Effects of Endovascular Interventions on vWF and Fb Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: von Willebrand Factor (vWF) and fibrinogen (Fb) are associated with hypercoagulability and thrombosis, which are the pathology and symptom of arterial disease. This research aims to study the effects of endovascular interventions on blood vWF and Fb levels in patients with diabetic peripheral artery disease (PAD). METHODS: Totally, 66 type 2 diabetic patients with PAD (intervention group) and 26 type 2 diabetic patients without PAD (control group) were enrolled. These patients are matched at gender, age, and diabetes duration. For PAD patients, percutaneous interventions (balloon dilation or stent implantation) were performed, and blood samples were collected before, during, and after interventions. Then, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and prothrombin time-derived method were used to detect the levels of vWF and Fb, respectively. RESULTS: For intervention group, vWF and Fb levels in distal ischemic regions (vWF: 231.3%, Fb: 4.97 g/L) were significantly higher than that in nonischemic regions (vWF: 147.6%, Fb: 3.91 g/L, P value < 0.01). After interventions, ischemia was improved, whereas vWF and Fb levels were significantly increased (vWF: 299.2%, Fb: 5.69 g/L, P value < 0.01). During the 2 weeks after interventions, vWF and Fb levels reached a peak (vWF: 199.3%, Fb: 4.96 g/L) and then decreased gradually to lower than the preinterventional levels (vWF: 148.3%, Fb: 3.88 g/L, P value < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Interventions caused increases of blood vWF and Fb in the first week postintervention, leading to endothelial dysfunction and blood hypercoagulability. It suggested endothelial function protection and anticoagulant therapies should be applied to diabetic PAD patients after interventions.

[Changes in prostatic stromal composition and benign prostatic hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether there are different stromal compositions in the prostate tissue of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and evaluate their significance in the course of the disease. METHODS: Forty-three surgical or bioptic prostatic specimens of BPH and 5 autoptic normal prostatic specimens were stained by the Masson method to display the elements of the muscle fiber and collagen. The relationship of the changes in the prostatic stromal composition was analyzed with the degree of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) , IPSS and medication results. RESULTS: The mean ratio of muscle fiber to collagen in the normal prostate tissue was (3.2 +/- 0.2):1, significantly higher than that of the BPH patients (1: [4.7 +/- 3.1] ) (P < 0.01); that in the BPH patients with BOO was 1: (5.4 +/- 3.7) markedly lower than in those without BOO (1: [2.5 +/- 1.1] ) (P = 0.02); that in the BPH patients with severe prostatic symptoms was 1: (9.1 +/- 2.9), remarkably lower than in those with moderate (1: [5.3 +/- 3.4]) and mild prostatic symptoms (1: [2.8 +/- 1.7]) (P < 0.01); and that in the BPH patients with satisfactory medicinal therapeutic results was 1:(2.3 +/- 1.9), significantly higher than in those with poor therapeutic results (1: [7.6 +/- 4.3]) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The stromal composition in the prostatic tissue of BPH patients undergoes different degrees of changes. More obvious BPH symptoms and poorer therapeutic results are associated with a bigger proportion of collagens and a smaller proportion of muscle fibers in the prostatic tissue. These changes may play an important role in the development and progression of BPH.

Diagnosis of male posterior urethral stricture: comparison of 64-MDCT urethrography vs. standard urethrography.

BACKGROUND: There are no reports regarding voiding/retrograde urethrography with 64-row multidetector CT (64-MDCT).To compare the clinical relevance of conventional voiding/retrograde urethrography and 64-MDCT urethrography for the evaluation of male posterior urethral stricture. METHODS: From January to October 2009, 21 men were referred to our institution for the management of posterior urethral stricture. The patients were evaluated with conventional voiding and retrograde urethrography and 64-MDCT urethrography. The patients were examined by open operative intervention which was required in all patients. The radiologic data were compared using the operative findings. RESULTS: 64 MDCT urethrography provided extra clinical data in ten patients. It was superior to conventional urethrography for judging the urethral stricture length in three patients, characterizing the site of urethra-rectal fistula in four patients, and accurately delineating the proximal urethra in six patients. CONCLUSIONS: 64-MDCT urethrography is a promising tool as an alternative to traditional radiographic methods for defining male urethral strictures. It has the advantage of examining patients only in one position, without distortion, and by generating three-dimensional images; it can accurately measure the stricture length, aid in the diagnosis of some associated pathological conditions, such as urethrorectal fistula, and does not expose the physician to radiation.

[Arteriosclerotic risk factors and benign prostatic hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between arteriosclerotic risk factors and the severity of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: A total of 877 patients with diagnosed BPH were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The weight of the prostate was estimated by transrectal ultrasonography, the degree of bladder outlet obstruction determined by urodynamic examination, and the symptoms quantified by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Arteriosclerotic risk factors included age, hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Comparative studies were made on the data obtained by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The severity of BPH was increased with the increase in the severity of the risk factors and the incidence of the disease. The logistic regression analysis showed that type 2 diabetes mellitus was a prominent predictor of the prostate volume, IPSS and degree of bladder outlet obstruction (OR = 3.179, 3.862 and 2.847, P < 0.001), while the level of serum triglyceride was not (P > 0.05). Age, hypertension, high LDL, low HDL and smoking were all prominent predictors of the severity of BPH. CONCLUSION: Arteriosclerotic risk factors are obviously correlated with the development and severity of BPH, among which type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most important.

Association of the expressions of platelet-derived growth factor receptor and c-Fos with the biological characteristics of bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the relation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) and c-Fos protein expressions with human bladder transitional epithelial cell carcinoma (BTCC). METHODS: The expressions of PDGFR and c-Fos were investigated in 11 normal bladder tissue samples, 14 adjacent non-carcinoma tissues and 43 BTCC tissues by means of SP immunohistochemical technique. RESULTS: The c-Fos expression was found in the cell nuclei and cytoplasm, and PDGFR in the nuclear membrane, cytoplasm, and cellular membrane. PDGFR and c-Fos were detected in 81.40% and 48.83% of the BTCC tissues respectively, at the rates both significantly higher than those in normal and adjacent non-carcinoma tissues (P<0.05). Correlation between the expression of c-Fos and the tumor grading was noted (P<0.05). The expressions of PDGFR and c-Fos in tumor blood vessels were significantly higher than those in normal vessels. CONCLUSIONS: The expressions of PDGFR and c-Fos might be involved in the development of BTCC, possibly related to the angiogenesis of the tumors. c-Fos expression can indicated the cell proliferative status of the BTCC.

[Comparative anatomical study of three surgical approaches for treating complex posterior urethral stricture].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of 3 surgical approaches via superior intermedial margin of the pubis, inferior medial margin of the pubis, and the perineum, respectively, in the treatment of posterior urethral stricture. METHODS: Thirty-five adult male corpses were dissected in which the distances from the bulbo-membranous urethra conjunction (D), the apex of prostate (E), and the bladder neck (F) to the superior medial margin of the pubis (A), the inferior medial margin of the pubis (B) and the midpoint of linear distance between the two ischial tuberosities on the perineum (C) were respectively measured and compared. Another 20 adult male corpses were subjected to the 3 surgical approaches as described above and the urethra was exposed to identify the tissues and organs with possible injuries resulted from the surgery, which were evaluated by scoring. RESULTS: The distances measured were as follows: AD=6.5+/-0.5 cm, BD=2.2+/-0.5 cm, CD =3.4+/-0.6 cm, and BD0.05, t=0.13). The angles FAE (beta(1)) =(22.7+/-2.6)(degrees), FBE (beta(2))=(32.9+/-6.4)(degrees), FCE (beta(3))=(15.0+/-3.2)(degrees), and beta(2) beta(1) beta(3) (P=0.05, SNK means). The score for tissue and organ injuries for the approach of the superior medial margin of the pubis was 13, 20 for the approach of inferior medial margin of the pubis, and 15 for perineum approach. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of operative field exposure, the best operation approach is via the inferior pubis, followed by superior pubis approach and perineum approach; while in view of the injuries, superior pubis approach is better than the perineum and inferior pubis approaches. The inferior pubis approach should be the primary choice in the treatment of posterior urethral stricture.