Bone metabolism and inflammatory biomarkers in radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis patients: a comprehensive evaluation.

Introduction: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a heterogeneous disease that can be represented by radiographic axSpA (r-axSpA) and non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA). This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the markers of inflammation and bone turnover in r-axSpA patients and nr-axSpA patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 29 r-axSpA patients, 10 nr-axSpA patients, and 20 controls matched for age and sex. Plasma markers related to bone remodeling such as human procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), sclerostin, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP5b), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were measured by an ELISA kit. A panel of 92 inflammatory molecules was analyzed by proximity extension assay. Results: R-axSpA patients had decreased plasma levels of P1NP, a marker of bone formation, compared to controls. In addition, r-axSpA patients exhibited decreased plasma levels of sclerostin, an anti-anabolic bone hormone, which would not explain the co-existence of decreased plasma P1NP concentration; however, sclerostin levels could also be influenced by inflammatory processes. Plasma markers of osteoclast activity were similar in all groups. Regarding inflammation-related molecules, nr-axSpA patients showed increased levels of serum interleukin 13 (IL13) as compared with both r-axSpA patients and controls, which may participate in the prevention of inflammation. On the other hand, r-axSpA patients had higher levels of pro-inflammatory molecules compared to controls (i.e., IL6, Oncostatin M, and TNF receptor superfamily member 9). Correlation analysis showed that sclerostin was inversely associated with IL6 and Oncostatin M among others. Conclusion: Altogether, different inflammatory profiles may play a role in the development of the skeletal features in axSpA patients particularly related to decreased bone formation. The relationship between sclerostin and inflammation and the protective actions of IL13 could be of relevance in the axSpA pathology, which is a topic for further investigation.

Relationship between onset of psoriasis and spondyloarthritis symptoms with clinical phenotype and diagnosis: data from REGISPONSER registry.

Background: The relationship of psoriasis and spondyloarthritis (SpA) is well-known, and the age of appearance of different manifestations has been described as a determinant of SpA phenotype. However, differences between Spa with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are still controversial. Objectives: To evaluate whether the time of onset of psoriasis relative to the appearance of rheumatic symptoms in patients with SpA is associated with a clinical phenotype, a rheumatologist's diagnosis and the evolution of the disease. Design: This was a cross-sectional study with data extracted from the REGISPONSER (Spondyloarthritis Registry of the Spanish Rheumatology Society) registry. Methods: All patients had data available for both psoriasis and SpA dates of onset. Patients were classified into two groups depending on the time of appearance of psoriasis: psoriasis before or after rheumatic symptoms. The clinical characteristics, disease activity, radiographic damage, functional ability and received treatments were compared between the two groups. Moreover, the rheumatologists' diagnoses were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate the factors associated with each group. Results: A total of 433/2367 (18.3%) patients included in the REGISPONSER database had psoriasis: 330 (76.2%) patients had psoriasis before rheumatic symptoms, and 103 (23.8%) had psoriasis after rheumatic symptoms. Patients with psoriasis before rheumatic symptoms had a shorter disease duration and a lower body mass index, a lower prevalence of both HLA-B27 antigens and anterior uveitis, a higher prevalence of dactylitis and an increase in levels of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Furthermore, a higher prevalence of PsA diagnoses (78.1% versus 56.4%) and a more frequent fulfilment of the CASPAR criteria (57.5% versus 42.2%) were found in these patients. The use of DMARDs was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: The time of appearance of psoriasis is associated with the clinical phenotype of SpA and could determine a diagnosis of PsA by rheumatologists.

The clinical and molecular cardiometabolic fingerprint of an exploratory psoriatic arthritis cohort is associated with the disease activity and differentially modulated by methotrexate and apremilast.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To evaluate clinical and molecular cardiovascular disease (CVD) signs and their relationship with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) features and (2) to identify a clinical patient profile susceptible to benefit from methotrexate (MTX) and/or apremilast regarding CVD risk. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 100 patients with PsA and 100 age-matched healthy donors. In addition, an exploratory cohort of 45 biologically naïve patients treated for 6 months with apremilast, MTX or combined therapy according to routine clinical practice was recruited. Extensive clinical and metabolic profiles were obtained. Ninety-nine surrogate CVD-related molecules were analysed in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Hard cluster analysis was performed to identify the clinical and molecular phenotypes. Mechanistic studies were performed on adipocytes. RESULTS: Cardiometabolic comorbidities were associated with disease activity and long-term inflammatory status. Thirty-five CVD-related proteins were altered in the plasma and PBMCs of PsA patients and were associated with the key clinical features of the disease. Plasma levels of some of the CVD-related molecules might distinguish insulin-resistant patients (MMP-3, CD163, FABP-4), high disease activity (GAL-3 and FABP-4) and poor therapy outcomes (CD-163, LTBR and CNTN-1). Hard cluster analysis identified two phenotypes of patients according to the rates of cardiometabolic comorbidities with distinctive clinical and molecular responses to each treatment. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Novel CVD-related proteins associated with clinical features could be emerging therapeutic targets in the context of PsA and (2) the pleiotropic action of apremilast could make it an excellent choice for the management of PsA patients with high CVD risk, targeting metabolic alterations and CVD-related molecules.

Subclinical Atherosclerosis Measure by Carotid Ultrasound and Inflammatory Activity in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spondylarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of inflammation on subclinical atherosclerosis using carotid ultrasound in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 347 participants (148 RA, 159 SpA, and 40 controls). We measured the carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and detection of atheromatous plaques using carotid ultrasound. We recorded disease activity (DAS28-CRP/ASDAS-CRP) and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. We performed descriptive, bivariate, and linear multivariate analyses (dependent variable: cIMT) to evaluate the influence of diagnosis on cIMT in all patients. Two additional multivariate analyses were performed by stratifying patients according to their inflammatory activity. RESULTS: cIMT correlated with the mean CRP during the previous 5 years in RA, but not with CRP at the cut-off date. We did not find such differences in patients with SpA. The first multivariate model revealed that increased cIMT was more common in patients with RA than in those with SpA (ß coefficient, 0.045; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.0002-0.09; p = 0.048) after adjusting for age, sex, disease course, and differential cardiovascular risk factors (arterial hypertension, smoking, statins, and corticosteroids). The second model revealed no differences in cIMT between the 2 groups of patients classified as remission-low activity (ß coefficient, 0.020; 95% CI, -0.03 to 0.080; p = 0.500). However, when only patients with moderate-high disease activity were analysed, the cIMT was 0.112 mm greater in those with RA (95% CI, 0.013-0.212; p = 0.026) than in those with SpA after adjusting for the same variables. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical atherosclerosis measured by carotid ultrasound in patients with RA and SpA is comparable when the disease is well controlled. However, when patients have moderate-high disease activity, cIMT is greater in patients with RA than in those with SpA after adjusting for age, sex, disease course, and cardiovascular risk factors. Our results point to greater involvement of disease activity in subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with RA than in those with SpA.

Impact of the number of comorbidities on the outcome measures and on the retention rate of the first anti-TNF in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Two-year follow-up in REGISPONSER-AS.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of the number of comorbidities on the outcome measures after two years of follow-up in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and to determine whether the number of comorbidities influences the retention rate of the first anti-TNF. METHODS: This was an observational and prospective study conducted during 2 years of follow-up in the REGISPONSER-AS registry. The patients were divided into three groups according to the number of comorbidities at baseline (0, 1 or ≥2). Linear regression models adjusted for disease duration, age, sex and smoking were constructed to evaluate the association between the number of comorbidities and the Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) scores. The impact of the number of comorbidities on PROs over two years of follow-up was evaluated using mixed models for repeated measures adjusted for disease duration, age, sex and smoking. Finally, the retention rate of the first anti-TNF antibody across the three groups was evaluated using a log-rank test. RESULTS: Patients with two or more comorbidities showed higher scores at baseline and during the two years of follow-up for the Global VAS, BASDAI, ASDAS, and BASFI and worse scores for the physical component of the SF12. A higher probability of discontinuation of the first anti-TNF was found in patients with 2 or more comorbidities compared with the patients in the other groups (38.2% vs. 26.6% vs. 25.4% for ≥2 comorbidities, 0 and 1 comorbidity, respectively), although these differences were not significant (log-rank test: p-value = 0.180). CONCLUSION: In patients with AS, the presence of 2 or more comorbidities was associated with worse scores on the outcome measures test after two years of follow-up and a greater tendency of discontinuation for the first anti-TNF.

ASAS Health Index in patients with spondyloarthritis and its association with disease activity and disease burden including fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS-HI) with disease activity and disease burden in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional and single-centre study from the Córdoba AxSpA Task force, Registry and Outcomes (CASTRO). Scores related to disease activity (BASDAI and ASDAS), functionality (BASFI), structural damage, mobility, health and the presence of concomitant fibromyalgia (FM) were obtained from all patients. ASAS-HI score was considered the main outcome. Pearson's r statistic, Student's t test, and univariate and multivariate linear regressions were performed to assess the association between the ASAS-HI score and the studied covariates. RESULTS: A total of 126 SpA patients were included. The mean ASAS-HI score was 4.6±3.9, showing a "strong" positive linear correlation (r>0.60) with the BASDAI and BASFI and a "moderate" positive linear correlation (r=0.40 to 0.60) with the global VAS and ASDAS. Patients with FM showed a significantly higher ASAS-HI score than patients without FM (9.5±3.2 vs. 3.7±3.4, respectively, p<0.01). Multiple linear regression showed that 57.4% of the ASAS-HI variability (R2=0.574) was explained by the presence of concomitant FM (ß=2.23, 95% CI 0.73 to 3.80, p=0.004), higher scores on the BASDAI (ß=0.62, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.97, p=0.001) and BASFI (ß=0.57, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.88, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The impairment of health in patients with SpA was mainly associated with high disease activity, worsening functionality and with the presence of a possible concomitant FM. Therefore, in patients with high ASAS-HI scores we must evaluate the presence of concomitant FM.

Axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis: does psoriasis influence the clinical expression and disease burden? Data from REGISPONSER registry.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the presence of psoriasis influences the clinical expression, disease activity and disease burden in both axial and peripheral phenotypes of spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHODS: Patients from the Spanish REGISPONSER registry classified as having SpA according to the ESSG criteria were included. Patients were classified as psoriatic or non-psoriatic depending on the presence of cutaneous or nail psoriasis; thereafter, they were classified as having either axial [presence of radiographic sacroiliitis OR inflammatory back pain (IBP)] or peripheral phenotype (absence of radiographic sacroiliitis AND absence of IBP AND presence of peripheral involvement). Pair-wise univariate and multivariate analyses among the four groups (psoriatic/non-psoriatic axial phenotypes and psoriatic/non-psoriatic peripheral phenotypes) were performed with adjustment for treatment intake. RESULTS: A total of 2296 patients were included in the analysis. Among patients with axial phenotype, psoriasis was independently associated (P < 0.05) with HLA-B27+ [odds ratio (OR) 0.27], uveitis (OR 0.46), synovitis (ever) (OR 2.59), dactylitis (OR 2.78) and the use of conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) (OR 1.47) in comparison with non-psoriatic patients. Among patients with peripheral phenotype and adjusting for csDMARD intake, psoriasis was independently associated with higher age at disease onset (OR 1.05), HLA-B27+ (OR 0.14) and heel enthesitis (OR 0.22). Higher scores for patient-reported outcomes and greater use of treatment at the time of the study visit were observed in psoriatic patients with either axial or peripheral phenotype. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that, among all patients with SpA, psoriasis is associated with differences in clinical expression of SpA, a greater disease burden and increased use of drugs.

Association between Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and the Use of Biological or Small Molecule Therapies in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the association of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and also the presence of atheromatous plaque, with biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, in an established cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study based on a cohort of patients with RA and a registry of healthy controls, in whom the CIMT and presence of atheromatous plaque were assessed by ultrasound. Data were collected on disease activity, lab results and treatments. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed and two multivariate linear regression models (with CIMT as the dependent variable) were constructed to identify variables independently associated with CIMT in our sample of patients with RA. RESULTS: A total of 176 individuals (146 patients with RA and 30 controls) were included. A higher percentage of patients than controls had atheromatous plaque (33.8% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.036), but no differences were found in terms of CIMT (0.64 vs. 0.61, p = 0.444). Compared to values in patients on other therapies, the CIMT was smaller among patients on tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors (mean [SD]: 0.58 [0.10] vs. 0.65 [0.19]; p = 0.013) and among those on Janus kinase inhibitors (mean [SD]: 0.52 [0.02] vs. 0.64 [0.18]; p < 0.001), while no differences were found as a function of the use of the other therapies considered. The multivariate linear regression analysis to identify factors associated with CIMT in our patients, adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, high levels of low-density lipoproteins, diabetes mellitus and smoking, showed that male sex, older age and having a greater cumulative erythrocyte sedimentation rate were independently associated with a larger CIMT, while patients on TNFα inhibitors had a CIMT 0.075 mm smaller than those on other treatments. CONCLUSIONS: The use of TNFα inhibitors may protect against subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with RA, patients on this biologic having smaller CIMTs than patients on other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Nonetheless, these results should be confirmed in prospective studies with larger sample sizes.

Assessment of the relationship between estimated cardiovascular risk and structural damage in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

AIMS: To evaluate the association of estimated cardiovascular (CV) risk and subclinical atherosclerosis with radiographic structural damage in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 114 patients axSpA from the SpA registry of Córdoba (CASTRO) and 132 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Disease activity and the presence of traditional CV risk factors were recorded. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) were evaluated through carotid ultrasound and the SCORE index was calculated. Radiographic damage was measured though modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS). The association between mSASSS and SCORE was tested using generalized linear models (GLM), and an age-adjusted cluster analysis was performed to identify different phenotypes dependent on the subclinical CV risk. RESULTS: Increased traditional CV risk factors, SCORE, and the presence of carotid plaques were found in axSpA patients compared with HCs. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques and SCORE were associated with radiographic structural damage. The GLM showed that the total mSASSS was associated independently with the SCORE [ß coefficient 0.24; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.10-0.38] adjusted for disease duration, age, tobacco, C-reactive protein, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) intake. Hard cluster analysis identified two phenotypes of patients. Patients from cluster 1, characterized by the presence of plaques and increased cIMT, had a higher prevalence of CV risk factors and SCORE, and more structural damage than cluster two patients. CONCLUSION: Radiographic structural damage is associated closely with increased estimated CV risk: higher SCORE levels in axSpA patients were found to be associated independently with mSASSS after adjusting for age, disease duration, CRP, tobacco and NSAID intake.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis: single-centre experience from 1992 to 2010, current status of knowledge and review of the international literature.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to investigate retroperitoneal fibrosis in a Spanish hospital and present a review of the international literature to attempt to elucidate a diagnostic and therapeutic approach to this unusual pathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A database search was performed in the pathology department and in the documentation service using the key words "retroperitoneal fibrosis" and "Ormond's disease", limiting the search to the years 1990-2010. Cases in which secondary retroperitoneal fibrosis was considered were excluded. In addition, a PubMed literature search was performed using the terms "retroperitoneal fibrosis" and "Ormond's", limiting the search to 1985-2011. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were diagnosed with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF) or Ormond's disease. The most common symptom at the time of diagnosis was flank pain. With regard to laboratory findings, five patients (22.7%) had anaemia and eight (36.3%) had renal failure. Computed tomography (CT) was performed in 20 patients (90.9%) and the most common finding observed was retroperitoneal mass. Eighteen patients were started on corticosteroids, in six cases in association with azathioprine. Three patients had recurrence at 12, 24 and 72 months, respectively, and 15 patients required emergency surgery. Nine open surgical procedures were performed. CONCLUSIONS: At present, IRF is considered an autoimmune disease that presents with local and systemic signs and symptoms. CT and magnetic resonance imaging are the two tests of choice in IRF diagnosis and follow-up. [(18)F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography is starting to be used for assessment and treatment response. A combination of medical and surgical treatment is usually applied. It is essential to administer corticosteroids alone or in association with other immunosuppressive drugs such as azathioprine. Laparoscopic ureterolysis, or robotic ureterolysis, if available, is the technique of choice.

Sertoli cell tumor, a rare testicular tumor, our experience and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: We report two new cases of Sertoli cell testicular tumors, and a Cochrane and Medline search of cases published worldwide. METHODS: We reviewed our series of testicular tumors, the stromal tumor incidence, clinical presentation, treatment and prognosis, and the experience reflected in the literature. RESULTS: The prevalence of testicular tumors in our health area is of 0.09%, and 2.3% of them are Sertoli cell neoplasms. This figure is slightly higher than the found in other series in which Sertoli tumors range from 0.4% to 1.5% of testicular malignancies in adults and reach 4% in children. CONCLUSIONS: Sertoli cell tumor has an incidence not exceeding 4%. The most common symptom is a painless mass; in cases with endocrine manifestation, up to 10% are malignant depending on the age of the patient.

Testicular tumor like by "Corynebacterium thommsenii".

OBJECTIVE: To report the first case described of genitourinary infection by Corynebacterium Thommsenii in a man. METHODS: Descriptive study of a testicular infection by an atypical unknown germ in a patient, which was identified and diagnosed thank to the use of Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We performed a bibliographic search of similar cases. RESULTS: We only found one case of pleural infection by Corynebacterium Thommsenii in the human being, with no case of genitourinary involvement described. CONCLUSIONS: To date there is only one case described of infection by Corynebacterium Thommsenii in human beings, possibly due to underdiagnosis for the slow grow of this pathogen. Genetic amplification methods by PCR should be demanded more frequently by clinicians because they provide an advance in the microbiologic diagnosis is slow-growing pathogens.

[Penile metastasis of a prostatic adenocarcinoma]. / Metástasis peneana de adenocarcinoma prostático.

OBJECTIVES: To report one case of prostate carcinoma with metastasis to the corpora cavernosum. METHODS: We report the case of a 79-year-old patient with the diagnosis of Gleason 9 prostatic adenocarcinoma who presented a hard lesion on the glans penis one year after starting androgen blockade. The patient underwent palliative TURP and biopsy of the lesion. RESULTS: Pathology reported a penile metastasis of prostatic adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Penile metastasis are rare, usually appearing in advanced stages of the primary disease; their treatment is palliative and should only be carried out in symptomatic patients.

[Extrarenal retroperitoneal angiomyolipoma: bibliography review and report of a new case]. / Angiomiolipoma pararrenal: "revisión de la bibliografía" y presentación de un nuevo caso.

OBJECTIVES: To report the 7th case of pararenal angiomyolipoma published in the world literature and to review the international bibliography. METHODS: We report the case of a 46-year-old female with history of renal colic and a complex mass on radiological tests. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Extrarenal retroperitoneal angiomyolipoma is a rare pathology with no more than 7 published cases. The diagnostic difficulty and radiological similarities with liposarcoma make surgery the treatment of choice.

[AMS-800 artificial sphincter. Our experience in the last 20 years]. / Esfinter artificial AMS-800. Nuestra experiencia en los últimos 20 años.

OBJECTIVE: To present a series of 63 patients with urinary incontinence due to sphincteric incompetence who underwent the implantation of an AMS-800 artificial sphincter. METHODS: From 1984 to December 2002 a total of 69 patients received this prosthesis, 63 of which were available for review. The cause of incontinence was sphincter incompetence in all cases, said secondary to prostate surgery, neurogenic bladder, post-traumatic urethral lesion, and epispadias. 52 of them were placed in the bulbar urethra, and 11 in the bladder neck. The cuff diameters varied from 4 to 10 cm and reservoir pressures from 51-60 to 71-18 H2O cm. RESULTS: The complications that appeared, ordered by frequency, were: malfunction, infection and rejection or exteriorization, fistula, and unappropriate size. The total number of reoperations was 39 in 28 patients. Functional results were successful in 48 cases and failure in 15. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an AMS-800 prosthesis for the treatment of urinary incontinence due to sphincteric incompetence is effective but not without complications. The most frequent indication was following prostate surgery, being this group the one that obtains the best results. Patients with incontinence of neurogenic origin have the highest complication rate, and the worst results in relation to vascularization and tissue trophism abnormalities. In female patients we prefer other techniques that have similar results, are technically easier and more economic.

[Acute renal failure as the beginning of glandular cystitis. Review of the bibliography]. / Fracaso renal agudo como debut de la cistitis glandular. Revisión de la bibliografía.

OBJECTIVES: To report one clinical case of obstructive uropathy secondary to bladder pseudotumor. METHODS: We report the case of a 74-year-old male with obstructive acute renal failure of unknown etiology. RESULTS: After resolution of the acute renal failure by percutaneous nephrostomy, action was undertaken to control possible etiologic causes, resolving the bilateral ureter entrapment and bladder inflammatory process. CONCLUSIONS: Glandular cystitis is a nosological entity which in its severe forms behaves clinically and radiologically as a bladder pseudotumor, so that should be considered as a part of the differential diagnosis with bladder tumors. Final diagnosis comes from pathology. For treatment, it is basic to eliminate any predisposing factor, either infectious, or irritative, or obstructive; if no action is carried out on these factors other therapeutic measures as the aforementioned are not effective. Strict follow-up should be undertaken (every six months) because of the high incidence of bladder adenocarcinoma.

[Current status of high-resolution scrotal echography]. / Estado actual de la ecografia escrotal de alta resolución.

OBJECTIVES: To review the main images that can be observed by ultrasound, trying to highlight what decision to take after their finding: exploratory surgery, orchyectomy, or follow-up. METHODS: We performed a bibliographic review about the topic and incorporated our personal experience with scrotal ultrasound. Given that there is an extensive variety of anomalies that can be observed we divide them in liquid and solid lesions, and these in intra or extratesticular, plus a group of lesions that do not qualify in the previous groups. RESULTS: The development of high frequencies transducers (8-10 Mhz) and a greater experience today allows to diagnose not only testicular tumors but also a number of benign clinical entities, with enough specificity in some of them as to avoid surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound is a simple test, painless, and can be repeated without trouble, so that it is the first test that should be ordered when managing any intra scrotal problem.

[Adrenal cysts: presentation of 6 cases]. / Quistes suprarrenales: presentación de seis casos.

OBJECTIVES: We report six cases of adrenal cyst, a rare pathologic entity which poses diagnostic problems and therapeutic controversies. METHODS: We report six cases of adrenal cysts in 4 female and 2 male patients ages 26 to 68 years. All cases underwent surgical treatment. RESULTS: Pathologic studies showed that all were adrenal cysts without malignancy in any case. CONCLUSIONS: Adrenal cysts are a rare disease of which correct diagnosis is difficult so that many times patients undergo surgery without a proper preoperative diagnosis. There are controversies about the right management of adrenal cysts.

[Hypogastric artery embolization as a palliative treatment for bleeding secondary to intractable bladder or prostate disease]. / Embolización de arterias hipogástricas como tratamiento paliativo del sangrado secundario a enfermedad vesical o prostática intratable.

OBJECTIVES: Bleeding secondary to severe vesicoprostatic pathology (mainly neoplasic disease and radiation cystitis) may be a serious clinical management problem due to its morbidity and associated increased resources demand in the form of admissions, transfusions and other measures. We review a series of patients embolized for this purpose, its efficacy, tolerability and adverse events. METHODS: We review 8 patients who underwent hypogastric arteries embolization between July 1998 and December 2001, analyzing indications, efficacy and duration, tolerability, and consequences. Right femoral artery access was undertaken in all except one case that needed bilateral femoral accesses. Embolization was achieved by means of coils and particles. All procedures were performed under local anaesthesia. RESULTS: 9 procedures were performed in 8 patients. 3 patients presented with hematuria due to radiation cystitis, 3 from prostatic carcinoma, and 2 with urethrorragy from urethral relapses after cystectomy. 7/9 embolizations were effective achieving immediate complete or almost complete bleeding control; in one case control was partial; another one had limited or no effect. Selective embolization of distal arteries was performed in 3 cases; all the remainders underwent direct hypogastric trunk embolization sparing the superior gluteal artery. Effect lasted between 1 and 31 months. 4 patients died, 3 of them without haematuria, 1 because of an intercurrent disease, and the others from disease progression. 2 patients underwent posterior surgery, one due to recurrent haematuria, and the other, a case of urethral tumour, due to partial failure; partial cystectomy and urethrectomy were performed respectively. 2 patients needed administration of morphic derivatives after embolization, all the others were managed with magnesium metamizol. Only one patient referred mild transitory gluteal claudication. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous arterial embolization is an effective instrument to treat patients with haematuria or urethrorragy and severe lower urinary tract pathology in whom curative treatments are not applicable due to their general status, life expectancy, or tumor status.