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infections (UTIs) occurring within 1 month after TR-PB. The rate of symptomatic UTIs and the rate of ADRs were considered the main outcome measures. Results In the total study population, 72/1109 (6.5 %) patients experienced symptomatic UTIs and among these 11 (0.9 % of total) had urosepsis. Out of 72, 53 (73.6 %) symptomatic UTIs were caused by fluoroquinolone-resistant strains. Out of 632, 10 (1.6 %) patients in Group 1 and 62/477 (12.9 %) patients in Group 2 had symptomatic UTIs (p < 0.001); in particular, 2/632 (0.3 %) patients in Group 1 and 9/477 (1.8 %) patients in Group 2 had urosepsis (p < 0.001). No differences were reported in terms of adverse events (0.6 vs 0.4 %; p = 0.70). A Charlson comorbidity index ≤1 and type of antimicrobial prophylaxis (FT) were found to be associated with a lower probability of symptomatic UTIs in the multivariate model. Conclusions Antibiotic prophylaxis with FT for TR-PB had a lower rate of adverse events and a lower rate of symptomatic UTIs as compared with CIP. Fosfomycin trometamol appears as an attractive alternative prophylactic regimen in prostate biopsies.

The therapeutic efficacy for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is currently unsatisfactory. The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of pollen extract in association with vitamins (DEPROX 500®) in males with CP/CPPS. All patients with a diagnosis of CP/CPPS attending the same urologic centre between March and October 2012 were enrolled in this randomised controlled phase III study. Participants were randomised to receive oral capsules of DEPROX 500® (two capsules every 24 h) or ibuprofen (600 mg, one tablet three times a day) for four weeks. The National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), International Prostate Symptom Score and Quality of Well-Being (QoL) questionnaires were used. In the intention-to-treat analysis, 87 males (25 class IIIa and 62 class IIIb) with a mean age of 33.6±5.9 years were randomly allocated to the DEPROX 500® (n=41) or ibuprofen (n=46) treatment groups. At the follow-up examination (following one month of treatment), in the DEPROX 500® group, 31/41 patients (75.6%) reported an improvement in quality of life, defined as a reduction of the NIH-CPSI total score by ≥25%, compared with 19/46 (41.3%) in the control group (P=0.002). The greater improvement in the DEPROX 500® group compared with the ibuprofen group was statistically significant (treatment difference in the NIH-CPSI pain domain, −2.14±0.51, P<0.001; QoL scores, P=0.002). All patients were negative at the Meares-Stamey test evaluation. Adverse events were less frequent in the DEPROX 500® group than in the ibuprofen group. The DEPROX 500® treatment significantly improved total symptoms, pain and quality of life compared with ibuprofen in patients with CP/CPPS, without severe side-effects.

Objectives: We evaluated the efficacy of sutureless laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN), using a fibrin gel in order to minimize renal ischemia time and preserve kidney function. Materials and Methods: Nineteen patients (mean age 58.3 ± 7.1) undergoing sutureless LPN using a fbrin gel were compared with a control group consisting of 21 patients (mean age 57.9 ± 7.5) subjected to LPN with standard suturing. Intraand post-operative data for the two groups were compared. The following parameters were recorded: patient demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index, tumor characteristics according to the RENAL score, warm ischemia and operative times, estimated blood loss, mean hospital stay, post-operative complications referring to the Clavien-Dindo classification, renal function parameters pathologic and follow-up data. The main outcome measure was renal ischemia time and maintenance of kidney function. Results: Median warm ischemia time was 13 minutes (range 11-19) in the group treated with fibrin gel and 19 (range 17- 29) in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The two groups were homogeneous in terms of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (4.6 vs 4.8) and RENAL score (9.6 vs 9.4). Median operative time differed significantly in the two groups, 183 minutes (range 145-218) in the group treated with fibrin gel and 201 (range 197-231) in the control group (p < 0.001). A negative surgical margin was reported in 18 patients (94.7%) in the group treated with fibrin gel and in 21 patients (100%) in the control group. No difference in renal function was found between the two groups. Conclusions: Sutureless LPN with fibrin gel can reduce warm ischemia and total operative time while preserving kidney function.

Abstract\ud OBJECTIVE:\ud To evaluate the concordance and prognostic role of histologic variants of bladder urothelial carcinoma in transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and radical cystectomy (RC) specimens.\ud METHODS:\ud Clinicopathologic information available at the time of RC and follow-up data from 4110 RC specimens, collected between January 2000 and December 2009 at 17 tertiary referral centers were retrospectively analyzed and evaluated for the presence or absence of uncommon variants of bladder urothelial carcinoma. The presence or absence of uncommon variants of bladder urothelial carcinoma was evaluated on previous TURBT specimens of patients undergoing RC. Cox regression was used to assess the impact of these parameters on cancer-specific survival, and the Kaplan-Meier test for disease-free survival was plotted for survival estimate.\ud RESULTS:\ud Of 4110 patients, 579 were found to have uncommon variants of bladder urothelial carcinoma at RC (14.1%), whereas 266 (6.4%) at TURBT. A lack of agreement about uncommon variants was observed between TURBT and RC specimens in the entire population (P <.001). The presence of uncommon variants at TURBT was associated with an increased risk of pathologic upstage (hazard ratio, 3.24; confidence interval, 1.19-6.37; P <.003) and significant decrease in cancer-specific survival and recurrence-free survival (P <.001).\ud CONCLUSION:\ud Although the concordance of presence of uncommon histologic variants of urothelial bladder carcinoma between TURBT and RC is low, the presence of uncommon histologic variants of urothelial bladder carcinoma at TURBT is associated with a less favorable clinical outcome

Background: To compare the surgical outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) performed via 3 different approaches: retropubic (RRP), laparoscopic-assisted (LRP), and robot-assisted (RARP), in a single non-academic regional center by a single surgeon. Materials and Methods: The data of patients undergoing RP from 2005 to 2014 were reviewed. The standard approach changed through the years: RRP (n = 380, years 2005 to 2008), LRP (n = 240, years 2009 to 2011), and RARP (n = 262, years 2012 to 2014). Our analysis included the last consecutive 100 RP for each surgical technique by a single surgeon. A logistic regression model adjusted for pre-and postoperative variables was done to evaluate whether transfusion, conversion, and post-operative complication rates were influenced by the approach. Results: RARP was associated with significantly lower blood loss (400 vs. 600 and 600 ml, respectively), transfusion (6 vs. 21 and 21%, respectively), and shorter hospital stay (6 vs. 7 and 8 days, respectively), compared to LRP and RRP, and a lower conversion rate (1 vs. 12%) compared to LRP. Multivariate analysis adjusted for confounders confirmed that the risk of transfusion and conversion was significantly lower in the RARP group compared to the LRP and RRP groups. The RARP group was also associated with a significantly lower risk of complications compared to the RRP group and with a trend in favor of the RARP group compared to the LRP group. The 1-year continence rate was significantly higher in the RARP group compared to the RRP and LRP groups (80 vs. 72 and 68%, respectively). Conclusion: The surgical approach affected the operative outcomes in a regional setting. The advantages of RARP over RRP (complications, transfusion, conversion, hospital stay, 1-year continence) were over LRP as well, with the only exception being complications.

PurposeWe aim to evaluate the efficacy of pollen extract in association with vitamins in patients affected by chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and to evaluate the level of the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10.Materials and MethodsPatients diagnosed with CP/CPPS between January and December 2015 were enrolled in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive oral capsules of pollen extract and vitamins (group A) or bromelain (group B) for 3 months. At the enrolment time and 3 months after enrolment, all patients completed questionnaires (the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index [NIH-CPSI] and the Short Form-36 and underwent urological examinations and microbiological evaluation. Levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were evaluated in seminal plasma.ResultsSixty-five male patients (mean age of 32.7±4.7 years) were analysed (group A, n=32; group B, n=33). At the follow-up examination, 24 of the 32 patients in group A showed a significant reduction in the NIH-CPSI total score compared with 8 of the 33 patients in the bromelain group (p<0.001). Moreover, the mean level of IL-8 was significantly lower in the pollen extract and vitamins group when compared with the bromelain group (298 pg/mL vs. 736 pg/mL, respectively; p<0.001). In group A we found a statistically significant reduction in the levels of IL-8 between enrolment and the follow-up visit (878 pg/mL vs. 298 pg/mL, respectively; p<0.001).ConclusionsTreatment with pollen extract and vitamins improved the quality of life in CP/CPPS patients by reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory IL-8.

There are rising evidences from published randomized trials and systematic review suggesting that nutritional supplementation may improve semen parameters and the likelihood of pregnancy in men affected by OAT. This improvement, however, is not consistent and there is a wide variation in the treatment regimens used. Well designed and adequately powered RCTs are needed to better clarify the role of nutritional supplements as treatment for male infertility.