Erdal Kukul

Determination of the site of metabolism of total, free, and complexed prostate-specific antigen

OBJECTIVESnTo determine the site of metabolism of total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), and complexed PSA (cPSA).nnnMETHODSnA total of 20 male patients, 50 years old or older, having a clinical indication for left and right heart catheterization were enrolled in this study. Selective blood samples were obtained from the infrarenal, infrahepatic, and suprahepatic inferior vena cava, renal vein, hepatic vein, superior vena cava, pulmonary artery, and femoral artery. cPSA concentration was accepted as the difference between tPSA and fPSA concentrations.nnnRESULTSnWe found that tPSA and fPSA concentrations in the infrarenal inferior vena cava were significantly higher than in the systemic artery. There was no significant difference between the systemic artery and the infrarenal inferior vena cava for cPSA concentration. Although fPSA concentration decreased significantly across the renal circulation, the decreases in cPSA and tPSA concentrations were statistically insignificant. In the hepatic circulation, we found that tPSA, fPSA, and cPSA concentrations were significantly decreased. No decrease in tPSA, fPSA, and cPSA concentrations were noted across the pulmonary circulation.nnnCONCLUSIONSnOur results indicate that fPSA and tPSA are released into serum from the prostate but the prostate may not have a significant role in complex formation of PSA. In addition, the liver has a significant role in the elimination of tPSA, fPSA, and cPSA. By contrast, the kidneys have a significant role only in the elimination of fPSA. We also found that the lungs did not have a significant role in the elimination of tPSA, fPSA, or cPSA.

Importance of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand in pathogenesis of interstitial cystitis

IntroductionAlthough interstitial cystitis is an inflammatory disease, its etiopathogenesis is not clearly understood. The objective of the present study is to investigate the distribution of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its receptors in bladder biopsy samples of patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis and the role of TRAIL in the pathogenesis of interstitial cystitis.Materials and methodsTRAIL and its receptors were stained immunohistochemically in bladder biopsy samples of 27 patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, and the samples were evaluated independently by two pathologists and were scored in terms of expression intensity and distribution.ResultsAn evaluation of the results of the statistical analysis showed that the TRAIL-R4 receptor was immunohistochemically stained with a higher score than TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2, TRAIL-R3 receptors and TRAIL, with a statistically significant difference (Pxa0<xa00.05).ConclusionThese findings indicate that TRAIL-R4 is the predominant receptor in the interstitial cystitis inflammation.

Do Renal Failure and Hemodialysis Have Any Effect on the Elimination of Free and Total Prostate–Specific Antigen?

Objectives: The aim of this study was first to determine the serum levels of free prostate–specific antigen (f–PSA), total prostate–specific antigen (t–PSA) and f–PSA/t–PSA ratios in patients with renal failure, and secondary, to investigate whether a significant difference between serum f–PSA and t–PSA levels consists in patients with end–stage renal disease before and after hemodialysis.Methods: Serum concentrations of f–PSA and t–PSA were measured in 36 men with end–stage renal disease before and after hemodialysis and in 95 healthy controls. A chemiluminescent enzyme assay was used to determine the levels of f–PSA and t–PSA.Results: The mean concentrations of serum t–PSA were 1.36±0.43 ng/ml in patients on hemodialysis and 1.08±0.60 ng/ml in controls. There was no significant difference in f–PSA and t–PSA levels between patients with renal failure and controls. F–PSA and t–PSA levels in patients with renal failure also showed no statistical differences before and after hemodialysis.Conclusions: The limited kidney reserve in patients with end–stage renal disease is sufficient to maintain the levels of t–PSA and f–PSA within normal ranges and hemodialysis does not alter the serum levels of different PSA forms.

The effect of location of the ureteric orifice on the efficacy of endoscopic injection to correct vesico-ureteric reflux.

To review our 11‐year experience and identify the mechanisms responsible for the failure of endoscopic injection for vesico‐ureteric reflux (VUR) with three different injectable agents, based on the location of the ureteric orifice on endoscopy.

Ratio of Free to Total Prostate-Specific Antigen in Patients with Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia

Objective: There are many reports about the effects of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between PIN and serum free PSA/total PSA (fPSA/tPSA) ratios. Methods: We evaluated 46 patients with PIN, 15 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and 16 patients with localized prostatic carcinoma (CaP) for the amount of fPSA and tPSA with the chemiluminescent enzyme assay. Results: fPSA values from BPH to high-grade PIN (PIN2 and PIN3) was increased, and then a decrease was observed from high-grade PIN to CaP. fPSA was significantly different between BPH and low-grade PIN and high-grade PIN. There was no significant difference observed between BPH and CaP. tPSA values increased from BPH to CaP. tPSA was significantly different between BPH and high-grade PIN and CaP. fPSA/tPSA ratios decreased from BPH to CaP. This ratio was significantly different between CaP and BPH and low-grade PIN. There was no significant difference between CaP and high-grade PIN. Conclusions: Our results confirm that fPSA/tPSA ratio is better at discriminating between patients with CaP and those with BPH, but not between patients with CaP and those with high-grade PIN. Due to similarities between CaP and high-grade PIN, we think that decreased fPSA/tPSA ratio obtained at the time of intial diagnosis of PIN without concurrent carcinoma could be used as predictive factors to distinguish patients in whom carcinoma will be found on subsequent biopsies from those with PIN not associated with cancer on repeat biopsy.

Midline Dorsal Plication to Repair Recurrent Chordee at Reoperation for Hypospadias Surgery Complication

PURPOSEnMidline dorsal plication is an efficient and safe surgical technique to correct chordee. We investigated the efficacy of midline dorsal plication for recurrent chordee in complicated hypospadias reoperations.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnWe retrospectively evaluated the charts of 25 boys who underwent reoperation between 1999 and 2004 due to complications of primary hypospadias repair other than meatal stenosis. A total of 15 cases were initially managed elsewhere for primary repair or complications. The etiology of recurrent chordee was defined at surgical correction. When recurrent chordee was noted a midline dorsal plication was performed.nnnRESULTSnOf 25 patients 10 had previously undergone chordee repair. Nine of these patients were observed to have recurrent chordee and 1 had de novo chordee. A total of 10 patients had recurrent or delayed onset chordee. Mean patient age at primary repair was 6.28 years (range 1 to 33). Mean age at last operation for chordee was 15.9 years (range 4 to 66). Mean interval to recurrent chordee was 6 years (range 1 to 16), excluding a 66-year-old blind patient who did not know when recurrent chordee developed. Five patients had chordee recur before puberty at a mean interval of 2.6 years. Mean reoperation rate was 2.4 for recurrent chordee cases and 2.6 for chordee-free cases. Mean followup after midline dorsal plication for recurrent chordee repair was 22 months (range 8 to 56), while mean followup in pubertal and postpubertal cases was 20 months. No recurrence of chordee or surgery related morbidity was observed after recurrent chordee repair by midline dorsal plication.nnnCONCLUSIONSnChordee may recur during puberty following successful chordee repair. The midline dorsal plication technique is simple, efficient and safe even in patients who have undergone multiple surgeries for hypospadias and chordee repair.

Endoscopic Treatment of Ureteric Strictures: Acucise, Cold-Knife Endoureterotomy and Wall Stents as a Salvage Approach

Objective: To evaluate the factors influencing the results of endoureterotomy using cold-knife and cutting balloon dilatation, and permanent ureteral wall stents in patients with benign ureteral strictures after different operations affecting the ureter. Materials and Methods: Over a 4-year period, in 18 patients, endoscopic cold-knife and Acucise endoureterotomies were performed in 13 and 7 renal units, respectively. Eight Memoterm permanent ureteral wall stents were inserted into 7 patients when endoureterotomy failed. Successful outcome was defined by the absence of re-stricture assessed both clinically and radiologically. Results: The strictures were secondary to ureterolithotomy in 6, ureteroscopy in 3, gynecological procedures in 4, abdominal surgeries in 2, transplantation in 2 and continent urinary diversion in 1. The right and left ureters were unilaterally affected in 5 and 11 patients, respectively (5 of them had a solitary kidney), while the remaining 2 patients had bilateral ureteral strictures. We achieved total ureteral patency of 3 (43%) and 7 (54%) renal units with Acucise and cold-knife incision, respectively. Obstructive uropathy was resolved in 6 renal units (75%) of 8 using ureteral wall stents. Conclusion: Endoureterotomy with cold-knife or Acucise cutting balloon dilatation is effective in the treatment of iatrogenic ureteral strictures, but only in a selected group. Based on our results, the favorable prognostic criteria for endoureterotomy are the length (≤1.5 cm), the nonischemic nature of the stricture and adequate renal function. As a salvage approach, permanent self-expanding ureteral wall stents with a 75% success rate may provide a satisfactory outcome for decompression of an obstructed system.

Urinary Fibronectin Levels in Patients Treated with Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin for Superficial Bladder Cancer

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been shown to be an effective treatment for superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, but the precise mechanism of action of BCG remains poorly understood. Fibronectin (FN), an important component of the extracellular matrix, has been found to play a role in BCG therapy. Some studies have shown that the soluble form of FN can compete efficiently with the matrix form of binding to the specific receptors on the bacteria and could consequently diminish the effect of BCG treatment. To evaluate a possible correlation between the urinary levels of FN and the efficacy of BCG therapy, we determined prospectively the urinary FN levels in 38 patients with TCC of the bladder and in 25 control subjects without malignancy matched for age and sex. All TCC patients were treated with transurethral tumor resection plus 6 weekly intravesical BCG instillations. After an average follow-up of 30 months, 8 patients (21.1%) had recurrent tumors, while 30 (78.9%) were free of tumor after intravesical BCG therapy. Urinary levels of FN in cancer patients have been shown to be significantly higher than controls (p < 0.001). These elevated levels were not decreased significantly after the operation (p > 0.05). It was also found that the mean urinary FN levels were not statistically significant between patients with recurrence and complete remission. The data suggest that BCG-bladder tumor cell binding is not influenced by soluble fibronectin and urinary FN may not be a ideal marker for selecting patients to BCG therapy.

Serum free and total prostate-specific antigen levels in patients with liver disease

OBJECTIVESnTo determine the effect of liver diseases on serum free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) levels, total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) levels, and fPSA/tPSA ratios.nnnMETHODSnSerum concentrations of tPSA and fPSA were measured in 18 men with histologically confirmed liver cirrhosis, 20 men with histologically proved chronic hepatitis, and 20 healthy men. All patients underwent a standard urologic evaluation, including history, physical examination, urine analysis, serum fPSA and tPSA determinations, and liver function tests (serum bilirubin, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase).nnnRESULTSnPatients with liver cirrhosis had slightly lower fPSA levels than did control subjects or patients with chronic hepatitis, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. tPSA levels also were not significantly different among the three groups.nnnCONCLUSIONSnIn the presence of liver disease, despite the limited liver reserve, tPSA and fPSA are specific and reliable markers in the clinical management of prostatic diseases in this population. This result should be taken into account when serum concentrations of fPSA, tPSA, and the fPSA/tPSA ratio are evaluated in patients with liver disease.

Role of spinning top urethra in dysfunctional voiding.

Abstract Objective. The role of spinning top urethra (STU) in children with dysfunctional voiding was evaluated retrospectively. Material and methods. From 1995 to 2002, the records of 154 children with dysfunctional voiding were reviewed retrospectively. Of the children 110 (71%) were girls and 44 (29%) were boys (mean age 8 years, range 4–14). All children were neurologically normal and no exhibited physical signs of occult spinal dysraphism. Patients were divided into two groups according to their width of proximal urethra: group I had STU and the group II had normal urethral width. The groups were compared with each other for gender, voiding symptoms, urinary tract infection (UTI), vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and urodynamic observations. Results. There were 84 children (mean age 8.3 ± 2.2 years, range 4–14) in group I and 70 (mean age 8.0 ± 2.1 years, range 4–14) in group II; no significant age difference was found between the two groups (p = 0.4674). Group I consisted of 66 (71%) girls and 18 (29%) boys and group II 44 (63%) girls and 26 (37%) boys. STU was observed more in girls than boys in group I (p = 0.0316). UTI was observed in 57 patients (68%) in group I and 34 (49%) in group II (p = 0.0154). Mean duration of symptoms was 42 ± 24 months (range 6–118) and 39 ± 23 (range 3–120) months in groups I and II, respectively (p = 0.6302). Postvoid residual urine (PVR) more than 10% of expected bladder capacity was detected in 15 patients (18%) in group I and seven (10%) in group II. No association was found between the meaningful PVR and STU (p = 0.1653). The presence of detrusor overactivity during filling was observed in 54 patients (64%) in group I and 42 (60%) in group II (p = 0.4676). Diminished bladder compliance (<u200910 ml/cmH2O) was detected in 34 patients (40%) in group I and 17 (24%) in group II (p = 0.0335). The mean voiding pressure was measured as 56 ± 29 cmH2O in group I, which was significantly higher than in group II (49 ± 25 cmH2O) (p = 0.0373). The mean flow rate during the emptying phase of urodynamics was 16 ± 8 and 15 ± 6 ml/s in groups I and II, respectively (not significant, p = 0.2686). VUR was detected in 16 patients (19%) in group I and two (3%) in group II (p = 0.0018). Conclusions. STU was related to recurrent UTIs, VUR, poor bladder compliance and more serious functional urinary obstruction. Furthermore, STU may be a consequence of a neurogenic maturation defect in detrusor–sphincter coordination resembling that of urofacial syndrome, because development of this situation was found to be independent of the duration of symptoms.