Impact of Statin Intake on Kidney Stone Formation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether statin intake affects nephrolithiasis risk, and whether higher lipid levels correlate with stone risk. Dyslipidemia is a known independent risk factor for urolithiasis, and emerging evidence suggests common biological pathways. Previous work has suggested that statins protect against new stone formation, but these findings have not been verified by other investigators. METHODS: We queried our Institution's Electronic Data Warehouse for all patients who were newly diagnosed with hyperlipidemia between 2009 and 2011, and had never taken a statin drug. These patients' clinical outcomes were followed until 2015, to assess whether they had been newly prescribed statins and whether they had developed symptomatic urolithiasis. Patient demographics, stone risk factors, prescription data, and serum lipid values were collected. RESULTS: A total of 101,259 patients met inclusion criteria, 47.8% of whom received a statin prescription during the study period. Patients prescribed statins were significantly older, had a greater likelihood of osteoporosis, hemiplegia, immobility, and more likely to take a thiazide diuretic. Patients without a history of urolithiasis who were started on statin therapy were significantly less likely to develop new stones than patients not taking statins. This protective effect was even greater in patients with a history of stone disease. Lipid parameters (low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, cholesterol) were lower in the statin-treated group, suggesting overall compliance with these medications. CONCLUSION: Our data confirm previous work that statins protect against urinary stone formation; however, the underlying mechanism seems to be distinct from statins' lipid-lowering effect.

Facility-level analysis of robot utilization across disciplines in the National Cancer Database.

To evaluate trends in contemporary robotic surgery across multiple organ sites as they relate to robotic prostatectomy volume. We queried the National Cancer Database for patients who underwent surgery from 2010 to 2013 for prostate, kidney, bladder, corpus uteri, uterus, cervix, colon, sigmoid, rectum, lung and bronchus. The trend between volumes of robotic surgery for each organ site was analyzed using the Cochran-Armitage test. Multivariable models were then created to determine independent predictors of robotic surgery within each organ site by calculating the odds ratio with 95% CI. Among the 566,399 surgical cases analyzed, 35.1% were performed using robot assistance. Institutions whose robotic prostatectomy volume was in the top 75 percentile compared to the bottom 25 percentile performed a larger percentage of robotic surgery on the following sites: kidney 32.6 vs. 28.8%, bladder 23.6 vs. 18.6%, uterus 52.5 vs. 47.7%, cervix 43.5 vs. 39.2%, colon 3.2 vs. 2.9%, rectum 10.7 vs. 8.9%, and lung 7.3 vs. 6.8% (all p < 0.0001). It appears that increased trends toward robotic surgery in urology have lead to increased robotic utilization within other surgical fields. Future analysis in benign utilizations of robotic surgery as well as outcome data comparing robotic to open approaches are needed to better understand the ever-evolving nature of minimally invasive surgery within the United States.

The Relationship between Sleep Disorders and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Results from the NHANES.

PURPOSE: It is well established that sleep disorders are associated with the nocturia prevalence in men. While previous literature supports that patients with sleep disorders are at increased risk for nocturia, the risk of daytime lower urinary tract symptoms has not been well established. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) database between 2006 and 2008. Men older than 40 years who completed the sleep, prostate and kidney questionnaires were included in study. The presence of lower urinary tract symptoms was defined as 2 or more symptoms, including hesitancy, incomplete emptying and/or nocturia. Multivariable models using logistic regression were constructed to compare groups of men with and without a sleep disorder. RESULTS: Of the 3,071 men who completed all survey questions 270 (8.8%) reported a sleep disorder. Men with a sleep disorder had a significantly higher body mass index (30.8 vs 27.4 kg/m2), a greater likelihood of reporting diabetes (20.3% vs 10.2%) and more comorbidities (72.6% vs 45.2%, all p <0.01) than men without a sleep disorder. Multivariable logistic regressions demonstrated that men with a sleep disorder were more likely to report nocturia (OR 1.23), 2 or more lower urinary tract symptoms (OR 1.12) and daytime lower urinary tract symptoms (OR 1.27, all p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disorders are associated with an increased risk of nocturia and daytime lower urinary tract symptoms independent of body mass index, diabetes and an increased number of comorbidities. Based on the current data clinicians should consider assessing lower urinary tract symptoms in men with a sleep disorder since intervention could improve lower urinary tract symptoms and sleep disorders as well as daytime urinary symptoms.

Variation in Testosterone Levels and Health-related Quality of Life in Men Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which low testosterone levels impact health-related quality of life in patients undergoing active surveillance (AS) for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eligible AS patients were grouped as having low, low-normal, or normal testosterone levels (<300 vs 300-400 vs ≥400 ng/dL). Patients were surveyed with the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-26 (EPIC-26), Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer, and treatment outlook satisfaction questions at enrollment and successively during follow-up. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 223 patients, 74 (33%) of which had low testosterone levels. The mean age was 66.8 ± 7.2 years, with 85% being Caucasian. Mean prostate-specific antigen did not differ between groups. Obesity was significantly higher for men with low testosterone levels (P < .01). All PROMIS-Global items were comparatively lower in men with lower testosterone. EPIC-26 scores for the sexual domain were worse in men with lower testosterone. After age and obesity adjustment, men with normal testosterone levels had significantly better PROMIS Physical, Overall, and Mental Health, EPIC-26 Hormonal, and treatment satisfaction responses when compared to those patients with low testosterone levels. Those with normal testosterone levels reported hormonal EPIC-26 domain responses 65% higher than for those with low testosterone, and 12% higher treatment satisfaction during 2-year follow-up when corrected for age and obesity (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Men with testosterone levels ≥400 ng/dL reported some improved measures of health-related quality of life including greater satisfaction with treatment outcome. These findings are hypothesis generating in the controversial area of exogenous testosterone administration in men on AS.