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Objective: To determine the extent to which low testosterone levels impact health-related quality of life in patients undergoing active surveillance (AS) for prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: Eligible AS patients were grouped as having low, low-normal, or normal testosterone levels (<300 vs 300-400 vs ≥400 ng/dL). Patients were surveyed with the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-26 (EPIC-26), Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer, and treatment outlook satisfaction questions at enrollment and successively during follow-up.Results: The cohort consisted of 223 patients, 74 (33%) of which had low testosterone levels. The mean age was 66.8 ± 7.2 years, with 85% being Caucasian. Mean prostate-specific antigen did not differ between groups. Obesity was significantly higher for men with low testosterone levels (P < .01). All PROMIS-Global items were comparatively lower in men with lower testosterone. EPIC-26 scores for the sexual domain were worse in men with lower testosterone. After age and obesity adjustment, men with normal testosterone levels had significantly better PROMIS Physical, Overall, and Mental Health, EPIC-26 Hormonal, and treatment satisfaction responses when compared to those patients with low testosterone levels. Those with normal testosterone levels reported hormonal EPIC-26 domain responses 65% higher than for those with low testosterone, and 12% higher treatment satisfaction during 2-year follow-up when corrected for age and obesity (P < .05).Conclusion: Men with testosterone levels ≥400 ng/dL reported some improved measures of health-related quality of life including greater satisfaction with treatment outcome. These findings are hypothesis generating in the controversial area of exogenous testosterone administration in men on AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To identify the frequencies of treatment and recommended laboratory follow-up for men with low serum testosterone levels. Methods The Electronic Data Warehouse was queried to identify men of ages 18-85 years, who obtained a testing for serum total testosterone level from 2009 to 2012. The frequency of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), patient demographics, and clinical characteristics were collected. The frequency of follow-up with serum total testosterone and complete blood count levels was documented. Results Among 9176 men who underwent testing for low testosterone levels, 3320 (36%) of them were hypogonadal with a mean serum total testosterone level of 194.3 ± 64.9 ng/dL. Of them, 17.7% men were treated with TRTs. The treatment frequency significantly increased from 8.3% in 2009 to 24% in 2012. A total of 4.8% of men of reproductive ages (age, 18-35 years) were placed on TRTs. Within 180 days of initial testing, only 40% of treated men received follow-up with liver function tests and/or complete blood count, and only 49% had a follow-up serum testosterone level. Conclusion Although the frequency of TRT is increasing, only a small percentage of hypogonadal men are actively undergoing treatment. A significant proportion of men of reproductive age are being treated with significant impacts on potential fertility. Less than half of the patients treated are being monitored appropriately after testosterone replacement. This highlights the importance of further education for providers prescribing testosterone replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess whether men with a family history of prostate cancer are more likely to fail active surveillance because of recategorization of their tumors on subsequent surveillance biopsies. Methods Men enrolled in an institutional review board–approved active surveillance program were studied, and data on first- and/or second-degree family history of prostate cancer was collected. Analyses were performed to compare the frequency of family history with recategorization (higher grade or volume disease) on surveillance biopsies. Results Men with and without family history were recategorized with higher grade disease at a similar frequency (30.9% vs 32.8%). There was no evidence that men with a family history with higher grade disease had more aggressive pathology at the time of radical prostatectomy than men without a family history. Although those with a family history tended to have a shorter time period to recategorization with more positive cores, the difference was not significant. Conclusion Our results suggest that men with a family history of prostate cancer are not at an increased risk for recategorization on active surveillance. Men with a family history of prostate cancer should not be deterred from considering active surveillance as a treatment option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether statin intake affects nephrolithiasis risk, and whether higher lipid levels correlate with stone risk. Dyslipidemia is a known independent risk factor for urolithiasis, and emerging evidence suggests common biological pathways. Previous work has suggested that statins protect against new stone formation, but these findings have not been verified by other investigators.Methods: We queried our Institution's Electronic Data Warehouse for all patients who were newly diagnosed with hyperlipidemia between 2009 and 2011, and had never taken a statin drug. These patients' clinical outcomes were followed until 2015, to assess whether they had been newly prescribed statins and whether they had developed symptomatic urolithiasis. Patient demographics, stone risk factors, prescription data, and serum lipid values were collected.Results: A total of 101,259 patients met inclusion criteria, 47.8% of whom received a statin prescription during the study period. Patients prescribed statins were significantly older, had a greater likelihood of osteoporosis, hemiplegia, immobility, and more likely to take a thiazide diuretic. Patients without a history of urolithiasis who were started on statin therapy were significantly less likely to develop new stones than patients not taking statins. This protective effect was even greater in patients with a history of stone disease. Lipid parameters (low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, cholesterol) were lower in the statin-treated group, suggesting overall compliance with these medications.Conclusion: Our data confirm previous work that statins protect against urinary stone formation; however, the underlying mechanism seems to be distinct from statins' lipid-lowering effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]