A Predictive Factor in Overactive Bladder Symptoms Improvement after Combined Anterior Vaginal Wall Prolapse Repair: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine whether a preoperative urodynamic parameter is a valuable predictor for the persistence of OAB symptoms after the AVP repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 65 OAB patients with concomitant POP-Q stage III, IV anterior vaginal wall prolapse underwent a surgical repair were involved. All the patients were subjected to a preoperative urodynamic study, for whom the OABSS on questionnaire were preoperatively recorded. We firstly analyzed the correlation between the BOOI and the OABSS, then randomly divided patients into two groups: the group A (high PdetQmax, BOOI> or =20) and the group B (low PdetQmax, BOOI<20). In each group, the OABSS was repeatedly measured post-operatively and the change were analyzed. RESULTS: 31 patients were classified as the group A and 34 patients were classified as the group B. The group B showed significant decrease of symptom score in daytime frequency (p<0.01), urgency (p=0.04), urge incontinence (p=0.03), nocturnal frequency (p=0.01) and total score (p=0.01). The group A showed no significant decrease of symptom score in daytime frequency (p=0.42), urgency (p=0.61), urge incontinence (p=0.3), total score (p=0.15) except nocturnal frequency (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative pressure-flow study can be a valuable tool in predicting the OAB symptoms change after the combined AVP repair. While the AVP repair leads to the improvement of OAB symptoms generally, some patients with a higher preoperative PdetQmax are still in need of the additional medical treatment.

A Novel Pathway Underlying the Inhibitory Effects of Melatonin on Isolated Rat Urinary Bladder Contraction

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the direct effects of melatonin on bladder activity and to determine the mechanisms responsible for the detrusor activity of melatonin in the isolated rat bladder. We evaluated the effects of melatonin on the contractions induced by phenylephrine (PE), acetylcholine (ACh), bethanechol (BCh), KCl, and electrical field stimulation (EFS) in 20 detrusor smooth muscle samples from Sprague-Dawley rats. To determine the mechanisms underlying the inhibitory responses to melatonin, melatonin-pretreated muscle strips were exposed to a calcium channel antagonist (verapamil), three potassium channel blockers [tetraethyl ammonium (TEA), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and glibenclamide], a direct voltage-dependent calcium channel opener (Bay K 8644), and a specific calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) inhibitor (KN-93). Melatonin pretreatment (10(-8)~10(-6) M) decreased the contractile responses induced by PE (10(-9)~10(-4) M) and Ach (10(-9)~10(-4) M) in a dose-dependent manner. Melatonin (10(-7) M) also blocked contraction induced by high KCl ([KCl]ECF; 35 mM, 70 mM, 105 mM, and 140 mM) and EFS. Melatonin (10(-7) M) potentiated the relaxation response of the strips by verapamil, but other potassium channel blockers did not change melatonin activity. Melatonin pretreatment significantly decreased contractile responses induced by Bay K 8644 (10(-11)~10(-7) M). KN-93 enhanced melatonin-induced relaxation. The present results suggest that melatonin can inhibit bladder smooth muscle contraction through a voltage-dependent, calcium-antagonistic mechanism and through the inhibition of the calmodulin/CaMKII system.

Comparative Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Conventional Transurethral Resection of the Prostate, Transurethral Resection of the Prostate in Saline (TURIS), and TURIS-Plasma Vaporization for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Pilot St

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to perform a comparative analysis of the efficacy and safety of conventional transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P), transurethral resection in saline (TURIS), and TURIS-plasma vaporization (TURIS-V) when performed by a single surgeon for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 73 consecutive men who underwent conventional TUR-P (39), TURIS (19), or TURIS-V (15) for BPH were retrospectively analyzed. All procedures were carried out by a single surgeon between October 2007 and April 2010. The patients were assessed preoperatively and perioperatively and were followed at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Patient baseline characteristics, perioperative data, and postoperative outcomes were compared, and major complications were recorded. RESULTS: In all groups, significant improvements in subjective and objective voiding parameters were achieved and were sustained throughout follow-up. TURIS-V had the shortest operation time compared with conventional TUR-P and TURIS (p=0.211). TURIS-V significantly decreased procedural irrigation fluid volume, postoperative irrigation duration, catheter duration, and hospital stay compared with conventional TUR-P and TURIS. There were no significant differences between the groups in hemoglobin levels or serum sodium levels before and after the operations. There were three transfusions and four clot retentions in the TUR-P group, and one transfusion and one clot retention in the TURIS group. The TURIS-V group had no complications. CONCLUSIONS: TURIS and TURIS-V were effective for the surgical treatment of BPH in addition to conventional TUR-P. TURIS-V was not inferior to conventional TUR-P or TURIS in terms of safety.

The Significance of Persistent Abnormal Urine Cytology

PURPOSE: We investigated the factors that predicted later transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in a subgroup of patients with abnormal cytology and negative initial evaluations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2002 to June 2007, we retrospectively identified 58 patients. Cases were considered discordant if a work-up of urine cytology was abnormal although initial cystoscopy, upper tract evaluation, and biopsies resulted in a negative or benign diagnosis. Patients who could complete a urine cytology test after 6 to 8 weeks and who were followed up for at least 1 year were included in this study. According to later TCC demonstration, we compared risk factors for TCC between the later TCC group and the benign group and evaluated the independent factors that predicted later TCC by use of a Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: Of the 58 patients, the mean follow-up was 12.7+/-17.3 months (range: 2-83 months), and 14 patients (23.7%) had a prior history of TCC. During follow-up, 9 patients (15.3%) had TCC and 1 patient had prostate cancer. In the later TCC group, the incidence of a prior history of TCC (p=0.03) and persistent abnormal cytology (p<0.001) were higher than in the benign group in univariate analysis. In the Cox proportional hazards regression model, persistent abnormal cytology (p=0.033, relative risk (RR): 17.380 [95% CI: 1.265-238.783]) was the only independent factor to predict later TCC. The mean follow-up duration of later TCC demonstration was 8.55 months (range: 2-32 months). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in the setting of persistent abnormal urine cytology with a negative initial evaluation, 53.3% of patients will later develop TCC. Patients with persistent abnormal cytology need intensive follow-up within 1 year.

Development of Nomogram for Predicting Pathologic Outcome using Prostate-specific Antigen, Gleason Score, and the Percentage of Positive Core in the Clinically Confined Prostate Cancers, and Comparison with Nomogram using Existing Factors / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: There have been reports that clinical stages do not reflect patients' postoperative prognosis well. On the contrary, the clinical application of the percentage of positive core(%(+) core), which predicts tumor volume has been increasing. We developed nomogram for predicting pathologic outcome using prostate-specific antigen(PSA), Gleason score and %(+) core based on data of radical prostatectomy and compared it with nomogram using clinical stage instead of %(+) core. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and fifty nine patients with clinically confined prostate cancers were included in the study. Nomogram for predicting pathologic outcome was developed through multinominal logistic regression analysis, and pathologic outcomes were extracapsular invasion(ECE), seminal vesicle invasion(SVI) and bladder neck invasion(BNI). The accuracy of each nomogram for predicting each pathologic outcome was compared on the basis of receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: The mean %(+) core was 24.6% and clinical stages T1c, T2a,b and T2c were 58.7%, 32.0% and 9.3%, respectively. ECE was observed in 45(17.4%), SVI in 9(3.5%), and BNI in 12(4.6%). With an increase in PSA, Gleason score, clinical stage, or %(+) core, the incidence of extraprostatic involvement increased gradually. Two nomograms for predicting pathologic outcome were developed. In quantifying expected predictive improvement, area under ROC curve for predicting ECE was greater in the nomogram using %(+) core than clinical stage(0.815 vs. 0.778). These values for predicting SVI were 0.886 and 0.760, respectively, and for predicting BNI, 0.743 and 0.764, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We developed nomogram for predicting pathologic outcomes using %(+) core instead of clinical stage. Nomogram using %(+) core predicted ECE and SVI with greater accuracy than nomogram using clinical stage.

A Study on the Incidence and Preoperative Predicting Factors of Extraprostatic Extension in T1c Prostate Cancers / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence and identify the predicting factors of extraprostatic extension(EPE) in T1c prostate cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 267 consecutive men who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy(RRP) as initial treatment for prostate cancers, 131(49.1%) presented with a clinical stage T1c disease. Clinicopathological data were collected, and factors related to biopsy collected; i.e. the number of positive cores(No.(+) core); the percentage of positive cores(%(+) core); the maximal tumor length(Max. mm cancer); the sum of tumor length (Total mm cancer); the maximal ratio of tumor/core length(Max. % mm cancer) and the mean ratio of tumor/core length(Mean % mm cancer). A logistical regression analysis was performed after dividing the cases into organ-confined(OC) and EPE. RESULTS: Of the T1c tumors, 107(81.7%) and 24(18.3%) were found to be OC and to have EPE after RRP, respectively. The preoperative factors that showed a significant difference between the two groups(OC vs. EPE) were %free prostate-specific antigen(17.7 vs. 11.1%), prostate volume(43.5 vs. 34.6ml), Gleason score(6.4 vs. 6.8), %(+) core(17.9 vs. 27%), Max. mm cancer(3.5 vs. 6.7mm) and Max. % mm cancer(24.0 vs. 41.6%). Of these factors, those significantly predicting EPE in the receiver operator characteristics curve were: the Gleason score, %(+) core, Max. mm cancer and Max. % mm cancer. Of these, only the %(+) core and Max. mm cancer were significant in predicting EPE in the multivariate logistical regression. When the cutoff of %(+) core was 19%, the risk of EPE increased 2.3 times, and when the cutoff of Max. mm cancer was 5mm the risk increased 3.6 times. CONCLUSIONS: Max. mm cancer and %(+) core during a biopsy are preoperative factors that predict the EPE of a clinical stage T1c disease, and should be considered for modifying the surgical technique and in establishing treatment plans.

Pathologic Characteristics of Prostate Cancers Missed by Application of the Age-specific Prostate-specific Antigen Reference in Men over Sixties / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: To examine the pathologic characteristics of prostate cancers missed by application of the age-specific prostate-specific antigen(PSA) reference in Korean men over sixties in clinical practice based on PSA cutoff 3.0ng/ml. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We made retrospective analysis of 1,063 patients aged between 60-79 who had had transrectal ultrasonography(TRUS)- guided biopsy due to the rise of PSA over 3.0ng/ml or abnormal findings in digital rectal examination(DRE) or TRUS. Age-specific PSA reference was set at 3.9ng/ml for 60s and 5.4ng/ml for 70s. RESULTS: Prostate cancer was detected in 34.3%(365/1,063) as a whole, and 31.5% in 60s, and 39.5% in 70s according to the age. When age-specific reference 3.9ng/ml was applied to 60s, 20(9.6%) cancers were missed compared with clinical cutoff value(3.0ng/ml). When age-specific reference 5.4ng/ml was applied to 70s, 23(16.0%) cancers were missed. On the average, 43(12.2%) of cancers were missed in 60s and 70s. Of 43 missed cancers, 39(90.7%) were with normal DRE and TRUS. Of these cancers, 16(41.0%) were clinically insignificant on biopsy, but only 7(22.6%) were insignificant in the pathologic examination of 31 radical prostatectomy specimens. CONCLUSIONS: In our clinical practice based on PSA cutoff 3.0ng/ml, most cancers missed by application of age-specific reference are clinically significant. But, considering the positive effect of age-specific reference on avoidance of unnecessary biopsies, large prospective study is needed to evaluate the efficacy of age-specific reference in Korean men over sixties.