Serum anti-Müllerian hormone levels do not predict the efficiency of testicular sperm retrieval in men with non-obstructive azoospermia.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine whether serum concentrations of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) can be used as a tool for prediction of the efficacy of sperm retrieval. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort observational study. AMH levels were determined in 47 men presenting for infertility evaluation. Group 1 consisted of 24 infertile patients diagnosed with non-obstructive azoospermia. Group 1 was further divided into two subgroups. The patients with spermatozoa in their testicular samples constituted group 1a (n = 13), while the patients with absence of spermatozoa constituted group 1b (n = 11). Twenty-three normozoospermic fertile men constituted group 2. Serum AMH was measured before obtaining testicular specimens. RESULTS: Testicular spermatozoa were recovered in 13 out of the 24 patients (54%). Demographic characteristics of the three groups were similar. The difference between serum AMH levels among the three groups did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: We speculated that although AMH is secreted predominantly into the seminiferous tubules, studying serum samples might be more advantageous than seminal plasma because the presence of seminal proteases could influence AMH levels in the latter. However, our results did not demonstrate differences in serum concentrations of AMH between the studied groups. Studies with extended patient populations focusing on seminal plasma concentrations of AMH are warranted.     

The Effects of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Behavioral Training on Sexual Dysfunction,Incontinence, Physical Activity Level and Quality of Life in the Elderly

Sexuality and Disability - Alterations in hormonal balance, especially with ageing, cause many pelvic floor problems such as urinary incontinence, lack of interest in or desire for sex and...     

Ischemia-modified albumin levels in children having seizure

Convulsions are one of the frequently seen problems for a neurologist in the daily routine. It is difficult to distinguish the seizure from pseudo-seizure because of lack of conclusive tests. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between seizure types and seizure periods by studying IMA serum levels in children having seizure. Two groups were included (patients and control) in our study. The patient group consisted of the children admitted to Pediatric Emergency Care during January 2008–January 2010 with seizure and the control group consisted of healthy children. Serum Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) level in the group having seizures was 99.7 and 83.2 U/ml in the control group. In the comparison of the patient and control groups, significant differences were found between their IMA values (p = 0.000). There was a significant difference between IMA values of the group having generalized tonic–clonic seizures and those of the control group (p = 0.001). In comparison of the IMA values of the group having febrile convulsions and those of the control group, a significant difference was determined (p = 0.011). It has been shown that if the seizure was prolonged over 5 min, IMA level increased, and there was a significant difference between the groups experiencing over 5 min of seizures and the groups experiencing less than 5 min of seizures (p = 0.001). An increase in IMA levels in febrile convulsion supports the hypoxia development in the brain during the seizure. Serum IMA levels increased with the elongation of the seizure period and may be an indicator for status epilepticus.     

The effects of antioxidants on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation in patients with COPD

OBJEctive: The oxidant-antioxidant balance plays an important role in the pathogenesis of COPD. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of exercise, as an oxidative stress factor on the oxidant-antioxidant balance and to investigate whether short-term antioxidant treatment affects lipid peroxidation products. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-one stable COPD patients and 10 control subjects were included in the study. Symptom-limited exercise tests were performed by all subjects. Blood was collected before and 1 h after exercise in control subjects and before, 1 and 3 h after exercise in COPD patients, for analysis of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and vitamin E (VE) levels. VE and vitamin C treatments were added to the regular bronchodilator therapy in 10 COPD patients for 1 month. After the treatment period, an exercise test was performed and blood was collected again for MDA, GSH and VE levels. RESULTS: Baseline GSH and VE levels were significantly lower in the COPD group when compared with the control subjects. There was no statistically significant difference in MDA levels between the two groups. In the COPD group, MDA levels 3 h after exercise were significantly higher than at baseline. In contrast there were no significant differences in MDA, VE and GSH levels in the control group after exercise. VE and MDA levels increased significantly after exercise in COPD patients but there was no difference in GSH levels. Baseline exercise time was significantly lower in the COPD group than in the controls. In 10 COPD patients who were given antioxidant therapy, their exercise time increased significantly and there was no increase in MDA and VE levels after the repeated exercise test. CONCLUSIONS: Antioxidant levels were significantly lower in COPD patients than in control subjects. In these patients, exercise results in more significant oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation than in control subjects and antioxidant therapy may decrease lipid peroxidation following exercise and improve exercise capacity.     

The growth hormone receptor polymorphism in patients with acromegaly: relationship to BMI and glucose metabolism

The aim of this study was to investigate association between the frequencies of Growth Hormone receptor (d3GHR) gene polymorphisms and some clinical parameters of acromegalic patients. Total of 35 acromegalic patients were enrolled to study. The d3GHR polymorphism was identified by using polymerase chain reaction from peripheral blood samples. The levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, BMI, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, IGF-I, GH, IGFBP3, triglyceride, HDL and LDL cholesterol concentrations were evaluated. The frequencies of d3GHR genotypes were found as follows; 5 (14.3%) subjects had d3/d3, 11 (31.4%) had d3/fl and 19 (54.3%) had fl/fl in patients. The prevalence of the d3 and fl alleles was 30 and 70%, respectively. Systolic blood pressure, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR was found significantly increased in homozygote d3GHR genotype group compared to d3/fl subjects (P?<?0.05). In addition, BMI was observed significantly different among three genotypes (P?=?0.007) and in the subjects with d3/d3 genotype, BMI was found significantly higher than d3/fl and fl/fl genotypes groups. As well as, no significant difference was found between the d3 and fl alleles group in terms of the clinical parameters except for BMI (P?=?0.002). It can be said that the d3GHR gene polymorphism may affect BMI, systolic blood pressure and insulin regulation. At the same time we can say homozygote d3GHR genotype and d3 allele carriers may have more risk than other genotypes for high BMI.     

Urolithiasis in infants: evaluation of risk factors

Objective

Urolithiasis in infants is not a very rare situation in Turkey, and the incidence has been increasing in recent years. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the clinical characteristics, metabolic and anatomic risk factors for urolithiasis and microlithiasis in infants.

Methods

The cases of 178 infants (63 girls, 115 boys), who were referred to our department between 1999 and 2009 with urolithiasis, were evaluated.

Results

The mean age at diagnosis of stone disease was 11.5 months (range, 10 days–24 months). The mean follow-up duration was 33.6 months (1.2–110 months). The major clinical symptoms of our patients were restlessness in 24 children (13.5%) and vomiting in 23 (13%). Thirty-five infants (19.7%) had a urinary tract abnormality; vesico-ureteral reflux was the most common abnormality (12.9%). Hypercalciuria and hyperuricosuria were detected in 46 and 56%, respectively. Stone analysis was performed in 56 infants, and calcium oxalate was determined in 36 patients (64.3%). A family history of urolithiasis, presenting symptoms and underlying metabolic abnormalities were similar for patients with microlithiasis and those with larger stones. However, infants with microlithiasis had higher ratios for history of vitamin D administration and feeding with formula. Surgical treatment was performed in 42 infants and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in 30 infants.

Conclusion

Our results showed that urolithiasis in infants may present nonspecific symptoms and may even be asymptomatic and that a positive family history for urolithiasis, urologic abnormalities, metabolic disorders, urinary tract infections, vitamin D administration and feeding with formula may increase the occurrence of urolithiasis in infants.     

Lymphocyte and monocyte vitamin D receptor expression during paricalcitol or calcitriol treatments in patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease

International Urology and Nephrology - In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of paricalcitol and calcitriol usage on vitamin D receptor (VDR) contents of CD8+?,...     

Spontaneous external jugular vein pseudoaneurysm treated by thrombin injection: Case report and literature review

Although external jugular vein (EJV) aneurysms are infrequent, regardless of etiology, spontaneous pseudoaneurysms (PAs) are extremely rare and generally require surgery. We describe a case of spontaneous PA of the EJV, which was successfully treated by percutaneous thrombin injection.