Frequency of overactive bladder (OAB) and the factors affecting it in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the factors affecting it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 255 patients were included in this prospectively designed study. Among all patients, 166 were male, 89 were female; 213 patients were married and 42 were single. All patients underwent polysomnography. All patients completed the OAB-V8 form. OSAS was diagnosed via polysomnography. OAB was diagnosed via OABV8. The participants were evaluated as patients with and without OAB and those with and without OSAS. SPSS for Windows version 18.0 software was used for the statistical analysis and the level of significance was set at α = 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of OAB was high among the OSAS patients (66.3%, n = 136). Age, body mass index, waist circumference, marital status, oxygen desaturation index (ODI4) ⩾4%, apneahypopnea index (AHI), the number and duration of decreases in O2 saturation below 90%, wake after sleep onset (WASO) duration, and groups, and OSAS severity were different in the OAB group (p < 0.05). Duration and number of O2 saturation <90%, and ODI4 are higher in the OSAS group and OAB group (p < 0.05). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, AHI, WASO, age, and marital status were the factors influencing OAB. CONCLUSION: OAB is seen at a high rate in OSAS patients. Hypoxia is the main basis for both diseases and probably it is the common pathway. AHI, WASO, age, and marital status can provide valuable information to physicians for predicting OAB.

Comparison of three questionnaire forms used in the diagnosis of lower urinary tract symptoms: A prospective study.

Purpose: Questionnaire forms (QFs) are used in the evaluation of all patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs). Our study aims to investigate the compatibility of the three QFs with each other and to investigate the relationship between education level and complete completion of these forms. Materials and methods: A total of 224 patients between February 2018 and February 2019 were included. The patients were divided into 3 groups as primary, intermediate, and advanced according to their education level and the patients who gave incomplete answers to the questions were determined. Results: The mean age of the patients was 61.0 ± 7.57(45-85), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) value was 16.2 ± 8.3(1-35), the international incontinence form-male lower urinary tract symptoms (ICIQ-MLUTS) value was 16.5 ± 7.9(0-38), the visual prostate symptom score (VPSS) value was 9.9 ± 3.0(3-16). There was a significant correlation between the three QFs (P < 0.05). The correlation between IPSS and ICIQ-MLUTS was strong (r = 0.745). The incomplete response rate was 32.1% (n = 72) in ICIQ-MLUTS, 16.5% (n = 37) in VPSS, and 10.7% (n = 24) in IPSS (P < 0.05). The incomplete response rate was not affected by education. The rate of patients who could be questioned with ICIQ-MLUTS but not with the other two QFs varied between 12.9% and 85.2%, depending on the symptoms. Conclusions: Each QF has its advantages and disadvantages. The strong correlation between IPSS and ICIQ-MLUTS found in our study indicates that these tools can be used interchangeably in daily clinical practice. ICIQ-MLUTS can evaluate symptoms that are not present in other QFs. In the evaluation of illiterate patients, VPSS should be used without any alternative.

The Effectiveness of Caudal Block with Low Doses of Dexmedetomidine and Pethidine in Transrectal Prostate Biopsy: Preliminary Results.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of caudal block (CB) using dexmedetomidine and pethidine instead of local anesthesia (LA) for prostate needle biopsy and the effect of CB on urinary retention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate needle biopsy (TRUS-Bx) was performed on 68 patients with a mean age of 65 ± 2.18 years. CB with a combination of dexmedetomidine and pethidine without LA was administered to the patients. The pain levels of the patients were determined using numeric rating scale (NRS) scores to evaluate the effectiveness of CB. Preoperative and postoperative postvoid residual urine volumes (PRUV) were also calculated. RESULTS: The CB success rate was 93.15%. The NRS scores were 0.79 ± 0.19 and 0.89 ± 0.22 during probe entry and manipulation and biopsy, respectively, without any significant differences between them (p = 0.382). The mean PRUVs before and after biopsy did not differ significantly (41 ± 15.6 vs. 71.93 ± 22.3, p = 0.379). The degree of sedation, as assessed using the Ramsay scale, was 2 or 3 in all patients. CONCLUSION: The combination of dexmedetomidine and pethidine for CB in TRUS-Bx provided quality analgesia for the patient and prevented the development of postoperative urinary retention.

Comparison of the effects of trospium and solifenacin on intraocular pressure and tear secretion in patients with overactive bladder.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Comparison of the effects of trospium and solifenacin used for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) on intraocular pressure (IOP) and tear secretion. METHODS: This study was planned as a prospective study and was conducted at a single center between October 2014 and April 2016. OAB patients were included in the study following an ophthalmic examination, IOP measurement with an applanation tonometer, and tear secretion measurement with the Schirmer I test in the ophthalmology outpatient department. The patients were started with trospium 30 mg oral bid or solifenacin 5 mg oral qd. They were then followed up at the 4th and 12th weeks. RESULTS: A total of 225 OAB patients with a mean age of 47.80 (18-75) years were evaluated. The mean age was 47.41 ± 12.65 years in the trospium group (n = 104) and 48.14 ± 11.82 years in the solifenacin group (n = 121) with no statistically significant difference. When the two medications were compared, no statistically significant difference was observed at the 4th and 12th weeks in terms of IOP (p = 0.988, p = 0.822) and dry eye (p = 0.764, p = 0.581). CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant difference was observed between trospium and solifenacin in terms of their effects on IOP and tear secretion in OAB patients. We therefore concluded that the effects of trospium and solifenacin on IOP and tear secretion changes were similar in OAB patients without comorbidities.

Geriatric giants in women over 65 years living in a rural area in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of fall tendency, urinary incontinence, and dementia in women over 65 years of age living in rural areas of Turkey. The research was a descriptive study. Mini-Mental tests, The International Consultation of Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) short forms, and Falls Behavioral Scales for the elderly were used. Urinary incontinence prevalence in women over 65 years of age living in rural areas of Bursa was 51%. Dementia frequency was calculated as 56%. A reverse and significant relationship was detected between Mini-Mental Scale and ICIQ scale scores (r = -0.12; p = .017). The Falls Behavioral Scale score was higher in the group with incontinence. The conclusion reached was that urinary incontinence and dementia are frequent among older women living in rural areas in Turkey. As diseases known as geriatric giants are associated with each other, treatment of one of them may bring protection from another negative situation.

Can continuous positive airway pressure improve lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction in male patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) administered for the treatment of obstructive upper airway on lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction in male patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 626 male with suspected obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) were evaluated prospectively. Nocturnal polysomnography tests were administered to the male. After application of the exclusion criteria, 54 patients with severe OSAS (Apnea-Hypopnea Index ≥30) were included in the study. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15), and nocturia were assessed in all patients before and after CPAP therapy, and prostate volume, total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), and uroflowmetric measurements were assessed in patients aged >40 years. RESULTS: The mean age of the 54 patients was 47.06±11.15 years. Post-treatment IIEF scores were better than pre-treatment scores (24.27±7.58 vs. 22.68±8.65, p=0.014). IPSS values, nocturia, and uroflowmetric outcomes significantly improved after CPAP therapy (p<0.05). On the other hand, mean values of body mass index, tPSA, prostate volume, and postvoid residual urine volume did not differ significantly after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: CPAP therapy improves lower urinary tract symptoms, nocturia, and erectile dysfunction in male with severe OSAS.

Epidermoid cyst of the urinary bladder: a case report.

Epidermoid cyst of the bladder is a very rarely encountered benign lesion. Up to our knowledge, we present the second case of epidermoid cyst of the urinary bladder in literature. We report a case of epidermoid cyst developed in a 59-year-old patient followed up with bladder tumor.

Comparative efficacy and safety profile of 4 vs 8 mg of silodosin once daily usage in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia-related lower urinary tract symptoms divided into subgroups according to International Prostate Symptom Score severity.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare once daily (QD) usage of 4 and 8 mg of silodosin in patients divided as those with moderate and with severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) according to International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) categories in terms of effectiveness and adverse events. METHODS: A total of 234 patients aged ≥ 40 years were evaluated prospectively. All participants were divided firstly into two groups according to their IPSS severity as moderate and severe. They were further allocated to receive 4 mg of silodosin and 8 mg of silodosin QD. Demographic features and laboratory tests were recorded. The patients were questioned with International Index of Erectile Function-5 and IPSS along with quality of life index. Uroflowmetric measurements were applied to the patients. All tests and measurements were repeated at the 3rd month, and changes from pretreatment to posttreatment were analyzed by SPSS 21.0 Program. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Both treatments provided benefit in patients with both moderate and severe LUTSs. While results did not differ among 4 mg and 8 mg of silodosin in patients with moderate LUTSs, 8 mg of silodosin was significantly better than 4mg in those with severe LUTSs in terms of improvement of the total IPSS, IPSS voiding subtotal score, and quality of life score (p = 0.015, 0.030, <0.001, respectively). Both treatments did not affect erectile functions. Adverse events were seen more frequently in patients receiving 8 mg of silodosin than those treated with 4 mg of silodosin (p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that 4 mg of silodosin QD was as effective as 8 mg of silodosin QD in patients with moderate LUTSs but not with severe LUTSs. It can be inferred from this study that prescription of 4 and 8 mg of silodosin may be chosen to treat the patients with moderate and severe LUTSs due to benign prostatic heperplasia, respectively.

Protective effects of dantrolene and methylprednisolone against spinal cord injury-induced early oxidative damage in rabbit bladder: A comparative experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) may cause dysfunction in the bladder and many distal organs due to systemic inflammatory response and oxidative stress-related injury. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the preventive effects of dantrolene (DNT) and methylprednisolone (MP) on stress-induced tissue damage in rabbit bladder with SCI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 35 rabbits were included in this study and they were divided into 5 groups: group 1 - control, group 2 - SCI only, group 3 - SCI and DNT, group 4 - SCI and MP, and group 5 - SCI and DNT+MP. Twenty-four hours after SCI, the bladders of these rabbits were removed and the histopathologic changes in the bladder were examined under a light microscope. Additionally, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) levels were evaluated as antioxidant agents both in bladder tissue and in blood. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, there was an increase in edema and congestion in all groups. The least amount of edema was observed in the group receiving DNT and the least amount of congestion was observed in the group receiving combined treatment (group 5). No superiority was found between the drug-receiving groups in terms of reducing MDA level in blood and tissue after SCI. The most successful group was the group receiving combined drug therapy in terms of increasing the blood GSH level, which was significantly decreased after SCI. After SCI, blood NO level increased significantly in all groups. Nitric oxide levels in the bladder tissue significantly decreased in the groups receiving DNT and combination therapy and fell in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Dantrolene and MP may have potential benefits against oxidative damage in the bladder after SCIs because of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In particular, the combined use of DNT and MP at different doses can be considered a treatment strategy.

Thiol-disulphide balance in infertility secondary to varicocele.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of infertility secondary to varicocele. We aimed to investigate the dynamic thiol-disulphide homeostasis as an oxidative stress marker in the spermatic vein of infertility secondary to varicocele. Sixty-one patients with varicocele were included in the study. Blood was drawn from the median cubital vein and the testicular venous return side before the spermatic vein was separated during surgery. Total thiol, native thiol, disulphide, ischaemia modified albumin (IMA) and albumin values were measured from both the dilated spermatic vein and the median cubital vein. The disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol and native thiol/total thiol ratios were determined. The mean age of the patients was 27.0 ± 6.68 (15-50) years. While the albumin, native thiol and total thiol values and the native thiol/total thiol ratio were significantly lower (p = 0.004, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 respectively), the IMA value and the disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol ratios were significantly higher (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 respectively) in the samples taken from spermatic venous blood. Thiol-disulphide balance had deteriorated towards disulphide formation in the spermatic vein compared with the peripheral vein. Abnormal thiol-disulphide balance may be an independent risk factor for infertility secondary to varicocele.

Evaluation of the relationship between compliance with the follow-up and treatment protocol and health literacy in bladder tumor patients.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the compliance of bladder cancer patients with cystoscopic follow-up and the treatment protocol, and their health literacy. Methods: Patients who underwent transurethral resection surgery for bladder tumor were found to have non-muscular invasive bladder carcinoma on pathology examination and then underwent cystoscopic follow-up for 1 year or more were included in the study. Cystoscopic follow-up was recommended to the low- and high-risk groups in terms of progression and recurrence. The patients were evaluated with the Health Literacy Survey-European Union scale. Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.13 ± 10.77 years. The treatment continuity rate was 80.50% (n = 33) in the adequate health literacy group (n = 41) and significantly higher than the 56.50% (n = 48) rate in the inadequate health literacy group (n = 85) (p = .008). The health literacy results revealed that the health promotion and general index score was higher in the group of patients under the age of 65. Conclusions: Adequate health literacy in bladder cancer patients is associated with better compliance with the treatment protocol. Young patients show better compliance with the follow-up protocol recommended by the physician. Increasing the follow-up protocol compliance of elderly patients with inadequate health literacy is necessary.

Comparison of the effectiveness of IPSS and VPSS without any help in LUTS patients: a prospective study.

AIM: To compare the correlation of visual prostate symptom score (VPSS) and international prostate symptom score (IPSS). To investigate the effect of educational level and age in the responses to VPSS and IPSS. METHOD: Three hundred and nine patients who gave consent and applied via LUTS to our institution were included in this study. They were requested to fill IPSS and VPSS. The patients were divided into two groups as middle-aged and elderly with a cutoff point of 65 years. They were divided into six groups based on educational level. SPSS was used for the statistical evaluation. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 61.5 ± 8.9 years. The correlation was found between IPSS and VPSS (p < .05). Education was found not to contribute for answering IPSS and VPSS (p = .332 and .138, respectively). No difference was found between the middle-aged and elderly groups in terms of the rates of inability to answer IPSS and VPSS (p = .177 and .681, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There is a correlation between VPSS and IPSS. VPSS can be used as an auxiliary or alternative tool instead of IPSS in evaluating LUTS; however, has no superiority to IPSS in elderly group. Currently, the best option to exclude bias in illiterate group is VPSS.

Effect of trospium chloride therapy on intraocular pressure and tear secretion in overactive bladder patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of trospium chloride, which has an anticholinergic effect, used in overactive bladder (OAB) treatment on the intraocular pressure (IOP) and tear secretion after 12 weeks of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was performed at a single center between October 2014 and January 2016. A detailed history was obtained from the female OAB patients at the eye outpatient department. After checking the exclusion criteria, oral trospium chloride 30 mg bd was started. The patients were followed-up in terms of drug effectiveness and ophthalmic and other side effects at the 4th and 12th weeks. All procedures were repeated at both of these time-points. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 48.98 ± 11.98 years (range 19-75). The data of 80 OAB patients were evaluated in the study. Trospium chloride did not cause any significant change in the OAB patients regarding their 4th week and 12th week IOP measurements (p = 0.251, p = 0.340, respectively). It was found to decrease tear secretion significantly at both time-points (p = 0.020, p = 0.001, respectively). Trospium chloride treatment of one patient (1.25%) was discontinued due to dry eye. CONCLUSIONS: Trospium chloride decreases the symptoms in female OAB patients. Trospium chloride can be safely used in female OAB patients with normal IOP and no comorbidity as regards IOP changes as it did not cause a significant change in IOP in these patients. Pre-treatment and post-treatment dry eye symptoms of OAB patients about to start using trospium chloride should be queried beforehand as it can cause a statistically significant decrease in tear secretion. We concluded that it would be appropriate to refer the patients to an ophthalmologist before starting the drug if relevant symptoms are present.

Changes in intraocular pressure and tear secretion in patients given 5 mg solifenacin for the treatment of overactive bladder.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To investigate the effect of solifenacin succinate on intraocular pressure (IOP) and dry eye in patients with overactive bladder (OAB). METHODS: The study was conducted prospectively between October 2014 and November 2015. A total of 93 female OAB patients with a mean age of 48.59 ± 11.28 years (range 19-75 years) were evaluated. A full ophthalmic examination, including the Schirmer I test and IOP measurements, was conducted. Solifenacin succinate (5 mg/day) was started orally. All procedures were repeated at the 4- and 12-week follow-up, and the effects and side effects were documented. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was observed in IOP (p = 0.282, p = 0.189) and tear secretion (p = 0.122, p = 0.071) values from the baseline (day 0) to the 12th week in OAB patients using solifenacin succinate. Solifenacin succinate treatment was terminated in 3 patients owing to dry eye in 1 patient, increased IOP in 1 patient, and systemic side effects in 1 patient. Constipation and dry mouth at various rates were the most common systemic side effects observed. CONCLUSIONS: Solifenacin succinate is useful in eliminating OAB symptoms in female patients, but can cause systemic side effects. It had no significant side effects on tear secretion (Schirmer I) and IOP. We concluded that solifenacin succinate could be reliably used in pure OAB patients without comorbidity in terms of dry eye and IOP. We believe that prospective studies with larger series are still needed to reach a definite conclusion.

Olfactory and erectile dysfunction association in smoking and non-smoking men.

The studies evaluating the effect of smoking on olfaction reveals opposite results. In vitro and animal studies and epidemiological evidence from volunteers and patients, demonstrated the association between olfaction and erectile functions. In smoking man the reduction of olfactory acuity could adversely affect sexuality. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and olfactory dysfunction (OD) by comparing a group of healthy adult men with a group of smoking adult men. This prospective study involved 62 volunteers, who were recruited and divided into two groups; one consisted of 35 smoking adult men, and the other included 27 healthy non-smoking men. All participants in both groups were examined in detail for any condition with the potential to cause OD. They all had a normal genitourinary system suffered from no circulatory diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease nor hyperlipidemia; they had no history of medication affecting genitourinary system. Butanol threshold test and sniffin' stick® (Burghart, Wedel; Germany) screening test was used to asses olfactory functions in both groups. Participants' sexual desire was assessed using an International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) scale. The means of sniffin' sticks scores, butanol threshold scores and IIEF-5 scores were statistically higher in non-smoking group. Butanol threshold scores and sniffin' sticks scores are correlated statistically with IIEF-5 in non-smoking and smoking groups. This study found an association between olfaction and erectile function in smoking and non-smoking men. As far as we know this study is the third published study to show the relationship olfactory and erectile function. In the future studies electrophysiological olfactory methods could be used to confirm in large cohorts the results obtained by the psychophysical approach.

Fear of Circumcision in Boys Considerably Vanishes within Ten Days of Procedure.

PURPOSE: To compare fear of circumcision, before, immediately after, and ten days after the operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a case-control study in which participants in the operation group consisted of children admitted for circumcision at the outpatient clinics of a hospital. The Children's Fear Scale and the Venham Picture Test were administered by face-to-face interviews. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 100 boys who were circumcised and 99 who have not been circumcised yet. Children's Fear Scale scores measured before (P = .000) and immediately after the operation (P = .000) were significantly different from scores obtained on the 10th day after the operation. Total fear scores of the Venham Picture Test of boys whose families were in the higher economic level were higher than those of boys from low-income families (P < .05). The primary reason for admission for circumcision was religious, and the reason for the remaining boys was a combination of religious and hygienic factors. The boys who came to have circumcision solely because of religious reasons were found to be less fearful compared with the boys who were brought to surgery for both religious and medical reasons (P < .05). The lowest fear scores were obtained for boys who were six years of age or older. Boys who knew what the circumcision meant were less afraid of circumcision compared with those who were unaware of the procedure. CONCLUSION: Fear from circumcision does not persist; it considerably vanishes within ten days. It seems reasonable to recommend circumcision for boys six years of age or older. Pre-operative education may help boys to overcome fear originated from circumcision.

Age and total and free prostate-specific antigen levels for predicting prostate volume in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the predictive values of free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA), total PSA (tPSA) and age on the prostate volume. METHODS: The data of 2148 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms were analyzed retrospectively. The patients who had transrectal ultrasonography guided 10 core biopsies owing to the findings obtained on digital rectal examination and presence of high PSA levels (PSA = 2.5-10 ng/dl), and proven to have BPH histopathologically were included in the study. Age, tPSA, fPSA and the prostate volumes (PV) of the patients were noted. RESULTS: One thousand patients that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The PV of the patients were significantly correlated with age, tPSA and fPSA (p < 0.001 and r = 0.307, p < 0.001 and r = 0.382, p < 0.001 and r = 0.296, respectively). On linear regression model, fPSA was found as a stronger predictive for PV (AUC = 0.75, p < 0.001) when compared to age (AUC = 0.64, p < 0.001), and tPSA (AUC = 0.69, p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Although tPSA is an important prognostic factor for predicting PV, the predictive value of fPSA is higher. PV can easily be predicted by using age, and serum tPSA and fPSA levels.

Rare late metastasis of testis seminoma to the bladder.

A 45-year-old male presented to our clinic with complaining of hematuria for a month. The investigations showed a 59 × 24-mm myxoid mass on the right lateral bladder wall and this was removed with transurethral resection. The histopathology evaluation result was seminoma (classic type). The medical history revealed that the patient had undergone inguinal orchiectomy for a testis tumour 10 years before and the diagnosis was classic type seminoma. He received chemotherapy following the orchiectomy, but had not gone for follow-up after the first year. There was no other metastasis and he was put on the iphosphamide, etoposide, cisplatin (IPE) protocol. The patient has been disease-free for the last 5 months and the tumour markers and cystoscopy were normal. Testis tumours can rarely cause other organ metastases in the late stage even if curative surgery and chemo-radiotherapy were initially administered. Proper follow-up is crucial. It is also necessary to query the tumour history when a tumour in any organ is considered.

Cholesterol granuloma of the paratesticular tissue: A case report.

A 38-year-old man was admitted to our clinic with an enlarging right scrotal mass that had been present for 7 years. Right radical inguinal orchiectomy was performed and a histopathological diagnosis confirmed a very rare case of cholesterol granuloma of the paratesticular tissue. It can be very difficult to preoperatively distinguish testicular tumours from cholesterol granulomas of the testis or epididymis. Cholesterol granuloma should be kept in mind in patients with large and non-tender scrotal masses.

Does varicocele correction lead to normalization of preoperatively elevated mean platelet volume levels?

INTRODUCTION: There are several studies on the relationship between increased mean platelet volume (MPV) and varicocele. We investigated the relationship between preoperative and 6-month postoperative MPV values in patients whose varicocele was corrected with surgery. METHODS: A total of 282 patients underwent surgery at our urology clinic between December 2011 and December 2013 for primary varicocele. We retrospectively examined the records of 61 patients who came to the 6-month postoperative follow-up. The preoperative varicocele diagnosis was made with physical examination findings and supported with colour Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: The varicocele was grade I in 12 patients, grade II in 34 patients and grade III in 11 patients. When the preoperative and 6-month postoperative haemoglobin (Hb), MPV, mean corpuscular volume, platelet, and platelet distribution width (PDW) values were compared, there was a significant decrease in MPV (p = 0.019), and a significant increase in Hb (p < 0.001). A noticeable increase was also present in PDW, but it was not statistically significant (p = 0.058). CONCLUSION: We found that MPV increased in patients with varicocele and tended to decrease again after the varicocele was surgically corrected. However, we feel larger prospective series are needed.