Free insulin-like growth factor-1 and unilateral complete ureteral obstruction in the rat.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of unilateral ureteral obstruction on renal free insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) content in the kidneys and the possible role of free IGF-1 in compensatory growth in the nonobstructed kidney in an experimental model. METHODS: The content of free IGF-1 and total protein in the obstructed and nonobstructed kidneys were measured 7 days after unilateral ureteral obstruction. The weights of the kidneys were also determined. The results were compared with those of the sham-operated animals. RESULTS: The mean renal free IGF-1 level of the obstructed kidneys was significantly lower than the mean renal free IGF-1 level of the sham-operated kidneys (P = 0.03), and the mean renal free IGF-1 level of the nonobstructed kidneys was significantly higher than the mean renal free IGF-1 level of the sham-operated kidneys (P <0.0001). The serum free IGF-1 levels in the two groups were not different. The mean weight of the obstructed and nonobstructed kidneys was significantly higher than those of the sham-operated kidneys (1.49 +/- 0.09 and 1.03 +/- 0.03 versus 0.88 +/- 0.02 g, P <0.0001 and P = 0.006, respectively). The obstructed kidneys had significantly lower mean protein content than the nonobstructed kidneys and had significantly higher mean protein content than the sham-operated kidneys (P <0.0001 and P = 0.0004, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal that compensatory renal growth is driven by a rise in the free IGF-1 concentration after unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Effect of transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate on serum prostate-specific antigen levels and free/total prostate-specific antigen ratio.

To study the effect of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) on serum total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA and free/total (f/t) PSA ratio and to determine the reliability of serum total and free PSA levels and f/t PSA ratio after such interventions, serum free and total PSA levels and f/t PSA ratios were determined before, immediately after and 24 h after TRUS in 44 patients who were referred to our department by their general practitioner for prostate screening. The duration of TRUS procedure and prostate volume and age were evaluated to determine whether the serum PSA levels following TRUS had changed. The total PSA and free PSA levels and f/t PSA ratio did not show any significant rise immediately after DRE and TRUS. The duration of the TRUS procedure did not appear to affect the PSA values. Age and prostate volume were not correlated with the PSA levels. Our findings revealed no significant changes in f/t PSA ratio and serum free and total PSA level, suggesting that serum free and total PSA levels and f/t PSA ratio may be more reliable parameters in the early period after TRUS.

Treatment with neodymium: YAG laser in patients with chronic prostatitis: a preliminary report.

A group of 30 patients with chronic abacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia, all of whom were unresponsive to conventional treatments, underwent transurethral neodymium: YAG laser therapy. The patients were evaluated with both objective and subjective parameters before and after treatment. Following treatment, the preliminary results at six months showed positive response (complete plus partial) rates in subjective parameters ranging from 47% to 86%. On the other hand, objective parameters including mean international prostate symptom scores (IPSS), mean quality of life indexes (QoL), mean uroflowmetric measurements and mean leukocyte count in expressed prostatic secretions showed marked improvements which were meaningful statistically. In 4 of 7 patients who underwent needle biopsy of the prostate, histology revealed definite inflammatory infiltration changes. Control biopsies following treatment showed almost complete disappearance of these changes. These preliminary results open up a new treatment modality in the management of this condition which has so far responded poorly to conventional therapy.