Metabolic syndrome, malnutrition, and its associations with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients: Follow-up for three years.

Metabolic disorder contributes to the increase in the mortality rate of patients on hemodialysis (HD). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and malnutrition in patients on maintenance HD and to evaluate their influence on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality during the follow-up. We carried out a prospective cross- sectional study in which we enrolled 100 patients from a single center who had been followed up for three years. Collected data included demographic characteristics, detailed medical history, clinical variables, MS variables, nutritional status, and laboratory findings. The outcomes were the occurrence of a cardiovascular event and cardiovascular or all-cause mortality during the follow-up period. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software was used for statistical analysis. Whereas 50% of patients had MS, 23% showed evidence of malnutrition. Patients with MS were older and had more preexisting cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). All patients were followed for 36 months. During this time, 19 patients with MS and 14 patients without MS died (38% vs. 28%; P = 0.19), most frequently of CVD. Mean survival time was 71.52 ± 42.1 months for MS group versus 92.06 ± 65 months for non-MS group, but the difference was not significant. MS was related with a higher cardiovascular mortality, while malnutrition was significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Our data showed that MS was not related to cardiovascular or all-cause mortality in HD patients and did not influence survival. The independent risk factors for all-cause mortality were older age, preexisting CVD, and malnutrition.

State of the art: Open prostatectomy for benign prostate hyperplasia: Should we avoid it in all cases?

Surgical procedures for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) had considerably evolved during last decades. New techniques can nowadays treat prostate big in size, which are classically treated by open prostatectomy (OP). Therefore, the place of this procedure that has been used for over 150 years is nowadays questioned. Is it outdated? Is there emerging techniques that are more efficient, safer and cost effective? This state of the art based on literature review will assess the place of OP in BPH surgery from efficacy on functional outcomes, security, competitiveness with modern and minimally invasive techniques and socio-economic perspectives. Currently, OP has excellent functional outcomes, with low rate of retreatment after surgery, low morbidity and affordable cost in our country. It remains competitive with new surgery techniques for BPH, even if the latter offer the advantages of a minimally invasive surgery, especially in hospitalization length. Taking in consideration the social and economic context in Tunisia, it remains the most accessible and affordable surgical technique. Besides, OP is a procedure that has to be handled by every urologist given the theoretical risk of conversion during endoscopic surgery of BPH, and its use under certain circumstances (In case of bladder lithiasis ou diverticle or impossibility of lithotomy position).