[Erectile dysfunction, an urologic and multidisciplinary approach]. / Dysfonction érectile, une prise en charge urologique et multidisciplinaire.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complaint, both in the general medicine and the urology out-patient clinic. The quite recent availability of effective treatments has profoundly changed the perception of sexual health in society, which has become more demanding. We should see erectile or sexual function as a health marker. Its causes are often diverse but we can classify them as somatic (vascular, neurological, endocrine, tissue-related, iatrogenic) or psychogenic. Management should be etiological if possible. It often goes first by reducing cardiovascular risk factors and then by prescribing a vasodilating agent functioning through the inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5. When modifiable cardiovascular risk factors are identified, we refer the patient to a specialized consultation. ED is to be seen as a warning sign of a preventable disease or cardiovascular event.

La dysfonction érectile (DE) est une plainte fréquente en consultation de médecine générale ou d'urologie. L'arrivée de traitements efficaces a modifié profondément la perception de la santé sexuelle dans la société, qui est devenue plus exigeante. Ainsi, la fonction érectile et sexuelle a désormais émergé comme un marqueur de santé globale. Les causes de la DE sont souvent mixtes : elles peuvent être somatiques (vasculaire, neurologique, endocrine, tissulaire, iatrogène) ou psychogènes. La prise en charge doit être étiologique si possible. Elle passe souvent d'abord par la réduction des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaire (FRCV) puis par un soutien médicamenteux vasodilatateur par inhibition de la phosphodiesérase 5. Lorsqu'on identifie des FRCV modifiables, nous adressons le patient en consultation spécialisée de prévention cardiovasculaire. La DE doit être vue comme un signe d'alerte prédictif de maladie ou d'événement cardiovasculaire évitable.

Study of the influence of over-the-counter vitamin supplement intake on urine fluorescence to optimize cancer detection by fluorescence cystoscopy.

Fluorescence cystoscopy (FC) efficiently enhances the detection and improves the therapeutic management of early bladder cancer. During an FC, about 150 ml of water is needed to inflate the bladder. The water is quickly diluted by urine which can be fluorescent. If this bladder washout fluid (BWF) becomes fluorescent, the FC images are frequently degraded. Unfortunately, it is unclear which elements of the diet may contribute to this background fluorescence. We propose to start this exploration with over-the-counter (OTC) vitamin supplements. To this end, we measured excitation­emission matrices of urine samples and the kinetics of modifications of urine fluorescence obtained from nine healthy volunteers before, during, and after intake of a commercially available OTC vitamin supplement. The pharmacokinetics shows that the BWF fluorescence values reach a maximum 8 to 10 h after vitamin intake. They decrease in the half-day that follows and reach values close to baseline ~1 day afterward. Based on these results, we conclude that, in order to avoid degradations of fluorescence images, it is likely best that the intake of OTC vitamin supplements be avoided during the week preceding an FC.

[Scrotal pain and/or enlargement: initial diagnostic and therapeutic management by the general practitioner]. / Douleurs et tuméfactions scrotales: prise en charge initiale diagnostique et thérapeutique par le generalist.

Although the issue is specifically urologic, scrotal pain and/or enlargement is not an exception at the general practitioner's outpatient clinic. Besides testicular torsion, usually managed in an emergency division setting, there are four frequent diagnoses: testicular tumor, orchi-epididimytis, hydrocele or spermatocele, so as varicocele. The purpose of this article is to provide an update and allow to easily identify serious or frequent scrotal pathologies in primary care medecine.