Febrile Urinary Tract Infection after Radical Cystectomy and Ileal Neobladder in Patients with Bladder Cancer

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common complications after radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder reconstruction. This study investigated the incidence and implicated pathogen of febrile UTI after ileal neobladder reconstruction and identify clinical and urodynamic parameters associated with febrile UTI. From January 2001 to May 2015, 236 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and ileal neobladder were included in this study. Fifty-five episodes of febrile UTI were identified in 46 patients (19.4%). The probability of febrile UTI was 17.6% and 19.8% at 6 months and 24 months after surgery, respectively. While, Escherichia coli was the most common implicated pathogen (22/55, 40.0%), Enterococcus spp. were the most common pathogen during the first month after surgery (18/33, 54.5%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, ureteral stricture was an independent risk factor associated with febrile UTI (OR 5.93, P = 0.023). However, ureteral stricture accounted for only 6 episodes (10.9%, 6/55) of febrile UTI. Most episodes of febrile UTI occurred within 6 months after surgery. Thus, to identify risk factors associated with febrile UTI in the initial postoperative period, we assessed videourodynamics within 6 months after surgery in 38 patients. On videourodyamic examination, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was identified in 16 patients (42.1%). The rate of VUR presence in patients who had febrile UTI was not significantly different from those in patients without febrile UTI (50% vs. 39.3%, P = 0.556). Patients with febrile UTI had significantly larger residual urine volume (212.0 ± 193.7 vs. 90.5 ± 148.2, P = 0.048) than those without. E. coli and Enterococcus spp. are common pathogens and ureteral stricture and residual urine are risk factors for UTI after ileal neobladder reconstruction.

Correlations of Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome with Female Sexual Activity

PURPOSE: We investigated how the symptoms of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) are correlated with the sexual activity of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 87 patients were included in this study; 18 patients were diagnosed with IC and the other 69 had PBS. The diagnosis was made on the basis of the concept of IC/PBS proposed by the ICS in 2002. Patients were asked to fill in a Bristol female lower urinary tract symptom questionnaire, and symptoms were rated on a scale of from 1 to 4 or 5. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation of pain and urinary symptoms with quality of life and sexual activity. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 51+/-14.7 years (range, 28-74 years). Age and vulvodynia were positively correlated with one another (r=0.232), and there was a negative correlation between age and dyspareunia (r=-0.302). Among the items regarding IC/PBS and sexual activity, frequency showed a positive correlation with vulvodynia (r=0.258) in addition to an inhibited sex life (r=0.403). Urgency showed a positive correlation with an inhibited sex life (r=0.346). Vulvodynia showed a positive correlation with an inhibited sex life (r=0.259) and dyspareunia (r=0.401). The main symptoms of IC/PBS (frequency, urgency, and pelvic pain) showed a positive correlation with almost all items related to quality of life (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Frequency, urgency, and various types of pain are negatively correlated with the sexual activity of patients. This suggests that physicians should consider sexual function in the management of patients with IC/PBS.

Aneurysmal Dilatation of Corpus Cavernosum as an Unusual Complication of Dorsal Penile Neurectomy / 대한남성과학회지

A 43-year-old man presented painless protruding mass on left side of penile shaft only during erection. 1 year ago he had a dorsal penile neurectomy for the treatment of premature ejaculation at local clinic. A protruding cavernousal aneurysm about 2 cm in diameter was developed 6 months after surgery and confirmed on penile duplex ultrasonography after PDE5 inhibitor ingestion with visual sexual stimulation. We have observed the lesion every month and found there was slight enlargement for the last 3 months without any other symptoms. We performed cavernosoplasty under the genereal anesthesia. There was a round cavernosal aneurysm on the left side of penile mid-shaft about 4cm in diameter after artificial erection with intracavernosal saline injection. We prevented cavernosal protrusion by covering the aneurismal surface with bovine pericardium patch (Supple Peri-Guard(R)). There was no side effect for 6 months postoperatively. This is an unusual type of complication of dorsal penile neurectomy.

Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence and Its Related Factors among the Rural Residing Elderlies / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to find out the frequency of urinary incontinence among the rural elderly people and its related factors. METHODS: Informations have been obtained through interviews from the 464 rural residents of advanced age over 65 years on September 1st through November 30th, 2007, in Chungnam Province. RESULTS: As for the rate of experiencing urinary incontinence, the group with the experience rate of 'every day' were 9.5% and 'occasionally' 35.5%, with the total of 45.0%. The higher rates of urinary incontinence were in the elderly women(58.5%) than in the elderly men (29.8%), in the more advanced in age, in the higher educated, and in the groups with higher monthly income. Based on life styles, the rate of experiencing urinary incontinence was significantly higher in smoking groups and non-drinking groups. Based on subjective senses of health, it was more highly associated with the groups who reported that they were not healthy, that they concerned themselves about health, that they had physical disability, that they had forgetfulness, and they needed assistance in terms of activity of daily living(ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living(IADL) than their respective counterparts. By the result of multiple logistic regression, sex, age, smoking status, anxiety, physical disability, amnesia, and IADL was indicated the affecting factors to the prevalence of urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: The above results reveal that the rate of urinary incontinence was higher in the elderly women than the elderly men, and in more advanced age. Moreover, its rate increases in the groups with undesirable life styles or lower senses of subjective and physical health conditions. It is highly suggested that efforts to manage urinary incontinence of the elderly need to be narrowed to the more advanced, especially those with lower standards of health conditions.

Clinical Effects of Cycloxygenase-2 Inhibitor on Nocturia

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the effects of cyclooxgenase-2 inhibitors on patients with nocturia, whose symptoms persisted after the use of first-line drug therapy, such as alpha blockers and/or anticholinergics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients whose symptoms persisted after more than three months of first-line drug therapy were chosen to receive additional COX-2 inhibitors or antidiuretic hormones orally. Seven patients (group 1) were given 80mg of zaltoprofen at night, while 15 (group 2) were given 100mg of nimesulide at night. Desmopressin acetate (0.2mg) was administered at night to 11 patients (group 3) as a control group. Median follow up was 35 days (range, 28~90 days). RESULTS: In 25 patients (75.8%), the severity of nocturia was reduced. The median decline of nocturia in the COX-2 inhibitor groups (groups 1 and 2) was once, and it was statistically significant (p<0.001), while the median decline in each of these groups was twice (p=0.026) and once (p=0.002), respectively. The reduction of nocturia in the control group was once (p=0.011). The differences in reduction between the COX-2 inhibitor group and the control group were not statistically significant (p=0.418). CONCLUSIONS: The effects of the COX-2 inhibitors were not significantly different from those of desmopressin. Combination therapy with COX-2 inhibitors can effectively reduce nocturia in patients with refractory nocturia, following first-line drug therapy.

Development of Position Encoding Circuit for a Multi-Anode Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube / 핵의학분자영상

PURPOSE: The goal of this paper is to present the design and performance of a position encoding circuit for 16 x 16 array of position sensitive multi-anode photomultiplier tube for small animal PET scanners. This circuit which reduces the number of readout channels from 256 to 4 channels is based on a charge division method utilizing a resistor array. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The position encoding circuit was simulated with PSpice before fabrication. The position encoding circuit reads out the signals from H9500 flat panel PMTs (Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Japan) on which 1.5 x 1.5 x 7.0 mm3 L0.9GSO (Lu1.8Gd0.2SiO5:Ce) crystals were mounted. For coincidence detection, two different PET modules were used. One PET module consisted of a 29 x 29 L0.9GSO crystal layer, and the other PET module two 28 x 28 and 29 x 29 L0.9GSO crystal layers which have relative offsets by half a crystal pitch in x- and y-directions. The crystal mapping algorithm was also developed to identify crystals. RESULTS: Each crystal was clearly visible in flood images. The crystal identification capability was enhanced further by changing the values of resistors near the edge of the resistor array. Energy resolutions of individual crystal were about 11.6%(SD 1.6). The flood images were segmented well with the proposed crystal mapping algorithm. CONCLUSION: The position encoding circuit resulted in a clear separation of crystals and sufficient energy resolutions with H9500 flat-panel PMT and L0.9GSO crystals. This circuit is good enough for use in small animal PET scanners.

Effects of Quality of Sleep and Related Factors for Fatigue Symptoms of Nurses in an University Hospital / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The present study was intended to measure fatigue symptoms according to the quality of sleep among nurses working for an university hospital and to reveal its related factors. METHODS: The self-administered questionnaires were given to 397 nurses employed in an university hospital located in Daejeon City during the period from June 1st to July 31st, 2007. RESULTS: The group with higher quality of sleep accounted for 78.1% of all the subjects and the one with lower quality, 21.9%. According to qualities of sleep, the fatigue symptom was determined to be significantly higher in the group with lower quality of sleep than its counterpart. On adjustment for quality of sleep, the level of fatigue symptom was significantly higher in the groups, than in each respective counterparts, who don't take regular exercises, who have few leisure time, who have lower level of subjective health status, who range> or = 1 and < 10 years in job careers, who work in shifts, who reported that it is hard to get physical burden of work, who are satisfied with the job, who find themselves unfit to the job, who are considering quitting the job, who have higher job demand, who have lower job control, who have higher level of supervisor support, who have type A behavior pattern. CONCLUSION: The study results may explain that the fatigue symptom of nurses is highly associated with the quality of sleep independently of other variables and also with job-related characteristics independently of the sleep quality. In conclusion, to reduce the fatigue symptom of nurses, strategic efforts should be directed for programs to improve the quality of sleep and a proper job analysis.

Relationship between Job Stress Contents, Psychosocial Factors and Mental Health Status among University Hospital Nurses in Korea / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The present study was intended to assess the mental health of nurses working for university hospitals and to establish which factors determine their mental health. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were given to 1,486 nurses employed in six participating hospitals located in Daejeon City and Chungnam Province between July 1st and August 31st, 2006. The questionnaire items included sociodemographic, job-related, and psychosocial factors, with job stress factors (JCQ) as independent variables and indices of mental health status (PWI, SDS and MFS) as dependent variables. For statistical analysis, the Chi-square test was used for categorical variables, with hierarchical multiple regression used for determining the factors effecting mental health. The influence of psychosocial and job-related factors on mental health status was assessed by covariance structure analysis. The statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: The factors influencing mental health status among subject nurses included sociodemographic characteristics such as age, number of hours of sleep, number of hours of leisure, and subjective health status; job-related characteristics such as status, job satisfaction, job suitability, stresses such as demands of the job, autonomy, and coworker support; and psychosocial factors such as self-esteem, locus of control and type A behavior patterns. Psychosocial factors had the greatest impact on mental health. Covariance structure analysis determined that psychosocial factors affected job stress levels and mental health status, and that the lower job stress levels were associated with better mental health. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the study results, improvement of mental health status among nurses requires the development and application of programs to manage job stress factors and/or psychosocial factors as well as sociodemographic and job-related characteristics.