Determination of diagnostic and prognostic values of urinary interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and leukocyte arylsulfatase-A activity in patients with bladder cancer

Objectives: This study was planned to evaluate the feasibility of the assay of leukocyte arylsulfatase-A (AS-A) activity, and some urinary cytokine levels (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha] and interleukin-8 [IL-8]), as noninvasive diagnostic tools in different stages of bladder cancer patients

Urine 8-isoprostane F-2 alpha concentrations in patients with neurogenic bladder due to spinal cord injury

Background: Isoprostanes are prostaglandin-like end products of arachidonic acid peroxidation that are produced by a free radical-catalyzed mechanism. Considering its free radical-dependent formation and potent contractor effect, it is postulated that isoprostane 8-iso PGF(2alpha) may play an important role in oxidative stress-related smooth muscle dysfunction. These substances may also influence bladder activity directly by effects on the smooth muscle. The present study was designed to measure traditional biochemical parameters (MDA, TAS, vitamin E) in plasma and 8-iso PGF(2alpha) concentrations in urine of patients with spinal cord injury and to evaluate the relation of urinary isoprostane concentrations to the bladder function. Methods: All spinal cord patients underwent urodynamic evaluations. The biochemical tests were performed in both hyperreflexic bladder group (n = 23) and areflexic bladder group (n = 10), and the findings were compared to those of the patients with normally functioning bladder (controls, n = 19). Results: Urine 8-iso PGF(2alpha) concentrations were significantly increased in hyperreflexic group (median value 0.89 pg/mg creatinine) compared to both control (0.52 pg/mg creatinine) and areflexic groups (p < 0.001). The lowest concentrations of urinary 8-iso PGF(2alpha) were observed in the areflexic group (0.22 pg/mg creatinine), and these were positively correlated to the plasma MDA concentrations in areflexic patients (p = 0.05; r = 0.684). Conclusion: Isoprostanes may be involved in the pathogenesis of neurogenic bladder dysfunction. It may be of value to determine the urinary concentrations of 8-iso PGF(2alpha) in order to distinguish areflexic bladders from the hyperreflectics. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Overactive Bladder Syndrome and Detrusor Overactivity: Is There a Strong Relation between the Symptoms and Urodynamic Findings?

Aim: Overactive bladder (OAB) and detrusor overactivity (DO) may interfere because one may cause the other. Not all patients with DAB have DO, neither do all patients with DO have DAB. In our study the correlation between DAB symptoms and DO was investigated

ROLE OF INHIBITOR DEFICIENCY IN UROLITHIASIS .2. DEFICIENCY GRADE-ADJUSTED AND INTERMITTENT AUGMENTATION THERAPY FOR MAGNESIUM AND CITRATE DEFICIENCY

63 patients with hypocitraturia (44.9% of the total) and 33 patients with hypomagnesiuria (24.8% of the total) received oral magnesium hydroxide and/or Na/K citrate in addition to other therapeutic agents if indicated and a common-sense diet. Hypocitraturic patients were categorized into 3 groups and received 27-81 mEq/day oral citrate according to the deficiency grade. Hypomagnesiuric patients also formed two groups according to the deficiency grade and received 500 and 1,000 mg/day magnesium hydroxide, respectively. Replacement was intermittant and was controlled every 3 months until reaching normal values. We evaluated 28 of 63 hypocitraturic and 15 of 33 hypomagnesiuric patients who had inhibitory deficiency as the sole causal factor of their urolithiasis. After a follow-up of 13.5 +/- 10.2 months, no patient in either group developed a new stone. Citrate and magnesium were increased significantly in the respective groups; calcium and oxalate excretion was lowered, and urine pH and volume increased significantly. A deficiency grade-adjusted and intermittant replacement therapy with Mg and citrate is very effective, has less side effects and ensures good patients compliance

Genetic polymorphism of microsomal epoxide hydrolase in the Turkish bladder carcinoma patients

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is involved in the metabolism of highly reactive epoxide intermediates. The frequency of the genetic polymorphims is expected to vary among different ethnic and racial groups. The aim of this study is to investigate the genotype frequencies of mEH in Turkish bladder carcinoma patients (n:140) and healthy subjects (n: 114). According to data; genotype distribution in healthy controls and in bladder cancer patients detected by Tth111I digestion was found to be as follows: YY 66.7%, HH 11.4%; HY 21.9%; and YY 54.3%, HY 45.7%; HH not detected respectively. Our study provides aframe work for future studies concerning the role of geno-environmental interaction in the genesis of disease and in particular the role of mEH as a susceptibility for cancer

In vitro effects of peroxynitrite on human spermatozoa

In the present study, the in vitro effects of peroxynitrite on sperm motility, lipid peroxidation and sulfhydryl content were examined. Sperm percentage motility and movement characteristics were assessed by a computer-assisted system. Lipid peroxidation was measured by determining malondialdehyde levels using the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. Sperm sulfhydryl content was measured by a spectrophotometric method based on reduction of 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) by sulfhydryl groups. Percentage motility, movement characteristics and sulfhydryl content decreased significantly in peroxynitrite-treated samples compared to decomposed peroxynitrite-treated samples. Lipid peroxidation in peroxynitrite-treated samples was significantly higher than in decomposed peroxynitrite-treated samples. These results indicate that peroxynitrite anion may cause sperm dysfunction through lipid peroxidation stimulation and total SH depletion

Idiopathic scrotal calcinosis presenting as three nodules, one being 7-cm in diameter

Idiopathic scrotal calcinosis is a very rare and benign disease characterized by asymptomatic, painless, and calcified nodules within the scrotal wall. A 44-year-old man presented with a 20-year history of scrotal nodules which had gradually increased in size and number, causing itching and slight pain. Physical examination revealed three very firm scrotal nodules with diameters of 4, 5, and 7 cm, respectively. Nodules were excised without any complication. Histopathological examination showed no epithelial lining or true cysts or cyst remnants and the diagnosis was made as idiopathic scrotal calcinosis. To our knowledge, the size of the biggest nodule also represents the largest nodule hitherto reported in the scrotum

Urinary nerve growth factor in children with overactive bladder: A promising, noninvasive and objective biomarker

WOS: 000324027200016PubMed ID: 22789557Objective: This prospective study was designed to determine urinary nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in children with overactive bladder (OAB), and to evaluate whether this factor can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis and monitoring treatment outcome. Patients and methods: Urinary NGF levels were determined in 40 children with OAB and in a control group of 20 children with no urinary symptoms. Urine samples were collected from the patients prior to and at 3 and 6 months after the beginning of treatment. The total NGF levels (pg/mL) were further normalized to the concentration of urinary creatinine (NGF/Cr level). Results: Overall, both NGF and NGF/Cr levels were significantly higher at the beginning of the study. Mean NGF levels were 30.75 +/- 8.35 and 9.75 +/- 2.11 pg/ml (p=0.023) and mean NGF/Cr levels were 0.53 +/- 0.14 and 0.16 +/- 0.04 (p = 0.022) in patients and controls, respectively. After 6 months of therapy, the NGF/Cr level was significantly reduced to almost control levels (0.16 +/- 0.02, p = 0.047). Conclusion: NGF and NGF/Cr levels were significantly higher in children with OAB than controls at initial evaluation. Furthermore, the NGF/Cr level was significantly reduced following 6 months of therapy. NGF and NGF/Cr levels show promise as reliable biomarkers for OAB diagnosis and to monitor therapy in the pediatric age group. (C) 2012 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

ROLE OF INHIBITOR DEFICIENCY IN UROLITHIASIS .1. RATIONALE OF URINARY MAGNESIUM, CITRATE, PYROPHOSPHATE AND GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN DETERMINATIONS

Between October 1988 and March 1990, 173 urinary stone patients (average age 38.3 years) were evaluated metabolically, especially with regard to urinary magnesium, pyrophosphate (Ppi) citrate and glycosaminoglycans (GAG). 25 healthy subjects served as controls. Inhibitory deficiency was found to be the most frequent causal factor in our series, with an incidence of 48.7% in first-time stone formers and 51.08% in recurrent urolithiasis (p < 0.1). Deficient citrate levels were present in 46.56%, hypomagnesiuria in 24.4%, hypopyrophosphaturia in 10.7% and deficient GAG in 2.7% of the patients. Deficient urinary Ppi was seen in only 2.7% of the stone formers as the only metabolic defect, while deficient GAG was never the only causal factor. All 4 inhibitors showed no correlation with age, sex, activity of stone disease, stone weight and burden. There were no statistically significant differences with controls. We think that routine metabolic evaluation must be performed both in recurrent patients and first-time stone formers and must include urinary citrate and Mg determinations in every case. Urinary Ppi should be determined in selected cases and GAG determinations are irrationale