Vol 14, No 3 (2024)

BACKGROUND: Questionnaires allow to objectify and quantify the disease severity, especially at the patient’s initial visit, its impact on the patients’ quality of life, as well as the dynamics of symptoms during treatment.

AIM: To validate the Russian version of the Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency Patient Symptom Scale (PUF scale; C.L. Parsons, 2000) for patients with chronic recurrent uncomplicated cystitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Russian version of the PUF Scale was suggested to two respondent groups aged 19 to 53 years: relatively healthy volunteers, 15 women who did not complains of urinary disorders or pain/discomfort in the bladder, and 14 patients with verified diagnosis of chronic recurrent uncomplicated cystitis.

RESULTS: The resulting data demonstrate the validity of the proposed Russian version of the PUF Scale. Statistically significant differences were noted in the answers to most of the questionnaire issues between two respondent groups: conditionally healthy volunteers and patients with chronic recurrent uncomplicated cystitis. A high level of internal consistency of the questionnaire was found. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient in the main group was 0.888, in the control group — 0.819.

CONCLUSIONS: The study findings proved that the Russian version of the Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency Patient Symptom Scale (C.L. Parsons, 2000) is a valid tool for subjective assessment of the severity of chronic recurrent uncomplicated cystitis symptoms.

BACKGROUND: The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recognized as a global pandemic, impacts many human organs and systems. In view of the coronavirus widespread and high incidence of the disease in young men of reproductive potential, It would be relevant to assess the immediate and long-term consequences of coronavirus disease on the reproductive system of men and their hormonal status

AIM: To study of the effect of COVID-19 on the male reproductive system and hormonal status.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included the findings of examination and treatment of 62 men aged 22 to 45 years (mean age: 38.3 ± 3.2 years) who had COVID-19 confirmed by PCR testing within 3-6 months prior to the study. Sixteen (25.8%) men had severe disease, and 46 (74.2%) men suffered from moderate one. All patients enrolled in the study had spermogram parameters, mixed antiglobulin reaction (MAR) test findings and total plasma testosterone levels were within the reference values before the disease. These parameters were determined for all patients after recovery at 6 and 12 months.

RESULTS: Six months after the disease, significant spermatogenesis disorders, manifested by a decreasing concentration and/or mobility and/or the number of normal forms of spermatozoa, leukospermia, were observed in 14 of 16 (87.5%) patients in the severe disease group and in 16 of 46 (34.7%) patients with moderate severity disease (p < 0.05). Total plasma testosterone levels were decreased in all 16 (100%) patients in the severe group and in 32 of 46 (69.6%) patients in the moderate group (p < 0.05). Within 12 months after the disease, significant disorders in the main spermogram parameters were observed in 5 of 16 (31.2%) patients with severe coronavirus disease, and in 4 of 46 (8.7%) patients with moderate coronavirus (p < 0.05). A decrease in total plasma testosterone levels occurred in 10 of 16 (62,5%) men of the severe disease group and in 4 of 46 (8.7%) men with moderate disease (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate the negative impact of COVID-19 on male fertility and hormonal status. The coronavirus severity mainly determines the rate, intensity and duration of spermatogenesis disorders and hypogonadism manifestations that occur after it.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation is a recognized method of treating patients with end–stage kidney disease. However, the risk of graft loss is not excluded. In Azerbaijan, kidney transplantation is mainly performed from living donors; nevertheless, there is little data on the panel-reactive antibodies (PRA) and its use in the transplantation program.

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of positive panel-reactive antibodies (PRA) and short-term outcomes of living donor kidney transplantation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within 6 months after kidney transplantation, 113 recipients were followed up. All patients underwent their first transplantation. Complement-dependent cytotoxicity cross-matching, HLA typing, and flow cytometry cross-matching were carried out. Flow cytometric analysis was applied to detect PRA. The positive response percentage is presented by the percentage of events shifted to the right of the cutoff point. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software.

RESULTS: Among the examined patients, men predominated. In PRA-positive patients (n = 20), the dialysis duration was on average 22.3% longer than in PRA-negative patients (n = 93). 35.0% of PRA-positive patients had class I PRA, 30.0% of patients had class II PRA, and 35.0% had class I + II PRA. In 40.0% of cases, positive PRA had high sensitization >50% (predominantly class II), and the remaining 60.0% had PRA from 10% to 50%. Sensitizing factors were more common in the PRA-positive group (p < 0.05). After 6 months of folow-up, the mean creatinine level was 183.4 ± 68.84 nmol/l in the PRA-positive group and 198.15 ± 108.23 nmol/l in the PRA-negative group (p = 0.91). The overall emptying rate was 4.4% (n = 5), with all 5 cases being in the PRA-negative group. No deaths were observed during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS: PRA positive patients usually have some sensitizing event such as pregnancy or blood transfusion. The transfusion itself was not a significant factor of sensitization in this study. Patients with high PRA levels require more thorough examination.

BACKGROUND: The development of medical technologies has resulted into a significant increase in the number of patients undergoing minimally invasive surgeries for benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, 29.9–41% of patients after surgical treatment are not satisfied with the surgical treatment results.

AIM: To assess the rate and nature of lower urinary tract symptoms in men after surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with various surgical techniques.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A telephone survey was carried out among 6117 men aged 59.57 ± 11.11 years (48–83 years), who underwent surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia with various surgical techniques and 5960 of these patients were surveyed using the IPSS questionnaire in the period 2012–2022. Moreover, to assess urination, patients kept their voiding diaries for 72 hours, a questionnaire to evaluate the symptoms of overactive bladder; ultrasound of the bladder, prostate and upper urinary tract, uroflowmetry, and, if indicated, a urodynamic study were performed.

RESULTS: The study showed that 2413 (40.5%) patients were “absolutely satisfied” with the surgical treatment results, 829 (13.9%) patients were “partially satisfied” and noted improved urination, although its quality was assessed as unsatisfactory, and 2718 (45.6%) operated men were “absolutely dissatisfied”. Lower urinary tract symptoms persisted in 2655 (47.9%) men which underwent surgery, and in 3.3% of cases (87 patients) their severity increased in the postoperative period.

CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of dissatisfaction with the surgical treatment results of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia is caused by the persistence of irritative symptoms in the postoperative period and does not depend on the surgery performed. The origin of symptoms in most patients is not associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and the surgery indications are overestimated.

Urine analysis data obtained using modern microbiological methods and 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology indicate that the urinary system has its own microbial ecosystem. Individual microbiota members can play a key role in the development of cancer. Certain bacterial taxa have been revealed in bladder urothelial carcinoma cells that can affect carcinogenesis, treatment response, and the development of relapses through various mechanisms. The studies are conducted to use not only vaccine strains, but also probiotic strains and oncolytic bacteria for the treatment and prevention of relapses.

Obesity has become an epidemic in recent decades, affecting millions of people worldwide. Many studies proved a cause between obesity and urinary incontinence in women. Lifestyle modifications, low-calorie diet, and weight loss surgery can improve symptoms of urinary incontinence in obese patients. Studying the effect of bariatric surgery on urinary incontinence symptoms has shown positive results in the short term period. However, there is data on worsening due to regaining weight in the long term period. Contradictory study search findings emphasize the need for further research and development of new clinical recommendations for effective treatment of urinary incontinence in women with obesity.

A case report of successful plasma transurethral enucleation of a giant prostate adenoma (640 cm³) is presented. The short term postoperative follow-up showed the absence of functional and organic complications. The comparison was made with the results of surgical treatment of giant prostate adenoma by classical transurethral prostate enucleation methods obtained at “RZD Meditsina” Nizhny Novgorod Urological Clinic in 2015, it revealed a decrease in the intraoperative period by 55 minutes without an increase in intraoperative blood loss and surgical complications. The results obtained demonstrate the prospects for the widespread introduction of plasma methods of transurethral surgery into urological practice.

At the suggestion of Eco-Vector Publishing House and in accordance with the recommendations of the Association of Science Editors and Publishers (ASEP), the editorial board of the journal conducted a comparative analysis of two articles [“Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and fertility potential of the men. Psychiatry and Urology. At the junction of related disciplines” (authors, Korshunov MN, Korshunova ES) // Urologicheskie Vedomosti. 2016;6(3):19–25. EDN: XBHVED doi: 10.17816/uroved6319-25 (submitted 22.06.2016, approved 19.08.2016) and “Influence of the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors on spermatogenesis” (authors, Korshunov MN, Korshunova ES, Shtyrya YuA, Vinogradov IV) // Experimental and Clinical Urology. 2015;(4);67–70. EDN: VPNHLR], which showed almost complete coincidence of the texts of these publications. The sections “Materials and Methods”, “Results”, “Discussion”, “Conclusions”, and bibliography are completely identical; the “Introduction” sections differ by one paragraph. The article “Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and fertility potential of the men. Psychiatry and Urology. At the junction of related disciplines”, published in the journal Urologicheskie Vedomosti, is a semantic copy of the article “Influence of the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors on spermatogenesis”, published in the journal Experimental and Clinical Urology. It is noted that the date of receipt of the manuscript by the journal Urologicheskie Vedomosti is later than the date of receipt of an identical manuscript by the journal Experimental and Clinical Urology. Due to the identification of duplication of articles in two scientific journals, on June 19, 2024, the Editorial Board of the journal Urologicheskie Vedomosti decided to retract the article “Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and fertility potential of the men. Psychiatry and Urology. At the junction of related disciplines” (authors, Korshunov MN, Korshunova ES) // Urologicheskie Vedomosti. 2016;6(3):19–25. EDN: XBHVED doi: 10.17816/uroved6319-25 (submitted 22.06.2016, approved 19.08.2016).