Bülent Semerci

Women with low libido: correlation of decreased androgen levels with female sexual function index

The aim of the present study was to investigate a possible correlation between decreased androgen levels and female sexual function index (FSFI) in women with low libido and compare these findings with normal age-matched subjects. In total, 20 premenopausal women with low libido (mean age 36.7; range 24–51 y) and 20 postmenopausal women with low libido (mean age 54; 45–70 y), and 20 premenopausal healthy women (mean age 32.2; range 21–51 y) and 20 postmenopausal healthy women (mean age 53.5; range 48–60 y) as controls were enrolled in the current study. Women with low libido had symptoms for at least 6 months and were in stable relationships. All premenopausal patients had regular menstrual cycles and all postmenopausal patients and controls were on estrogen replacement therapy. None of the patients were taking birth control pills, corticosteroids or had a history of chronic medical illnesses. All completed the FSFI and Becks Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires. Hormones measured included: cortisol; T3, T4 and TSH; estradiol; total and free testosterone; dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S); sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). We performed statistical analysis by parametric and nonparametric comparisons and correlations, as appropriate. We found significant differences between the women with low libido and the controls in total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEA-S levels and full-scale FSFI score for both pre- and postmenopausal women (P<0.05). In addition, decreased total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEA-S levels positively correlated with full-scale FSFI score and FSFI-desire, FSFI-arousal, FSFI-lubrication and FSFI-orgasm scores (P<0.05). Our data suggest that women with low libido have lower androgen levels compared to age-matched normal control groups and their decreased androgen levels correlate positively with female sexual function index domains.

Prevalence of the Complaint of Ejaculating Prematurely and the Four Premature Ejaculation Syndromes: Results from the Turkish Society of Andrology Sexual Health Survey

INTRODUCTION In addition to the previously known lifelong and acquired premature ejaculation (PE) syndromes, the existence of two more PE syndromes has been suggested: natural variable PE and premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction. However, epidemiological studies investigating the prevalence of these four PE syndromes have yet to be conducted. AIM To determine the prevalence of the complaint of ejaculating prematurely across the four PE syndromes. METHODS This study, conducted between June 2009 and December 2009, was designed as a non-interventional, observational cross-sectional field survey. Participating couples were randomly selected from 17 provinces of Turkey. All participants were asked to complete a questionnaire including data regarding demographics, socioeconomic status, social and cultural factors, medical and sexual history, current medications, and ejaculation time. Subjects with a complaint of ejaculating prematurely were classified as lifelong, acquired, and natural variable PE, or premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome measures were prevalence of complaint of ejaculating prematurely in the general population and across the four PE syndromes. RESULTS A total of 2,593 couples (mean age, 41.9±12.7 years for males and 38.2±12.1 years for females) were enrolled. Five-hundred twelve subjects (20.0%) complained of ejaculating prematurely. Fifty-eight (2.3%), 100 (3.9%), 215 (8.5%), and 131 (5.1%) subjects were classified as lifelong, acquired, and natural variable PE, and premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of the complaint of ejaculating prematurely among Turkish men was 20.0%, with the highest PE syndrome being natural variable PE (8.5%) and premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction (5.1%).

Streptozotocin-induced diabetic effects on spermatogenesis with proliferative cell nuclear antigen immunostaining of adult rat testis

OBJECTIVE To examine the histopathological effects of diabetes on spermatogenesis and to detect the proliferation of germ cells with proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). DESIGN Controlled experimental study. SETTING The animal laboratory of the Experimental Surgery Center of Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. ANIMAL(S) Ten nondiabetic (control) and 20 diabetic adult male albino rats. INTERVENTION(S) The rats were IP injected with 40 mg/kg streptozotocin for 5 days to create a diabetic condition that was confirmed by testing blood glucose levels 5-7 days after the first injection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Mean testicular diameter, mean semniferous tubuli diameter (MSTD), and PCNA index. RESULT(S) Six weeks after the streptozotocin injection, both the mean testicular and the seminiferous tubuli diameters were significantly decreased in diabetic rats compared with the control group. CONCLUSION(S) The effects of diabetes on spermatogenesis can be clearly detected as a decrease in testicular diameter, MSTD, and PCNA index.

The role of ESWL in the treatment of calculi with anomalous kidneys.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in renal anomalies. MATERIAL AND METHODS From 1991 to May 1995. 53 patients with calculi in anomalous kidneys presented to our clinic for treatment with ESWL. Average patient age was 39 years, a range of 6-66 years. These patients (32 male and 21 female) underwent ESWL treatments. ESWL was performed in 27 patients with urolithiasis in duplex system, 18 with horse-shoe kidneys, 4 with unilateral renal agenesis, 2 with pelvic ectopic kidneys, 1 with sigmoid kidney and 1 with L-shaped kidney. RESULTS Among patients who completed ESWL the rate free of stones was 60.4% and the rate of clinically insignificant residual fragments was 30.2%. No sign of stone disintegration was observed in 2 patients. They underwent open surgery. The shock waves per therapy varied between 811 and 18,101. Double-J stents were placed in 13 patients. CONCLUSION Most patients with calculi in anomalous kidneys can be managed primarily with ESWL.

Comparison of Gleason scores from sextant prostate biopsies and radical prostatectomy specimens

Objectives: We compared the Gleason scores obtained from sextant prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens in patients with localized prostate cancer. Patients and Methods: Sixty-one patients having a clinical diagnosis of localized prostate cancer underwent needle biopsy under transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and RP. Grading and staging were assigned based on Gleason scores and the TNM system, respectively. Results: Mean patient age was 65.5 ± 13.43 years and mean PSA level was 14.69 ± 3.95. Mean Gleason score for prostate biopsy and RP specimen were 5.85 ± 0.7 and 6.34 ± 1.44, respectively. With respect to clinical stage, there were 20 patients in stage 1 and 41 patients in stage 2 prostate cancer. Comparing the Gleason scores, the biopsy score was lower in 26 (42.26%) and higher than RP specimens in 7 (11.84%) cases, and there was agreement between the biopsy and RP specimens in 28 (45.9%) patients. The difference between the two Gleason scores was ± 1 for 18 patients (29.5%) and ± 2 or more for 17 patients (27.86%). Conclusion: In our study, high Gleason score biopsies with elevated PSA level (>10 ng/ml) were risk factors for extraprostatic extension, and we demonstrated that Gleason scores were significantly correlated with seminal vesicle and lymph node invasion (p < 0.05). The Gleason scores of biopsy and RP specimens agreed with 45.9% of TRUS-guided sextant prostate biopsies, and this ratio was 91.1% in moderately differentiated tumors

Determination of nitric oxide synthase activity and apoptosis of germ cells in different obstruction models.

We aimed to determine the changes of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) immunoreactivity and apoptosis after proximal and distal obstruction models on ipsilateral and contralateral testicular tissues. Male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=30): a control group which underwent sham operations (n=10), a unilateral vasal ligation (n=10) and a unilateral epididymal ligation group (n=10). iNOS and eNOS distribution and apoptosis were studied in both ipsilateral and contralateral testes using quantitative immunohistochemistry. Nitric oxide synthase activity was significantly affected in ipsilateral and contralateral testes cells after vasal and epididymal ligation. eNOS immunoreactivity increased markedly after ipsilateral vasal ligation (ILVL). Degeneration-related changes were also associated with changes in apoptotic rate. Analysis using the terminal dUTP nick end-labeling TUNEL method revealed that apoptotic cell numbers significantly increased after ILVL. p53 and bcl-2 immunoreactivity increased in both experimental groups compared with the sham-operated group. Changes in iNOS and eNOS immunolocalisation were strongly associated with cell damage, because germ cell degeneration was more prominent in the ILVL group. Altered p53 immunolocalisation was also associated with cell degeneration, and a rise in bcl-2 immunoreactivity might be considered to reflect a protective mechanism in the testis. These cellular changes could enlighten understanding of the interaction between testicular functioning and damage.

Acquired penoscrotal smooth muscle hamartoma.

Smooth muscle hamartoma is an uncommon, usually congenital benign proliferation of smooth muscle bundles within the dermis.’ Unlike previously reported cases of acquired smooth muscle hamartomas, our case did not occur in association with Becker’s nevus. To our knowledge we report the first case of acquired smooth muscle hamartoma in the penoscrotal region. CASE REPORT A 65-year-old man presented with penoscrotal swelling that he had noticed approximately 8 months previously (fig. 1, A). No evidence of trauma, allergic reaction or insect bite was found. Physical examination revealed thickening and swelling flesh in the scrotum and the entire penile shaft circumferentially, which was not tender when palpated. Excisional biopsy of the scrotal wall and penile skin was interpreted as a smooth muscle hamartoma (fig. 2). Exploration revealed normal cord structures and testes. The entire scrotal wall was excised with only a small amount remaining. Perineal skin flaps were mobilized to cover the testes. Penile shaft skin was incised at the ventral midline and circumscribed distally. Hamartomatous subcutaneous tissue was excised extensively, avoiding perforation of the underlying skin, and the penis was covered with this skin (fig. 1, B). At followup 15 months postoperatively there was no sign of recurrence.

Transrectal ultrasonography-guided echo-enhanced seminal vesiculography in combination with transurethral resection of the ejaculatory ducts.

routinely aspirated for motile spermatozoa. All intraoperative aspirates are cryopreserved for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) if microscopic examination shows motile spermatozoa and the volume is sufficient for harvesting. The mixture of Levovist and methylene blue dye is then administrated under real-time TRUS guidance. The patency of the ipsilateral ejaculatory duct is confirmed by directly visualizing the contrast solution as it flows through the seminal vesicle, the ampulla of the vas deferens and the ejaculatory duct, and then passes into the prostatic urethra and the bladder. The procedure is then repeated for the contralateral seminal vesicle. At the same time seminal vesicles, ejaculatory ducts and the prostatic urethra can be clearly visualized for the level of obstruction, obstructed length, distance to the cyst and distance to the rectum (Fig. 2) After evaluating these variables a strategy for the operation is selected.

The effects of female age on the outcome of testicular sperm extraction and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in infertile patient with azoospermia

Introduction: Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is well-defined procedure for surgical sperm retrieval in obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia. This study was focused on the effectiveness of testicular sperm extraction and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for azoospermic men with different female age subgroups.Materials and methods: A total of 107 men with azoospermia underwent TESE and ICSI treatment. The women were examined in three groups 20–29, 30–34 and 35 years or older. The main outcome in this study was fertilization and pregnancy rates with TESE and ICSI.Results: Spermatozoa were successfully retrieved during 97 of 107 (90.7%) TESE attempts, resulting in the fertilization of 286 of 563 (50.4%) injected metaphase II oocytes. Two hundred and fifty-five of them were transferred (89.8%). The clinical pregnancy rate and ongoing pregnancy rate per embryo transfer were 22.5% and 20.6% respectively. When comparing the fertilization and pregnancy rates, it was observed that women between the ages of 20–29 years had significantly higher pregnancy rates than women over 34 years of age (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The female age is a major factor in determining successful implantation in ICSI.

Relationship between Erectile Dysfunction and Silent Coronary Artery Disease: Detection with Multidetector Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography

Aim: Our aim was to determine the relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and silent coronary artery disease (CAD) by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography. Methods: Thirty consecutive men with nonhormonal and nonpsychogenic ED and with no cardiac symptoms were evaluated. Medical history, physical examination and laboratory investigation were performed. The five-item brief form of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) was performed for evaluation of ED. The Agatston score (AS) was determined from MDCT images under beta blockade to induce bradycardia. The MDCT coronary angiography findings were evaluated by two radiologists blinded to the clinical findings. Patients were classified into three categories (mild, moderate and severe ED) according to IIEF-5 scores and into five categories (very low, low, moderate, moderately high and high CAD risk) according to the AS. Results: Mean age was 58.3 ± 8.7 years (46-79). 6 patients had hypertriglyceridemia, 4 had hypercholesterolemia and 4 had hyperglycemia. All patients had normal early morning testosterone levels. Regarding IIEF-5 scores, none of them had mild ED, 14 had moderate ED and 16 had severe ED. Of the 14 patients with moderate ED, 21.4% had low and 28.5% had moderate CAD risk regarding AS. Of the 16 patients with severe ED, 25% had moderate, 31.2% had moderately high and 25% had high CAD risk regarding AS. Increasing age was a risk factor for high AS (p = 0.045). There was a significant correlation between AS and ED severity (p = 0.01). Conclusions: ED and CAD often coexist. MDCT coronary angiography can detect coronary lesions and allow appropriate medical intervention.