MATERIALS AND METHODS: Validity and reliability were studied in patients with and without lower urinary tract symptoms. Reliability was evaluated using the test-retest method and internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. Sensitivity to change was expressed as the effect size in the pre-intervention versus post-intervention score in additional patients with lower urinary tract symptoms who underwent transurethral prostate resection.
RESULTS: Internal consistency was excellent. A high degree of internal consistency was observed for each of the 7 items and for the total score (Cronbach's alpha 0.53 and greater, and 0.68, respectively). The test-retest correlation coefficients of the 7 items were highly significant. The intraclass correlation coefficient was high at 0.51 and greater. There was a high degree of sensitivity and specificity to the effects of treatment. Significant change from baseline to posttreatment scores was observed in all 8 items in the treated but not in the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: The Malay International Prostate Symptom Score is a suitable, reliable, valid instrument that is sensitive to clinical change in the Malaysian population.
DESIGN AND METHODS: The activity of DPD was measured using 5-[2- (14)C]Fluorouracil (5-[2-(14)C]FUra) followed by separation of substrate and product 5-[2-(14)C]FUraH(2) with a 15 x 4.6 mm I.D., 5 microm particle size (d(p)) porous graphitic carbon (PGC) column (Hypercarb(R)) and HPLC with online detection of the radioactivity. This was standardized using the protein concentration of the cytosol (NanoOrange(R) Protein Quantitation).
RESULTS: Complete baseline separation of 5-[2-(14)C]Fluorouracil (5-[2-(14)C]FUra) and 5-[2-(14)C]Fluoro-5,6-dihydrouracil (5-[2-(14)C]FUraH(2)) was achieved using a porous graphitic carbon (PGC) column. The detection limit for 5-[2-(14)C]FUraH(2) was 0.4 pmol.
CONCLUSIONS: By using linear gradient separation (0.1% Trifluoroacetic acid [TFA] in water to 100% Methanol) protocols in concert with PGC columns (Hypercarb(R)), we have demonstrated that a PGC column has a distinct advantage over C-18 reverse phase columns in terms of column stability (pH 1-14). This method provides an improvement on the specific assay for DPD enzyme activity. It is rapid, reproducible and sensitive and can be used for routine screening for healthy and cancer patients for partial and profound DPD deficiency before treatment with 5- FUra.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: The validity and reliability of the Mal-HRQOL-20 were assessed in patients with and without lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The reliability was evaluated using the test-retest method and the internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Sensitivity to change was expressed as the effect size in the score before and after intervention in additional patients with LUTS who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate.
RESULTS: The internal consistency was excellent; there was a high degree of internal consistency for each of the 20 items and for the overall score (Cronbach's alpha > or = 0.57 and 0.79, respectively) in the population study. The test-retest correlation coefficient for the 20 item scores was highly significant. The intra-class correlation coefficient was high (> or = 0.55). The sensitivity and specificity were high for the effects of treatment. There was a very significant agreement between scores before and after treatment across all domains in the treatment cohort, but not in the control group.
CONCLUSION: The Mal-HRQOL-20 is suitable, reliable, valid and sensitive to clinical change in the Malaysian population.