Radiological features characterising indeterminate testes masses: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

CONTEXT: The use of scrotal ultrasonography (SUS) has increased the detection rate of indeterminate testicular masses. Defining radiological characteristics that identify malignancy may reduce the number of men undergoing unnecessary radical orchidectomy. OBJECTIVE: To define which SUS or scrotal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics can predict benign or malignant disease in pre- or post-pubertal males with indeterminate testicular masses. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Cochrane Collaboration guidance. Medline, Embase, Cochrane controlled trials and systematic reviews databases were searched from (1970 to 26 March 2021). Benign and malignant masses were classified using the reported reference test: i.e., histopathology, or 12 months progression-free radiological surveillance. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool (QUADAS-2). EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 32 studies were identified, including 1692 masses of which 28 studies and 1550 masses reported SUS features, four studies and 142 masses reported MRI features. Meta-analysis of different SUS (B-mode) values in post-pubertal men demonstrated that a size of ≤0.5 cm had a significantly lower odds ratio (OR) of malignancy compared to masses of >0.5 cm (P < 0.001). Comparison of masses of 0.6-1.0 cm and masses of >1.5 cm also demonstrated a significantly lower OR of malignancy (P = 0.04). There was no significant difference between masses of 0.6-1.0 and 1.1-1.5 cm. SUS in post-pubertal men also had a statistically significantly lower OR of malignancy for heterogenous masses vs homogenous masses (P = 0.04), hyperechogenic vs hypoechogenic masses (P < 0.01), normal vs increased enhancement (P < 0.01), and peripheral vs central vascularity (P < 0.01), respectively. There were limited data on pre-pubertal SUS, pre-pubertal MRI and post-pubertal MRI. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis identifies radiological characteristics that have a lower OR of malignancy and may be of value in the management of the indeterminate testis mass.

Do men with bladder stones benefit from treatment of benign prostatic obstruction?

OBJECTIVE: To identify whether men aged ≥40 years with bladder stones (BS) benefit from treatment of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A regional, retrospective study of patients undergoing BS surgery between January 2011 and December 2018 was performed using a prospectively collected database. The primary outcome was BS recurrence after successful removal. Kruskal-Wallis and chi-squared statistical tests were used. RESULTS: A total of 174 patients underwent BS removal and 71 (40.8%) were excluded due to BS formation secondary to causes other than BPO. Hence, 103 men aged ≥40 years had BS successfully removed, of which 40% had a history of upper tract urolithiasis. These men were divided into three groups: those undergoing contemporaneous medical, surgical, or no BPO treatment. Age, diabetes, previous urolithiasis and previous BPO surgery were well matched between the BPO treatment groups. In all, 18 of these men (17%) had BS recurrence after 46 months follow-up. Recurrences were significantly lower following BPO surgery; one of 34 (3%) men versus five of 28 (18%) with no BPO treatment (P = 0.048) and 12 of 41 (29%) with medical BPO treatment (P = 0.003). Recurrences after medical and no BPO treatment were similar (P = 0.280). In all, 34 men (33%) had BPO complications that were similar between groups (P = 0.378). CONCLUSION: This is the largest reported cohort of men, with the longest follow-up after BS removal. Most men aged ≥40 years with BS benefit from BPO surgery. However, the study findings also support a multifactorial aetiology for BS, which questions the dogma that BS are an 'absolute indication' for BPO surgery, as is stated in the Non-neurogenic Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms European Association of Urology Guideline. Assessment and management of all causative factors is likely to enable selection of which men will benefit from BPO surgery and to reduce BS recurrence rates.

A Simple Clinical Tool for Stratifying Risk of Clinically Significant CKD after Nephrectomy: Development and Multinational Validation.

BACKGROUND: Clinically significant CKD following surgery for kidney cancer is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but identifying patients at increased CKD risk remains difficult. Simple methods to stratify risk of clinically significant CKD after nephrectomy are needed. METHODS: To develop a tool for stratifying patients' risk of CKD arising after surgery for kidney cancer, we tested models in a population-based cohort of 699 patients with kidney cancer in Queensland, Australia (2012-2013). We validated these models in a population-based cohort of 423 patients from Victoria, Australia, and in patient cohorts from single centers in Queensland, Scotland, and England. Eligible patients had two functioning kidneys and a preoperative eGFR ≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. The main outcome was incident eGFR <45 ml/min per 1.73 m2 at 12 months postnephrectomy. We used prespecified predictors-age ≥65 years old, diabetes mellitus, preoperative eGFR, and nephrectomy type (partial/radical)-to fit logistic regression models and grouped patients according to degree of risk of clinically significant CKD (negligible, low, moderate, or high risk). RESULTS: Absolute risks of stage 3b or higher CKD were <2%, 3% to 14%, 21% to 26%, and 46% to 69% across the four strata of negligible, low, moderate, and high risk, respectively. The negative predictive value of the negligible risk category was 98.9% for clinically significant CKD. The c statistic for this score ranged from 0.84 to 0.88 across derivation and validation cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Our simple scoring system can reproducibly stratify postnephrectomy CKD risk on the basis of readily available parameters. This clinical tool's quantitative assessment of CKD risk may be weighed against other considerations when planning management of kidney tumors and help inform shared decision making between clinicians and patients.

Priapism in teenage boys following depot testosterone.

Priapism is rare in children and may result in erectile dysfunction and sexual aversion behaviours. Testosterone therapy is commonly regarded as safe in children and is widely used in constitutional delay of growth and puberty, hypogonadism, hypospadias and micropenis. We report two cases of priapism in teenage boys with constitutional delay of growth and puberty after a change in the formulation of depot testosterone. One case required surgical intervention and the other was preceded by stuttering priapism. These cases illustrate the importance of patient and/or parent counselling before testosterone administration and consideration of lower doses in at-risk patients.

Systematic Review of Active Surveillance for Clinically Localised Prostate Cancer to Develop Recommendations Regarding Inclusion of Intermediate-risk Disease, Biopsy Characteristics at Inclusion and Monitoring, and Surveillance Repeat Biopsy Strategy.

CONTEXT: There is uncertainty regarding the most appropriate criteria for recruitment, monitoring, and reclassification in active surveillance (AS) protocols for localised prostate cancer (PCa). OBJECTIVE: To perform a qualitative systematic review (SR) to issue recommendations regarding inclusion of intermediate-risk disease, biopsy characteristics at inclusion and monitoring, and repeat biopsy strategy. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A protocol-driven, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA)-adhering SR incorporating AS protocols published from January 1990 to October 2020 was performed. The main outcomes were criteria for inclusion of intermediate-risk disease, monitoring, reclassification, and repeat biopsy strategies (per protocol and/or triggered). Clinical effectiveness data were not assessed. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Of the 17 011 articles identified, 333 studies incorporating 375 AS protocols, recruiting 264 852 patients, were included. Only a minority of protocols included the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for recruitment (n = 17), follow-up (n = 47), and reclassification (n = 26). More than 50% of protocols included patients with intermediate or high-risk disease, whilst 44.1% of protocols excluded low-risk patients with more than three positive cores, and 39% of protocols excluded patients with core involvement (CI) >50% per core. Of the protocols, ≥80% mandated a confirmatory transrectal ultrasound biopsy; 72% (n = 189) of protocols mandated per-protocol repeat biopsies, with 20% performing this annually and 25% every 2 yr. Only 27 protocols (10.3%) mandated triggered biopsies, with 74% of these protocols defining progression or changes on MRI as triggers for repeat biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: For AS protocols in which the use of MRI is not mandatory or absent, we recommend the following: (1) AS can be considered in patients with low-volume International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade 2 (three or fewer positive cores and cancer involvement ≤50% CI per core) or another single element of intermediate-risk disease, and patients with ISUP 3 should be excluded; (2) per-protocol confirmatory prostate biopsies should be performed within 2 yr, and per-protocol surveillance repeat biopsies should be performed at least once every 3 yr for the first 10 yr; and (3) for patients with low-volume, low-risk disease at recruitment, if repeat systematic biopsies reveal more than three positive cores or maximum CI >50% per core, they should be monitored closely for evidence of adverse features (eg, upgrading); patients with ISUP 2 disease with increased core positivity and/or CI to similar thresholds should be reclassified. PATIENT SUMMARY: We examined the literature to issue new recommendations on active surveillance (AS) for managing localised prostate cancer. The recommendations include setting criteria for including men with more aggressive disease (intermediate-risk disease), setting thresholds for close monitoring of men with low-risk but more extensive disease, and determining when to perform repeat biopsies (within 2 yr and 3 yearly thereafter).

Treatment of Bladder Stones in Adults and Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on Behalf of the European Association of Urology Urolithiasis Guideline Panel.

CONTEXT: Bladder stones (BS) constitute 5% of urinary stones. Currently, there is no systematic review of their treatment. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy (primary outcome: stone-free rate [SFR]) and morbidity of BS treatments. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the European Association of Urology Guidelines Office. Database searches (1970-2019) were screened, abstracted, and assessed for risk of bias for comparative randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and nonrandomised studies (NRSs) with ≥10 patients per group. Quality of evidence (QoE) was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 2742 abstracts and 59 full-text articles were assessed, and 25 studies (2340 patients) were included. In adults, one RCT found a lower SFR following shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) than transurethral cystolithotripsy (TUCL; risk ratio 0.88, p=0.03; low QoE). Four RCTs compared TUCL versus percutaneous cystolithotripsy (PCCL): meta-analyses demonstrated no difference in SFR, but hospital stay (mean difference [MD] 0.82d, p<0.00001) and procedure duration (MD 9.83min, p<0.00001) favoured TUCL (moderate QoE). Four NRSs comparing open cystolithotomy (CL) versus TUCL or PCCL found no difference in SFR; hospital stay and procedure duration favoured endoscopic surgery (very low QoE). Four RCTs compared TUCL using a nephroscope versus a cystoscope: meta-analyses demonstrated no difference in SFR; procedure duration favoured the use of a nephroscope (MD 22.74min, p<0.00001; moderate QoE). In children, one NRS showed a lower SFR following SWL than TUCL or CL. Two NRSs comparing CL versus TUCL/PCCL found similar SFRs; catheterisation time and hospital stay favoured endoscopic treatments. One RCT comparing laser versus pneumatic TUCL found no difference in SFR. One large NRS comparing CL techniques found a shorter hospital stay after tubeless CL in selected cases; QoE was very low. CONCLUSIONS: Current available evidence indicates that TUCL is the intervention of choice for BSs in adults and children, where feasible. Further high-quality research on the topic is required. PATIENT SUMMARY: We examined the literature to determine the most effective and least harmful procedures for bladder stones in adults and children. The results suggest that endoscopic surgery is equally effective as open surgery. It is unclear whether stone size affects outcomes. Shock wave lithotripsy appears to be less effective. Endoscopic treatments appear to have shorter catheterisation time and convalescence compared with open surgery in adults and children. Transurethral surgery, where feasible, appears to have a shorter hospital stay than percutaneous surgery. Further research is required to clarify the efficacy of minimally invasive treatments for larger stones and in young children.

EAU-EANM-ESTRO-ESUR-SIOG Prostate Cancer Guideline Panel Consensus Statements for Deferred Treatment with Curative Intent for Localised Prostate Cancer from an International Collaborative Study (DETECTIVE Study).

BACKGROUND: There is uncertainty in deferred active treatment (DAT) programmes, regarding patient selection, follow-up and monitoring, reclassification, and which outcome measures should be prioritised. OBJECTIVE: To develop consensus statements for all domains of DAT. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A protocol-driven, three phase study was undertaken by the European Association of Urology (EAU)-European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM)-European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO)-European Association of Urology Section of Urological Research (ESUR)-International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) Prostate Cancer Guideline Panel in conjunction with partner organisations, including the following: (1) a systematic review to describe heterogeneity across all domains; (2) a two-round Delphi survey involving a large, international panel of stakeholders, including healthcare practitioners (HCPs) and patients; and (3) a consensus group meeting attended by stakeholder group representatives. Robust methods regarding what constituted the consensus were strictly followed. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: A total of 109 HCPs and 16 patients completed both survey rounds. Of 129 statements in the survey, consensus was achieved in 66 (51%); the rest of the statements were discussed and voted on in the consensus meeting by 32 HCPs and three patients, where consensus was achieved in additional 27 statements (43%). Overall, 93 statements (72%) achieved consensus in the project. Some uncertainties remained regarding clinically important thresholds for disease extent on biopsy in low-risk disease, and the role of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in determining disease stage and aggressiveness as a criterion for inclusion and exclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Consensus statements and the findings are expected to guide and inform routine clinical practice and research, until higher levels of evidence emerge through prospective comparative studies and clinical trials. PATIENT SUMMARY: We undertook a project aimed at standardising the elements of practice in active surveillance programmes for early localised prostate cancer because currently there is great variation and uncertainty regarding how best to conduct them. The project involved large numbers of healthcare practitioners and patients using a survey and face-to-face meeting, in order to achieve agreement (ie, consensus) regarding best practice, which will provide guidance to clinicians and researchers.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinical effectiveness of shock wave lithotripsy, retrograde intrarenal surgery, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy for lower-pole renal stones.

UNLABELLED: The prevalence of urolithiasis is increasing. Lower-pole stones (LPS) are the most common renal calculi and the most likely to require treatment. A systematic review comparing shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) in the treatment of ≤20 mm LPS in adults was performed. Comprehensive searches revealed 2741 records; 7 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) recruiting 691 patients were included. Meta-analyses for stone-free rate (SFR) at ≤3 mo favoured PNL over SWL (risk ratio [RR]: 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-2.77) and RIRS over SWL (RR: 1.31; 95% CI, 1.08-1.59). Stone size subgroup analyses revealed PNL and RIRS were considerably more effective than SWL for >10 mm stones, but the magnitude of benefit was markedly less for ≤10 mm stones. The quality of evidence (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation [GRADE]) for SFR was moderate for these comparisons. The median SFR from reported RCTs suggests PNL is more effective than RIRS. The findings regarding other outcomes were inconclusive because of limited and inconsistent data. Well-designed, prospective, comparative studies that measure these outcomes using standardised definitions are required, particularly for the direct comparison of PNL and RIRS. This systematic review, which used Cochrane methodology and GRADE quality-of-evidence assessment, provides the first level 1a evidence for the management of LPS. PATIENT SUMMARY: We thoroughly examined the literature to compare the benefits and harms of the different ways of treating kidney stones located at the lower pole. PNL and RIRS were superior to SWL in clearing the stones within 3 mo, but we were unable to make any conclusions regarding other outcomes. More data is required from reliable studies before firm recommendations can be made.

Priapism in children: a comprehensive review and clinical guideline.

OBJECTIVE: We review the English literature between 1980 and 2013 and summarize the clinical classification, aetiology, physiology, and pathophysiology of paediatric priapism. We propose a clinical guideline for the management of priapism in children. PATIENTS: Male patients aged ≤ 18 years. RESULTS: Priapism, a prolonged penile erection lasting >4 h, is a rare condition in childhood. There are 3 widely accepted types of priapism: 1) ischaemic priapism, the commonest type seen in children; 2) stuttering priapism, recurrent, self-limiting prolonged erections; and 3) non-ischaemic priapism, rare in children, usually due to trauma. Neonatal priapism has also been described. Ischaemic priapism is a urological emergency causing fibrosis of the corpora cavernosa, subsequent erectile dysfunction and penile disfigurement. The commonest causes of priapism in children are sickle cell disease (65%), leukaemia (10%), trauma (10%), idiopathic (10%), and pharmacologically induced (5%). CONCLUSIONS: Priapism in children must be assessed urgently. Rapid resolution of ischaemic priapism prevents permanent cavernosal structural damage and is associated with improved prognosis for potency later in life. Stuttering priapism requires careful counselling for episodic management. Chronic prophylaxis may be obtained using α-adrenergic sympathomimetics, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and, in sickle cell disease, hydroxyurea. Non-ischaemic and neonatal priapism may generally be treated less urgently.