Protective Effect of All-Trans Retinoic Acid in Cisplatin-Induced Testicular Damage in Rats

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in cisplatin (CP)-induced testicular damage in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Control, ATRA alone, ATRA+CP, and CP alone. Body weight, testicular weight, sperm count, sperm motility, percentage of abnormal sperm, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) in testicular tissue, and testicular histopathology were compared among groups. RESULTS: The sperm count and motility significantly decreased and the percentage of abnormal sperm significantly increased in the CP group compared to the control and ATRA groups. CP+ATRA administration significantly increased the sperm count and motility, but reduced the abnormal sperm count. CP administration significantly increased TOS and OSI compared to the control group and the other groups. Administering CP+ATRA significantly decreased TOS and the OSI in testicular tissue and reduced spermatogenesis, but increased the Johnsen score. CONCLUSIONS: The destructive effects of CP treatment on testicular tissue and spermatogenesis were reduced by administering ATRA.

Predictors of prostate cancer diagnosis at repeat prostate biopsy in patients initially diagnosed with atypical small acinar proliferation

Objective: To determine the predictors of prostate cancer at repeat biopsy in patients initially diagnosed with atypical small acinar proliferation [ASAP]

Design: Retrospective study

Setting: Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Turkey

Subjects: Among 1240 patients, only 54 patients diagnosed with ASAP on initial biopsy underwent repeat biopsy

Intervention: Patients were classified into cancer, benign and ASAP groups according to their final pathological results after repeat biopsy

Main outcome measure: The final pathological results of repeat biopsy were compared according to the clinicobiological features

Results: At the repeat 24 core prostate biopsy, the diagnoses were benign prostate, prostate cancer and ASAP in 26/54 [48.2%], 20/54 [37.03%] and 8/54 [14.8%] patients, respectively. In the cancer, ASAP and benign groups, the mean age was 67.2 +/- 5.4, 56.3 +/- 6.7 and 61.8 +/- 8.5 years, respectively. The cancer detection rate was 37.03%. Except for patient age, we found no clinical or pathological features predicting prostate cancer in patients with ASAP at repeat biopsy

Conclusion: Only the age of the patients is a predictive factor of prostate cancer at repeat biopsy in patients diagnosed with ASAP

Assessment of Proportion of Hidden Patients Having Symptoms of Overactive Bladder and Why Has It Been Hidden in Female Outpatients Admitted to Hospital / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

PURPOSE: To determine the proportion of patients with undetected symptoms of overactive bladder by using the overactive bladder-validated 8 (OAB-V8) screening questionnaire and investigate these symptoms were undetected in female patients who were hospitalized. METHODS: We invited 2,250 female patients hospitalized in the Aegean region of Turkey to answer a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on evidence of lower urinary tract symptoms (OAB-V8), relevant medical history, and demographic data. Patients with a total OAB-V8 score≥8 were defined as having OAB symptoms. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with OAB symptoms in this study was 40.6%. Nearly 57% of the patients with OAB symptoms had not been previously admitted to any hospital for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The two most common reasons why women with OAB symptoms did not admit themselves to a hospital because of LUTS were as follows: "I did not think I had a disease" and "The symptoms did not bother me," with a response rate of 74.7%. The mean OAB-V8 scores of the patients with these two responses were significantly lower than those of the other patients (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate a significant proportion of women with undetected OAB symptoms. The main reasons the women did not admit themselves to a hospital were their unawareness of the disease and because the LUTS were not bothersome. Public awareness programs on this disease may resolve this problem.

Idiopathic scrotal calcinosis

Idiopathic scrotal calcinosis is a rare scrotal benign disease. Its distinct features are painless, non-pruritic, semi-soft palpable calcific transdermal nodules. We report a 42-year-old-man with asymptomatic multiple calcified scrotal skin nodules for 10 years. Under spinal anesthesia, the affected scrotal skin was excised and the nodules removed. We aim to explain the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment modalities of this rare disease