The role of transperineal ultrasound in the evaluation of stress urinary incontinence cases.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of transperineal ultrasonography while diagnosing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) by comparing the urethral angle (α), posterior urethrovesical angle (ß), and bladder neck descent (BND) during rest and Valsalva maneuver in continent women and women with SUI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted with 50 women with SUI and 50 continent women. Transperineal ultrasonography was performed at rest and during Valsalva maneuver. Q-tip test was performed. RESULTS: During the Valsalva maneuver, both α and ß angles were significantly higher in women with SUI (p < 0.001). The difference between Valsalva and rest measurements of α and ß angles (R α, R ß) were also significantly higher in women with SUI (p < 0.001). The cut-off point determined for the R α in the diagnosis of stress incontinence was 16° (80% sensitivity, 98% specificity). A statistically significant strong correlation was found between Q-tip test angle and R α value (p=0.000; r=0.890). Q-tip VAS pain scores were significantly higher than ultrasonography VAS pain scores (p < 0.001). In relation to the bladder neck descent comparison between the two groups showed that BND was significantly higher in SUI group (p < 0.001). The cut-off point determined for BND in the diagnosis of SUI was >11mm (90% sensitivity, 98% specificity). CONCLUSION: Transperineal ultrasonography is a practical, reliable, non-invasive and comfortable method for evaluation of SUI. It has the advantage of dynamic evaluation during the Valsalva maneuver. Rotation angles and BND have high sensitivity and specificity for detection of SUI. The change in α angle with Valsalva (Rα) can be used as an alternative to Q-tip test.

Ovarian Histology of Removed Ovaries After Gender-Affirming Testosterone Therapy.

Introduction. Assigned female at birth transgender people go through a gender-affirming hormone therapy using testosterone. We aimed to define the histological changes in the removed ovaries of these patients and investigate the correlation of these changes to factors like chronological age and duration of hormone therapy. Methods. The ovaries of 84 patients who had at least 6 months of testosterone therapy before surgery were examined. Tunica albuginea thickness, cortical thickness, and number of different stages of follicles were recorded. Results. The mean age was 27.2 ± 4.9 years. Testosterone duration 25.8 ± 13.1 months. The mean tunica albuginea thickness was 356.4 ± 152.6 µm. The mean cortical thickness was 799.6 ± 245.6 µm. The number of primordial (C1) follicles was 18.03 ± 13.6 and antral (C3) follicles was 3.1 ± 1.9 per cm². When grouped as using therapy under or over 2 years the groups did not have differences in histological findings. Hormone duration did not correlate with histological findings except for a positive correlation with atretic follicle number. However, age was negatively correlated with number of follicles at all stages except atretic follicles and positively correlated with cortical thickness (P < .05). Conclusion. Testosterone therapy induces multifollicularity, stromal hyperplasia, and luteinization in some patients. Hormone duration did not correlate with ovarian histology whereas chronological age did suggesting an effect of age on ovarian reserve rather than duration of hormone therapy.

The comparison of inflammatory markers in geriatric and nongeriatric endometrial cancers.

BACKGROUND: The inflammatory markers are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in endometrial cancers (EC), but hematopoietic aging may affect the results. OBJECTIVE: To compare inflammatory markers in geriatric and nongeriatric EC. METHODS: This study included 342 women with endometrial cancers (n: 171) and age-matched controls (n: 171). Geriatric (⩾ 65 years old) and nongeriatric women in each group was compared for inflammatory markers, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW). RESULTS: Geriatric EC had more common nonendometrioid tumors, myometrial invasion, lymph node metastasis, advanced stage, and low overall survival (OS). Nongeriatric EC had low MPV, high NLR, and PDW compared to nongeriatric control. Geriatric EC had low MPV, lymphocyte, and high NLR, PLR compared to geriatric control (p< 0.05). Geriatric EC had significantly low PDW and high NLR, PLR compared to nongeriatric EC in early stages, not in advanced stages. Lymphocyte count was significantly low in geriatric EC with all stages (p< 0.05). In nongeriatric EC, stage was related to platelet count (r: 0.341, p: 0.0019), and PLR (r: 0.252, p: 0.01). OS was negatively related to PLR (r: -0.267, p: 0.007) and NLR (r: -0.353, p: 0.000). In geriatric EC, myometrium invasion was negatively related to lymphocyte count (r: -0.268, p: 0.035). OS was related to neutrophil count (p: 0.352, p: 0.01). MPV was negatively related to stage (r: -0.335, p: 0.01) and OS (r: -0.337, p: 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory responses of geriatric and nongeriatric EC were different in the early and advanced stages. Geriatric EC had low PDW and high NLR, PLR compared to nongeriatric EC in early stages. Decreased lymphocyte count was the most prominent feature of geriatric EC in the early and advanced stages. These results suggested that decreased lymphocyte count may reflect an aggressive course of disease in the elderlies. Future inflammation studies may direct anticancer treatment strategies in geriatric EC. Further research on inflammaging and geriatric EC is needed to increase our understanding of aging and carcinogenesis.

Comparison of nonspecific inflammatory markers in endometrial cancer and hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze inflammatory markers among patients with endometrial cancer, hyperplasia with atypia/endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, hyperplasia without atypia, and normal controls, thus observing the stage at which inflammation becomes the most significant. METHODS: A total of 444 patients who had endometrial sampling were included in the study (endometrial cancer, n=79; endometrial hyperplasia with atypia/endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, n=27; endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, n=238; and normal controls, n=100). Neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, platelet count, platelet distribution width, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, CA-125, and endometrial thickness of the patients were recorded. RESULTS: Comparing the groups for neutrophil count, the hyperplasia with atypia group had higher values compared with both the hyperplasia without atypia group and the control group (p=0.003). When compared for the lymphocyte count, the hyperplasia with atypia group had lower values compared with the control group (p=0.014). Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio of the hyperplasia with atypia group was higher than all other groups, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio of the cancer group was higher than the control group (p=0.001). Platelet count, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio values were not significantly different among groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the inflammatory markers, the most prominent result was that the hyperplasia with atypia group had neutrophilia, lymphopenia, and increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio compared with other groups.

The role of transperineal ultrasound in the evaluation of stress urinary incontinence cases

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the use of transperineal ultrasonography while diagnosing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) by comparing the urethral angle (α), posterior urethrovesical angle (β), and bladder neck descent (BND) during rest and Valsalva maneuver in continent women and women with SUI. Materials and methods: This prospective observational study was conducted with 50 women with SUI and 50 continent women. Transperineal ultrasonography was performed at rest and during Valsalva maneuver. Q-tip test was performed. Results: During the Valsalva maneuver, both α and β angles were significantly higher in women with SUI (p <0.001). The difference between Valsalva and rest measurements of α and β angles (R α, R β) were also significantly higher in women with SUI (p <0.001). The cut-off point determined for the R α in the diagnosis of stress incontinence was 16° (80% sensitivity, 98% specificity). A statistically significant strong correlation was found between Q-tip test angle and R α value (p=0.000; r=0.890). Q-tip VAS pain scores were significantly higher than ultrasonography VAS pain scores (p <0.001). In relation to the bladder neck descent comparison between the two groups showed that BND was significantly higher in SUI group (p <0.001). The cut-off point determined for BND in the diagnosis of SUI was >11mm (90% sensitivity, 98% specificity). Conclusion: Transperineal ultrasonography is a practical, reliable, non-invasive and comfortable method for evaluation of SUI. It has the advantage of dynamic evaluation during the Valsalva maneuver. Rotation angles and BND have high sensitivity and specificity for detection of SUI. The change in α angle with Valsalva (Rα) can be used as an alternative to Q-tip test.

Large Nabothian Cyst Obstructing Labour Passage.

Nabothian cysts are common and silent retention cysts of the uterine cervix with no particular intervention required. It is quite rare to reach a size of more than 4 cm and it is a diagnostic dilemma to differ it from adenoma malignum. We report a case of a woman with 38 weeks of gestation presented to the maternity unit with labour pain and protruding cystic mass (60x70 mm) out of the vagina. Simple drainage was performed to allow the vaginal delivery. She delivered 4130 grams, 9-10 Apgar, male baby by spontaneous vaginal delivery. The patient's and the newborn postpartum course was uneventful. Gynaecologic examination revealed a persisting cystic mass in the cervix (40x50 mm) two months after the delivery. We performed a total excision of the cyst to confirm the pathologic diagnosis. This paper is the first report of nabothian cysts obstructing labour passage. In the view of this case, we aimed to discuss cervical cystic masses and a review of the literature.

TORCH seroprevalence among patients attending Obstetric Care Clinic of Haydarpasa Training and Research Hospital affiliated to Association of Istanbul Northern Anatolia Public Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes simplex viruses are microorganisms that cause congenital infections and they are called briefly as TORCH. There is an ongoing argument for the screening of reproductive age women due to the high cost of tests. For a test to be used in screening, prevalence of disease in this population should be known. The aim of this study was to investigate TORCH seroprevalence among women attending a teaching hospital in Istanbul. METHODS: A total of 1101 patients attending outpatient clinic of Obstetric Care Clinic of Haydarpasa Training and Research Hospital affiliated to Association of Istanbul Northern Anatolia Public Hospitals between September 2013 to January 2015 and their laboratory data were evaluated retrospectively. We investigated Ig G and M seropositivity rates against TORCH. RESULTS: The age of the patients ranged between 17-47 years with a mean age of 30.3±5.8 years. Pregnant population had 99.5% anti-CMV Ig G (+), 94.2% anti-Rubella Ig G (+), 31% anti-Toxoplasma Ig G (+). Seroprevalence for Anti IgM was 0.5% for CMV, 0.2% for rubella. CONCLUSION: The screening for Toxoplasma gondii may be suggested since the prevalence is not high in our population. The screening of CMV is not meaningful, due to high seroprevalence. Although seroprevalence of rubella is also high, it may be suggested for preconception vaccination especially in women above 20 years of age born prior to National Vaccination Programme.