Turkish validation of the urethral stricture surgery specific patient-reported outcome measure (USS-PROM) with supplemental assessment of erectile function and morbidity due to oral graft harvesting.

AIMS: We validated a Turkish language version of the urethral stricture surgery specific patient-reported outcome measure (USS-PROM) in men undergoing anterior urethroplasty. We also investigated changes in erectile function (EF) and quality of life (QoL) due to oral mucosa graft (OMG) harvesting.

METHODS

The USS-PROM captures lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), health related QoL (HRQoL) with EQ-5D visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS). To evaluate EF and OMG morbidity, we used International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and a self-completed questionnaire, respectively. Psychometric assessment of USS-PROM included test-retest reliability, internal consistency, criterion validity, and responsiveness. Objective evidence for urethroplasty success was demonstrated with fluoroscopic imaging and urethral calibration at post-operative six months.

RESULTS

Among the 101 men included during study period, 42 had complete pre- and postoperative 6th month data for analysis. The test-retest intraclass correlation was 0.79. Cronbach's α for internal consistency of the LUTS construct was 0.79. There was a significant negative correlation between total LUTS scores and peak flow rates, both preoperatively (r = -0.478) and postoperatively (r = -0.508). Mean baseline EQ-VAS increased from 70 to 84 postoperatively (P < 0.001), indicating improved HRQoL. IIEF scores did not change significantly after urethroplasty. Early and late-term QoL impairment rates due to OMG harvesting were 28.9 and 13.1%, respectively. Three (7.1%) men required endoscopic intervention for recurrence within 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Turkish version of USS-PROM showed comparable psychometric properties with the original version. Complementation of this instrument with additional measures that address sexual function and OMG morbidity provides better QoL assessment for urethral reconstruction.