transition from the inpatient to outpatient care that require dedicated institutional efforts to address.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Clinicians should learn how to engage with transgender patients, appreciate that unique anatomy or the use of gender-affirming hormones may affect the prevalence of certain disease (eg, cardiovascular disease, venous thromboembolism, and osteoporosis), and be prepared to manage specific issues, including those related to hormone therapy. Health care facilities should work toward providing inclusive systems of care that correctly identify and integrate information about transgender patients into the electronic health record, account for the unique needs of these patients within the facility, and through education and policy create a welcoming environment for their care.

A Multicenter Study of Patient-Reported Infectious and Noninfectious Complications Associated With Indwelling Urethral Catheters

IMPORTANCE

Indwelling urethral catheters (ie, Foley catheters) are important in caring for certain hospitalized patients but can also cause complications in patients.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence of infectious and noninfectious patient-reported complications associated with the indwelling urethral catheter.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A prospective cohort study of consecutive patients with placement of a new indwelling urethral catheter while hospitalized at 1 of 4 US hospitals in 2 states. The study was conducted from August 26, 2015, to August 18, 2017. Participants were evaluated at baseline and contacted at 14 days and 30 days after insertion of the catheter about complications associated with the indwelling urethral catheter and how catheterization affected their social activities or activities of daily living.

EXPOSURES

Indwelling urethral catheter placement during hospitalization. Patients were enrolled within 3 days of catheter insertion and followed up for 30 days after catheter placement, whether the catheter remained in or was removed from the patient.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Infectious and noninfectious complications associated with an indwelling urethral catheter as well as how the catheter affected patient social activities or activities of daily living.

RESULTS

Of 2967 eligible patients, 2227 (75.1%) agreed to participate at 1 of 4 study sites; 2076 total patients were evaluated. Of these, 71.4% were male; mean (SD) age was 60.8 (13.4) years. Most patients (1653 of 2076 [79.6%]) had short-term catheters placed for surgical procedures. During the 30 days after urethral catheter insertion, 1184 of 2076 patients (57.0%; 95% CI, 54.9%-59.2%) reported at least 1 complication due to the indwelling urethral catheter. Infectious complications were reported by 219 of 2076 patients (10.5%; 95% CI, 9.3%-12.0%), whereas noninfectious complications (eg, pain or discomfort, blood in the urine, or sense of urinary urgency) occurred in 1150 patients (55.4%; 95% CI, 53.2%-57.6%) (P < .001). Women were more likely to report an infectious complication (92 of 594 [15.5%] women vs 127 of 1482 [8.6%] men; P < .001), while men were more likely to report a noninfectious complication (869 of 1482 [58.6%] men vs 281 of 594 [47.3%] women; P < .001). Restrictions in activities of daily living (49 of 124 patients [39.5%]) or social activity (54 of 124 [43.9%]) were commonly reported by the patients who had catheters still in place; sexual problems were reported by 99 of 2034 patients (4.9%) after their catheter was removed.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Noninfectious complications of urethral catheters affect a substantial number of patients, underscoring the importance of avoiding urethral catheterization whenever possible. Given the high incidence of these patient-reported complications, urethral catheter-associated noninfectious complications should be a focus of surveillance and prevention efforts.