The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Urological Emergencies, 8 Months Results of a Multicenter Retrospective Study From Turkey.

Objectives: We aimed to reveal the change of urological emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same period of the previous year. Methods: The number of admissions to the emergency department (ED), admissions to the urology outpatient clinic, emergency urological consultations, and urological and emergency urological surgeries during the periods April-November-2019 and April-November-2020 were recorded. The data of the COVID-19 period were compared with the previous year. Results: While the number of admissions to the urological outpatient clinic was 160,447 during the COVID period, it was 351,809 during the non-COVID period. The number of admissions to the ED decreased from 3.2 million to 2.4. The number of admissions to the urology outpatient clinic significantly decreased by 54% during the pandemic (p=0.001). Percutaneous cystostomy performed due to acute urinary obstruction decreased by 27.96%, double J stent, nephrostomy decreased by 16.61%, and ureterorenoscopy decreased by 12.26%. Urogenital trauma also decreased. On the contrary, surgical procedures performed due to penile fracture, gross hematuria, Fournier gangrene, and testicular torsion increased. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant decrease was observed in non-COVID patients' admissions to the emergency and urology department, and in urologic surgeries.

Prognostic value of immunological profile based on CD8+ and FoxP3+ T lymphocytes in the peritumoral and intratumoral subsites for renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: We aimed to assess an "Immunological Profile (IP)" including CD8+ and FoxP3+ T lymphocytes for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to evaluate its effects on tumor pathological characteristics, disease progression, and survival. METHODS: Adjacent normal and intratumoral specimens from 42 patients who had undergone radical nephrectomy for RCC were analyzed for counts of CD8+ and FoxP3+ T lymphocytes by immunohistochemistry. Tissue from both sites were evaluated and scored separately according to low (0) or high (1) expression of CD8 and FoxP3. A total score (min: 0, max: 4) was assigned to each patient. Thereafter, patients were divided into two groups for clinicopathologic and survival stratification based on score (IPWeak 0-2; and IPStrong 3-4). Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and a multivariable Cox regression model was used for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 54.73 ± 21.34 months. Poor RCC characteristics including pT3-T4, tumor necrosis, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node involvement, and larger tumor size were significantly more common in the IPWeak patients compared to IPStrong (p < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that IPWeak patients had worse OS (62.5 vs. 100%; p = 0.006) and PFS (50 vs. 94.4%; p = 0.002) compared to IPStrong patients. In multivariable analysis, IPWeak (HR 8.64; 95% CI 1.09-68.05, p = 0.042) and high tumor node metastasis stage (HR 45.33; 95% CI 4.69-437.68, p < 0.001) were significant independent predictors of poor PFS. CONCLUSION: Assessment of IP including CD8+ and FoxP3+ T lymphocytes in adjacent normal and intratumoral sites in RCC may serve as a good predictive marker for PFS.

Spontaneous Retroperitoneal Haematoma due to Polyarteritis Nodosa: Report of a Case and Literature Review.

Retroperitoneal haematoma is a rare clinical entity with variable etiology. It can happen spontaneously, without any obvious precipitating factors, the so-called spontaneous retroperitoneal haematoma. There is no general consensus as to the best management plan for patients with retroperitoneal haematoma. Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare cause of retroperitoneal haematoma. Here we report relationship between PAN and retroperitoneal haematoma and treatment approaches. However, an accepted and clearly defined treatment has not been established due to its rarity.

Urinary nerve growth factor and a variable solifenacin dosage in patients with an overactive bladder.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We evaluated changes in urinary nerve growth factor (NGF) and NGF/creatinine (NGF/Cr) levels after increasing the dosage of solifenacin in overactive bladder patients. METHODS: The study groups included 59 overactive bladder (OAB) patients and 20 healthy subjects as controls. We measured NGF at baseline for the patients and controls, and used the Overactive Bladder Awareness Tool (OAB-V8) to evaluate urinary symptoms. All patients received a treatment of solifenacin 5 mg for 6 weeks. The responders to treatment served as group 1 and nonresponders received solifenacin 10 mg for an additional 6 weeks. Responders and nonresponders to the 10-mg treatment were defined as groups 2 and 3 respectively. NGF was measured after each treatment using the ELISA method and normalized by the urinary creatinine levels (NGF/Cr). RESULTS: There were 21, 22 and 16 patients in groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively. At baseline, the NGF and NGF/Cr levels were higher in groups 1, 2, and 3 compared with the controls. After the solifenacin 5 mg treatment, the NGF and NGF/Cr levels of group 1 individuals decreased to those of the control level. After increasing the dosage of solifenacin to 10 mg in group 2, the NGF and NGF/Cr levels decreased to normal levels. In group 3 (patients who did not responded to any treatment), these levels remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that urinary NGF could be a potential biomarker for monitoring the treatment of symptoms in OAB patients who are treated with solifenacin.