The response rate for the questionnaire varied between 85 and 90% for the first year and decreased to 82% for the third year. No statistical difference between the two groups was found in terms of positive anxiety HADS scores:
4.3% for the urologist group and 3.2% for the nurse group (relative risk for nurse group (RR): 0.75 (95% CI: 0.24 to 2.29)) at baseline;
6.0% for the urologist group and 4.8% for the nurse group (RR: 0.79 (95% CI: 0.32 to 2.02) at 12 months;
3.9% for the urologist group and 6.0% for the nurse group (RR: 1.54 (95% CI: 0.52 to 4.59) at 24 months;
8.3% for the urologist group and 5.1% for the nurse group (RR: 0.62 (95% CI: 0.23 to 1.69) at 36 months.
No statistical difference between the two groups was found in terms of positive depression HADS scores:
3.1% for the urologist group and 1.9% for the nurse group (relative risk for nurse group (RR): 0.62 (95% CI: 0.15 to 2.56)) at baseline;
2.7% for the urologist group and 4.8% for the nurse group (RR: 1.79 (95% CI: 0.55 to 5.84) at 12 months;
2.3% for the urologist group and 5.2% for the nurse group (RR: 2.25 (95% CI: 0.59 to 8.50) at 24 months;
7.3% for the urologist group and 9.4% for the nurse group (RR: 1.28 (95% CI: 0.54 to 3.07) at 36 months.
There was no statistical difference in terms of patient satisfaction with accessibility by phone, outpatient service and use of alternative medical facilities at baseline, 12 months, 24 months and 36 months.
There was no statistical difference between the number of interventions due to symptoms related to prostate cancer, with the exception of a lower rate of uraemia in the nurse group (4 patients and 7 interventions) compared to the urologist group (12 patients and 16 interventions, p=0.03). No statistical difference in time from symptom to intervention was observed.