Urine pH and imaging findings of prostate useful predictors of prolonged duration of hematospermia.

BACKGROUND: Few investigations regarding hematospermia duration have been reported thus far. The aim of this study was to identify clinical factors associated with the duration of hematospermia.

METHODS: Clinical data of 198 patients with hematospermia treated at Toho University Omori Medical Center from 2007 to 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. To identify independent predictors of hematospermia duration, uni- and multivariate Cox analyses were performed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and propensity score matching were applied for statistical evaluations.

RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of all 198 patients showed urine pH (UpH) level and any abnormal imaging finding of the prostate to be independent predictors of hematospermia duration. Based on the receiver-operating curve of UpH level for hematospermia improvement, the patients were divided into two groups using a threshold of 6.0 (Low-UpH 5.0-6.0, n=128; High-UpH 7.0-9.0, n=70). Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that patients in the High-UpH group or with any abnormal imaging finding had a higher rate of hematospermia persistence (both P<0.05). Even after matching between the groups classified by UpH (n=60 each), multivariate analysis showed that UpH level (hazard ratio 0.75, 95% CI: 0.61-0.92; P=0.006) and any abnormal imaging finding (hazard ratio 1.55, 95% CI: 1.04-2.31; P=0.033) were independent predictors of hematospermia duration. In Kaplan-Meier analysis findings of matched cohorts, High-UpH and presence of any abnormal imaging findings remained significantly correlated with higher rate of hematospermia persistence, while further stratification using a combination of these two factors identified a stepwise reduction in that rate (P=0.019). In addition, the proportion of patients with these two factors present simultaneously was significantly higher in the group with hematospermia for two months or more, and especially with a duration of greater than six months, than in the group with a duration of less than two months.

CONCLUSIONS: Although further research is needed, both UpH level and imaging findings of the prostate are considered useful biomarkers for predicting prolonged hematospermia.