Effect of different alpha-receptor antagonists on metabolic parameters: a head-to-head comparison.

PURPOSE: Although it is known that alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists have positive effects on metabolic parameters such as glucose metabolism, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity, it is unclear whether this is a class effect. Tamsulosin is reported to have adverse effects on glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, and this may be because of its lack of glycolysis-enhancing effect compared with other alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists with glycolysis-enhancing effects such as doxazosin, terazosin, and alfuzosin. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of tamsulosin on metabolic parameters with another alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist, doxazosin. METHODS: In this prospective, observational, controlled, 12-week clinical study, a total of 60 male patients aged ≥ 40 years who were first started on tamsulosin (n = 30; 0.4 mg/day, oral; mean age, 59.20 ± 8.97 years) or doxazosin (n = 30; 4 or 8 mg/day, oral; mean age, 58.50 ± 8.93 years) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were enrolled. The groups were compared according to the changes in anthropometric and biochemical parameters (glycemia, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity) at the end of treatment. RESULTS: In intragroup analyses, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and HbA1c levels decreased significantly in the doxazosin group compared with baseline (p < 0.05 for all), while no significant change was observed in the tamsulosin group. In comparisons between groups, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels showed a significant decrease in the doxazosin group compared with the tamsulosin group (percent change: - 6.68 ± 13.08 vs. 0.53 ± 11.02, p = 0.025; - 3.63 ± 9.56 vs. 4.02 ± 10.86, p = 0.005; and - 5.62 ± 18.18 vs. 5.24 ± 15.42, p = 0.015, respectively). CONCLUSION: Although these results do not support previous findings that tamsulosin has adverse effects on metabolic parameters, they suggest that doxazosin treatment may be a reason for preference in patients with BPH or LUTS accompanied by metabolic disorder.

Effect of internet pornography use frequency on psychogenic erectile dysfunction severity in young Turkish men: the mediating role of dyadic adjustment.

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the effect of the frequency of using pornography on psychogenic erectile dysfunction severity after controlling for other psychological factors. It then evaluated the mediating role of dyadic adjustment regarding this. This study included 66 young married heterosexual male patients who were diagnosed with psychogenic erectile dysfunction after organic causes were excluded. The patients filled out the form about demographics, the age of onset of pornography use, and the frequency of pornography use. All participants were evaluated using a comprehensive data form, the International Index of Erectile Function, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-Somatic, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. A significant strong negative correlation was determined between the International Index of Erectile Function scores and pornography use frequency (r = -0.535 and p < 0.001). Pornography use frequency and Dyadic Adjustment Scale scores were found to have a significant predictive effect on erectile dysfunction scores in hierarchical regression analysis after controlling for somatization, depression, and perceived stress, which are typically correlated with erectile dysfunction scores (Beta = -0.28, and 0.34 respectively, p = 0.02, and 0.01 respectively). The Sobel test conducted to evaluate the mediating effect of dyadic adjustment revealed that dyadic adjustment played a mediating role in the correlation between pornography use frequency and erectile dysfunction scores (z = -1.988 and p = 0.047, respectively). The most significant observation of this study was the specific causative effect of pornography use frequency on erectile dysfunction severity through dyadic adjustment, especially considering that the frequency of using pornography is a modifiable factor.

The Impact of Histological Variants on Oncological Outcomes in Patients with Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Treated with Radical Cystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous entity characterized by a wide range of different morphologies. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic effect of bladder tumor with variant histology that is treated with radical cystectomy on oncological outcomes. METHODS: One hundred eighty-six patients who underwent radical cystectomy between September 2001 and June 2020 were included in the study. The patients were divided into 2 groups variant histology group (n = 54) and transitional cell cancer group (n = 132). Clinicopathologic data were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics. In the mul- tivariate analysis of cancer-specific survival in transitional cell cancer against variant histology, high-grade detection of primary transurethral bladder tumor pathology, cystectomy pT, cystectomy positive lymph node, and positive surgical margin in cys- tectomy were determined to be statistically significant. Diagnosis of pT2 and high grade of primary transurethral bladder tumor pathology, cystectomy ≥ pT3, cystec- tomy positive lymph node, and positive surgical margin in cystectomy were statis- tically significant in multivariate analysis of overall survival. Cancer-specific survival time was estimated at 65.1 ± 8.3 months for variant histology and 134.2 ± 10.4 months for transitional cell cancer (P=.004). The estimated overall survival time was 61.9 ± 8.0 months in variant histology and 119.0 ± 9.8 months in transitional cell cancer (P = .014). CONCLUSION: Pathological features and prognosis of bladder cancer with variant histol- ogies are worse than those of pure urothelial bladder cancer. Overall survival and can- cer-specific survival are shorter in bladder cancer with variant histology than in pure urothelial bladder cancer. Following the diagnosis of variant histology in transurethral bladder tumor, poor prognosis must be considered in the treatment plan.

The prevalence and topographic distribution of penile calcification in a large cohort: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

The prevalence of penile calcification in the population remains uncertain. This retrospective multicenter study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of penile calcification in a large cohort of male patients undergoing non-contrast pelvic tomography. A total of 14 545 scans obtained from 19 participating centers between 2016 and 2022 were retrospectively analyzed within a 3-months period. Eligible scans (n = 12 709) were included in the analysis. Patient age, penile imaging status, presence of calcified plaque, and plaque measurements were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the relationships between calcified plaque, patient age, plaque characteristics, and plaque location. Among the analyzed scans, 767 (6.04%) patients were found to have at least one calcified plaque. Patients with calcified plaque had a significantly higher median age (64 years (IQR 56-72)) compared to those with normal penile evaluation (49 years (IQR 36-60) (p < 0.001). Of the patients with calcified plaque, 46.4% had only one plaque, while 53.6% had multiple plaques. There was a positive correlation between age and the number of plaques (r = 0.31, p < 0.001). The average dimensions of the calcified plaques were as follows: width: 3.9 ± 5 mm, length: 5.3 ± 5.2 mm, height: 3.5 ± 3.2 mm, with an average plaque area of 29 ± 165 mm² and mean plaque volume of 269 ± 3187 mm³. Plaques were predominantly located in the proximal and mid-penile regions (44.1% and 40.5%, respectively), with 77.7% located on the dorsal side of the penis. The hardness level of plaques, assessed by Hounsfield units, median of 362 (IQR 250-487) (range: 100-1400). Patients with multiple plaques had significantly higher Hounsfield unit values compared to those with a single plaque (p = 0.003). Our study revealed that patients with calcified plaques are older and have multiple plaques predominantly located on the dorsal and proximal side of the penis.

Comparison of Biparametric and Multiparametric Prostate Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Predicting Oncologic Outcomes After Radical Prostatectomy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the difference in predicting the pathological stage of retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) and biochemical recurrence (BCR) in patients with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PIRADS) scores of 3 and 4 on biparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (bpMRI) compared to patients who upgraded from PIRADS 3 to PIRADS 4 based on the contrast-enhanced PIRADS version 2.1. Methods: This study evaluated 107 patients who underwent RRP and had preoperative multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and were followed regularly. Group 1 included 31 patients evaluated as PIRADS 3 in both bpMRI and mpMRI, group 2 included 31 patients evaluated as PIRADS 3 in bpMRI and PIRADS 4 in mpMRI, and group 3 included 45 patients evaluated as PIRADS 4 without contrast. Comparisons were made between groups 1 and 2 and between groups 2 and 3. Results: No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of demographic data, preoperative or postoperative radiology, and pathology findings. Extraprostatic extension positivity and BCR were more common in group 2 compared to group 1 although not significant. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors in predicting BCR, which revealed the positivity of seminal vesicle invasion and high pathological stage in the pathology report as significant factors. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and PSA density were higher in group 3 than in group 2, but without significance. Conclusions: This study revealed that mpMRI did not contribute in predicting BCR after RRP compared to bpMRI.

A New Promising Pathway in Aggressive Prostate Cancer: Treg/mir-let8c/lin28b.

PURPOSE: The progress of prostate cancer entails complex contemporaneous tumor developmental events in diverse stages that they are still yet to be clarified. miRNAs might accompany to balance between regulatory and cytotoxic T cells in tumors. Here, we investigated miRNAs and Regulatory T cell (Treg) marker FOXP3 expressions within prostate cancer spectrum. METHODS: Thirty-eight prostate cancer patients enrolled within two groups to the study as having Gleason Score ≤ 7 (Group-1) and ≥ 8 (Group-2) that compared to 19 benign prostate hyperplasia controls. Twelve miRNAs expressions were analyzed by real time PCR from paraffin-embedded prostate tissue samples. Correlations between serum PSA levels, immunohistochemical staining of CD3, CD4, FOXP3 and miRNA expressions were analyzed. RESULTS: In our study, hsa-let7c-3p significantly 1,52 (p=0.018) and 1,84 (p=0.0095) fold down- regulated whereas, miR-141-3p was significantly 2,36 (p=0.0006) and 2,24 (p=0.001) fold upregulated in the prostate cancer patients compared to benign prostate hyperplasia in group 1 and 2, respectively. Only CD4 (p=0.004) and PSA (p<0.001) have statistically significant differences among groups when compared to benign prostate hyperplasia. miR-143-p, miR-221-3p, hsa-let7c-3p and miR-17-3p expressions were significantly correlated with regulatory T cell marker FOXP3 expression. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, we reported significantly altered expression levels of miRNAs (miR-let7c, miR221, miR-146a, miR-141, miR-143, miR17) and correlations between Treg marker FOXP3 in the aggressive prostate cancer patients suggesting that prostate cancer progression might be under the regulation of crosstalk between Tregs and miRNAs.

The Role of Preoperative Urinalysis in Predicting Postoperative Infection After Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery in Patients with Sterile Urine Culture.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative urinary tract infection is the most common complication of retrograde intrarenal surgery, and no consensus has been obtained that would reveal exact reasons yet. It was aimed to determine the possible factors, especially preoperative urinalysis, of postoperative urinary tract infection after retrograde intrarenal surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients who underwent retrograde intrarenal surgery in our clinic between 2013 and 2019 were retrospectively screened. Stone size 2 cm and pediatric patients were excluded from the study. The patients were divided into 2 groups as those with and without urinary infections in the early postoperative period. Urine analysis parameters and sterile urine cultures that were taken before the procedure were also analyzed separately. RESULTS: A total of 289 patients meeting the defined criteria were included in the study. There was no statistical difference between the 2 groups in terms of demographics. The number of patients with previous urinary tract infection history (55% vs. 20.5%) and operation time (62.5 ± 16.6 minutes vs. 60 ± 19.4 minutes) were significantly higher in those who had postoperative early urinary tract infection. Among urinalysis, the presence of pyuria, leukocyte count, leukocyte esterase positivity, and nitrite positivity were significantly higher in those who had postoperative early urinary tract infection. In multivariate analysis, urinary tract infection history, operation time, and nitrite positivity were found as independent factors in predicting postoperative early urinary tract infection. CONCLUSION: Previous urinary tract infection history, prolonged operation time, and nitrite positivity in urinalysis were determined as independent risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infection in kidney stones between 1 and 2 cm.

Effects of androgen deprivation therapy on metabolic markers and bioelectrical impedance analyze in prostate cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most widespread malignancy within men. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which is the central component of advanced PCa treatment, causes side effects. The goal of this study was to examine the metabolic changes and bioelectrical impedance analysis differences in PCa patients who received ADT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After age-related match-pair analysis, a total of 519 patients with PCa and control group who had benign disease were enrolled in the study. Biochemical blood parameters and TANITA measurements were recorded for all patients. Patients were categorized into three groups, ADT group (Group 1, n=124) and non-ADT group (Group 2, n=248), control group (Group 3, n=147). RESULTS: The mean age of groups was similar. Body mass index, waist circumference, body fat mass and fat ratio, which were among the TANITA parameters, were higher in group 1 (p<0.05). Total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, non- high density lipoprotein, triglycerids and fasting blood glucose values were also higher in group 1 (p<0.05). Myocardial infarction and metabolic syndrome rates were also higher in this group. CONCLUSIONS: While the use of ADT is manifested by an increase in fat mass and fat ratio in body composition, it negatively affects waist circumference measurements. It is associated with metabolically unfit body composition changes that predispose to diabetes mellitus and may increase cardio-vascular disease. For this reason, it is necessary to be careful about metabolic and endocrinological diseases in long-term therapy.

Thermal intravesical chemotherapy in adjuvant treatment of high risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. / Quimioterapia intravesical térmica como tratamiento adyuvante en pacientes de cáncer de vejiga alto riesgo no-musculoinvasivos.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the oncological results of hyperthermic Mitomycin C (MMC) in adjuvant treatment of high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and to assess its side-effect profile. METHODS: Patients who were followed up in two reference university hospitals due to high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder tumors were included in the study. High-risk patients according to the EAU non-muscle invasive bladder cancer guideline, patients who were rejected early cystectomy, patients who could not be treated with BCG due to a shortage, and patients for whom the cystectomy would be too risky due to their comorbidities were included in the study. All patients were followed up forat least 24 months with physical examination, cystoscopy, and urine cytology at 3-month intervals. Transurethral tumor resection was performed in all patients and a non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma was diagnosed pathologically. Hyperthermic MMC was administered with Synergo system SB-TS 101. Records were kept prospectively and evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Fifty-eight high-risk group patients 18 (31%) of whom were at pTa stage and 40 (69%) at pT1 stage were included in the study. During a mean follow-up of 42 months, 34 (58%) patients had recurrence, while 5 (8%) patients progressed to muscle-invasive disease. Eleven (19%) of the patients under went radical cystectomy. The mean time to relapse was 10 months (3-34 months), and the mean time to progression was 41 months (6-87 months). Five-year overall survival, cancer-specific survival, progression-free survival, and relapse-free survival of the patients were 76%, 88%, 90% and 38%, respectively. Multifocality alone was found to be an independent risk factor (HR: 0.26; 95% Cl: 0.08-0.78; p=0.016) affecting recurrence. The observed side effects included tachycardia, cystitis, dysuria, macrohematuria, procedure-related pain, and allergic skin reactions. Treatment had to be discontinued in one patient due to a diffuse skin reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Thermal intravesical MMC therapyis a safe treatment and it could be effective treatment option in preventing disease progression in patients with high risk and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer with unsuccessful Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or who could not be treated with BCG for other reasons.

OBJETIVOS: Evaluar los resultados oncológicos de Mitomicina C hipertérmica en tratamiento adyuvante para el cáncer de vejiga de alto riesgono-musculoinvasivo y para evaluar el perfil de efectos secundarios.MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron en el estudio pacientes evaluados en dos centros universitarios de referencia por cáncer de vejiga no-musculoinvasivo de alto riesgo. Fueron incluídos en el estudio los pacientes de alto riesgo según las guías europeas de cáncer de vejiga no-musculoinvasivo, pacientes que no aceptaron la cistectomía precoz o pacientes en los que la cistectomía implicaría demasiado riesgo quirúrgico debido a las comorbilidades. Todos los pacientes fueron seguidos como mínimo por 24 meses con exploración física, cistoscopia y citología de orina en intervalos de 3 meses. La resección transuretral de tumores se realizó en todos los pacientes y el diagnóstico anatomopatológico de carcinoma urotelial no-musculoinvasivo fue determinado. La MMC hipertermia se administró con el sistema Synergo SB-TS101. Los datos se reportaron prospectivamente y retrospectivamente. RESULTADOS: 58 pacientes de alto riesgo, 18 (31%) de los cuales fueron pTa y 40 (69%) pT1 fueron incluidos en el estudio. Durante la media de seguimiento de 42 meses, 34 (58%) recurrieron, mientras que 5 (8% )progresaron a musculo-invasivo. 11 (19%) de los pacientes recibieron una cistectomía radical. La mediana de tiempo a la recidiva fue de 10 meses (3-34 meses) y la mediana a la progresión fue de 42 meses (6-87 meses). La supervivencia global, cáncer-especifica, libre de progresión y libre de recurrencia a 5 años fue de 76%, 88%, 90% y 38%, respectivamente. La multifocalidad fue un factor de riesgo independiente (HR:0,26; 95% Cl: 0,08-0,78; p=0,016) afectando la recurrencia. Los efectos secundarios observados fueron la taquicardia, cistitis, disuria, macrohematuria, dolor con el procedimiento y reacción alérgica. El tratamiento tuvo que pararse en un paciente debido a una reacción cutánea difusa. CONCLUSIONES: La terapia con Mitomicina C térmica es un tratamiento seguro y puede ser un tratamiento efectivo para la prevención de la progresión en pacientes de alto riesgo no-musculoinvasivo en los que la BCG ha fallado o que no se pueden tratar con BCG por otras razones.

Turkish validation and reliability of the symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index-29 (LURN SI-29) questionnaire in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms.

AIMS: To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index-29 (LURN SI-29). METHODS: Patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were included in a single-center study between January and April 2021. Patients' demographics, such as age, sex, and level of education, were recorded. The Turkish version of the LURN SI-29 and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were administered to all patients, and the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) was additionally administered to female patients. Construct validity was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity was evaluated with correlations to similar measures. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and split-half reliability analyses were used to establish the scale's reliability. RESULTS: A total of 295 participants, 35.3% females and 64.7% males, were included in the final analysis. The mean age was 56.4 ± 11.7 years. The median total LURN SI-29 scores were 38.0 (26-50) and 26.0 (18-43) for female and male patients, respectively. The LURN SI-29 scale showed a high correlation with IPSS and UDI-6 scales (r = .758, p < .001; r = .774, p < .001, respectively) in concurrent validity analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale and all subscales were greater than 0.70 for both female and male patients. CONCLUSIONS: This measurement tool can potentially be used to evaluate LUTS in Turkish women and men. Further studies should be performed to reveal the clinical usefulness of this scale.

The efficiency of prostate-specific antigen density measurement using three different methods on the prediction of biochemical recurrence.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density (PSAD) calculated through prostate volume (PV) obtained via transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and actual prostate weight (PW) methods obtained via pathological evaluation on the prediction of biochemical recurrence (BCR) in the follow-ups of patients who had undergone radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: A total of 335 clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa) patients who had received open RP between January 2015 and December 2018 were enrolled in the study. Pre and postoperative demographic data, clinical and pathological findings and BCR conditions were recorded. The PSAD was calculated using information obtained through preoperative TRUS examinations, MRI, and collected pathological specimens after RP by dividing the maximum preoperative PSA value and PV/PW. RESULTS: In a mean follow-up duration of 20.2 ± 8.5 months, recurrence was observed in 52 patients (24.4%) and progression was observed in 8 (3.8%) patients. The TRUS-PSAD, MRI-PSAD, and PW-PSAD values were statistically significantly higher in BCR patients compared to non-BCR patients. The International Society of Urologic Pathologists (ISUP) grade 5 and pT3b as a pathological stage were detected as independent variables in the prediction of BCR formation. Actual PW had a high prediction value compared to other PSAD measurements at <40 g prostate weights, but it had a low prediction value in prostates with an actual PW >60 g. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was stated that PSAD acquired through different imaging methods does not affect the usability of PSAD in BCR prediction in clinical practice. The ISUP grade 5 and pT3b stage PCa were detected as independent markers in BCR prediction after RP.

The effects of shock wave lithotripsy and retrograde intrarenal surgery on renal function.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare the early effects of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) on renal function using the cystatin C levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Serum samples were taken from each of the patients preoperatively, on the first postoperative day, and on the 30th postoperative day in order to evaluate the renal damage. The cystatin C level was determined using a particle-enhanced turbid metric immunoassay with a clinical chemistry analyzer. RESULTS: In the comparison between the preoperative and postoperative cystatin C levels on day 1, there was an increase in the SWL group (p = .001); however, the decrease in the RIRS group was statistically significant (p = .007). There were statistically significant differences in the cystatin C levels on the first postoperative day in both groups (p = .001). In the SWL group, there was a statistically significant increase between the preoperative and the 30th postoperative day cystatin C levels (p = .006), but no differences were found between these levels in the RIRS group or between the two groups (p = .255). CONCLUSIONS: RIRS may be the preferred procedure for patients who need more renal function protection when treating renal stones <2 cm.

Effect of focal and diffuse hypervascularization as cystoscopic findings on predicting intravesical therapy response in patients with bladder pain syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To define the relationship between cystoscopic findings, including novel findings such as the hypervascularization, of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) and the response to intravesical therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated cystoscopy findings in patients who had a preliminary diagnosis of BPS/IC. All patients received early intravesical combined therapy (ICT), ie, within 2 hours after hydrodistention. Additionally, ICT was continued according to our protocol. Cystoscopic findings were classified as glomerulations, hypervascularization, and Hunner's lesion (HL). The therapy responses were evaluated at 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 12thmonths using the visual analog scale (VAS), O'Leary/Sant interstitial cystitis symptom index (ICSI), and interstitial cystitis problem index (ICPI) scores. RESULTS: Out of 61 patients, HL was diagnosed during cystoscopy in six (9.8%) patients, glomerulations in 35 (57.4%) patients, and hypervascularization in 15 (24.6%) patients. No pathological findings were defined in five (8.2%) patients. In the glomerulation and hypervascularization group, the median VAS, ICSI, and ICPI scores were lower than those in the preoperative period in the follow-up. In patients with HL, the median VAS scores were lower in the entire follow-up compared to the preoperative period, with an increase at 1st year compared to 6th month, and ICSI scores were lower than preoperative period in the entire follow-up, with an increase at 3rd month and 1st year. ICPI scores were also lower during the follow-up, with an increase observed in the 1st year. CONCLUSION: The presence of hypervascularization should be defined since it might show different characteristics that may affect the ICT response. Patients with glomerulations might be good candidates for early combined intravesical therapy.

The clinical impact of androgen deprivation therapy on SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and disease severity.

OBJECTIVE: The protective effect of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel hypothesis. ADT may protect patients with prostate cancer through the inhibition of androgen receptor-dependent transmembrane serine protease type 2. We analyzed the role of ADT on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and disease severity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between August 2020 and June 2021, patients with prostate cancer were included in our study. Patients were divided into two groups as men receiving ADT or not. Patients' characteristics such as prostate cancer grade and stage, comorbidities, SARS-CoV-2 infection status, and infection severity were assessed. SARS-CoV-2-infected close relatives and patients' compliance with the precautions against SARSCoV- 2 were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 365 patients, 138 (37.8%) with ADT and 227 (62.2%) without ADT, were included in our analysis. Patients with ADT were older (71.8 vs 66.9 years, P » .001) and had a higher rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (11.6% vs 5.7%, P » .044). Patients receiving ADT were more often locally advanced and metastatic (80.4% vs 32.6%, P » .001). SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were statistically similar between patients who received and did not receive ADT (9.4% vs 13.2%, P » .275, respectively). There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of hospitalization rates (2.9% vs 0.9%, P » .205). In multivariate analysis, the presence of SARS-CoV-2-infected close relatives and precautions score were only independent predictors for both risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and infection severity. CONCLUSION: We could not find any effect of ADT on risk and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARSCoV- 2 infection and hospitalization rates were similar between patients with and without ADT.

Clinical characteristics of postoperative febrile urinary tract infections after ureteroscopic lithotripsy in diabetics: Impact of glycemic control. / Características clínicas de las infecciones posoperatorias del tracto urinario febril después de la litotricia ureteroscópica en diabéticos: impacto del control glucémico.

OBJECTIVE: Ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) is the current standard choice of treatment for both ureteral and adequate renal stones. Although it is known to be a safe procedure, postoperative febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) is not rare. Especially in diabetic patients, rate of urinary tract infection is higher. Therefore, we aimed to describe the risk factors for UTI following URS in diabetics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2017and April 2019, 546 patients who under went ureteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteral and/or renal stones were included. A matched-pair analysis was performed to compare postoperative UTI rates between diabetics and nondiabetics. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records including age, gender, BMI, comorbidities, UTI history, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), operating time, stone size and hounsfield unit (HU), preoperative hydronephrosis, ureteroscopic methods and ureteral stenting. Logistic regression analysis was done to determine the risk factors for postoperative UTI in diabetics. RESULTS: In diabetic patients rate of postoperative UTI was 29% (13/45). After matched-pair analysis within the group of non-diabetics, incidence was 11% (5/44) (p=0.04). In univariate analysis, preoperative ureteral stent, UTI history and HbA1c level were the risk factors for UTI after URS in diabetics. UTI history and HbA1clevel were the independent risk factors for developing postoperative UTI in diabetic patients. HbA1c threshold 6.9% afforded 75% sensitivity and 67% specificity for predicting postoperative UTI in diabetics. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic patients are under greater risk to develop postoperative UTI following URS. Those patients with UTI history and HbA1c level higher than 6.9% must be followed carefully.

OBJETIVO: La litotricia ureteroscópica (URS) es la opción estándar actual de tratamiento para cálculos renales tanto ureterales como adecuados. Aunque se sabe que es un procedimiento seguro, la infección urinaria febril posoperatoria (ITU) no es rara. Especialmente en pacientes diabéticos, la tasa de infección del tracto urinario es mayor. Por lo tanto, nuestro objetivo fue describir los factores de riesgo de IU después de la URS en diabéticos. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Entre enero de 2017 y abril de 2019, se incluyeron 546 pacientes que se sometieron a litotricia ureteroscópica por cálculos ureterales y/o renales. Se realizó un análisis de pares emparejados para comparar las tasas de ITU postoperatorias entre diabéticos y no diabéticos. Revisamos retrospectivamente los registros médicos. Se realizó un análisis de regresión logística para determinar los factores de riesgo de infección urinaria postoperatoria en diabéticos. RESULTADOS: En pacientes diabéticos, la tasa de ITU postoperatoria fue del 29% (13/45). Después del análisis de pares emparejados dentro del grupo de no diabéticos, la incidencia fue del 11% (5/44) (p=0,04). En el análisis univariado, el historial de ITU y el nivel de HbA1c fueron los factores de riesgo de ITU después de la URS en diabéticos. El historial de ITU y el nivel de HbA1c fueron los factores de riesgo independientes para desarrollar ITU postoperatoria en pacientes diabéticos. El umbral de HbA1c del 6,9% proporcionó una sensibilidad del 75% y una especificidad del 67% para predecir la infección urinaria postoperatoria en diabéticos. CONCLUSIONES: Los pacientes diabéticos tienen un mayor riesgo de desarrollar ITU postoperatoria después de la URS. Los pacientes con antecedentes de ITU y un nivel de HbA1c superior al 6,9% deben ser seguidos cuidadosamente.

Influence of border-age on survival of sporadic renal cell carcinoma: young adults versus octogenarians.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of two border-age groups: young adults and octogenarians on survival of sporadic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). METHODS: We reviewed the records of 1619 patients that underwent radical or partial nephrectomy due to RCC between January 2004 and December 2018 in two high-volume centers. Patients were divided into two groups based on their age: ≤ 40 years old (group 1) and ≥ 80 years old (group 2). We analyzed the demographic, clinical and histological features of the groups and performed univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses to evaluate predictors associated with survival. RESULTS: Median ages of patients were 35.5 years and 82 years in group 1 (n = 90) and group 2 (n = 55), respectively. Radical nephrectomy rate was statistically higher in group 2 (p = 0.004). Median follow-up was 72 (11-192) months in group 1 and 30 months (5-103) in group 2 (p < 0.001). The 5-year (90.2% vs. 80.2%) and 8-year (84.8% vs. 60.2%) overall survivals (OS) of the groups were statistically different (p < 0.001). Patients in group 1 demonstrated a 5 and 10-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) of 90.2% and 84.7%, whereas these rates were 82.4% and 54.9% for group 2 (p < 0.05). We found that higher hemoglobin drop (HR: 1.497), presence of sarcomatoid differentiation (HR: 4.307), high-stage disease (HR: 2.704), and metastasis detected in the follow-up (HR: 12.805) were independent risk factors that shortened OS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sporadic RCC was associated with a more favorable CSS and OS in young adults compared to the octogenarians. Although two border-age groups had similar pathologies, they have different prognosis and survival rates.

Association of 5'UTR polymorphism of secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2G2A) gene with prostate cancer metastasis.

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzymes are small lipolytic hydrolases that can regulate immune responses through generation of Arachidonic Acid (AA), a precursor molecule of lipid mediators like prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes. One of the family members of PLA2, secretory Phospholipase A2 Group IIA (PLA2G2A), was associated with different types of malignancies including prostate cancer. Elevated serum levels of PLA2G2A was found in prostate cancer (PCa) patients and associated with increased tumor grade in literature. 5'UTR regions have regulatory role in protein expression by controlling the accessibility of factors necessary for the translation initiation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at 5'UTR regions have the potential to affect mRNA translation efficiency resulting in altered protein levels depending on structure and nucleotide content. Given that the 5'UTR polymorphism in PLA2G2A gene (rs11573156) is associated with increased serum levels of PLA2G2A, the association of this 5'UTR polymorphism with PCa susceptibility and metastasis was investigated in this study. Total of 261 PCa patients and 128 control individuals were genotyped with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Individuals with heterozygous CG genotype was found to have significantly reduced risk of PCa metastasis with an Odds Ratio (OR) of 0.405 (p = 0.028, 95%CI = 0.181-0.906), compared to the carriers of homozygous CC genotype (p > 0.05) suggesting an anti-metastatic effect for the G allele. No association was found between PCa susceptibility and Gleason score (p > 0.05) in Turkish population.

Role of serum and urine transforming growth factor beta 1, matrix metallopeptidase 9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2, and nerve growth factor beta levels and serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting recurrence and progression risks in patients with primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to examine the correlation between serum and urine transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2), and nerve growth factor beta (NGF-ß) levels and serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as well as the recurrence and progression risks of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The current study included 89 individuals: n=47, patients with primary NMIBC (patient group) and n=42, healthy controls (control group). The TGF-ß1, MMP-9, TIMP-2, and NGF-ß levels in the blood and urine samples were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, the serum NLR was evaluated. For the statistical analysis, a generalized linear model was used to compare the groups. In the analysis, gender and use of cigarettes were used as the secondary factors, and age was included as the covariate in the generalized linear model set for the intergroup evaluations. Meanwhile, a logistic regression model was utilized to evaluate the impact of the biomarkers on the risk of recurrence and progression. RESULTS: The serum NLR was higher in the patient group than in the control group (p=0.033). The patients with disease recurrence had higher body mass index and MMP-9 levels, but the results were not statistically significant. Moreover, the patients with a high NLR had a high risk of disease progression (odds ratio [OR]=13.046, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.057-161.18, p=0.045), whereas the patients with a high serum TGF-ß1 level (OR=0.972, 95% CI=0.945-0.999, p=0.047) had a low risk of disease progression. CONCLUSION: High NLR and low TGF-ß1 values were associated with an increased risk of disease progression in patients with NMIBC. However, no relationships were found between TGF-ß1, MMP-9, TIMP-2, and NGF-ß values and the recurrence of NMIBC.

The factors predicting upgrading of prostate cancer by using International Society for Urological Pathology (ISUP) 2014 Gleason grading system.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors to predict Gleason score upgrading (GSU) of patients with prostate cancer who were evaluated by using the International Society for Urological Pathology (ISUP) 2014 Gleason grading system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 2008 and December 2015, we retrospectively investigated patients who had undergone radical prostatectomy and followed up in the uro-oncology outpatient clinic. The pathologic specimens of the patients were evaluated based on the ISUP 2014 classification system. The patients were divided into two groups with or without upgraded Gleason scores. Factors that could be effective in predicting upgrading such as age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, D'Amico risk classification, PSA density, cancer of the prostate risk assessment (CAPRA) scores, biopsy tumor percentage, body mass index, and clinical stage parameters were compared between both groups. RESULTS: Of the 265 patients who could be evaluated and followed up regularly, Gleason score upgrades were observed in 110 (41.5%) patients. Advanced age (p=0.009), PSA >20 ng/mL (p=0.036), PSA density >0.35 (p=0.005), high CAPRA score (p=0.031), and high biopsy tumor percentage (p=0.009) were discovered to be correlated with Gleason score upgrade in univariate logistic regression analysis. Advanced age alone was a predictor for GSU in multivariate logistic regression analysis (p=0.002). Five-year biochemical recurrence-free survival rate was 86% in the non-GSU group and 55% in the GSU group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: GSU risk should be taken into consideration in making therapeutic decisions for older patients with prostate cancer, and precautions should be taken against development of aggressive disease.