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Presents a letter to the editor on the urinary activity of N-Acetyl-β-Glucosaminidase in patients with nephrolithiasis.

Purpose: This study aims to establish the ability of the Uroflex® external artificial sphincter to reduce the severity of male urinary incontinence and improve the quality of life of patients with male urinary incontinence., Methods: A pre-post pilot study was carried out on a sample of 30 patients with male urinary incontinence. Tolerability and satisfaction were assessed by comparing the results of the Pad test, and EQ-5D and KHQ questionnaires before and after 3 months of using Uroflex®., Results: At 3 months, 76.6% of patients continued using Uroflex®. The median score for overall satisfaction with the device was 8 out of 10. Pad test showed a significant reduction in the severity of male urinary incontinence at 3 months (p < 0.001), with resolution of all symptoms in 31% of patients. The KHQ showed a significant improvement in global quality of life (p = 0.003). This was also significant for five of the nine specific dimensions assessed. There was also an improvement in self-rated health using the EQ-5D questionnaire, although not significant (p = 0.075)., Conclusion: The Uroflex® external urinary sphincter seems to improve the severity of urinary incontinence and quality of life of patients with male urinary incontinence after prostate surgery. These encouraging results will need to be confirmed in larger controlled studies., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Introduction: Intravesical treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) aims to reduce recurrences and stop progression. Hyperthermia-enhanced chemotherapy with devices like COMBAT BRS, Unithermia, and BR-TRG-I is a promising alternative to conventional Bacillus de Calmette Guerin (BCG) therapy., Objective: To systematically review the efficacy of hyperthermia generated by conduction devices in the treatment of NMIBC., Material and Methods: The review followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. A search was performed in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of candidate studies and abstracted data from studies that met the inclusion criteria. The primary endpoint was assessment of recurrence. Secondary objectives included evaluation of treatment progression and safety., Results: Thirty studies meeting inclusion criteria underwent data extraction. In intermediate-risk NMIBC patients, COMBAT versus mitomycin C (MMC) in normothermia revealed no superiority in reducing recurrence or progression. High-risk NMIBC patients using COMBAT achieved similar or superior outcomes to BCG. BR-TRG-I demonstrated superior results over normothermia in intermediate- and high-risk NMIBC patients. Unithermia proved less effective than BCG in high-risk NMIBC. Progression outcomes were promising with COMBAT and BR-TRG-I, but comprehensive analysis was limited due to inconsistent assessment across studies. Adverse events were primarily mild-moderate, with some device-specific differences., Conclusions: Studies on conduction hyperthermia present great variability, which do not allow us to determine the superiority of 1 device over another in terms of recurrence, progression, and/or adverse effects. Further research with consistent administration protocols is crucial for definitive conclusions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) maintenance therapy is the standard adjuvant treatment of high- and intermediate-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, the problems of shortages and the adverse effects, both local and systemic, that it causes lead to the search for alternatives with devices that improve the penetration of intravesical chemotherapeutics., Materials and Methods: Prospective observational study was conducted from August 2018 to August 2022. Patients diagnosed with intermediate and high-risk NMIBC without CIS who received one of the following three treatments were included: BCG in induction protocol with six weekly instillations and maintenance with three weekly instillations at months 3, 6, and 12. MMC was applied by Physionizer ® 30 device with a current of 20 mA for 30 min was used in an induction protocol of 6 weekly instillations followed by 6 monthly instillations as maintenance (EMDA group). MMC was applied by COMBAT BRS System V2.0 device at 43 ± 0.5 ℃ for 60 min was used in an induction protocol of 6 weekly instillations followed by 6 monthly instillations as maintenance (HIVEC group). The primary objective was to compare the 24-month recurrence-free rate between the three groups. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the rate free of progression at 24 months and the degree of toxicity of the treatments., Results: One hundred and eighty-three patients divided into a HIVEC group with sixty-one patients, EMDA group with fifty-nine patients, and BCG group with sixty-three patients. After a mean follow-up of 25 months (IQR 13-36), the 24-month recurrence-free rate was 82.1% for HIVEC, 80% for EMDA, and 84.6% for BCG (p > 0.05), and a progression-free rate at 24 months of 95.6% for HIVEC, 98.3% for EMDA, and 92.9% for BCG (p > 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found between the three groups with respect to the degree of reported adverse events., Conclusion: Adjuvant treatment with BCG or MMC applied with COMBAT or EMDA does not present differences in the recurrence-free rate and progression at 24 months in our population of patients with intermediate- and high-risk NMBC without CIS., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Devices that increase the penetrance of intravesical chemotherapeutics are emerging as alternatives to classical Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG) treatment., Objective: To compare the efficacy of mitomycin C applied with the electromotive drug delivery device (MMC-EMDA) versus BCG in patients with intermediate and high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) without carcinoma in situ (CIS)., Methods: Prospective non-randomized study in which 47 patients received MMC-EMDA (40 mg of MMC diluted in 50 mg of distilled water at 20 mA for 30 min. Regimen of 6 weekly and then 6 monthly instillations) and 48 patients received BCG (50 mg of OncoCITE® diluted in 50 ml of normal saline for 60 min. Regimen of 6 weekly instillations and then 3 weekly instillations at months 3, 6 and 12). The primary endpoint was the recurrence-free rate (RFR) at 24 months. Secondary endpoints were time to recurrence and progression-free rate (PFR) at 24 months follow-up., Results: Baseline patient assessment and mean follow-up time were similar in both groups (MMC-EMDA group: 26.4 months; BCG group: 28.4 months ( p  = 0.44)). The RFR at 24 months was 80.9% for the MMC-EMDA group and 77.1% for the BCG group ( p  = 0.969). The mean time to recurrence was 12.5 months in the MMC-EMDA group and 14 months in the BCG group ( p  = 0.681). At 24 months, PFR was 97.9% in the MMC-EMDA group and 93.8% in the BCG group ( p  = 0.419)., Conclusions: No differences were found between MMC-EMDA and BCG treatments in patients with high-risk and intermediate-risk NMIBC without CIS., Competing Interests: María Teresa Melgarejo Segura, Ana Morales Martínez, Yaiza Yáñez Castillo, Miguel Ángel Arrabal Polo, Francisco Gutiérrez Tejero, Manuel Pareja Vílchez and Miguel Arrabal Martín have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (© 2023 – The authors. Published by IOS Press.)

Purpose: To analyse the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) at diagnosis of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) according to tumour extension and urinary symptomatology and to explore factors associated with HRQoL., Methods: 408 Controls and 463 PCa cases were included. Eligibility criteria were a new diagnosis of PCa (cases), 40-80 years of age, and residence in the participating hospitals' coverage area for ≥ 6 months before recruitment. HRQoL was evaluated using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey, Mental (MCS) and Physical Component Summaries (PCS), and urinary symptoms with the International Prostate Symptom Score. HRQoL scores for all PCa cases, according to tumour extension and urinary symptoms, were compared with controls. In addition, information about lifestyles and comorbidities was collected and its association with low HRQoL (lower scores) were explored using logistic regression models., Results: Overall cases had similar PCS score, but lower MCS score than controls. The lowest standardised scores for both PCS and MCS were reached by cases with severe urinary symptoms and a metastatic tumour [mean (SD); PCS: 41.9 (11.5), MCS: 42.3 (10.3)]. Having "below" PCS and MCS scores was associated with the presence of three or more comorbidities in the cases [aOR = 2.86 (1.19-6.84) for PCS and aOR = 3.58 (1.37-9.31) for MCS] and with severe urinary symptomatology [aOR = 4.71 (1.84-12.08) for PCS and aOR = 7.63 (2.70-21.58) for MCS]., Conclusion: The mental dimension of HRQoL at diagnosis of patients with PCa was lower than in controls, especially for cases with severe urinary symptoms and a metastatic tumour. Comorbidities and urinary symptoms were variables associated with the HRQoL of PCa cases., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Devices that increase the penetration of intravesical chemotherapeutic agents have been developed as alternatives to the use of bacillus Calmette-Guérin, in short supply at a time of increasing global incidence of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We performed a prospective observational study to compare 2 of these devices in the treatment of patients with high- and intermediate-risk NMIBC. The primary endpoint was the recurrence-free rate. Secondary endpoints were the rate of progression and adverse events., Methods: After undergoing transurethral bladder resection, 98 patients were selected to receive 1 of 2 treatments: hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy (HIVEC) treatment with 40 mg of mitomycin C (MMC) using Combat BRS System V2.0 at 43 ± 0.5°C and 200 ml/min for 60 minutes (56 patients) or electromotive drug administration (EMDA) with 40 mg of MMC at 20 mA for 30 minutes (42 patients). The treatment schemes were similar: 6 weekly instillations as induction and 6-monthly instillations as maintenance. The recurrence rates were evaluated at 6 and 12 months and the progression rates at 12 months., Results: The recurrence-free rate at 12 months was 91,1% in the HIVEC group and 88.1% in the EMDA group (P ≥ 0.05). After the 12-month follow-up, only 1 progression occurred in each treatment group. In terms of adverse events, no significant differences were found between the treatments., Conclusions: HIVEC and EMDA techniques are comparable in terms of recurrence, progression and adverse events at 12 months in the treatment of patients with high- and intermediate-risk NMIBC., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Penile cancer (PC) is a rare malignancy with an overall incidence in Europe of 1/100,000 males/year. In Europe, few studies report the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, and treatment of PC. The aim of this study is to present an updated outlook on the aforementioned factors of PC in Spain., Materials and Methods: A multicentric, retrospective, observational epidemiological study was designed, and patients with a new diagnosis of PC in 2015 were included. Patients were anonymously identified from the Register of Specialized Care Activity of the Ministry of Health of Spain. All Spanish hospitals recruiting patients in 2015 were invited to participate in the present study. We have followed a descriptive narration of the observed data. Continuous and categorical data were reported by median (p25th-p75th range) and absolute and relative frequencies, respectively. The incidence map shows differences between Spanish regions., Results: The incidence of PC in Spain in 2015 was 2.55/100,000 males per year. A total of 586 patients were identified, and 228 patients from 61 hospitals were included in the analysis. A total of 54/61 (88.5%) centers reported ≤ 5 new cases. The patients accessed the urologist for visually-assessed penile lesions (60.5%), mainly localized in the glans (63.6%). Local hygiene, smoking habits, sexual habits, HPV exposure, and history of penile lesions were reported in 48.2%, 59.6%, 25%, 13.2%, and 69.7%. HPV-positive lesions were 18.1% (28.6% HPV-16). The majority of PC was squamous carcinoma (95.2%). PC was ≥cT2 in 45.2% (103/228) cases. At final pathology, PC was ≥pT2 in 51% of patients and ≥pN1 in 17% of cases. The most common local treatment was partial penectomy (46.9% cases). A total of 47/55 (85.5%) inguinal lymphadenectomies were open. Patients with ≥pN1 disease were treated with chemotherapy in 12/39 (40.8%) of cases., Conclusions: PC incidence is relatively high in Spain compared to other European countries. The risk factors for PC are usually misreported. The diagnosis and management of PC are suboptimal, encouraging the identification of referral centers for PC management.

Introduction: Collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH) is a treatment for Peyronie's disease (PD) whose efficacy and safety has been demonstrated using a classic protocol and a shortened protocol., Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an even more intense protocol in which a CCH injection is applied for 3 separate cycles of 1 week., Methods: Prospective, nonrandomized, clinical study of a cohort of 13 patients with PD and non-ventral curvatures, between 30 and 90 degrees and with stable disease were included. Under local anesthesia, 0.9 mg of CCH is infiltrated in 3 parallel and equidistant transverse bands across the plaque in 3 sessions separated by 1 week. Between sessions the patient is instructed to perform home modeling and penis stretching., Main Outcome Measures: The measurements collected were from girth, length of the penis and length of the plaque. Side and degree of curvature. Ultrasound evaluation of the plaque characteristics and assessing the interface between the tunica albuginea and Buck's fascia. Furthermore, questionnaires were collected: International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and 15-question and Peyronie's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ). All these parameters were evaluated before and after treatment., Results: An improvement in curvature was obtained in 76.9% of patients, reaching an improvement in the angle of curvature after the treatment cycles by an average of 19 ° (range 0-35 °) from the beginning. There are also improvements in the results of the IIEF and PDQ questionnaires. Length, penis girth, and plate length measurements hardly changed after treatment. Reported adverse effects are mild and limited to the penis., Conclusions: We demonstrate the safety and efficacy of CCH in the treatment of PD using a more intense protocol than the previous ones. In addition, reducing the overall duration of allows for greater adherence and compliance of patients. Melgarejo-Segura MT, Funes-Padilla C, Morales-Martínez A, et al. Safety and Efficacy Study of Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum Applied With an Intensive Protocol in the Treatment of Peyronie's Disease. Sex Med 2021;9:100375., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dietary diversity (DD) is a key component of a high-quality diet, providing the adequate nutrient requirements. However, the role of DD on prostate cancer (PCa) is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between DD, adequate nutrient intake and PCa, according to the aggressiveness of the tumor. The CAPLIFE (CAP: prostate cancer; LIFE: lifestyles) study is a population-based case-control study including a total of 402 incident PCa cases and 302 controls. The DD score (DDS), adjusted by total energy intake, was collected through a validated food frequency questionnaire. Nutrient adequacy was defined according to European Dietary Recommendation Intake for men. The aggressiveness of PCa was determined according to the International Society of Urology Pathology classification. The association between DDS, nutrient intake and PCa was assessed by logistic regression models with adjustment for potential confounding factors. DDS was similar for PCa cases and controls, independent of PCa aggressiveness. According to each food group DDS, the protein group showed the highest mean score in all the subgroups analyzed. However, no differences were observed for each of the DDS components. The DDS, the variety of the group's food intake, and the adequate nutrient intake, were not associated with PCa.

Background and Objective: Androgenic deprivation therapy in prostate cancer is associated with the onset of different adverse effects, including osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome. Both are related to the onset of nephrolithiasis. The objective of this article is to study the incidence of renal stones in patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy with LHRH analogue., Patients and Methods: Case-control study including a total of 85 patients divided into 2 groups: group 1, with 41 patients on androgen deprivation therapy, and group 2, with 44 patients not receiving androgen deprivation therapy., Results: New-onset lithiasis was observed in 12 cases (29.3%) in group 1 compared to 2 cases (4.5%) in group 2 (P=.0001), 4.4 years after starting the androgen deprivation therapy. The estimated odds ratio was 8.69 (95% CI 1.81-41.76)., Conclusion: The incidence of renal stones could be increased in patients receiving treatment with analogue LHRH. However, long-term prospective studies with a metabolic control are required to be able to establish the causes explaining the development of this phenomenon in patients undergoing treatment with androgen deprivation therapy., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of lithogenic metabolic factors in the blood and urine of patients with osteopenia versus osteoporosis. This is a cross-sectional study including 67 patients who were divided into two groups according to the presence of either osteopenia or osteoporosis as measured by bone densitometry: group 1-40 patients with osteopenia (22 men and 18 women) and group 2-27 patients with osteoporosis (13 men and 14 women). Metabolic studies were performed on the blood and urine; statistical analysis was performed comparing means and conducting linear correlation and multivariate analyses with SPSS. Statistical significance was considered to be p ≤ 0.05. The mean age of patients in group 1 was 52.9 ± 12.8 years versus 50.3 ± 11.4 in group 2; the difference was not statistically significant. In group 2, higher levels of osteocalcin, β-crosslaps, urinary calcium, fasting urine calcium/creatinine, 24 h urine calcium/creatinine and 24 h oxaluria were observed compared to group 1. In the multivariate analysis, only the β-crosslaps and urinary calcium were independently associated with osteoporosis. It would be advisable to determine the urinary calcium levels in patients with osteoporosis since altered levels may necessitate modifying the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to osteoporosis.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine whether antibiotic prophylaxis is required in this outpatient procedure., Materials and Methods: A non-randomised, prospective observational study that included 184 patients subjected to flexible cystoscopy divided into three groups: - Group 1:60 patients with prophylaxis of 500 mg of ciprofloxacin;- Group 2:62 patients with prophylaxis of 3 g of phosphomycin; and Group 3:62 without antibiotic prophylaxis. Prior to inclusion in the study, absence of infection was checked by means of a urine culture obtained 7 days before the procedure. An analysis was made of urinary infection after 7 days, the cystoscopy indications and its diagnosis, the presence of comorbidities, and the urinary symptoms during the following 7 days., Results: The mean age of the patients in Group 1 was 65.3 (SD: 12.5) years, 66.7 (10.8) years in Group 2, and 66.9 (10.8) years in Group 3 (P = .7). Bacteriuria was present in 15% of the patients in Group 1, compared to 22.6% in Group 2, and 12.9% in Group 3, with the differences not statistically significant. In multivariate analysis, it was observed that there was no association with the appearance of bacteriuria between the groups for age (P = .8), diabetes (P = .2), smoking (P = .4), lower urinary tract symptoms (P = .7), or immunosuppression (P = .6)., Conclusion: The use of ciprofloxacin or phosphomycin as prophylaxis does not appear to be indicated in flexible cystoscopy in our health area.