Controlling nutritional status score in predicting International Society of Urological Pathology score upgrading and biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

AIM: The aim of our study was to assess the predictive value of controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score for the prognosis of prostate cancer. METHODS: A total of 257 patients' characteristics, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values, biopsy, and pathological specimen features were all recorded. The CONUT score was calculated for each patient from three blood parameters: total lymphocyte count (TLC), serum albumin, and cholesterol concentrations. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between the total CONUT score and the variables including age, body mass index, prostate volume, PSA, biopsy and pathological specimen features, and PSA-recurrence free survival (PSA-RFS) time. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for PSA-RFS analysis. Regression analyses were performed to assess the association between clinicopathological factors, the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) upgrading, and biochemical recurrence (BCR). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were determined in pathologic ISUP grade, and total tumor volume between low and high CONUT score groups. Additionally, the high CONUT score group had a significantly higher BCR rate and lower PSA-RFS when compared with the low CONUT score group. A strong positive correlation between total CONUT score and pathologic ISUP grade and a moderate negative correlation between total CONUT score and PSA-RFS was determined. In multivariate analysis, a total CONUT score ≥2 had a statistically significant association with ISUP upgrading (odds ratio [OR] = 3.05) and BCR (3.52). CONCLUSION: Preoperative CONUT score is an independent predictive factor for ISUP score upgrading and BCR in patients who undergo radical prostatectomy.

Outcomes of intravesical chondroitin-sulfate and combined hyaluronic-acid/chondroitin-sulfate therapy on female sexual function in bladder pain syndrome.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Our aim was to determine the efficacy of intravesical chondroitin sulfate (CS) and combined hyaluronic acid/chondroitin sufate (HA/CS) treatment and their effects on sexual function of females with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). METHODS: A total of 68 female patients with IC/BPS between 2012 and 2018 were reviewed. Thirty-three patients were treated with combined HA/CS and 28 patients were treated with CS. Instillations were performed weekly for the first month, biweekly for the second month, and monthly in the third and fourth months. Before and after the sixth month of the treatment, all patients were evaluated with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), visual analog pain scale (VAS), interstitial cystitis symptom index (ICSI), interstitial cystitis problem index (ICPI), and voiding diary, and changes were recorded. RESULTS: A statistically significant improvement was determined for FSFI, VAS, ICSI, and ICPI scores after treatment in both groups. Among baseline characteristics, a weak but significant negative correlation was determined only between the ICSI score improvement and age (rho: -0.38; p = 0.03) on statistical analysis. Compared with CS, combined HA/CS treatment was superior in terms of ICSI, ICPI, and daytime and nighttime frequency improvement (0.042, 0.038, 0.039, and 0.045; respectively). All domains of the sexual function index were significantly improved at the sixth month of intravesical therapy in both groups. A statistical difference was not found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although it seems that intravesical HA/CS combination is superior to CS alone in terms of symptom reduction, both of them have beneficial effects on sexual function.

Evaluation of ABO blood groups and blood-based biomarkers as a predictor of growth kinetics of renal angiomyolipoma.

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of the ABO blood groups and blood-based biomarkers on the growth kinetics of renal angiomyolipoma (AML). METHODS: A total of 124 patients with AML who were followed-up between 2010 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients' characteristics were recorded, including age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, smoking history, and ABO blood group. Baseline laboratory test results, including serum creatinine, AST, ALT, platelet, neutrophil and lymphocyte count, were used to calculate the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and De Ritis ratio. The Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between variables and tumor growth. RESULTS: The study population comprised 71 women and 44 men with a median age of 47.3 (28-65) years. Among patients classified according to the blood groups, no significant differences were observed regarding age, BMI, smoking history, co-morbidities, NLR, PLR, De Ritis ratio, eGFR, or tumor size and localisation. The mean growth rate from baseline to the last scan was 0.36 ± 0.27 cm, 0.21 ± 0.21 cm, 0.14 ± 0.11 cm, and 0.19 ± 0.17 cm for blood type O, A, B, and AB, respectively. In multivariate analysis, eGFR < 60 (p = 0.044), central tumor localisation (p = 0.030), presence of blood group-0 (p = 0.038), and De Ritis ratio ≥ 1.24 (p = 0.047) were statistically associated with tumor growth. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that both the ABO blood groups and the De Ritis ratio might represent independent predictors of tumor growth rate in patients with renal AML.