Acta clinica Croatica
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2015
EFFECT OF THREE-WEEK ZINC AND MELATONIN SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE OXIDANT-ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEM IN EXPERIMENTAL RENAL ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION IN RATS.
Renal ischemia-reperfusion directly affects glomerular and tubular epithelium. Oxygen free radicals have a significant part in the pathophysiology of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. The present study aimed to identify the effects of 3-week zinc, melatonin, and zinc + melato- nin supplementation on malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in tissue and plasma and glutathione levels (GSH) in erythrocytes and tissue of rats with experimentally induced renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. ⋯ GSH values in kidney tissues and erythrocytes were found to be elevated in the groups supplemented with zinc and melatonin (p < 0.005). When MDA values in renal tissue and plasma were examined, it was seen that ischemia significantly elevated this parameter, while zinc and melatonin supplementation signifi- cantly inhibited MDA values (p < 0.002). The results of the study indicated that oxidative injury of the blood and renal tissues of rats increased in association with ischemia-reperfusion, but zinc and melatonin supplementation before ischemia-reperfusion markedly reduced this oxidative damage.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2015
CROATIAN UROLOGISTS' CLINICAL PRACTICE AND COMPLIANCE WITH GUIDELINES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NON-NEUROGENIC MALE LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS.
The aim of this study was to assess the Croatian urologists' management of non-neurogenic male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and their compliance with the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines. A cross-sectional survey included 51/179 Croatian urologists. We developed a questionnaire with questions addressing compliance with EAU guidelines. ⋯ Our results indicated that 97% of urologists preferred alpha blockers as the first choice of treatment; 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5ARI) were mostly prescribed (84%) in combination with an alpha-blocker, preferably as a continuous treatment, whilst 29% of urologists used to discontinue 5ARI after 1-2 years. Half of the Croatian urologists used antimuscarinics in the treatment of BPH/LUTS and recommended phytotherapeutic drugs in their practice. In conclusion, Croatian urologists do not completely comply with the guidelines available.