The role of endothelial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction in diabetes and in determining response to treatment.

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) in diabetes is related to autonomic neuropathy and endothelial dysfunction. We studied the relative importance of these factors in diabetic and non-diabetic men with ED and determined if they predict responses to treatment with sildenafil. METHODS: Thirty-three men, aged 35-65 years, with ED (20 diabetic, 13 non-diabetic), 15 of whom were sildenafil responders and 18 non-responders, were compared with 30 age and risk-matched control subjects (15 diabetic, 15 non-diabetic). Subjects with ED completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. Endothelial function was assessed by changes in brachio-radial and femoro-tibial arterial pulse-wave velocity (pulse-wave velocity) during reactive hyperaemia, expressed as percentage endothelium-dependent dilatation. Autonomic function was assessed by heart rate variation during expiration and inspiration (E/I ratio) and during the valsalva manoeuvre. RESULTS: The respective changes in pulse-wave velocity, in the arm and leg [mean (sd)] were 0.71 (6.5)% and 3.5 (6.4)% in the impotent diabetic men, 0.7 (7.6)% and 2.4 (5.9)% in the non-diabetic impotent men, -0.68 (5.7)% and -1.31 (7.2)% in the non-impotent diabetic men and 7.7 (3.7)% and 7.6 (3.4)% in the control subjects. There was a significant interaction between ED and diabetic status such that there was significantly impaired vascular response in the diabetic group (both with and without ED) and in the non-diabetic group with ED compared with the non-diabetic control group (P = 0.01 and P = 0.001 for brachio-radial and femoro-tibial measures, respectively). The E/I ratios of the diabetic men were significantly lower than those of the control subjects [1.17 (0.14) vs. 1.33 (0.16), P < 0.02), but there were no differences in the measures of autonomic neuropathy between the groups with ED and those with normal erectile function. Amongst diabetic men, the initial IIEF scores (maximum score 30, low score indicates more severe ED) were significantly higher in sildenafil-responders than non-responders [16.3 (8.4), vs. 6.8 (7 1), P < 0.02]. The rate of sildenafil response was not significantly affected by the measures of endothelial or autonomic function. CONCLUSIONS: ED in both diabetic and non-diabetic men is characterized by marked endothelial dysfunction in comparison with non-diabetic control subjects. Response to sildenafil is not predicted by either endothelial function or autonomic function, but in diabetic men appears to be related to the initial degree of erectile dysfunction.

Urinary tract ultrasonography in the evaluation of haematuria--a report of over 1,000 cases.

Over a 5-year period, 1007 patients with haematuria were investigated, using a protocol based on ultrasonography as the upper tract imaging modality of choice. Intravenous urography (IVU) was only used in selected individuals, including those patients with bladder cancer suspected on cystoscopy, suspicious or malignant cytology, previous investigation for haematuria, on-going haematuria at the time of their clinic visit, a history of flank pain or hydronephrosis on ultrasonography. Of this series, 840 (83%) had visible haematuria, 158 (15%) had microscopic or chemical haematuria and 9 (0.9%) had unspecified haematuria. A total of 133 bladder transitional cell tumours, 21 renal cell cancers and 2 upper tract transitional cell cancers (TCC) were diagnosed. The sensitivity of ultrasound with respect to bladder cancer was 63% and the specificity 99%. The odds ratio of diagnosing cancer in patients with visible haematuria compared to microscopic or unspecified haematuria was 3.3. No upper tract tumours were missed using this investigational protocol. An ultrasonography-based protocol could miss fewer upper tract TCCs than a standard IVU-based service would miss renal cell cancer. Provided there is no history of flank pain, no malignant cytology, no hydronephrosis and no previously investigated haematuria, IVU could be safely omitted.

Prostatic leiomyosarcoma: the case for combined modality therapy.

Patient. A 65-year old man who had previously undergone surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia presented with symptoms of recurrent bladder outflow obstruction. Cystoscopy revealed the presence of recurrent tissue.Results. Histology identified a leiomyosarcoma. Several years after further surgery and radiotherapy, the patient presented with secondaries in the lungs and brain, but there was no evidence of local recurrence.Discussion. It is suggested that combined modality therapy (conservative surgical resection followed by adjuvant radical radiotherapy) be the initial treatment for prostatic leiomyosarcoma.

Substitution cystoplasty for intractable interstitial cystitis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the results of substitution cystoplasty for the treatment of intractable interstitial cystitis (IC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients (29 women and three men; mean age 58 years, range 24-74) with intractable IC resistant to conservative therapy who had undergone substitution cystoplasty between 1983 and 1992 were reviewed. Their bladder capacities were measured pre-operatively and related to the outcome of treatment. RESULTS: All but two of the 22 women with a bladder capacity of < 250 mL under anaesthetic were improved (five) or cured (15) of their symptoms. The results in women with larger bladder capacities were much less reliable, with only two of seven being cured of their symptoms. The three men all had a good result. Those who had undergone supratrigonal cystectomy were more likely to void spontaneously, but four patients developed pyelonephritis from associated reflux. Subtotal cystectomy reduced the likelihood of reflux and, although there were too few patients for statistical significance, probably increased the chance of cure at the expense of increasing the need for intermittent self-catheterization (ISC). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative bladder capacity under anaesthetic is the most reliable predictor of outcome of substitution cystoplasty for treating intractable IC in women. It is contra-indicated if bladder capacity is > 250 mL. Supratrigonal cystectomy is a quick and easy operation and is preferable in the older patient. Subtotal cystectomy with reimplantation of the ureters is preferable in the younger patient, even though it may increase the need for ISC.

Prostate specific antigen--a screening test for prostatic cancer?

A series of 287 patients referred by their family doctors with symptoms of bladder outflow obstruction were asked to attend the hospital for "pre-clinic" screening for carcinoma of prostate (CaP). Blood samples were collected from 211 patients and analysed for serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). Thirty-six patients had a serum PSA greater than 10 micrograms/l and 7 had PAP levels greater than 5 iu/l. In no instance was the PAP elevated without an associated increase in PSA concentration. Patients with raised markers underwent further investigations which included prostatic biopsy and/or resection; 17 patients were proved to have carcinoma of the prostate, 9 of whom had distant metastases. The specificity of PSA for detecting prostate cancer in this study was 90% with a sensitivity of 89.5%, in contrast to values for PAP of 100% and 36.8%. The routine use of PAP as a marker for prostatic cancer should be abandoned. The use of PSA as a screening test in a group of patients with prostatism appears justified, but with a positive predictive value of only 47%, its use in a mass unselected screening programme is not recommended.

Mitral valve replacement for mitral stenosis caused by Libman-Sacks endocarditis.

A women who developed mitral stenosis from Libman-Sacks endocarditis is described. The mitral valve was replaced by a Starr-Edwards prosthesis. One year later, despite her being maintained on steroids and azathioprine, the verrucous endocarditis progressed to cause sudden, severe dysfunction of the prosthetic valve.