The Journal of urology
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The Journal of urology · Jul 1999
Urethral afferent nerve activity affects the micturition reflex; implication for the relationship between stress incontinence and detrusor instability.
A causative relationship between stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and detrusor instability has been suspected but never proven. Many women with mixed incontinence have resolution of detrusor instability after surgical correction of SUI. We sought experimental support that stimulation of urethral afferent nerves can induce or change reflex detrusor contractions. ⋯ These results indicate that in the anesthetized rat activation of urethral afferents by urethral perfusion can modulate the micturition reflex. Thus in patients with stress urinary incontinence, leakage of urine into the proximal urethra may stimulate urethral afferents and facilitate voiding reflexes. This implies that stress incontinence can induce and/or increase detrusor instability. These findings have significant implications for the treatment of patients with mixed urge and stress incontinence. Correction of stress incontinence by surgery or pelvic floor exercise in patients with mixed incontinence may resolve the detrusor instability.
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The Journal of urology · Jun 1999
Alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonists terazosin and doxazosin induce prostate apoptosis without affecting cell proliferation in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Recent evidence indicated that an alpha 1 blocker, doxazosin, induces prostate apoptosis in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In this study, to determine whether this apoptotic response was mediated by alpha 1 adrenoceptor-dependent mechanism or was specific to doxazosin, we examined the effect of another alpha 1 blocker, terazosin, in addition to doxazosin, on the dynamics of prostate cell growth. ⋯ These findings demonstrate that alpha-blockers as a class may regulate prostate growth by inducing apoptosis in both the epithelial and stromal cells, with little effect on cell proliferation. Apoptosis-mediated prostate stromal regression appears as a molecular mechanism underlying the therapeutic response to alpha 1 blockade in the treatment of BPH.
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There are no universally accepted urodynamic criteria for diagnosing female bladder outlet obstruction. When accepted criteria for men are applied to women, the diagnosis of obstruction may often be missed, which is most likely due to differences in voiding dynamics. We propose video urodynamic criteria for diagnosing obstruction in women, and describe the urodynamic findings in those with and without obstruction. ⋯ Using the proposed video urodynamic criteria obstructed cases had significantly higher voiding pressures, lower flow rates and higher post-void residual than unobstructed cases, as expected. However, absolute values, especially for voiding pressure, are not as dramatic in women as in men. Pressure flow studies alone may fail to diagnose obstruction but simultaneous imaging of the bladder outlet during voiding greatly facilitates diagnosis.
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The Journal of urology · Apr 1999
Detection of circulating prostate specific antigen expressing prostatic cells in the bone marrow of radical prostatectomy patients by sensitive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for prostate specific antigen (PSA) expressing cells in the blood circulation has been under intense investigation since 1992. Although it has been suggested that this technology could be used as molecular staging for occult prostatic hematogenous metastases, we have been unable to confirm RT-PCR PSA positivity of peripheral blood to predict stage or recurrence in radical prostatectomy cases. We performed bone marrow RT-PCR PSA assay on a large cohort of radical prostatectomy cases and evaluate the use of this assay in improving prostate cancer staging and detecting early recurrence. ⋯ Bone marrow RT-PCR PSA positivity in this study did not predict pathological stage, grade or margin positivity as determined from whole mount prostate cancer specimens. Furthermore, no relationship with age, grade or serum markers and bone marrow RT-PCR PSA positivity was noted. However, bone marrow RT-PCR PSA was associated with early disease recurrence. Further studies and longer followup are warranted to define the metastatic potential of the PSA expressing cells in the bone marrow of prostate cancer patients.
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The Journal of urology · Apr 1999
Clinical TrialSupranormal renographic differential renal function in congenital hydronephrosis: fact, not artifact.
Children with unilateral hydronephrosis, who had been prospectively examined with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and dimercapto-succinic acid (DMSA) renography, were evaluated to determine whether supranormal renographic differential renal function exists. ⋯ Supranormal renographic differential renal function does exist in congenital hydronephrosis and when found the kidneys are consistently enlarged. The position of supranormal renographic renal function in the management algorithm of hydronephrosis remains to be elucidated as it does not appear to be a benign prognostic factor.