International Urology and Nephrology

The effects of "unilateral midurethral sling cut down" in women with voiding dysfunctions after anti-incontinence surgery Abstract Purposes Midurethral synthetic sling (MUS) placement via either the retropubic or transobturator route is the standard surgical procedure for women with stress urinary incontinence. However, a small portion of patients experienced voiding dysfunction after the surgery, which was debilitating to their quality of life. Our study was aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of the unilateral sling cut down for post-midurethral sling (MUS) voiding dysfunction and, secondarily, at evaluating the changes in urodynamic parameters. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who received unilateral midurethral sling cut down for voiding dysfunction after an MUS procedure. The cut-down procedures were performed at the urethral meatus, in the 9 or 3 o'clock direction. Preoperative and postoperative subjective and objective parameters were compared to evaluate the outcome of the cut-down procedures. Results We selected 15 patients who underwent unilateral MUS cut down for voiding dysfunction after anti-incontinence procedures with various MUSs. The cut-down procedures were performed at a median interval of 7.1 months after sling insertion. The subjective results of the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) after the cut-down procedure showed an overall satisfaction of 93.33%. After the cut-down procedure, the median flow rate increased from 14.8 to 22 ml/s (P > 0.05), and the post-void residual urine volume decreased from 193.5 to 35.0 ml (P < 0.05). All patients attained continence after the cut-down procedures. Conclusions Unilateral MUS cut down is effective in the management of voiding dysfunction after anti-incontinence surgery, with a low risk of recurrence of urinary incontinence.

Effects of intradialytic resistance exercise on systemic inflammation in maintenance hemodialysis patients with sarcopenia: a randomized controlled trial Abstract Purpose To investigate the effect of intradialytic resistance exercise on inflammation markers and sarcopenia indices in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with sarcopenia. Methods Forty-one MHD patients with sarcopenia were divided into an intervention group (group E, n = 21) and a control group (group C, n = 20). Group C patients only received routine hemodialysis care, whereas group E patients received progressive intradialytic resistance exercise with high or moderate intensity for 12 weeks at three times per week (using the weight of the lower limbs and elastic ball movement of the upper limb) on the basis of routine hemodialysis care. Results After 12 weeks, a significant difference in physical activity status (maximum grip strength, daily pace, and physical activity level), Kt/V, and C-reactive protein was found between groups E and C. Inflammatory factors (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α) increased or decreased more significantly in group E than in group C. Conclusions This study showed that intradialytic resistance exercise can improve physical activity effectively and reduce microinflammatory reactions even if this simple exercise does not affect the muscle mass in MHD patients with sarcopenia.

Organ-sparing procedures in GU cancer: part 2-organ-sparing procedures in testicular and penile tumors Abstract Purpose Organ-sparing surgery (OSS) is recommended in selected patients with testicular tumors and penile cancer (PC). The functional and psychological impacts of organ excision for these genital tumors are profound. In this review, we summarize the indications, techniques and outcomes of OSS for these two tumors. Methods PubMed® was searched for relevant articles up to December 2018. For Testicular sparing surgery (TSS) search, keywords used were; testicular tumors alone and in combination with "testicular sparing surgery", "partial orchiectomy" and outcomes. For penile conserving surgery (PCS), keywords used were: penile cancer alone and in combination with "penile conserving surgery", "partial penectomy" and outcomes. Because of the low quality of available evidence, a narrative rather that systematic review has been performed. Results Indications of TSS are tumors ≤ 2 cm in solitary testis or bilateral tumors and no rete testis invasion. Prerequisites include normal testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels and patient compliance with follow-up. Indications for PCS are distal penile lesions with clinical stage ≤ T1. Adequate penile stump (3 cm) is required after surgery to maintain forward urine stream. Frozen section helps to reduce the risk of recurrence. Local recurrence after PCS is not associated with reduced survival and can be managed with another PCS in selected patients. The reported oncological and functional outcomes following TSS and PCS are adequate. Conclusions In properly selected patient OSS in testicular and penile tumors has a comparable oncological outcome to total organ excision with added advantages of preserving organ function and psychological well-being.

Correction to: The clinical utility of prostate cancer heterogeneity using texture analysis of multiparametric MRI Unfortunately, in the original article one co-author's name is missing. The co-author name and affiliation is given as follows.

Commentary to: "Morphologic changes after bladder neck intussusception in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy contribute to early postoperative continence"

Comments on the article entitled "Morphologic changes after bladder neck intussusception in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy contribute to early postoperative continence"

Lactic acidosis due to metformin in type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease stage 3–5: is it significant? Abstract Purpose To study the incidence of lactic acidosis due to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3–5. Methods We estimated plasma lactate in patients of CKD stage 3 and worse who were continuing metformin on their own prior to stopping the drug. Result Of 40 patients included, median duration of T2DM was 60 months (interquartile range IQR 24–120). The mean serum creatinine was 309.4 ± 159.1 µmol/L and mean eGFR was 27.82 ± 12.93 mL/min/1.73 m2 with 3 (7.5%), 16 (40%), 11 (27.5%) and 10 (25%) in CKD stages 3a, 3b, 4 and 5, respectively. They were receiving metformin for a median duration of 24 months (IQR 12.5–60), an average dose of 896 ± 350 mg per day. The median of plasma lactate was 1.36 mmol/L (IQR 1.11–1.75 mmol/L) with three (7.5%) having levels above normal, two (20%) in CKD stage 5 and one (9.1%) in stage 4. Conclusion Metformin can be safely used in CKD stage 3 and with regular measurement of plasma lactate in later stages.

Choosing an equation for glomerular filtration rate in decompensated cirrhosis: "Royal Free Hospital" formula is able to predict short-term mortality

A comprehensive review on apolipoproteins as nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors in end-stage renal disease: current evidence and perspectives Abstract Purpose Nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors such as lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), the genetic polymorphisms of apolipoprotein(a), apolipoprotein E (ApoE), and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) increase the prevalence of atherosclerosis in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) through quantitative and qualitative alterations. Given the high burden of cardiovascular fatal events in ESRD, this review aims to gather studies depicting apolipoproteins' changes in ESRD, to describe current evidence and to explore potential lipid-lowering therapies. Methods We searched the electronic database of PubMed, SCOPUS, EBSCO, and Cochrane CENTRAL for studies evaluating apolipoproteins in ESRD. Randomized controlled trials, observational studies (including case–control, prospective, or retrospective cohort), and reviews/meta-analysis were included if reference was made to apolipoproteins and cardiovascular consequences in ESRD. Results 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found a significant correlation between Lp(a) plasma concentrations and atherosclerosis. Lp(a) levels were independent risk factors for atherothrombosis and cardiovascular mortality. LMW apo(a) phenotype proved to be the best predictor for coronary events in ESRD. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in ApoE gene affected the expression and function of the protein, increasing the risk of cardiovascular events. ApoB had a significant correlation with the value of carotid intima–media thickness and vascular stiffness. Conclusions The picture of "lipid milieu" in ESRD has not been clearly described. Novel studies show that specific apolipoproteins suffer modifications in uremic patients, being correlated with cardiovascular events. Probably in the next years, the treatment of dyslipidemia in ESRD will not merely target LDL or total cholesterol, but specific isoforms of apolipoproteins which seem to become the central part of the problem.

Correlation of serum galectin-3 level with renal volume and function in adult polycystic kidney disease Abstract Purpose The decrease in kidney functions in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is strongly correlated with the severity and growth of kidney cysts. Total kidney volume (TKV) was shown to be an early marker of the severity of the disease and a predictor of reduction in kidney functions. New treatment approaches for ADPKD have led to a need for easily applicable strong biomarkers predicting progression of the disease. The profibrotic mediator of galectin-3 (Gal-3) is linked to development of renal fibrosis. Methods The study included 74 patients with ADPKD diagnosis and 40 healthy controls. The TKV of patients was calculated using the manual tracing method on MR images. The serum Gal-3 levels of patient and healthy control groups were measured with the ELISA method. The correlations between serum Gal-3 value with TKV and kidney function were assessed in patients. Results As the stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) increased, serum Gal-3 and TKV values increased (p < 0.001, p = 0.049, respectively). Correlation analysis found a negative relationship between serum Gal-3 levels and eGFR (r: − 0.515, p < 0.001); however, there was no relationship between serum Gal-3 and TKV (r = 0.112, p = 0.344). Linear regression analysis showed the major parameter affecting Gal-3 was eGFR (p = 0.016). Conclusions In our study, we showed that renal impairment is an important determinant of Gal-3, and there is no correlation of Gal-3 and TKV in ADPKD. As a result, there is an urgent clinical need for new biomarkers to identify individuals with the chance of treatment in the early stage among ADPKD patients.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com