An innovative approach to lifelong delayed ejaculation: does attachment style play a role?

PURPOSE: To examine whether there is a correlation between attachment styles, which is a developmental psychology theory, and lifelong DE. METHODS: The research was planned as prospective, multi-centric and cross-sectional study. Thirty patients who were consecutively admitted to the urology outpatient clinic and diagnosed with lifelong DE and 30 age-matched healthy controls were included in the study. All participants gave a detailed medical history and underwent a complete physical examination, and their laboratory and endocrine (prolactin and testosterone) results were evaluated. Additionally, all patients had to fill out socio-demographic information form, the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) Questionnaire, Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). RESULTS: The mean age of the DE patients was 33.5 ± 7.5 years. In the DE group, insecure attachment (both anxious and avoidant attachment), anxiety and depression scores were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.001, effect size medium or large) than the control group. Ejaculation times (both for vaginal intercourse and masturbation) were correlated with both insecure (anxious and avoidant) attachment types, as well as their anxiety and depression scores (p < 0.001). The ASEX satisfaction, ejaculation and total scores were found to be higher in DE patients (higher scores indicating greater sexual dysfunction) than in the control group. CONCLUSION: The large and significant relationships found between lifelong DE and attachment insecurities point to childhood developmental processes. The findings may help us better understand lifelong DE. There is a need for further extensive research on this subject.

Serum adenosine deaminase, catalase, and carbonic anhydrase activities in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether serum levels of adenosine deaminase (AD), catalase (CAT), and carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes may be useful biomarkers in the diagnosis of renal tumors and may lead to early diagnosis of renal tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 33 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and 31 healthy controls. The activity of serum AD, CA, and CAT was determined and analyzed using the Giusti spectrophotometric method, H2O2 substrate, and C02 hydration, respectively. RESULTS: Serum AD and CA activity were significantly higher in patients with RCC than in controls. However, serum CAT activity was significantly lower in patients with RCC than in controls. CONCLUSION: These markers might be potentially important as an additional biochemical tool for diagnosing RCC. We believe multidisciplinary studies are needed to plan patients' preoperative and postoperative treatment and to create follow-up protocols.

Serum levels of trace elements in patients with prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Trace elements are major components of biological structures; however, excessive levels of these elements can be toxic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, serum levels of trace elements were measured in 30 patients with newly diagnosed as prostate cancer and 32 healthy volunteer by using furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. RESULTS: It was found that there was an increase in serum levels of Co, Cu, Mg and Pb (p<0.05), whereas a decrease in serum levels of Fe, Mn, and Zn levels in patients with prostate cancer (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These changes may be important in the pathogenesis of prostate cancers; however, further prospective studies are needed to identify relationships between prostate cancer and trace elements.