OBJECTIVES: METHODS: RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the common male diseases, which is provoked by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and androgen signals. Several studies showed that curcumin has various effects of prevention and treatment to diseases. We investigated whether curcumin may repress the development of BPH in male Wistar rats. Seven weeks male Wistar rats were and divided into 4 groups (normal group, BPH group, finasteride group, curcumin group; n = 8 for each group). In order to induce BPH in rats, rats were castrated and testosterone was injected subcutaneously everyday (s.c., 20 mg/kg). Rats in the curcumin group were treated 50 mg/kg, administered orally for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, all rats were sacrificed and their prostate and serum were analyzed. Compared to the finasteride group as positive group, the curcumin group showed similarly protective effect on BPH in histopathologic morphology, prostate volume. Results of immunohistochemistry and western-blot showed decreased expressions of VEGF, TGF-ß1, and IGF1 were also decreased in the curcumin group. These results suggested that curcumin inhibited the development of BPH and might a useful herbal treatment or functional food for BPH.

Jung HD, et al. Investig Clin Urol. 2023 Jun;64:e45. https://doi.org/10.4111/icu.20230102

We aimed to evaluate the risk factors of febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) following retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for treating renal stones. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with 10 – 30 mm kidney stones who underwent RIRS from January 2014 to July 2017. Evaluation included age, gender, body mass index, stone size, stone location, and operative time. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon and ureteral stenting was not done prior surgery. The risk factors of febrile UTI after RIRS were assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 150 patients were included in the present study, and 17 patients (11.3%) had febrile UTI after RIRS. Mean patient age was 56.64 ± 13.91 years, and both genders were evenly distributed. Mean stone size was 14.16 ± 5.89 mm. and mean operation time was 74.50 ± 42.56 minutes. According to univariate analysis, preoperative pyuria was associated with postoperative febrile UTI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative pyuria was the only independent risk factor of infectious complications after RIRS (odds ratios 8.311, 95% confidence intervals 1.759 – 39.275, P = .008). Age, gender, body mass index, comorbidity, preoperative bacteriuria, presence of hydronephrosis, renal stone characteristics, and operative time were not associated with febrile UTI after RIRS. Preoperative pyuria was the only risk factor of infectious complications following RIRS. Therefore, careful management after RIRS is necessary especially when preoperative urinalysis shows pyuria.

Jin Y, et al. Investig Clin Urol. 2022 May;63(3):251-261. https://doi.org/10.4111/icu.20210429

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of disease-free prostate (PC), kidney (KC), and bladder cancer (BC) survivors with that of the general population. Materials and Methods Our study included 331 urological cancer (UC) survivors (114 PC, 108 KC, and 109 BC) aged >= 50 years disease-free for at least 1 year after surgery. The control group included 1,177 subjects without a history of cancer. The HRQoL was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30, the Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of any of the functioning sub-scales and symptoms, except significantly lower social functioning observed in BC survivors than that observed in KC survivors. Although the three groups of UC survivors showed essentially similar functioning sub-scales and symptoms when compared to the general population, PC and BC survivors showed significantly lower social functioning and a lower appetite than that observed in controls. KC survivors showed lower physical functioning, as well as higher pain and dyspnea. Although all three groups of UC survivors reported higher financial difficulties, they also reported higher perceived social support than that reported by the non-cancer control group. No statistically significant difference was observed in terms of depressive symptoms between each group of UC survivors and the general population. Conclusion Disease-free survivors of the three major types of UCs showed generally similar HRQoL compared to the general population, as well as compared to each other.