Nebivolol protects erectile functions compared to Metoprolol in hypertensive men with atherogenic, venogenic, psychogenic erectile dysfunction: A prospective, randomized, cross-over, clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Both hypertension and ß-blocker drugs used for treating hypertension (HT) can cause erectile dysfunction (ED). Nebivolol, unlike other ß-blockers, may not cause impotence since it increases the release of Nitric Oxide (NO), which is the main mediator of erection. This study investigated the effect of Nebivolol and Metoprolol on erectile functions in hypertensive men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Married men whose blood pressure were >140/90 mmHg were included in the study. All patients were assessed for ED, and the cause of ED was then investigated. Nebivolol or Metoprolol was started for one month in all patients. After one-month drugless period, the ß-blockers were switched. Blood pressures, pulses and sexual function tests were evaluated, and plasma NO levels were measured at the end of the treatments and during the drugless period. RESULTS: There was no difference in antihypertensive efficacy between the two drugs (p = 0.828;0.194 for systolic and diastolic BP). Metoprolol caused a significant decrease in IIEF-5 score, whereas Nebivolol did not cause a decrease in IIEF-5 score on patients with psychogenic, arteriogenic, and venous failure related ED (respectively, p<0.001,0.004,0.005 for Metoprolol; p = 0.201,0.598,0.088 for Nebivolol). In the non-ED group, both drugs decreased the IIEF-5 score, but the decrease for Metoprolol (p = 0.001) was more than that for Nebivolol (p = 0.012). Plasma NO levels did not change with Metoprolol (p = 0.268) but increased with Nebivolol (p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between plasma NO values and IIEF-5 score used for the assessment of sexual functions (r = 0.284, p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Nebivolol may be advantageous in terms of preserving sexual functions because of increasing NO in eligible hypertensive male patients.

Cancer detection rates of different prostate biopsy regimens in patients with renal failure.

We aimed to evaluate the cancer detection rates of 6-, 10-, 12-core biopsy regimens and the optimal biopsy protocol for prostate cancer diagnosis in patients with renal failure. A total of 122 consecutive patients with renal failure underwent biopsy with age-specific prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels up to 20 ng/mL. The 12-core biopsy technique (sextant biopsy + lateral base, lateral mid-zone, lateral apex, bilaterally) performed to all patients. Pathology results were examined separately for each sextant, 10-core that exclude parasagittal mid-zones from 12-cores (10a), 10-core that exclude apex zones from 12-cores (10b) and 12-core biopsy regimens. Of 122 patients, 37 (30.3%) were positive for prostate cancer. The cancer detection rates for sextant, 10a, 10b and 12 cores were 17.2%, 29%, 23.7% and 30.7%, respectively. Biopsy techniques of 10a, 10b and 12 cores increased the cancer detection rates by 40%, 27.5% and 43.2% among the sextant technique, respectively. Biopsy techniques of 10a and 12 cores increased the cancer detection rates by 17.1% and 21.6% among 10b biopsy technique, respectively. There were no statistical differences between 12 core and 10a core about cancer detection rate. Adding lateral cores to sextant biopsy improves the cancer detection rates. In our study, 12-core biopsy technique increases the cancer detection rate by 5.4% among 10a core but that was not statistically different. On the other hand, 12-core biopsy technique includes all biopsy regimens. We therefore suggest 12-core biopsy or minimum 10-core strategy incorporating six peripheral biopsies with elevated age- specific PSA levels up to 20 ng/mL in patients with renal failure.

The effect of cadmium toxicity on renal nitric oxide synthase isoenzymes.

The aim of this study was to assess the cadmium (Cd) toxicity on renal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoenzymes. The study was carried out on 18 inbred male (Cd group: 10 and control group: 8) Wistar rats. Cd group received drinking water containing 15 mg/L Cd for 30 days; and at the end of the 30 days, plasma Cd was analysed. One kidney was snap frozen to assess the endothelial NOS (eNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) expressions by Western blot analyses, and the other kidney was preserved for histopathological examination. Plasma Cd levels were significantly elevated in the Cd group. The Western blot analyses found higher levels of eNOS, iNOS and nNOS in the Cd group but only eNOS and nNOS levels were statistically significant. There was no difference in pathological assessment of the renal tissues. Cd toxicity increases NOS isoenzyme levels and may affect renal physiology.

A giant scrotal cavernous hemangioma extending to the penis and perineum: a case report.

Cavernous hemangioma is a congenital, benign vascular tumor that occurs in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Scrotal hemangiomas are rare entities and are usually diagnosed in childhood. Adult scrotal hemangiomas are also extremely rare. They are infrequently encountered in adults because they are usually removed in childhood. Urologists often face difficulties in deciding surgery to treat a genital cavernous hemangioma. Here, we report a case of scrotal cavernous hemangioma that involved the entire penis and scrotum, and extended to the perineum in a 44-year-old man, and we review the literature.

Correlation between BMD and bone scintigraphy in patients with prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Bone metastasis is a major cause of morbidity in prostatic cancer. Therefore, detecting and monitoring bone lesions are crucial for treatment of prostatic carcinoma. We aimed to evaluate total body bone mineral density and regional bone mineral density in patients with prostate cancer with and without metastases, and to compare them with bone scintigraphy. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with prostatic carcinoma and 20 healthy subjects were investigated with bone scintigraphy and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The bone scintigraphic findings were classified as normal (score 0: n = 22), abnormal but not typical for metastases (score 1: n = 18), and typical pattern of metastases (score 2: n = 14). RESULTS: The patients with bone metastases prostate cancer had significantly higher total bone mineral density and regional bone mineral density of trunk and pelvis than healthy controls and prostate cancer patients without bone metastases. There was a significant positive correlation between bone scan score and total bone mineral density and regional bone mineral density of trunk and pelvis (r = 0.328, P < 0.05, r = 0.60, P < 0.001, r = 0.480, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results show that patients of prostate cancer with bone metastases have increased bone mineral density (BMD) in the pelvis and trunk, possibly because of a predominance of osteoblastic over osteolytic metastases demonstrated by Tc-99m MDP bone scan.

Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer: effects on hand function.

OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy. Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists are used in most patients with locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer, and decrease testosterone production. We aimed to find out the effects of androgen deprivation therapy with LH-RH agonist on the hand function, quality of life, and mood of the patients with prostate cancer. SUBJECTS: A total of 20 patients with locally advanced prostate cancer and 20 age-matched healthy men were included in the study as LH-RH and control groups, respectively. MAIN MEASURES: Age, body mass index, occupation and dominant hand, physical activity level, Beck depression inventory scores, 15D quality of life questionnaire scores, and Duruoz hand index scores were recorded. Handgrip strength was tested in the dominant hand using the Jamar hand dynamometer (Sammons Preston, Inc., Bollingbrook, IL). The Grooved Pegboard Test was used to test manual dexterity. Serum concentrations of total and free testosterone, estradiol levels were measured. RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups in body mass index, physical activity level, and age (P > 0.05). Serum total and free testosterone, estradiol level, and the mean grip strength score were statistically lower in the LH-RH group. Manual dexterity was diminished in the LH-RH group (P < 0.001). The Duruoz hand index, and Beck depression inventory and 15D quality of life questionnaire scores were statistically lower in the LH-RH group (P < 0.005). We found a correlation between handgrip strength, dexterity, Beck depression inventory scores, 15D quality of life questionnaire scores, and total and free testosterone. CONCLUSION: Men with low testosterone levels caused by androgen deprivation therapy have worse grip strength, dexterity, 15D quality of life questionnaire scores, and depressive symptoms than age-matched men who have not received androgen deprivation therapy.

Does experimental pain assessment before biopsy predict for pain during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether assessment of experimental pain perception using the modified tourniquet test before a biopsy procedure could predict the pain scores during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. However, the relationship between the experimental pain assessment before prostate biopsy and the pain scores during the biopsy procedure has not been established. METHODS: A total of 67 men who underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided 12-core prostate biopsy were prospectively enrolled in the study. The day before biopsy, a modified submaximal effort tourniquet test was performed on all patients. During the test, pain scores were recorded at 30, 60, 90, and 120 seconds after inflation of the blood pressure cuff. Pain scores were also recorded during probe introduction into the rectum and prostate biopsy. Pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between the VAS scores in the tourniquet test and the VAS scores during probe introduction and the VAS scores during prostate biopsy (P <0.0001). The most significant correlation was found between the VAS scores during prostate biopsy and the VAS 60-second scores during the tourniquet test (P <0.0001, r=0.756). No significant relation was found between the VAS scores and age, prostate volume, or prostate-specific antigen level (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results have shown that a simple and quick tourniquet test could be useful in identifying those men who will experience greater pain during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. In the light of these data, additional studies will be planned to evaluate whether experimental pain assessment before the procedure could predict the analgesic potency of pain-relieving treatment during prostate biopsy.

Clinical importance of intratumoral and normal renal parenchymal inflammatory cell infiltration in renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between inflammatory cell infiltration and tumor type, stage and grade, the presence of multifocality and survival in tumors and in tumor-free normal parenchyma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 99 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) between 1995 and 2001 and were subsequently followed up were included in the study. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from the patients were reassessed by a pathologist and inflammation in both tumor and normal renal tissue was scored using a five-point scale. We evaluated the relationship between these scores and tumor type, stage, grade, the presence of multifocality and survival. RESULTS: There were positive correlations between tumor grade and both the intratumoral inflammation score (IIS) and the extratumoral inflammation score (EIS) (p=0.001 and 0.01, respectively). There were no relations between pathological stage and either the IIS or EIS. We found higher multifocality rates in patients who died because of metastasis than those who survived (p=0.002). The EIS was 1.76+/-1.54 in the non-multifocality group and 2.64+/-1.15 in the multifocality group and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.03). There was no statistically significant relationship between the IIS and multifocality. Oncocytomas and chromophobe carcinomas did not show inflammatory infiltrates in either tumors or normal renal tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Higher EIS and IIS are associated with increasing tumor grade and a higher EIS is associated with multifocality in RCC. We propose to evaluate tumor tissue and normal renal parenchyma for the presence of inflammatory infiltration in RCC.

Risk factors for the formation of a steinstrasse after shock wave lithotripsy.

INTRODUCTION: We studied the various stone, renal, and therapy factors that could affect steinstrasse formation after shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) to define their predictive value. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May 1999 and September 2002, 563 patients were treated with a Stonelight V3 lithotriptor. A steinstrasse was recorded in 46 patients. All patient data, stone and renal characteristics, and data of SWL were reviewed. Statistical analyses of patients, stones, and therapy characteristics in correlation with the incidence of steinstrasse formation were performed to assign factors that had a significant impact on the formation of this complication. RESULTS: The overall incidence of a steinstrasse was 8.17%. The steinstrasse was in the pelvic ureter in 84.3% of the cases, in the iliac ureter in 7.84% of them, and in pelvic and iliac ureter in 7.84% of the patients. The incidence of a steinstrasse significantly correlated with stone size and site. The incidence rates of a steinstrasse in renal stones <1 cm, 1-2 cm, and >2 cm were 4.46, 15.87, and 24.3% respectively. The incidence rates of this complication in ureteral stones <1 cm and 1-2 cm were 3.37 and 9.52%, respectively. The incidence rates of a steinstrasse in stones located in upper calices, middle calices, lower calices, and renal pelvis were 6.12, 10.52, 6.36, and 19.32%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Stone size and site are the significant factors predicting the formation of a steinstrasse. If a patient has a high probability of steinstrasse formation, close follow-up with early intervention or prophylactic pre-SWL ureteral stenting is indicated.

Dermoid cyst in bony pelvis that coexists with pheochromocytoma: report of a case and review of the literature.

A 42-year-old man presented with right lower quadrant abdominal pain and dysuria. The bladder was displaced to the right side of the pelvis in excretory urography. Abdominal CT revealed a mass in right adrenal gland, measuring 8 cm in diameter. There was also a cystic mass; filling left half of the bony pelvis and displacing bladder to the right, measuring 14.5 x 10, 5 x 7 cm. The patient underwent right adrenalectomy and pelvic mass excision. Pathologic examination showed that the adrenal mass was pheochromocytoma and pelvic mass was dermoid cyst. This case is the first one in literature that an intrapelvic dermoid cyst is not derived from an organ coexists with pheochromocytoma.

Urine and serum free IGF-1 levels in patients with bladder cancer: a brief report.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, a mitogenic and anti-apoptotic peptide, can affect the proliferation of epithelial cells, and is thought to play a role in cancer development. The free IGF-1 represents the biologically active fraction of IGF-1. We hypothesised that there is a difference in free IGF-1 levels in the urine and serum from patients with TCC and normal subjects. Urine and blood samples were collected from 30 cases of superficial TCC and an equal number control subjects without malignancy. Free IGF-1 levels were measured in duplicate by radioimmunoassay. Specimens of bladder carcinoma were staged histopathologically using the Mostoffi grading system. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson correlation and covariate analysis. There was no significant difference in urine and serum free IGF-1 levels between the two groups. The correlation between urine and serum free IGF-1 levels and age was not significant. There was also no significant relationship between free IGF-1 levels and histopathological grading. The results of this pilot study reveal that the free IGF-1 level does not help predict tumour marker in the patients with bladder cancer.

Tension-free vaginal tape for surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence: two years follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to study prospectively the effectiveness of tension-free vaginal tape as an ambulatory and minimal invasive operation for the treatment of female stress incontinence. METHODS: The tension-free vaginal tape procedure was performed in 25 patients with genuine stress incontinence and they were followed for a 2-year period. All patients were diagnosed with urodynamics to have genuine stress incontinence. Pad tests, cough stress test and quality-of-life assessments were carried out in all patients, both preoperatively and postoperatively. The majority of the women were discharged the morning after the surgical procedure. RESULTS: Twenty of 25 (80%) patients were found to be cured 2 years after the operation. The vaginal tape was spontaneously dropped out from the vagina in one patient 2 weeks after the procedure. We did not see such a complication in previous studies. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the tension-free vaginal tape procedure is both a safe and effective method to cure genuine female stress incontinence. Furthermore, it can be performed as an ambulatory procedure under local anesthesia with a short operative time.

Antegrade extraperitoneal approach to radical cystectomy and ileal neobladder.

BACKGROUND: We describe a new operative technique for the surgical treatment of bladder cancer. METHODS: Male patients with invasive bladder cancer were managed by radical cystoprostatectomy using a technically different approach than the conventional method. The main feature of this method includes a small vertical incision between pubis and umbilicus, keeping the abdominal peritoneum closed during the surgery. Reperitonealization is done at completion to isolate the urinary anastomoses from the bowel anastomoses. RESULTS: Seventy-six consecutive patients with bladder cancer underwent this operation. The mean operation time was 4 h 30 min and the mean hospital stay was 11 days. No mortality was seen in the early postoperative period. Only one patient developed serious bowel distension. Two patients developed pneumonia. Wound infection was seen in two patients. Two patients experienced hydronephrosis in the late period of follow-up. Four patients developed pelvic lymphocele. There was no evidence of postoperative electrolyte loss in any of the patients. Three patients developed abdominal hernia and this was corrected with surgical treatment. Urodynamic evaluation of 15 patients showed a low capacity reservoir. All patients were continent during the daytime. CONCLUSION: This technique keeps the abdominal peritoneum closed during radical cystoprostatectomy, preventing the patients from complications, such as infection, water and electrolyte imbalances. The technique also decreases the recovery time.

Magnetic resonance imaging for stress incontinence: evaluation of patients before and after surgical correction.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the pre and postoperative assessment of stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: Fifteen female patients with clinical evidence of stress urinary incontinence were included in this prospective study. All the patients underwent MRI in the supine position both preoperatively and postoperatively. For imaging, we used a 1.0 T magnet, T2-weighted images were obtained in the midline sagittal plane with patients at rest. Images were evaluated for anatomical stress urinary incontinence alterations, such as the increased distance between the pubococcygeal line and the bladder base and the posterior urethro-vesical angle and the urethral inclination angle changes. Wilcoxon signed rank test allowed comparisons of pre and postoperative results. RESULTS: Compared with postoperative measurements, the bladder base was lowered significantly by an average of 9.4+/-4.0 mm (P<0.01), posterior urethro-vesical angle was significantly increased by an average of 127.8+/-11.4 degrees (P<0.01), and the urethral inclination angle was significantly increased by an average of 54.9+/-10.1 degrees (P<0.01) preoperatively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that MRI can play a major role in the preoperative and postoperative assessment of stress urinary incontinence. It can reliably detect anatomical urinary incontinence alterations. MRI should be considered in failed surgery, complex prolapse, and in differentiating genuine stress incontinence resulting from malposition of the bladder neck from stress incontinence due to intrinsic urethral damage.

The image of urachus adenocarcinoma on Doppler ultrasonography.

Malignant urachal lesions are exceedingly rare and occur predominantly in adult life. In this case report, an adult patient with urachal carcinoma is presented with abdominal plain film, intravenous urography, gray-scale ultrasonography (US), Doppler US, and computed tomography (CT). Doppler US successfully showed the neovascularity with low resistive index value in the urachus tumor. We believe that Doppler US examination is helpful in the differential diagnosis of urachal carcinoma.

Urethral coitus and urinary incontinence in a case of Mayer-Rokitansky syndrome: an alternative surgical procedure.

A patient with vaginal agenesis presented with complaints of urethral damage due to urethral coitus. We performed a urethrospincteric reconstruction and formation of a new vagina using the bladder flap and the urethra which was used for coitus, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this procedure.

Bone mineral content and related biochemical variables in patients with ileal bladder substitution and colonic Indiana pouch.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of ileal bladder substitution or colonic Indiana pouch on skeletal bone density and various biochemical parameters related to bone metabolism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 27 patients with urinary diversion and 14 controls with benign urologic disease, bone mineral density (BMD), assessed by dual-photon absorptiometry; serum electrolyte, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels were determined, and capillary blood gas analysed. BMD was measured in the lumbar spine and the femur neck. The mean time since surgery was 33.6+/-10.1 months in 17 patients with an ileal bladder substitution and 56+/-9.1 months in 10 patients with a colonic Indiana pouch (p=0.001). RESULTS: Although BMD did not change in the colonic Indiana pouch group, it was reduced in the patients with ileal bladder substitution compared to control group. The mean pH value was not statistically significant different in the both groups from the control group (p>0.2). The mean base excess value reduced in the substitution group (p<0.01). While alkaline phosphatase levels increased in both groups compared to control group (p<0.05), the mean parathyroid hormone level decreased only in the patients with ileal bladder substitution (p<0.05). The other biochemical parameters were similar in patients and control subjects. There was a statistically significant correlation between the base excess values and BMD values of the patients in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although there is decreased BMD in patients with an ileal bladder substitute, there is no change in BMD in the patients with Indiana pouch. Alkaline phosphatase levels increased in both patient groups indicating increased bone turnover.

Analysis of the trace element contents of inner nucleus and outer crust parts of urinary calculi.

In this study, the lead, cadmium, nickel, and aluminum concentrations were analyzed in inner nucleus and outer crust parts of various kinds of urinary calculi, and the results obtained were statistically compared. Significant differences were found among the element concentrations in the different stone groups. In general, higher element concentrations were found in the nuclei as compared with the crust parts. In addition, some significant intra- and intercorrelations were established among the elements analyzed. The results suggest that some trace elements, including lead, cadmium, nickel, and aluminum, together with other factors may have as yet no clarified functions in the stone precipitation process in the urinary tract.