Combination treatment with an alpha-blocker (tamsulosin) plus an anticholinergic (tolterodine) improves quality of life in patients with bladder outlet obstruction and concomitant detrusor instability. Interestingly, no acute urinary retention was observed and tolterodine did not affect the quality of urine flow or residual urine volume. The proposed combination appears to be an effective and relatively safe treatment option in patients with bladder outlet obstruction and detrusor instability.

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A total of 27 men with multiple sclerosis underwent urodynamic evaluation as part of a prospective study of voiding dysfunction. Of 18 patients with detrusor-external sphincter dyssynergia 9 suffered serious urologic complications, including repeated episodes of urosepsis, vesicoureteral reflux and urolithiasis. None of the 9 patients without dyssynergia suffered any urologic complications. Urologic complications were correlated highly to the presence of detrusor-external sphincter dyssynergia and the severity of multiple sclerosis but not to duration of multiple sclerosis, age of the patient or type of dyssynergia. Although no treatment was without complications it appears that either anticholinergics plus intermittent self-catheterization or condom catheter drainage is superior to an indwelling catheter for initial conservative treatment. External sphincterotomy or urinary diversion may be necessary if conservative therapy fails.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of sildenafil and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). In all, 30 men were randomly treated for 12 weeks either with sildenafil 100 mg before intercourse (15 men) or CPAP during night time sleep (15 men). Under sildenafil, 97/180 (53.9%) of attempted intercourses were successful compared to 33/138 (23.9%) under CPAP. The mean IIEF (erectile function domain score) was 12.9 and 9.3 after sildenafil and CPAP treatment, respectively (P ¼ 0.007), compared to 7.9 and 7 at baseline. In all, 53.3% of patients were satisfied with sildenafil and 20% with CPAP for ED treatment (P ¼ 0.058). Although sildenafil was superior to CPAP, comorbidities and OSAS per se possibly resulted in a lower effectiveness of sildenafil compared to that in the general population of ED men. While about half of the patients were not satisfied even with the more effective treatment, we conclude that a combination of the two therapeutic tools or a different therapeutic mode should be studied further.

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Both types of metal stents have advantages and disadvantages that must be balanced against each other when choosing the ideal device for the treatment of obstruction. Implantation of a metal self-expanding or balloon expanding stent is safe and effective for the palliative treatment of malignant ureteral obstruction in late stage cancer patients.

BackgroundProfound alterations in immune responses associated with uraemia and exacerbated by dialysis increase the risk of developing active tuberculosis (TB) in chronic haemodialysis patients (HDPs). In the current study, was determined the impact of various risk factors on TB development. Our aim was to identify which HDPs need anti-TB preventive therapy.MethodsProspective study of 272 HDPs admitted, through a 36-month period, to our institutions. Specific Relative Risk (RR) for TB was estimated, considering age matched subjects from the general population as reference group. Entering the study all patients were tested with tuberculin (TST). Using Cox's proportional hazard model the independent effect of various risk factors associated with TB development was estimated.ResultsHistory of TB, dialysis efficiency, use of Vitamin D supplements, serum albumin and zinc levels were not proved to influence significantly the risk for TB, in contrast to: advanced age (>65 years), BMI, diabetes mellitus, tuberculin reactivity, healed TB lesions on chest X-ray and time on dialysis. Elderly (>70 years old) HDPs (Adjusted RR 25.3, 95%CI 20.4-28.4, P < 0.02), diabetics (Adj.RR 25.3, 95%CI 17.2-21.1, P < 0.03), underweighted (Adj.RR 72.3, 95%CI 65.2-79.8 P < 0.001), tuberculin responders (Adj.RR 41.4, 95%CI 37.9-44.8, P < 0.03), HDPs with fibrotic lesions on chest x-ray (Adj.RR 82.3, 95%CI 51.3-95.5, P < 0.03) and those treated with haemodialysis for < 12 months (Adj.RR 110.0, 95%CI 97.4-135.3, P < 0.001), presented significantly higher specific RR for TB even after adjusting for the effect of the remaining studied risk factors.ConclusionThe above mentioned factors have to be considered by the clinicians, evaluating for TB in HDPs. Positive TST, the existence of predisposing risk factors and/or old TB lesions on chest X-ray, will guide the diagnosis of latent TB infection and the selection of those HDPs who need preventive chemoprophylaxis.

The use of alpha-blockers is justified, not only for prostatodynia, but also for abacterial and bacterial prostatitis. In the latter case alpha-blockade not only caused enhanced clinical improvement but also reduced the recurrences as defined by expressed prostatic secretion positive segmental cultures.