Advanced Pelvic Floor Training Program for Prostate Cancer Surgery (AFPX)

October 24, 2017 updated by: Daniel Santa Mina, University of Guelph-Humber

A Randomized Pilot Study of Conventional Versus Advanced Pelvic Floor Exercises to Treat Urinary Incontinence After Radical Prostatectomy

Radical prostatectomy is a common and effective treatment for prostate cancer but is associated with urinary incontinence that can persist for several months after surgery and significantly reduce quality of life. Studies have shown that routine performance of pelvic floor exercises after radical prostatectomy can aid in the recovery of urinary control; however, conventional pelvic floor exercises do not produce consistent results. Research indicates that incorporating other deep abdominal muscles can further activate the pelvic floor making it stronger than by activating the pelvic floor alone. Specifically, 'Pfilates' and 'Hypopressives' are two new techniques that combine traditional pelvic floor exercises with activation of supportive muscles. Our proposed study will be the first to test the effect of an advanced pelvic floor exercise training program that includes Pfilates and Hypopressives to treat urinary incontinence following radical prostatectomy. Our primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of conducting a full-scale RCT of an advanced pelvic floor exercise training program, including standard pelvic floor exercises, Pfilates, and Hypopressives techniques on urinary incontinence. Feasibility will be determined by measuring recruitment success, retention, outcome capture, and intervention adherence, tolerance, and safety. We hypothesize men under going radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer in the advance pelvic floor training program will report greater improvement in urinary incontinence and health-related quality of life.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
88

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Ontario
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 2C4
        • University Health Network

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

40 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men with localized prostate cancer (stage cT1-cT2) who have consented for radical prostatectomy (open retropubic, laparoscopic, robot-assisted laparoscopic)
  • Between the the ages of 40 and 80 years
  • Proficient in English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • i) Diagnosed with a known neurological disease, autoimmune connective tissue disorder;
  • ii) Have prior experience with pelvic floor training by a healthcare provider;
  • iii) Have uncontrolled hypertension;
  • iv) Have diagnosed COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and/or chronic restrictive respiratory disease; or
  • v) Have a history of inguinal herniation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: Usual Care
The usual care group will receive generic pelvic floor muscle exercise (PMFX) instructions and demonstrations by the research coordinator at the initial post-operative time point. This will include instruction on how to engage the pelvic floor and specific PFMX prescription. Repetition volume will start at 20 repetitions per day during weeks 1-2; 60/day during weeks 3-4; and 90/day during weeks 5-6, and 100+/day for weeks 7-26. The total number of repetitions will be divided equally between rhythmic (contract and relaxed over one second) and sustained contractions (contract and hold for up to 10 seconds).
Experimental: Advanced Pelvic Floor Exercise (APFX)
Participants in this group will receive detailed week-by-week description of the program. The program progresses participants through stages of training every two weeks, starting the introduction of basic PFMX, and slowly incorporates Pfilates and Hypopressives exercises until week 8, where patients will maintain the final stage of training until week 26 or urinary incontinence is completely resolved.
Behavioral: Advanced Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise (APFX)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Recruitment
Time Frame: When recruitment is complete (approximately 12 months after study initiation; October 2015)
Prior pelvic floor training trials in prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy have observed recruitment rates of 21-70%. We will measure recruitment success through participant recruitment per week and record reasons for non-participation from those who inquire about the study and are eligible to participate but refuse.
When recruitment is complete (approximately 12 months after study initiation; October 2015)
Adherence to intervention group
Time Frame: 26 weeks post-operatively
Adherence to the two groups (standard pelvic floor exercises and advanced pelvic floor exercises) will be measured through a logbook that is included in their respective program manuals as well as a logbook completed by the research coordinator during the weekly telephone communications.
26 weeks post-operatively
Study retention
Time Frame: 26 weeks post-operative
Retention will be assessed by measuring attrition throughout the intervention period and at each assessment.
26 weeks post-operative
24-hour Pad Test for Urinary Leakage
Time Frame: At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 weeks post-operatively
A 24-hour pad test will be used to measure urinary incontinence by assessing the quantity of urine lost in one day. A urinary leakage pad is measured after a 24-hour period and compared to the unused pad weight and is used to most accurately assess the severity of urinary incontinence.
At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 weeks post-operatively
Pelvic Floor Strength
Time Frame: At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26, weeks post-operatively
Digital rectal examination of pelvic floor strength by a specially trained pelvic floor physiotherapist will be conducted. Pelvic floor strength will be graded on the Modified Oxford Scale.
At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26, weeks post-operatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Quality of Life
Time Frame: At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 weeks post-operative
Prostate specific quality of life will be measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Prostate (FACT-P) and the Patient-Oriented Prostate Utility Scale (PORPUS).
At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 weeks post-operative
3-Day Bladder Diary for Urinary Incontinence
Time Frame: At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 week post-operatively
The bladder diary is a standard instrument for self-reporting voiding patterns. Items include fluid intake, frequency of toilet voids, episode of urine loss, number of pads used, and activity during event for the three-day period. Bladder diaries are widely used in clinical trials assessing urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy.
At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 week post-operatively
Self-Reported Urinary Incontinence, Prostate Symptoms, and Erectile Function
Time Frame: At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 week post-operatively
Urological symptoms are assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Additional, a single item regarding leaking urine and bladder control from the PORPUS will be used to evaluate incontinence. Erectile function will be assessed using the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function scale (5-IIEF).
At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 week post-operatively
Body Composition
Time Frame: At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 week post-operatively
Body composition will be assessed via bioelectrical impedance analysis, height, weight, waist and hip circumference, and body mass index.
At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 week post-operatively
Physical Activity
Time Frame: At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 weeks post-operatively
Physical activity level will be measured wight he 3-item Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire - Leisure Score Index (GLTEQ-LSI).
At baseline, approximately 1 week prior to surgery, and 2, 6, 12, 26 weeks post-operatively

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Guelph-Humber

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
University Health Network, Toronto
Princess Margaret Hospital, Canada

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 28, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 28, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 3, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 3, 2014

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 8, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 26, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 24, 2017

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • D2014-20

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