Is top-down vs bottom-up radiological evaluation after febrile urinary tract infection really less stressful for the child and family? Challenging the dogma.

PURPOSE: We evaluated whether stress levels in children and parents during radiological evaluation after febrile urinary tract infection are really lower using the top-down approach, where (99m)technetium dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy is used initially, than the bottom-up approach, where voiding cystourethrography is initially performed and repeated examinations are easier for all. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 120 children 3 to 8 years old. Pain ratings were obtained using the Faces Pain Scale-Revised, and conversation during the procedure was evaluated using the Child-Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Revised by 2 independent observers. To evaluate parental anxiety, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form was also completed. Following a documented febrile urinary tract infection children were randomized to the top-down or bottom-up group. A third group of 44 children undergoing repeat voiding cystourethrography and their parents were also evaluated. RESULTS: Child ratings of pain using the Faces Pain Scale-Revised were not significantly different between the top-down group following (99m)technetium dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy (2.99 on a scale of 10) and the bottom-up group following voiding cystourethrography (3.21). Also the Faces Pain Scale-Revised was not significantly different in the repeat voiding cystourethrography group (3.35). On the Child-Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Revised there was negative correlation between child coping and child distress, as well as rate of child distress and adult coping promoting behavior. Parental state anxiety scores were significantly less in the top-down and repeat voiding cystourethrography groups than in the bottom-up group. CONCLUSIONS: Although the top-down approach and repeat voiding cystourethrography cause less anxiety for caregivers, these values do not correlate to pain scale in children. This finding might be due to lack of appropriate evaluation tools of pediatric pain and anxiety. However, the theory that the top-down approach is less invasive, and thus less stressful, requires further research. The Child-Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Revised data indicate that influences in adult-child interaction are bidirectional.

Does the number of cycles of cisplatin based chemotherapy have any effect on renal function in patients with testicular germ cell tumor?

PURPOSE: We assessed the effects of the number of cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin cycles on long-term renal function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 157 patients with primary testicular germ cell tumors were treated between 1995 and 2013, of whom 113 (72%) received chemotherapy as the primary intervention. Data were collected retrospectively. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was determined using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula based on pretreatment and last followup visit serum creatinine measurements. Patients who did not receive chemotherapy were compared to those who received cisplatin based chemotherapy. The chemotherapy group was also divided into 3 subgroups according to the number of chemotherapy cycles (2, 3, or 4 or more). RESULTS: At the last followup visit serum creatinine and the estimated glomerular filtration rate significantly differed between the chemotherapy and nonchemotherapy groups. The decrease in the median estimated glomerular filtration rate was significantly greater in the chemotherapy than the nonchemotherapy group (p<0.001). New onset stage 3 chronic kidney disease was observed in 19 patients (12.1%) in the chemotherapy group, including 0%, 5.9%, 13.8% and 20.9% who received 0, 2, 3, or 4 or more chemotherapy cycles, respectively. Except for the difference between the nonchemotherapy group and the 2-cycle chemotherapy group the differences between the groups in new onset chronic stage 3 kidney disease were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with testicular tumors who received cisplatin based chemotherapy showed a significant decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate and a significant increase in new onset stage 3 chronic kidney disease compared to patients who received no cycle. However, in patients at high risk with stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor who elected 2 cycles of cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin the chemotherapy had no statistically significant effect on these parameters compared to those in patients who received no chemotherapy.

Factors predicting the development of urethral stricture after bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the rate of urethral stricture development, predictor factors, and the reliability following bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate. METHODS: A total of 124 patients participated in this study. Patient data were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into group 1 (those who developed urethral stricture) and group 2 (those who did not develop urethral stricture). Annual checkups were performed after the postoperative months 1 and 6. The patients were checked by uroflowmetry + post-voiding residue and international index of erectile function. We evaluated the complications that developed during the perioperative period according to the Clavien system. RESULTS: Urethral stricture developed in 10.5% (13/124) of the patients. It was found that patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate for the second time (p=0.007), patients with a preoperative catheter or history of catheter insertion (p=0.009), patients with high preoperative median white blood cell (103) counts (p=0.013), and patients with long postoperative catheterization time had a higher rate of urethral stricture after bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (p=0.046). No grade 4 and grade 5 complications were observed according to the Clavien system in patients. CONCLUSION: Factors such as second transurethral resection of the prostate surgery, history of preoperative catheter insertion, high postoperative white blood cell count, and long postoperative catheterization time increase the risk of urethral stricture after bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate.

Factors predicting the development of urethral stricture after bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the rate of urethral stricture development, predictor factors, and the reliability following bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate. METHODS: A total of 124 patients participated in this study. Patient data were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into group 1 (those who developed urethral stricture) and group 2 (those who did not develop urethral stricture). Annual checkups were performed after the postoperative months 1 and 6. The patients were checked by uroflowmetry + post-voiding residue and international index of erectile function. We evaluated the complications that developed during the perioperative period according to the Clavien system. RESULTS: Urethral stricture developed in 10.5% (13/124) of the patients. It was found that patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate for the second time (p=0.007), patients with a preoperative catheter or history of catheter insertion (p=0.009), patients with high preoperative median white blood cell (103) counts (p=0.013), and patients with long postoperative catheterization time had a higher rate of urethral stricture after bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (p=0.046). No grade 4 and grade 5 complications were observed according to the Clavien system in patients. CONCLUSION: Factors such as second transurethral resection of the prostate surgery, history of preoperative catheter insertion, high postoperative white blood cell count, and long postoperative catheterization time increase the risk of urethral stricture after bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate.

Can we predict chemotherapy response in patients with metastatic testicular cancer? Role of thrombocytosis as a novel marker.

BACKGROUND: Primary treatment of choice for advanced germ cell tumors is 3 to 4 cycles of combination bleomycin-etoposide-cisplatin (BEP) chemotherapy. Although most patients treated for advanced germ cell tumors (GCT) will be cured, approximately 30% will fail to achieve a durable complete response (CR). Thrombocytosis has been found to be related with significantly shorter survival in many cancers. However, its role in testicular cancer patients has not been studied previously. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between thrombocytosis and chemotherapy response in patients with metastatic testicular cancer. METHODS: Records of 113 patients with advanced stage testicular cancer were reviewed. Treatment outcomes were classified as complete clinical response (cCR), partial clinical response (pCR), complete pathological response (cPR) and treatment failure and the relationship with thrombocytosis was investigated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with treatment failure. RESULTS: Totally 103 patients met the eligibility criteria. Thrombocytosis was detected in 26 (25.2%) patients. Treatment failure was observed in 14 (53.8%) and 28 (36.4%) of the patients in the thrombocytosis and non-thrombocytosis groups respectively (P=0.037). Thrombocytosis and IGCCCG high-risk group are found as independent prognostic factors for treatment failure in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Thrombocytosis is seen in 25% of patients with testicular GCT and it is found to be associated with poorer chemotherapy response in metastatic patients. It can be used to predict the response to chemotherapy.

Effect of dutasteride treatment on reducing blood loss and in perioperative period of open prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Open prostatectomy (OP) is a valid option for the surgical treatment of large prostates in the absence of holmium laser enucleation. The most frequent complication of OP is intra- and perioperative bleeding. Preoperative use of dutasteride has been shown to reduce vascularity and perioperative bleeding in transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P). However, there has been no study addresing this effect in OP. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether pretreatment with dutasteride for 6 weeks before OP can reduce surgical blood loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data of 218 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who underwent OP was investigated retrospectively. Of the 218 patients, 46 were treated with dutasteride for at least 6 weeks and the rest were dutasteride naïve. Age, prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, coagulation tests, platelet counts, pre- and postoperative hemoglobin (Hb) levels, and transfusion history were recorded. Blood loss was estimated as follows: preoperative Hb (-) postoperative Hb (+) amount of transfusion. The 2 groups were compared by independent samples t-test and a p value of 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The groups were similar in terms of age, prostate volume, platelet counts, coagulation tests, and postoperative Hb levels. Preoperative Hb levels were lower in the dutasteride group (13.4 vs. 14.3, p=0.002) and amount of bleeding (-2.72 g/dL vs. -1.93 g/dL, p= 0.01) was shown to be significantly lower in dutasteride group. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that pretreatment with dutasteride for 6 weeks before OP considerably reduces perioperative surgical bleeding. Further prospective randomized trials should be conducted to confirm the effectiveness of such treatment.

What is the best option for 10-20mm renal pelvic stones undergoing ESWL in the pediatric population: stenting, alpha blockers or conservative follow-up?

OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to identify the effect of three different modalities (stenting, doxazosin and conservative follow-up) on stone free rates and complication rates for 10-20mm renal pelvic stones in pediatric patients who underwent shock wave lithotripsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study data from 241 renal units (RUs) of 195 consecutive patients with 10-20mm renal pelvis stones were analyzed retrospectively. There were 3 groups in the study; 56 (23.2%) RUs with ureteral stenting were categorized as group 1, and 39 (16.2%) RUs that received doxazosin were categorized as group 2. The remaining 146 (60.6%) RUs without history of ureteral stenting or alpha-blockers usage were categorized as group 3. Patient demographics, stone characteristics, stone free rates (SFRs), time to stone expulsion and complications were documented and compared in each group. RESULTS: Mean age of the population was 6.6 years and mean stone size was 13.8 ± 2.9 mm. Demographic characteristics of the 3 groups were not significantly different. SFRs of the three groups were 89.2%, 87.1% and 82.1% (p = 0.275). Mean time to stone expulsion for groups 1 and 2 were 17.4 and 21.8 days respectively and significantly lower than that in group 3 (31.3 days). CONCLUSIONS: Ureteral stenting or doxazosin for shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) is not superior to watchful waiting in terms of SFR and complications however both modalities shorten the stone expulsion time for 10-20mm renal pelvis stones in the pediatric population.