Skip to content

Pharmacological Penile Rehabilitation in the Preservation of Erectile Function Following Bilateral Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy

A Randomized Trial of Pharmacological Penile Rehabilitation in the Preservation of Erectile Function Following Bilateral Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy

Status
Terminated
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00955929
Enrollment
76
Registered
2009-08-10
Start date
2009-08-06
Completion date
2020-12-09
Last updated
2021-11-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Erectile Dysfunction, Penile Cancer, Radical Prostatectomy

Keywords

Penis, PLACEBO, SILDENAFIL CITRATE, TRIMIX, Bimix, Viagra, 09-005, Erectile Dysfunction following Bilateral Nerve-Sparing

Brief summary

When a bilateral nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (RP) is performed, recovery of erectile function (rigid erections) is reported for up to 80% of patients, who are less than 60 years old. Erectile function recovery is also impacted by patient age, erectile function before surgery, and the length of time after surgery. Current evidence from studies suggests that developing erections is important, however, these studies have been small, and the evidence is not definite. Animal studies suggest that erection medication (Viagra, Levitra, Cialis) may protect erection tissue, even in the absence of erections. However, the correct treatment plan is unknown. For example, how often does a man need to take sildenafil (Viagra®) to protect his erectile function or to maximize his erectile function recovery? Is only using erection medication enough for erectile function recovery? Would penile injections, which almost ensure production of an erection, be better than using sildenafil (Viagra®), or might a combination be even better at helping recovery of erections? These are types of questions this study might answer.

Interventions

DRUGPlacebo QHS and sildenafil and questionnaires

Pts will be offered sildenafil 100 mg to be used before intercourse on an as-required basis. They will be given six 100 mg doses, per month, for a 12-month duration. Each patient in this group will use a placebo pill (blinded) each night, except on a nights that 100mg is taken for the purpose of sexual relations. Patients will be evaluated in the clinic and will complete the questionnaires at baseline (pre-treatment evaluation), 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after the operation. At 12 months postoperatively, all patients will stop treatment. Visits 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months will have ±2 week window.

DRUGSildenafil and questionnaire

Patients will be instructed to take sildenafil 50 mg QHS (blinded) except on nights that they are interested in sexual relations, they will then be instructed to use sildenafil 100mgs (open-label) and skip the 50mg dose. Sildenafil treatment will start within 24-48 hours post-surgery. Patients will be evaluated in the clinic and will complete the questionnaires at baseline (pre-treatment evaluation), 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after the operation. At 12 months postoperatively, all patients will stop treatment. Visits 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months will have ±2 week window

DRUGTrimix combination (Papavarine 30mg/mL Phentholamine 1mg/mL Prostaglandin E1 10 mcg/mmL) and questionnaires

Intracavernous injections of a trimix combination (Papaverine 30mg/mL Phentholamine 1mg/mL Prostaglandin E1 10 mcg/mL) will be injected three times a week, and sildenafil 50mg taken on the other four (non-injection) nights. Injection therapy can be used for the purpose of sexual relations. Patients will be evaluated in the clinic and will complete the questionnaires at baseline (pre-treatment evaluation), 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after the operation. At 12 months postoperatively, all patients will stop treatment. Visits 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months will have ±2 week window.

Sponsors

Pfizer
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Male, must be ≥ 18 years of age, with histologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma, that is clinically localized to the prostate gland * Stable sexual relationship for ≥ 6 months * Open or laparoscopic bilateral nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy * Baseline score of ≥ 22 on the International Index of Erectile Function Domain (Appendix A) * Able to speak, read and write in the English language * Calculated creatinine clearance using the 4 variable MDRD equation based on serum creatinine, age, race, and gender of \> 60 cc/min * Patient is able to walk up two flights of stairs briskly without chest pain * Patient needs to have their baseline sitting AND standing blood pressure and pulse done at the time of consent

Exclusion criteria

* Preoperative or planned postoperative pelvic radiation therapy * Preoperative or planned postoperative androgen deprivation * Presence of Peyronie's disease at baseline * Presence of a penile prosthesis at baseline * Resection of one or both nerve bundles at surgery * Any contraindications to sildenafil: * Patient is currently using nitrates; * Presence of retinitis pigmentosa; * Presence macular degeneration; * MI or CVA within 3 months; * Patient is currently using MAOI medications * Patient is currently using penile self injection medication (Trimix, Bimix, or PGE-1) * Patient requiring sildenafil for penetration * Use of sildenafil within 30 days of consent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Difference in the Erectile Function (EF) Domain Score of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) Between the 3 Groups at 24 Months.2 years

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
The Time to Return of Spontaneous Functional Erections.2 years
The Time for Patients to Respond to Oral Erectogenic Therapy.2 years
The Proportion of Patients Who Have Normalization of Their Erectile Function (Normalization of the EF Domain of the IIEF).2 years

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
PRN Sildenafil
Placebo QHS (blinded) and sildenafil 100mgs (open-label) as required for sexual relations. The placebo will be omitted on nights that 100mgs is used. Placebo will start within 24-48 hours post-surgery. Placebo QHS and sildenafil and questionnaires: Pts will be offered sildenafil 100 mg to be used before intercourse on an as-required basis. They will be given six 100 mg doses, per month, for a 12-month duration. Each patient in this group will use a placebo pill (blinded) each night, except on a nights that 100mg is taken for the purpose of sexual relations. Patients will be evaluated in the clinic and will complete the questionnaires at baseline (pre-treatment evaluation), 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after the operation. At 12 months postoperatively, all patients will stop treatment. Visits 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months will have ±2 week window.
13
Nightly Sildenafil Arm
Patients will be instructed to take sildenafil 50 mg QHS (blinded) except on nights that they are interested in sexual relations, they will then be instructed to use sildenafil 100mgs (open-label) and skip the 50mg dose. Sildenafil treatment will start within 24-48 hours post-surgery. Sildenafil and questionnaire: Patients will be instructed to take sildenafil 50 mg QHS (blinded) except on nights that they are interested in sexual relations, they will then be instructed to use sildenafil 100mgs (open-label) and skip the 50mg dose. Sildenafil treatment will start within 24-48 hours post-surgery. Patients will be evaluated in the clinic and will complete the questionnaires at baseline (pre-treatment evaluation), 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after the operation. At 12 months postoperatively, all patients will stop treatment. Visits 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months will have ±2 week window
30
Combination Therapy Arm
Trimix combination (Papavarine 30mg/mL Phentholamine 1mg/mL Prostaglandin E1 10 mcg/mL), at initial dose of 5 units (0.05ml) will be given; the first 2 injections will be done in the MSKCC urology outpatient clinic (if needed, the investigator can determine appropriate amount of injections for patient training). Trimix combination (Papavarine 30mg/mL Phentholamine 1mg/mL Prostaglandin E1 10 mcg/mmL) and questionnaires: Intracavernous injections of a trimix combination (Papaverine 30mg/mL Phentholamine 1mg/mL Prostaglandin E1 10 mcg/mL) will be injected three times a week, and sildenafil 50mg taken on the other four (non-injection) nights. Injection therapy can be used for the purpose of sexual relations. Patients will be evaluated in the clinic and will complete the questionnaires at baseline (pre-treatment evaluation), 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after the operation. At 12 months postoperatively, all patients will stop treatment. Visits 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months will have ±2 week window.
33
Total76

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicPRN SildenafilTotalCombination Therapy ArmNightly Sildenafil Arm
Age, Continuous59.8 years56.1 years56.1 years54.4 years
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants3 Participants2 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
2 Participants13 Participants4 Participants7 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants4 Participants3 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
10 Participants56 Participants24 Participants22 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
13 Participants76 Participants33 Participants30 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
13 Participants76 Participants33 Participants30 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 132 / 300 / 33
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 130 / 300 / 33
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 131 / 302 / 33

Outcome results

Primary

Difference in the Erectile Function (EF) Domain Score of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) Between the 3 Groups at 24 Months.

Time frame: 2 years

Population: Data were not collected

Secondary

The Proportion of Patients Who Have Normalization of Their Erectile Function (Normalization of the EF Domain of the IIEF).

Time frame: 2 years

Population: Data were not collected

Secondary

The Time for Patients to Respond to Oral Erectogenic Therapy.

Time frame: 2 years

Population: Data were not collected

Secondary

The Time to Return of Spontaneous Functional Erections.

Time frame: 2 years

Population: Data were not collected

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026