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The protective effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG; Panax ginseng Meyer) aqueous extract against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced testicular damage in rats was investigated. DOX (1 mg⋅mL −1 ⋅kg −1 ⋅week −1 ) was administrated intraperitoneally for 8 weeks and KRG extract was administrated orally for 9 weeks (100 or 200 mg/kg/day). The serum sex hormone levels, sperm kinematic parameters, histopathological parameters and protein expression levels were determined. DOX distinctly damaged the histology of the rat testes and decreased the sex hormonal levels, spermatogenesis, seminiferous tubular diameter, and testes weight. Further, the protein expression levels of peroxiredoxin, glutathione- S -transferase, nectin-2, inhibin-α, and cAMP response element binding protein were suppressed in DOX-treated rats. In contrast, KRG extract ameliorated the changes induced by DOX. Data indicated that KRG ameliorated DOX-induced testicular damage in rats by modulating the antioxidant system and hormonal imbalance. In conclusion, KRG can be used as a functional food and/or adjuvant for the prevention of reproductive damage caused by DOX.

Distortion of intracellular oxidant and antioxidant balances appears to be a common feature that underlies in age-related male sexual impairment. Therefore regulating oxidative defense mechanisms might be an ideal approach in improving male sexual dysfunctions. In the present study, the effect of Korean red ginseng aqueous extract (KRG) on age-induced testicular dysfunction in rats was investigated. KRG (200mg/kg) mixed with regular pellet diet was administered orally for six months and the morphological, spermatogenic and antioxidant enzyme status in testis of aged rats (18months) were evaluated. Data indicated a significant change in morphology and decrease in spermatogenesis-related parameters in aged rats (AC) compared with young rats (YC). Sperm number, germ cell count, Sertoli cell count and Sertoli cell index were significantly (p0.05) restored in KRG-treated aged rat groups (G-AC). Further the increased lipid peroxidation as measured by malondialdehyde (p0.05), and altered enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase and catalase) and non-enzymatic (reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol) antioxidants (p0.05) were attenuated by KRG treatment in aged rats to near normal levels as in YC groups. Furthermore, proteomic analysis demonstrated differential expression of selected proteins such as phosphatidylinositol transfer protein, fatty acid binding protein-9, triosephosphate isomerase-1 and aldehyde (aldose) reductase-1in aged rats was significantly (p0.05) protected by KRG treatment. In conclusion, long-term administration of KRG restored aging-induced testicular ineffectiveness in rats by modulating redox proteins and oxidative defense mechanisms.

The aim of this study is to assess the ability of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to predict prostate volume (PV) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) represented by the international prostate symptom score (IPSS). From January 2001 to December 2011, data were collected from men who first enrolled in the Korean Prostate Health Council Screening Program. Patients with a serum PSA level of >10 ng ml−1 or age 20 ml, >25 ml and >35 ml were 0.722, 0.728 and 0.779, respectively. The AUCs of PSA for predicting IPSS >7, >13 and >19 were 0.548, 0.536 and 0.537, respectively. Serum PSA was a strong predictor of PV in a community-based cohort in a large-scale screening study. Although PSA was also significantly correlated with IPSS, predictive values of PSA for IPSS above the cutoff levels were not excellent. Further investigations are required to elucidate the exact interactions between PSA and LUTS and between PSA and PV in prospective controlled studies. Such studies may suggest how PSA can be used to clinically predict PV and the IPSS.

Study Type – Diagnosis (case series) Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To analyse potential association of various clinical characteristics of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with chronic kidney disease (CKD) among men presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to BPH of varying severity. PATIENTS AND METHODS We reviewed the data of 2741 consecutive patients who presented to our clinic with LUTS secondary to BPH. For our analysis, CKD was defined by an elevated serum creatinine level or decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to address associations of CKD with various clinical characteristics. RESULTS Of the 2741 patients, 161 (5.9%) were initially classified as having CKD (serum creatinine ≥133 µmol/L). In multivariate analysis, peak flow rate (P = 0.001) and a history of hypertension and/or diabetes (both P

Objective To assess the effectiveness of the three-dimensional culture of spermatogenic cells in a collagen gel matrix from nonobstructive azoospermic patients and examine the relation between the success rate of in vitro spermatogenesis and serum FSH level as a diagnostic prediction. Design Prospective study using radioimmunoassay, immunocytochemistry, and flow cytometry with primary cultured cells. Setting Gynecologic clinics and human reproduction research laboratory. Patient(s) Primary culture of spermatogenic cells established from 18 nonobstructive azoospermic patients who underwent histologic diagnoses. Intervention(s) Primary culture of spermatogenic cells in a collagen-based gel matrix, subjected to immunological and flow cytometric analyses. Main Outcome Measure(s) In vitro culture of spermatogenic cells was established in an extracellular milieu that more closely resembled the in vivo condition. The number of chromosomes in newly generated cells during culture was determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) and immunocytochemical analysis. Effects of FSH on the differentiation of the spermatogenic cells were measured. Result(s) Results of histologic studies indicated that 8 of 18 patients showed the spermatocyte arrest. Immunocytochemical and FACS analysis indicated that after 12 days in culture, haploid cells comprised 11%–37% of the cultured cell population with a characteristic expression of a cellular marker for spermatids. The serum level of FSH appeared to be closely correlated with an increase in the number of haploid cells in culture. Conclusion(s) The present three-dimensional culture in a collagen gel matrix provides a suitable means by which spermatocytes could be induced to differentiate into presumptive spermatids in vitro. In addition, the plasma FSH level could be a good indicator for the success of differentiation of cultured spermatogenic cells obtained from patients with spermatogenic arrest.

Objectives To evaluate the sexual function and stress level during timed intercourse (TI) of male partners of infertile couples. Patients and Methods The study included 236 male partners of couples with >1 year of infertility who sought medical care or an evaluation of couple infertility. Besides infertility evaluation, all men were asked to complete the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) for evaluation of sexual function, and stresses related to infertility and TI were measured using 10-division visual analogue scales (VAS). Results Stress levels for sexual function were higher during fertile than non-fertile periods in109 of the 236 (46.2%) male partners, with 122 (51.7%) reporting no difference in stress during fertile and non-fertile periods. The mean (sd) VAS score of sexual relationship stress was significantly higher during fertile than non-fertile periods, at 3.4 (2.6) vs 2.1 (2.2) (P

Background: This double-blind, multicenter study compared the efficacy and tolerability of tolterodine (Pharmacia, Los Angeles, USA) with that of oxybutynin (Alza, Palo Alto, USA) in Asian patients with overactive bladder. Methods: Two-hundred-and-twenty-eight adults with overactive bladder symptoms were randomized to receive tolterodine 2 mg twice daily (bid) (n = 112) or oxybutynin 5 mg bid (n = 116). After 8 weeks’ treatment, changes in micturition diary variables, patients’ perception of treatment benefit, and tolerability endpoints were determined. Results: The mean (± SD) number of micturitions/24 h decreased by 2.6 ± 2.9 (−21%) with tolterodine and 1.8 ± 4.2 (−15%) with oxybutynin (both P = 0.0001 vs baseline). The mean number of incontinence episodes/24 h decreased by 2.2 ± 2.3 (−85%) in the tolterodine group and by 1.4 ± 1.8 (−58%) in the oxybutynin group (both P = 0.0001 vs baseline). Patient perception of treatment benefit was over 70% in each treatment group. Adverse events were significantly lower in the tolterodine group compared with oxybutynin-treated patients (55% vs 82%; P = 0.001). Dry mouth was reported by significantly fewer patients on tolterodine, compared with oxybutynin (35% vs 63%; P = 0.001) and withdrawals due to adverse events were lower in the tolterodine group than with those treated with oxybutynin (10% vs 16%). There were no safety concerns. Conclusions: Tolterodine 2 mg bid is equally or more effective than oxybutynin 5 mg bid in the treatment of Asian patients with overactive bladder, and shows significantly better tolerability. This may enhance compliance during long-term treatment.

To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of needle aspiration biopsy of seminiferous tubules (NABST) and to represent the redistributed diagnostic results corresponding to testicular volumes and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. In this retrospective study, we investigated 65 infertile men with either azoospermia or oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Following NABST, specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and classified into five histological types. With pre-procedure FSH levels and testicular volumes, we evaluated the probabilities of detecting sperms within biopsy specimens. NABST led to the classification of normal spermatogenesis in 31 cases (47.7%), hypospermatogenesis in 23 cases (35.4%), maturation arrest in 4 cases (6.2%), and Sertoli cell only syndrome in 4 cases (6.2%). The success rate of reaching a histological diagnosis using NABST was 95.4% (62 out of 65 cases). Fourteen patients (21.5%) had a testicular volume

Quality of life is adversely affected by pelvic organ prolapse, the prevalence of which is increasing because of the persistently growing older population. Today, the tension-free vaginal mesh kit has grown in popularity owing to its comparable cure rate to traditional reconstructive surgery and the feasibility of an early return to normal life. However, significant debate remains over the long-term cure rate and the safety of tension-free vaginal mesh in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends obtaining informed consent about the safety and cure rate when the patient chooses surgery using the tension-free vaginal mesh kit or meshes before surgery. The goal of surgery for pelvic organ prolapse is the restoration of anatomic defects. This review article provides an overview of basic surgical techniques and the results, advantages, and disadvantages of surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

Objective: To demonstrate that the PTEN/PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway plays an important role in regulating the prostate cancer stem-like cell population by upregulating ABCG2. Methods: Targeted PTEN knockdown in human prostate DU145 and 22Rv1 cells using a small interfering RNA were confirmed by immunoblot analysis using antibodies of PTEN, phospho-Akt, Akt, and a-tubulin. Knockdown PTEN DU145 and 22Rv1 cells were augmented, and the stem cell-like properties were examined by cell viability and tumor sphere formation and treated by Akt IV inhibitor to provide the signal transduction pathway. Luciferase activity assays were performed. Results: The knockdown of PTEN in prostate cancer cell lines increased the stem-like properties of the cells, including their sphere-forming ability, stem cell population number, epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related gene expression, and ABCG2 expression. Additionally, PTEN expression was highly associated with elevated expression of phospho-Akt. Treatment with an Akt inhibitor suppressed the PTEN-mediated effects on the properties of these stem-like cells as well as drug resistance, ABCG2 expression, and the NF-κB pathway. Conclusion: The loss of PTEN in prostate cancer cells resulted in an increased PI3K/Akt pathway. Due to the Akt activation, PTEN loss may play an important role in prostate cancer by promoting cancer stemness through a mechanism that involves enhanced NF-κB signaling.

A 23-year-old man had a history of intermittent episodes of urinary tract infection with associated low abdominal pain for 15 years. Persistent bacteriuria even with prolonged antibiotics was the reason why he was referred to our hospital. Laboratory tests were normal except pyuria and growth of Escherichia coli in the urinary samples. Cystoscopy revealed a small slit-like opening on the right lateral wall of bladder dome. We found some air within the bladder and a suspicious communicating tract between the appendix and bladder on a CT scan. With a strong impression of appendicovesical fistula, a laparoscopy was performed to confirm a diagnosis and to remove the appendicovesical fistula resulting in a satisfactory result without any complication.

To investigate the relationship between prostate specific antigen (PSA) level and prostate volume (PV) according to age in a community-based population of Korean men enrolled in a large-scale screening program.A total of 35,223 men who enrolled in the Korean Prostate Health Council Screening Program from January 2001 to December 2011 were included in this study. Patients with a serum PSA level of10 ng/mL or younger than 40 years were excluded. We analyzed PSA level and PV as measured through transrectal ultrasonography according to stratified age cohorts. We used Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis according to age to describe the correlation between PSA level and PV.Mean PSA level and mean PV increased significantly with age (all P values.001). Based on data from 5 age cohorts, mean PSA level increased about 0.3 ng/mL every 10 years and mean PV increased about 3 mL every 10 years. The slope of the linear regression between PSA level and PV was 4.582, and the slope of the linear regression increased with age. We derived equations relating PSA level and PV for the various age cohorts.Based on a large-scale health screening program, we derived equations relating PSA level to PV according to age group. These data provide a baseline for the normal population by avoiding the interventional bias of urinary symptoms, in contrast to previous data derived from patients who visited hospitals because of prostate-related health concerns.

We measured kidney volume using software and investigated the relationship between kidney volume and renal function.Age, gender, height, body weight, body mass index, body surface area and serum creatinine were recorded for 539 normal individuals. A tissue segmentation tool program was used to measure kidney volume from computerized tomography images. The glomerular filtration rate was calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation and an abbreviated modification of diet in renal disease equation. We looked for correlations of renal parenchymal volume with age and anthropometric measurements. We also tested for a correlation between kidney volume and renal function using the glomerular filtration rate according to the Cockcroft-Gault and modification of diet in renal disease equations.Mean kidney volume in all participants was 261.3 ± 58.1 ml. Mean volume in men was approximately 14 ml greater than in women (266.1 vs 251.8 ml, p = 0.004). Kidney volume correlated significantly with height (r = 0.344, p0.001), body weight (r = 0.343, p0.001), body mass index (r = 0.177, p0.001), body surface area (r = 0.371, p0.001) and age (r = -0.418, p0.001). Kidney volume also correlated with the glomerular filtration rate according to the Cockcroft-Gault and modification of diet in renal disease equations (p0.001, r = 0.615 and p0.001, r = 0.432, respectively). Kidney volume and the glomerular filtration rate decreased in parallel with increasing age.Kidney volume correlates well with renal function and anthropometric measurements. Knowledge of these relationships will be valuable in clinical urology and nephrology.

Background No studies have been published comparing the U- and H-type methods of the TVT SECUR (TVT-S) procedure. Objective Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of the two types of TVT-S for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Design, setting, and participants Women with urodynamic SUI were enrolled in this 12-mo multicenter randomized study. Intervention Subjects were randomly allocated to either the U- or H-type method of TVT-S. Measurements Pre- and postoperative evaluations included a standing stress test, the Sandvik questionnaire, the Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) questionnaire, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS). Patients' satisfaction and complications were evaluated. Objective and subjective cures were defined as no leakage on the stress test and responses on the Sandvik questionnaire, respectively. We compared the surgical outcomes between the two methods. Results and limitations Of 285 women, 144 had the U-type method and 141 had the H-type method. Objective cure rates were 87.5% for the U-type method and 80.1% for the H-type method ( p =0.091). Subjective cure rates were 77.1% for the U-type method and 75.7% for the H-type method ( p =0.786). Improvement in I-QOL and domain scores of the ICIQ-FLUTS (filling and incontinence sum, QOL score), and patients' satisfaction favored the U-type method. There were three cases of intraoperative vaginal wall perforation, one case of increased bleeding, and three cases of temporary postoperative retention. A power calculation was not performed, and some baseline characteristics were not balanced between the two methods. Conclusions Both methods of TVT-S provided comparable cure rates for female SUI. However, QOL and treatment satisfaction favored the U-type method. Trial registration The protocol of this study was not registered.

To analyse potential association of various clinical characteristics of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with chronic kidney disease (CKD) among men presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to BPH of varying severity.We reviewed the data of 2741 consecutive patients who presented to our clinic with LUTS secondary to BPH. For our analysis, CKD was defined by an elevated serum creatinine level or decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to address associations of CKD with various clinical characteristics.Of the 2741 patients, 161 (5.9%) were initially classified as having CKD (serum creatinineor =133 micromol/L). In multivariate analysis, peak flow rate (P = 0.001) and a history of hypertension and/or diabetes (both P0.001) were significantly associated with CKD, whereas age, body mass index, prostate-specific antigen level, prostate volume, postvoid residual, or International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were not. When individual symptoms from the IPSS were analysed, only weak stream (P = 0.041) and hesitancy (P = 0.048), both obstruction-related, were significantly associated with CKD status in age and comorbidity-adjusted analyses. The results of secondary analysis with CKD defined as an eGFR of60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) were similar.Our results show that decreased peak flow rate and a history of hypertension and/or diabetes are significantly associated with CKD in men seeking management for LUTS from BPH of varying severity.

A clinical guideline and algorism for interstitial cystitis and hypersensitive bladder syndrome has been developed by a group of East Asian urologists as a revised form of the Japanese guideline for interstitial cystitis. The guideline defines interstitial cystitis (IC) as a disease of the urinary bladder diagnosed by 3 requirements; 1) a characteristic complex of lower urinary tract symptoms, 2) bladder pathology such as Hunner's ulcer and bladder bleeding after overdistension, and 3) exclusions of confusable diseases. The characteristic symptom complex is termed as hypersensitive bladder syndrome (HBS), which is defined as bladder hypersensitivity, usually associated with urinary frequency, with or without bladder pain. For the definite diagnosis of IC, cytoscopy or hydrodistension is crutial; HBS is the diagnosis when IC is suspected but not confirmed by the 3 requirements. Numerous therapeutic options are available; however, most of them lack in high level of evidence, leaving a few as recommended therapies. Etiology of IC are multifactorial; the interaction among nervous, immune and endocrine factors forms a vicious cycle, provocating and maintaining inflammatory reactions in the bladder. The inclusion and efficacy criteria for clinical trials should be standardized to enhance the clinical research for this disabling disease, which has proved to be more prevalent than previously believed.

Purpose: We evaluated clinical characteristics, sperm retrieval rates, and birth rates in a relatively large number of infertile patients with Y chromosome microdeletions. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from 213 patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and 76 patients with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OATS) who were tested for Y chromosome microdeletion from March 2004 to June 2011. Results: Of the 289 patients, 110 patients presented with Y chromosome microdeletion and 179 patients presented with no microdeletion. Among the patients with Y chromosome microdeletions, 83/110 (75.4%) were NOA patients and 27/110 (24.5%) were OATS patients. After subdividing the patients with Y chromosome microdeletion, 29 had azoospermia factor (AZF)b-c microdeletion and 81 had AZFc microdeletion. The sperm retrieval rate was similar between patients with Y chromosome microdeletion and those with no microdeletion (26.6% vs. 25.6%, p=0.298) after multiple testicular sperm extraction (TESE). Excluding 53 patients who did not undergo TESE, 30 patients were analyzed. All of the 9 men with AZFb-c microdeletion had a complete absence of sperm despite multiple TESE. However, multiple TESE was successful for 9 of 21 patients with only AZFc microdeletion (p=0.041). Twenty patients with Y chromosome microdeletion gave birth. Conclusions: In NOA and OATS patients, no significant difference in the sperm retrieval rate was shown between patients with Y chromosome microdeletion and those with no microdeletion. Patients with short Y chromosome microdeletion such as AZFc microdeletion have better prognoses for sperm retrieval and an increased chance of conception than do patients with larger microdeletions such as AZFb-c microdeletion.

Purpose Androgen replacement therapy has been shown to be safe and effective for most patients with testosterone deficiency. Male partners of infertile couples often report significantly poorer sexual activity and complain androgen deficiency symptoms. We report herein an adverse effect on fertility caused by misusage of androgen replacement therapy in infertile men with hypogonadal symptoms. Materials and Methods The study population consisted of 8 male patients referred from a local clinic for azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia between January 2008 and July 2011. After detailed evaluation at our andrology clinic, all patients were diagnosed with iatrogenic hypogonadism associated with external androgen replacement. We evaluated changes in semen parameters and serum hormone level, and fertility status. Results All patients had received multiple testosterone undecanoate (NebidoR) injections at local clinic due to androgen deficiency symptoms combined with lower serum testosterone level. The median duration of androgen replacement therapy prior to the development of azoospermia was 8 months (range: 4-12 months). After withdrawal of androgen therapy, sperm concentration and serum follicle-stimulating hormone level returned to normal range at a median 8.5 months (range: 7-10 months). Conclusion Misusage of external androgen replacement therapy in infertile men with poor sexual function can cause temporary spermatogenic dysfunction, thus aggravating infertility.

Our purpose was to test whether micromanipulation using subzonal insemination and intracytoplasmic sperm injection could improve the poor fertilization and pregnancy rates obtained when attempting in vitro fertilization in patients with congenital absence of the vas deferens and unreconstructable obstructive azoospermia with microsurgically retrieved epididymal spermatozoa.Conventional in vitro fertilization (group A; 14 cycles), subzonal insemination (group B; 13 cycles), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (group C; 28 cycles) were carried out in 55 treatment cycles. Fertilization rates for groups A, B, and C were 16.1, 31.4, and 48.6%, respectively (P0.05). Clinical pregnancy rates for groups A, B, and C were 7.1, 7.7, and 32.1% (P0.05), respectively. In five cycles, intracytoplasmic sperm injection using epididymal sperm from alloplastic spermatoceles was performed and two clinical pregnancies (40%) were obtained.The combined microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration and intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedure is highly effective in improving the fertilization and pregnancy rate in congenital absence of the vas deferens and unreconstructable obstructive azoospermia. Furthermore, alloplastic spermatoceles may be useful for repeat sperm aspirations.

Purpose: We determined the usefulness of in vitro germ cell culture in nonobstructive azoospermic patients diagnosed with Sertoli cell only syndrome, no sperm in testicular sperm extraction. Materials and Methods: This study included 44 patients (45 testicular tissues) with nonobstructive azoospermia who were diagnosed with Sertoli cell only syndrome and were found to have no sperm in testicular sperm extraction between January 2006 and July 2008. Among the 45 testicular tissues, 22 tissues were processed for culture. In the in vitro cultures, the testicular tissues were dissociated and plated on gelatin-coated dishes. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to culture success: group I, culture positive (+; n=10); and group II, culture negative (-; n=12). Results: The mean patient ages were 31.73 and 31.68 years for groups I and II, respectively. The mean testicular sizes were 10.19 and 10.42 cc, respectively; the semen volumes were 2.86 and 3.04 cc, respectively; and the mean FSH, LH, and testosterone levels were 18.86 mIU/ml, 5.99 mIU/ml, and 4.46 ng/ml vs. 21.02 mIU/ml, 6.29 mIU/ml, and 4.32 ng/ml for groups I and II, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups (p>0.05). The culture rate of nonobstructive azoospermic patients diagnosed with Sertoli cell only syndrome was 45.5% (10/22). Round spermatid injection was done in 2 patients with consent of the patients, but implantation failed. Among the 45 tissues, germ cells were found in 8 tissues after pathologic reexamination. Conclusions: The in vitro culture of germ cells would be useful in the advanced treatment of nonobstructive azoospermic patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to translate the Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms Assessment (UTISA) questionnaire, which assesses the severity and nuisance of symptoms and signs of uncomplicated urinary tract infection, into Korean with subsequent linguistic validation for clinical use and research. Materials and Methods: This self-administered questionnaire is composed of 14 items that cover the 7 most frequent symptoms and signs. After acquiring permission for use of the questionnaire in Korea from Bayer Health Care Pharmaceuticals Global Health Economics and Outcome Research, 2 bilingual linguists individually translated the original English version of the UTISA questionnaire into Korean, and the translations were then reconciled by the linguists and the authors. A preliminary Korean version was translated back into English and reconciled by another bilingual linguist to confirm proper forward translation of the UTISA questionnaire, and then a complete Korean version of the UTISA questionnaire was finished. Ten women with acute cystitis completed the Korean UTISA questionnaire and were then interviewed to confirm the final Korean version through cognitive debriefing. Results: Linguistic validation of the Korean version of the UTISA questionnaire was completed through forward translation and reconciliation, back-translation and reconciliation, cognitive debriefing, and finally, proofreading of the questionnaire as a instrument for assessing symptoms and signs of uncomplicated urinary tract infection. Conclusions: The UTISA questionnaire was translated into a Korean, and the translation was validated linguistically. Psychometric validation will be needed in a large set of patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infection. (Korean J Urol 2009;50:361-368) 󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏

We undertook this work to compare the treatment efficacies and the changes of quality of life after pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercise and the functional electrical stimulation (FES)-biofeedback treatment, both of which are being widely used as conservative treatment methods for female urinary incontinence. We randomly selected 60 female incontinence patients who visited our department and divided them evenly into two groups. They were treated for a period of 6 weeks. The subjective changes in the severity of incontinence and discomfort in daily and social life were measured using a translated version of the questionnaire by Jackson. Objective changes of pelvic muscle contraction force were measured using a perineometer. Pre- and post-treatment maximal pelvic floor muscle contractile (PMC) pressure and changes in the severity of urinary incontinence and discomfort of the two groups showed statistically significant differences (p