Downward trend in male reproductive health and fertility in Eastern Iran.

This study aimed to assess the ten-year trend in semen quality among couples referred to the Infertility Center in Kerman between 2008 and 2017. The study included 2952 semen samples from men 18 to 60 years old referred to the infertility center as infertile couples living in Kerman province, Iran, whether they had normal or abnormal semen analysis. A total of 2952 sperm samples were included. Statistically significant changes were observed in semen parameters. Particularly, significant changes were observed for volume (-0.08 mL/year), sperm concentration (-2.34 (mio/mL)/year), total sperm count (-13.17 (mio/ejaculate)/year), progressive motility (-2.62%/year), non-progressive motility (-0.59%/year), immotile sperm (2.49%/year), and normal morphology (-0.134%/year). In bivariate analysis, the prevalence of oligozoospermia in this study showed a statistically significant association with age (OR = 1.019; 95% CI = 1.007-1.032; p = 0.003). Likewise, there was a statistically significant association with the year (OR = 1.087; 95% CI = 1.050-1.125; p = 0.000). Semen quality parameters showed a downtrend during the last 10 years in this study, emphasizing the importance of male reproductive health monitoring and warning public health coordinators to pay more attention to this important issue.

Urodynamic findings in children with primary refractory nocturnal enuresis: 10 years' experience of a tertiary center.

Background/Aim: To identify correlations between urodynamic study (UDS) findings and urinary symptoms in children with refractory monosymptomatic and nonmonosymptomatic primary nocturnal enuresis. Materials and Methods: A total of 96 neurologically normal children were enrolled, 44 consecutive boys and 51 consecutive girls, aged 5-18 years, of whom 41 (38.8%) had refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) and 55 (61.2%) had refractory non-MNE (NMNE). We assessed the urodynamics of all children to detect any underlying bladder overactivity. A comparative analysis was carried out between the two groups of patients. Results: Detrusor overactivity (DO), low bladder capacity, low compliance, and increased postvoid residual (PVR) were identified in 70 (72.9%), 35 (36.5%), 43, and 76 (79.2%) patients, respectively. The mean bladder compliance was 21.66 ± 14.52 mL/cmH2O (2-75 cmH2O). Of the NMNE patients, 50 (90.9%) had abnormal urodynamic findings, while 40 (97.5%) had abnormal urodynamic findings in the MNE group. There was a statistically significant relationship between NMNE and both increased PVR and abnormal voiding patterns. Both high PVR and DO were significantly associated with obstructive urinary symptoms. Constipation and history of urinary tract infection (UTI) did not significantly correlate with UDS abnormality (p = 1.0 and p = 0.49, respectively). Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of bladder function disorders in both refractory MNE and NMNE patients in our study. This included small functional capacity, low bladder compliance, and marked DO. A nocturnal enuresis may be the only presenting symptom, however, it may be associated with bladder overactivity, UTI, and constipation; the UDS findings may aid in guiding the assessment and treatment of children suffering from primary refractory nocturnal enuresis and its association with bladder and bowel symptoms.

Multiple sclerosis and lower urinary tract symptoms: A survey of prevalence, characteristic and urological evaluations.

Objective: Most multiple sclerosis patients have urological complications such as lower urinary tract symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of these symptoms and whether they result in a urological evaluation. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 517 multiple sclerosis patients at Tehran's referral multiple sclerosis center and neurology clinics between 2018 and 2022 was performed. Data were collected through interviews after patients completed informed consent forms. Urological examinations, including urine analysis and ultrasonography, were evaluated as final assessments. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests in Statistical Package for Social Science. Results: Among all participants, the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms was 73% (n = 384), with urgency (44.8% n = 232) being the most common symptom. The prevalence of intermittency was significantly higher among women (p = 0.004). There was no gender-significant difference in terms of the prevalence of other symptoms (p > 0.050). Lower urinary tract symptoms were significantly correlated with age, clinical course, disease duration, and disability (p < 0.001). Additionally, 37.3% and 18.7% of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, as well as 17.9% and 37.5% of patients with multiple sclerosis attacks, respectively, had undergone urine analysis and ultrasonography. Conclusion: Multiple sclerosis patients rarely undergo urological evaluations during the course of their disease. Proper assessment is essential as these symptoms are among the most detrimental manifestations of this disease.

Association between polymorphisms in TP53 and MDM2 genes and susceptibility to prostate cancer.

Tumor protein 53 (TP53), a tumor suppressor gene, is a vital cellular cancer suppressor in multicellular organisms. Murine double minute-2 (MDM2) is an oncoprotein that inhibits TP53 activity. A number of studies have examined the association of TP53 and MDM2 polymorphisms with the risk of common forms of cancer, but the findings remain inconclusive. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the 40-bp insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism (rs3730485) in the MDM2 promoter region and the 16-bp I/D polymorphism (rs17878362) in TP53 on the susceptibility of prostate cancer (PCa) in a sample of the Iranian population. This case-control study included 103 patients with pathologically confirmed PCa and 142 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The MDM2 40-bp I/D and TP53 16-bp I/D polymorphism was determined using polymerase chain reaction analysis. The results demonstrated that the MDM2 40-bp I/D polymorphism increased the risk of PCa in a co-dominant inheritance model [odds ratio (OR)=1.88; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.11-3.19; P=0.023, D/D vs. I/I], while this variant marginally increased the risk of PCa in a dominant model (OR=1.69; 95% CI=1.00-2.83; P=0.051, I/D+D/D vs. I/I). No significant association was observed between the TP53 16-bp I/D polymorphism and PCa. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that the 40-bp I/D polymorphism in the MDM2 promoter increased the risk of PCa in an Iranian population. Further investigations with diverse ethnicities and larger sample sizes are required to verify these results.

Association of Adiponectin rs1501299 and rs266729 Gene Polymorphisms With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

BACKGROUND: Genetic and environmental factors are important for the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Adiponectin is a white and brown adipose tissue hormone, and have been found to play essential roles in the regulation of energy homoeostasis. Recent reports have identified a possible role of adiponectin in NAFLD via PPARγ pathway. OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to find out the impact of adiponectin rs1501299 (276G/T) and rs266729 (-11377C/G) gene polymorphisms in NAFLD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-three patients with diagnosis of NAFLD, and 93 healthy subjects were included in the study. Tetra ARMS-PCR was designed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms. RESULTS: A significant difference was found between NAFLD and control group regarding the rs266729 polymorphism (χ2 = 7.35, P = 0.025). The rs266729 polymorphism increased the risk of NAFLD in codominant (CC vs. CG: OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.16 - 4.12, P = 0.016) and dominant (CC vs. CG/GG: OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.25 - 4.27; P = 0.008) inheritance tested models. The G allele increased the risk of NAFLD (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.03 - 2.57, P = 0.037) in comparison with C allele. No significant difference was found between the groups concerning adiponectin rs1501299 gene polymorphism (χ2 = 0.70, P = 0.697). CONCLUSIONS: adiponectin rs266729 polymorphism might be a candidate gene, which determines the susceptibility to NAFLD. Larger studies are necessary to confirm these findings in various populations.