A randomized, controlled study of treatment with ojayeonjonghwan for patients with late onset hypogonadism.

Objectives: We investigate the effects of Ojayeonjonghwan (KH-204) in men with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) symptoms.Material and methods: Initial PSA, testosterone, lipid profile and questionnaires about LOH-related symptoms were checked. After 8 weeks of the treatment (control or KH-204), questionnaires and serological tests were repeated to evaluate the efficacy of the agent. The changes of variables in each group and the difference between two groups were compared.Results: A total of 78 men were enrolled, and randomly assigned to the control group (n = 39) or KH-204 group (n = 39). Baseline characteristics of both group are comparable. AMS total score of control and KH-204 group were both improved at 8 weeks (p = .010, <.001), and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (favorable in KH-204 group, p = .006). At 8 weeks, total IIEF score of control and KH-204 group were both improved, and there was no statistically significant difference in the degree of improvement between the two groups (p = .303). There was no statistically significant difference of laboratory findings, in intra-group changes and inter-group comparisons.Conclusions: KH-204 was found to be effective in all LOH symptoms without changing of laboratory results. KH-204 may be safely used for treatment of male with LOH-related symptoms.

Effect of Korean Herbal Formula (Modified Ojayeonjonghwan) on Androgen Receptor Expression in an Aging Rat Model of Late Onset Hypogonadism.

PURPOSE: Testosterone replacement therapy is an effective treatment for late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) despite a few contraindications and side-effects. The aim of this study was to determine whether modified Ojayeonjonghwan (KH-204, Korean herbal formula) improved LOH. KH-204 is a strong antioxidant herbal formula. We evaluated the effect of Korean herbal prescription on androgen receptor (AR) expression in an aged rat model of LOH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen-month-old rats were used as aged LOH rat models. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three equal groups of six animals each and treated with one of the following: 1) normal control group (oral administration with distilled water, n=6), 2) KH-204 200 group (oral administration with 200 mg/kg of KH-204, n=6), and 3) KH-204 400 group (oral administration with 400 mg/kg of KH-204, n=6). After four weeks of treatment (once daily, distilled water or KH-204), serum testosterone levels, changes in testicular and epididymal weight, Western blotting analysis of AR expression and measurement of oxidative stress were examined. RESULTS: Treatment with the herbal formulation KH-204 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg (1) increased the weights of testis and epididymis; (2) increased the level of serum testosterone; (3) increased the level of superoxide dismutase and reduced the level of 8-hydroxy-20-deoxyguanosine; and (4) upregulated AR expression in testicular tissue. CONCLUSIONS: KH-204 might be an effective alternative for LOH. It improves antioxidant mechanisms and increases testicular AR expression without side-effects.

Role of age and sex in determining antibiotic resistance in febrile urinary tract infections.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the age- and sex-specific antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in outpatient febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Korea. METHODS: A total 2262 consecutive samples collected from patients aged 1-101 years with febrile UTIs, during the period January 2012 to December 2014, were analyzed in this multicentre, retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: The sensitivities to cefotaxime and cefoxitin were over 85% for females but under 75% for males. Sex played an important role in the susceptibility of GNB to cefotaxime (p<0.001) and cefoxitin (p<0.001). The sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (age >20 years) was under 75% in both sexes, and was not influenced by sex (p=0.204). Age distributions of the incidences of resistance to cefotaxime, cefoxitin, and ciprofloxacin (age >20 years) were similar to the age distribution of the incidence of GNB, which indicates that the resistance patterns to these drugs were not affected by age (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, female/male: p=0.927/p=0.509, p=0.193/p=0.911, and p=0.077/p=0.999, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Age is not a considerable factor in determining the antibiotic resistance in febrile UTIs. Ciprofloxacin should be withheld from both sexes until culture results indicate its use. Second- or third-generation cephalosporins such as cefoxitin and cefotaxime can be used empirically only in females.

Induction of contraception by intraepididymal sclerotherapy.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a sclerosing solution for inducing epididymal occlusion in male rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: an injection group (n=20) and control group (n=20). Before injecting the sclerosing agent, seminal vesiculectomy and sperm identification using electrostimulation were performed in all of the rats. In the injection group, 0.2 mL of 0.1% sodium tetradecyl sulfate solution was injected into the epididymis. In the sham group, only the identification of the epididymis was performed. At 4 and 12 weeks after the injection, semen was collected by electrostimulation and evaluated to assess the contraceptive effect. Epididymis was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. RESULTS: After 4 and 12 weeks, semen collection was performed in the two groups. Sperms were not observed in the injection group, while there was no change in the sperms in the sham group. H&E staining showed the obstruction of epididymal tubules and an accumulation of inflammatory cells in the injection group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the sclerosing agent induced sterilization in male rats. This result suggests that the injection method can replace vasectomy as a contraceptive method. However, a further study of large animals and a clinical study are needed. Further, the long-term effectiveness of this method needs to be studied.