Progression and predictors of physical activity levels after radical prostatectomy

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To investigate the progression of all aspects (total, occupational, sports, household) of physical activity (PA) over time after radical prostatectomy (RP) and to find predictive factors for a decrease in PA. In all, 240 men planned for open or robot-assisted RP were analysed. All patients completed the Flemish Physical Activity Computerised Questionnaire before RP concerning PA over the past year and at 6 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months after RP for the PA of the past month. A linear model for repeated measures was used to evaluate the progression of continuous variables over time and the effect of various predictors for the progression of patients over time. A logistic regression model for repeated measures was used to evaluate binary measures. Total, occupational, sports and household PA levels were significantly decreased at 6 weeks after RP, but recovered quickly to approximately baseline levels from that time. Predictive factors for decreased PA levels at 6 weeks after RP were a younger age (total PA level), being unskilled/semi-skilled (occupational PA level) and being unemployed/retired (household PA level). RP type (open vs robot-assisted) did not influence the different PA levels at 6 weeks, 3, 6 or 12 months after RP. The severity of first day incontinence and urine loss measured at 6 weeks and 3, 6 and 12 months after RP significantly affected total and/or household PA level at all time-points. This is the first study to investigate the progression of all aspects of PA (total, occupational, sports and household) after RP and to find predictive factors for a decrease in PA. All PA levels were significantly decreased at 6 weeks after RP and recovered quickly to approximately baseline levels from that time. Patients that had robot-assisted RP did not have a faster recovery of PA than those that had open RP. Severity of first day incontinence and urine loss measured at 6 weeks and 3, 6 and 12 months after RP were significantly related to total and/or household PA level at all time-points.