RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: acute prostatitis is a common urological condition. The purpose of this study was to analyze the epidemioclinical features and therapy of acute prostatitis associated with noncancerous prostate at the Lubumbashi University Clinics. METHODS: we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional and retrospective study of a series of 25 patients with documented acute prostatitis and treated at the Lubumbashi University Clinics over a period of four years, from 2015 to 2018. All patients with prostate cancer were excluded from our study. Data were collected via a survey form based on different study parameters divided into 3 categories, namely epidemiological data including age, study period, residence, clinical data with subjective signs, objective signs, general status, findings on rectal examination as well as paramedical data divided into laboratory and imaging tests. RESULTS: acute prostatitis associated with noncancerous prostate accounted for 1.27% of all surgical diseases and 7.66% in urology. The most affected age group was 19-37 years (64% of cases), mean age was 33.16±2.4 years. Seventeen patients (68%) were followed up in outpatient clinics and 8 (32%) in hospital. Clinically, fever above 38.5°C was found in 15 patients (60%), dysuria in 11 patients (44%), acute urinary retention in 3 patients (12%), burning during urination in 8 patients (32%), pain syndrome in 21 patients (84%), tender prostate on rectal examination in 18 patients (72%). Ultrasound was the only examination performed in 16 patients (64%). Biologically, assessment of inflammation was performed almost systematically in all patients (100%) including complete blood count (CBC), sedimentation rate (SR), C reactive protein (CRP) levels; blood culture was performed in 4 patients (16%), three of whom had positive blood culture. All patients underwent cytobacteriological examination of the urine or prostatic secretions collected by prostate massage. Urine culture was sterile in 6 patients (24%) and positive in 19 patients (76%). Escherichia coli was the most common germ in 16 out of a total of 19 patients (84.21%). All patients received rectal anti-inflammatory drugs. Fluoroquinolones were the most used antibiotics in 18 patients (64%), twelve of whom received antibiotics as monotherapy. Six out of 25 (24%) cases were associated with orchiepididymitis. The lenght of treatment ranged from 2 to 4 weeks, with either sterilization in secretions or urine or disappearance of leukocyturia as the criteria for treatment discontinuation. Thus, out of 19 patients with positive culture on admission, 14 underwent a second culture (73.68%) at 2 weeks of treatment, three of whom (12%) still had positive test and had to undergo a third culture 4 weeks after they had started treatment. Patient's course was good in 22 cases (88%) with complete clinical and biological remission; three patients (12%) persisted in symptoms which became chronic; no patients had prostatic abscess. CONCLUSION: acute prostatitis associated with noncancerous prostate is a really worrying urological, nosologic condition whose management must be rigorous, especially in people at risk, namely those with intense sexual behaviour. Endorectal ultrasound and prostate massage should be integrated into patient care at the Lubumbashi University Clinics.