ABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and assess the effect of intermittent tamsulosin treatment as a trial to increase the drug safety (in terms of reducing the drug side effects, particularly retrograde ejaculation) while maintaining the effect in reducing the symptoms and assess its impact on the patients' quality of life. Materials and Methods: Patients who enrolled in this study were suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and were using 0.4 mg tamsulosin daily to relieve their symptoms but complained of ejaculatory problems. A baseline assessment involves medical history and evaluation of ejaculatory function abdominopelvic ultrasound, postvoid residual volume (PVR) estimation, the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life assessed using global satisfaction, vital signs, physical examination including digital rectal examination, and renal function. During the study, patients consented to take 0.4 mg tamsulosin intermittently every other day and to proceed with their sexual activities on the days they did not take the drug in. Baseline assessment was repeated and recorded after 3 months from starting the treatment. The adverse effects and compliance were analyzed in all patients. Results: Twenty-five patients had a mean baseline IPSS of 6.6 ± 1 and baseline PVR of 87.6 ± 15.1 ml. At the 3rd month, the mean PVR was 100.4 ± 15.1 ml and the mean IPSS was 7.3 ± 1.1. Moreover, 20 out of the total number of 25 patients (80%) reported improvement in their ejaculation. All our 20 patients who showed improvement in their ejaculatory function are either satisfied or very satisfied (4 or 5), in regard to the global satisfaction rate. Conclusion: Intermittent tamsulosin therapy (0.4 mg/every other day) is well-tolerated and shows a potential advantage in recovery in patients who suffer from LUTS/BPH and complaining from abnormal ejaculation, especially absent ejaculate. Although there was a significant change in PVR and IPSS after using intermittent tamsulosin therapy. Most patients show a higher overall satisfaction with the treatment compared to the standard dose (0.4 mg/daily). A study on a larger scale is still needed to confirm our results.
ABSTRACT
Backboard Cosmetic surgery is the preservation, rebuilding, or improvement of the physical appearance of an individual through surgical and non-surgical methods. In the last few years, an increase in the number of cosmetic procedures was noticed worldwide. This increase suggests due to multifactorial changes in people's attitudes towards cosmetic surgery and concern about their physical appearance. This study aims to assess the impact of self-esteem and self-perceived body image on the acceptance of cosmetic surgery and other related factors in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Material and methods This was a cross-sectional study carried out in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted between May and August 2021. A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to all the participants who are attending plastic surgery clinics and online through social media. Three valid and reliable scales were used [Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE)] to assess the relationship between these variables and other factors. The data were analyzed by using two-tailed tests. P-value less than 0.05 was statistically significant. Correlation analysis was done by using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Results A total of 1008 participants were included in the study with a response rate of 67%. Participant's ages ranged from 18 to 54 years with a mean age of 34.7 ± 11.2 years old. The study participants showed an average level of acceptance with a mean score % of 55.4% comparing to body appreciation; it was 74.2% higher with a more than average level of self-esteem, 24.7 out of 40 points for self-esteem with a mean score of 61.8%. Participants with a history of cosmetic surgery had significantly higher acceptance score than who did not (mean score of 72.6 compared to 57.1; P=0.001). Male participants had better body appreciation than females (mean score of 50.2 vs. 47.6, respectively; P=0.013). A weak positive correlation with no significance was found between participants' self-esteem and their acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Conclusion A better understanding of the acceptance of cosmetic surgery from a different cultural perspective and other related factors including social, psychological, and self-esteem are crucial for the plastic surgeon to ensure patient satisfaction.
