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Demand for erectile dysfunction treatments has increased not only in elderly patients but also in young patients. Reports indicate that frequent causes of erectile dysfunction in Japan are organic disorders in elderly patients and psychogenetic disorders in young patients.We defined patients under the age of 40 as young erectile dysfunction patients, and those over 65 as elderly erectile dysfunction patients. We divided these two groups and conducted a retrospective comparative study based on medical questionnaires. We selected 215 cases of patients under the age of 40, and 176 cases of patients over the age of 65, and created a group of young patients and a group of elderly patients. We implemented the erectile hardness score, Sexual Health Inventory for Men, and sexual encounter profile questions 2 and 3 as the patient's daily clinical journal.The median age of young patients was 36 years, and that of elderly patients was 70 years. With respect to Sexual Health Inventory for Men, the average score was a significantly higher score in the young patients (9.26 vs 7.10, P 0.001). Concerning erectile hardness score, young patients showed significantly higher scores in erectile hardness score (3.15 vs 2.06, P 0.001). In terms of sexual encounter profile question 2, 50.9% of young patients responded "yes," but 24.3% of elderly patients responded, thus indicating a significantly higher score in young patients. In terms of sexual encounter profile question 3, 6.1% of young patients responded "yes," and 0.7% of elderly patients responded "yes," indicating a significantly higher in young patients.The results showed that many young patients with erectile dysfunction were able to perform insertion, but were unable to maintain erection.

(Objective) Nocturia, an important male lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS), is often difficult to treat. Herein, we report our experience of the initial treatment of nocturia with the novel drug desmopressin. (Subjects and methods) Subjects included 25 patients with LUTS treated with desmopressin who had the chief complaint of nocturia. Before treatment, the frequency of nocturnal urination (≥2) and nocturnal polyuria index (≥0.33) were confirmed based on the urination diary for ≥ 72 h. Before sleep, 25 or 50 mg desmopressin (Minirin

Introduction: Combination chemotherapy of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) is the standard treatment for patients with urothelial cancer (UC). However, hematological toxicity is a major side effect of GC therapy in patients with UC. In particular, discontinuation of the GC therapy is associated to adverse events such as hematological toxicity. Some studies have reported general risk factors of hematological toxicity such as age. However, little is known about risk factors for GC therapy-associated hematological toxicity in patients with UC. Objective: We aimed to identify risk factors for hematological toxicity in patients with UC receiving GC therapy. Methods: We performed a retrospective evaluation of the data of 128 patients with UC who received GC therapy. The study end point was defined as the occurrence of grade 4 neutropenia and grade ≥3 thrombocytopenia. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors that were significantly associated with neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Results: In total, 62 (48.4%) patients experienced grade 4 neutropenia, and 27 (21.1%) patients experienced grade ≥3 thrombocytopenia. In the multivariate analysis, performance status (PS) ≥1 (odds ratio [OR] 3.764, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.410–10.047, p = 0.008) and neutrophil count (OR 0.648, 95% CI 0.468–0.898, p = 0.009) were significantly associated with grade 4 neutropenia. Platelet count (PLT) (OR 0.896, 95% CI 0.832–0.966, p = 0.004) and potassium (K) level (OR 6.966, 95% CI 1.313–36.989, p = 0.023) were also significantly associated with grade ≥3 thrombocytopenia. Conclusions: PS ≥ 1, neutrophil count, PLT, and K level were important risk factors for GC therapy-induced hematological toxicity in patients with UC. To continue GC therapy, further management systems by hematological toxicity risk factors for patients with UC will be required.

Purpose: We aim at investigating the relationship between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) and intrapelvic blood flow. Conventionally, intrapelvic blood flow is assessed using a Doppler blood flowmeter. In this study, the penile brachial pressure index (PBI), which is a simpler tool, was used. Materials and Methods: The participants of this study were 103 male outpatients with LUTS whose PBI was measured using the form pulse wave velocity/ankle-brachial index with a toe blood pressure cuff. Data including age, body mass index (BMI), penile blood pressure, PBI, complications (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and Erection Hardness Score (EHS) were retrospectively examined. LUTS positivity was defined as an IPSS score ≥8 and LUTS negativity as an IPSS score

Changes in imaging findings and hormone levels before and after pheochromocytoma rupture, as well as detailed histopathology of resected tumors, have rarely been reported. A 52-year-old woman developed hypertension and diabetes mellitus in 2014, but despite treatment with antihypertensive and hypoglycemic drugs, good control was not achieved. On April 2, 2016, the patient started to have headaches and palpitations, and on April 6, she visited our hospital. Plain computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a 4-cm, isodense mass in the left adrenal gland, and the patient was hospitalized for further examination. Because the patient had hypertension, tachycardia, and hyperglycemia on admission, therapies for those were started. Catecholamine levels were markedly elevated. However, after the patient developed left flank pain on Day 4, antihypertensive and insulin therapies were no longer required. Plain CT then showed heterogeneous high density areas in the left adrenal mass. On Day 7, 3 meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy showed no abnormal uptake. On Day 8, contrast CT showed low density areas within the left adrenal tumor and contrast enhancement of the tumor margins, and catecholamine levels were markedly decreased. Elective left adrenal tumor resection was performed on Day 49. The capsule of the resected tumor was ruptured. Histopathology showed widespread hemorrhagic necrosis and viable cell components in the tumor margins. Positive chromogranin A staining of the tumor cells confirmed a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. This patient displayed remarkable changes in imaging findings and hormone levels before and after pheochromocytoma rupture. Pheochromocytoma rupture and hemorrhagic necrosis were confirmed histopathologically.

(Objective) Enzalutamide is an oral androgen-receptor inhibitor that prolongs survival in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We retrospectively evaluated clinical efficacy and safety of enzalutamide in CRPC. (Patients and methods) We reviewed clinical records of 73 patients who had received enzalutamide for the CRPC at Showa University and affiliated 7 hospitals. Enzalutamide was given at a dose of 160 mg/day, but some patients were treated at lower dose because of there age or poor performance status. Prostrate-specific antigen (PSA) response, prior docetaxel use and the previously administered agents were evaluated retrospectively. (Results) The median patients age was 77 years, the median Gleason score was 9 and the median PSA level at baseline was 26.9 ng/ml. The patients who had prior docetaxel use were 29 (39.7%) and the median of total docetaxel dose was 460 mg/body. The median number of total prior treatments (anti-androgens, Estramustine and steroid) was 3. Twenty seven (61.4%) patients with docetaxel-naive achieved over 50% reduction of PSA level from baseline, but only 7 (24.1%) in patients previously treated with docetaxel. The most common adverse events included fatigue (24.7%), anorexia (24.7%) and the nausea (16.4%). We found a small proportion of responders to enzalutamide experienced a PSA flare. (Conclusion) Our results of the use of Enzaltamide for CRPC were similar with previous reports. PSA flare was found in some patients with CRPC who responded to enzaltamide. It should be noted that this possible PSA flare phenomenon.

Objective: Many erectile dysfunction (ED) cases are attributed to vascular endothelial dysfunction and impaired blood flow due to arteriosclerotic changes. In this study, we examined the association among the erection hardness score (EHS), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and the presence of carotid artery plaques. Subjects and Methods: The study enrolled 67 patients who visited our hospital with the chief complaint of ED. Based on the history at the first visit, 28 of the 67 patients were categorized into the EHS 3–4 group and the remaining 39 into the EHS 0–2 group. The two groups were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The PWV points were significantly higher in the EHS 0–2 group than in the EHS 3–4 group (P = 0.047). In consideration for error in age, the modified points (PWV at the first visit – reference PWV by age) were significantly higher in the EHS 0–2 group than in the EHS 3–4 group (P = 0.026). This group also showed a higher detection rate of plaques by carotid ultrasound (66.7%). Conclusion: This study showed that patients with lower points of EHS had higher PWV and were more likely to have carotid artery plaques. While ED has occasionally been considered as an early risk marker for the onset of cardiovascular events; this study suggests that the hardness of the penis can be an easier-to-measure and more sensitive index.