Publications by authors named "Ratna Pakpahan"
Importance: Feasibility of home urogenital microbiome specimen collection is unknown.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate successful sample collection rates from home and clinical research centers.
Study Design: Adult women participants enrolled in a multicentered cohort study were recruited to an in-person research center evaluation, including self-collected urogenital samples.
Purpose: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of a wide range of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in US women, and explore associations with bother and discussion with health care providers, friends, and family.
Materials And Methods: We analyzed baseline data collected from May 2022 to December 2023 in the RISE FOR HEALTH study-a large, regionally representative cohort study of adult female community members. LUTS and related bother were measured by the 10-item Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index, and discussion was assessed by a study-specific item.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to systematically review literature on urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome flares, focusing on terminology, symptoms, triggers, management, and their impact on quality of life.
- A search through 6 medical databases led to the identification of 59 relevant articles, revealing that flares significantly increase pain but lack comprehensive data on frequency, duration, and biological mechanisms.
- The findings indicate that flare experiences are impactful yet poorly understood, suggesting a need for more empirical research to address these gaps.
Background: To examine one-year trajectories of urinary and sexual outcomes, and correlates of these trajectories, among prostate cancer patients treated by radical prostatectomy (RP).
Methods: Study participants were recruited from 2011 to 2014 at two US institutions. Self-reported urinary and sexual outcomes were measured at baseline before surgery, and 5 weeks, 6 months and 12 months after surgery, using the modified Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-50 (EPIC-50).
Introduction And Hypothesis: To systematically review evaluation guidelines of uncomplicated urinary incontinence (UI) in community-dwelling adult women to assess guidance available to the full range of providers treating UI.
Methods: Systematic literature search of eight bibliographic databases. We included UI evaluation guidelines written for medical providers in English after January 1, 2008.
Purpose: We sought to determine whether pollen triggers urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome flares.
Materials And Methods: We assessed flare status every 2 weeks for 1 year as part of the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain case-crossover analysis of flare triggers (NCT01098279). Flare symptoms, flare start date and exposures in the 3 days before a flare were queried for the first 3 flares and at 3 randomly selected nonflare times.
Background: To investigate whether meteorological factors (temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, ultraviolet index [UVI], and seasons) trigger flares in male and female urologic chronic pelvic pain patients.
Methods: We assessed flare status every 2 weeks in our case-crossover study of flare triggers in the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain 1-year longitudinal study. Flare symptoms, flare start date, and exposures in the 3 days preceding a flare or the date of questionnaire completion were assessed for the first three flares and at three randomly selected nonflare times.
Objective: To investigate changes in whole body pain during urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS) flares.
Materials And Methods: UCPPS participants at one site of the multidisciplinary approach to the study of chronic pelvic pain research network reported their daily flare status and pain levels in 7 pelvic/genital and 42 extrapelvic body areas (scale = 0-10) for 10 days at baseline and during their first flare. Linear mixed models and conditional logistic regression were used to investigate symptom changes during flares.
Background: The protist Trichomonas vaginalis causes a common, sexually transmitted infection and has been proposed to contribute to the development of chronic prostate conditions, including benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. However, few studies have investigated the extent to which it involves the prostate in the current antimicrobial era. We addressed this question by investigating the relation between T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Previous meta-analyses have estimated summary positive associations between clinical prostatitis and prostate cancer. However, none have accounted for detection bias, the possibility for increased prostate cancer screening and detection in men with clinical prostatitis, in their pooled estimates.
Methods: We searched for studies that investigated the relation between clinical prostatitis and prostate cancer through November 2018.
Background: No prior study has measured or compared self-reported and objectively measured physical activity trajectories in prostate cancer survivors before and after treatment.
Methods: Clinically localized prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy were recruited between 2011 and 2014. Of the 350 participants enrolled at the main site, 310 provided self-reported physical activity at baseline before radical prostatectomy, and 5 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after radical prostatectomy.
Background: To extend our previous observation of a short-term rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration, a marker of prostate inflammation and cell damage, during and immediately following sexually transmitted and systemic infections, we examined the longer-term influence of these infections, both individually and cumulatively, on PSA over a mean of 10 years of follow-up in young active duty U.S. servicemen.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: We evaluated agreement between patient reported urinary function and bother, and sexual function and bother in patients treated with radical prostatectomy to help inform possible nonfunctional, modifiable mechanisms for patient bother.
Materials And Methods: Patients were recruited from 2011 to 2014 at Washington University, and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Urinary and sexual outcomes were assessed by EPIC-50 (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-50) before, 5 weeks and 12 months after radical prostatectomy.
Background: To investigate mechanisms underlying our previous observation of a large rise in serum prostate-specific antigen, a marker of prostate pathology, during both sexually transmitted and systemic infections, we measured serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, in our previous case-control study of young, male US military members and compared our findings to those for PSA.
Methods: We measured hsCRP before and during infection for 299 chlamydia, 112 gonorrhea, and 59 non-chlamydial, non-gonococcal urethritis (NCNGU) cases; before and after infection for 55 infectious mononucleosis (IM) and 90 other systemic/non-genitourinary cases; and for 220-256 controls.
Results: Only gonorrhea cases were significantly more likely to have a large hsCRP rise (≥1.
Although Epstein-Barr virus has been detected in prostate tissue, no associations have been observed with prostate cancer in the few studies conducted to date. One possible reason for these null findings may be use of cumulative exposure measures that do not inform the timing of infection, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine whether a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or positive STI serology is associated with prevalent and incident benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)-related outcomes in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.
Methods: Self-reported history of STIs (gonorrhoea, syphilis) was ascertained at baseline, and serological evidence of STIs (Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, human papillomavirus (HPV)-16, HPV-18, herpes simplex virus type 2, human herpesvirus type 8 and cytomegalovirus) was detected in baseline serum specimens. We used data collected on the baseline questionnaire, as well as results from the baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal examination (DRE), to define prevalent BPH/LUTS-related outcomes as evidence of LUTS (self-reported diagnosis of an enlarged prostate/BPH, BPH surgery or nocturia [waking ≥2 times/night to urinate]) and evidence of prostate enlargement (PSA > 1.
Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and its associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including nocturia, are extremely common among middle- and older-age American men. Although studies on physical activity (PA) and prevalent BPH-related outcomes suggest that PA may protect against the development of this common condition, only a few studies have examined the relation between PA and incident BPH-related outcomes and LUTS with mixed findings. In addition, although nocturia is the most commonly reported and most bothersome LUTS in men with or without evidence of BPH, few studies have examined the association of PA and nocturia independent of BPH.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To describe the full range of symptom exacerbations defined by people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome as 'flares', and to investigate their associated healthcare utilization and bother at two sites of the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) Epidemiology and Phenotyping study.
Subjects And Methods: Participants completed a flare survey that asked them: 1) whether they had ever had flares ('symptoms that are much worse than usual') that lasted <1 h, >1 h and <1 day, and >1 day; and 2) for each duration of flare, to report: their average length and frequency; their typical levels of urological and pelvic pain symptoms; and their levels of healthcare utilization and bother. We compared participants' responses to their non-flare MAPP values and by duration of flare using generalized linear mixed models.
Aims: To provide the first description and quantification of symptom changes during interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome symptom exacerbations ("flares").
Methods: Participants at one site of the Trans-Multidisciplinary Approaches to the study of chronic Pelvic Pain Epidemiology and Phenotyping Study completed two 10-day diaries over the 1-year study follow-up period, one at baseline and one during their first flare (if not at baseline). On each day of the diary, participants reported whether they were currently experiencing a flare, defined as "symptoms that are much worse than usual" for at least 1 day, and their levels of urination-related pain, pelvic pain, urgency, and frequency on a scale of 0-10.
Unlabelled: Study Type--Diagnostic (cohort) Level of Evidence 2b. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Although non-recommended PSA testing has been reported in men younger than 40 years of age, there are few recognized data on PSA in younger American men, particularly younger African-American men, to provide age- and race-specific references. Using data from an existing large study of young, male members of the US military, aged 28-36 years, the present study provides PSA reference distributions for young Caucasian-American men (median = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: Vaccination can decrease the morbidity and mortality caused by influenza, yet vaccination rates remain low, especially among minority groups. Previous studies have found that important barriers to vaccination include the fear of adverse reactions and concern that the vaccine causes influenza.
Background: This research aimed to assess the effects of messages designed to address concerns about the safety and effectiveness of vaccination among blacks aged >or=50 years.
Objective: To identify controlled evidence from the child health literature on patient conditions and clinical procedures that resulted in unacceptable adverse outcomes.
Methods: Systematic searches of MEDLINE (1966 to 2001), and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2001) were done. Studies that met the eligibility criteria, were verified for quality of methodology and lack of conflicting studies.