Although it has been proposed that NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation may have an important contribution to the onset of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC), as of today there is still insufficient evidence to accept or to reject this hypothesis. However, taking into consideration that inflammasomes have been already shown as important mediators of cyclophosphamide-induced bladder inflammation and that some studies have also revealed human bladder epithelium expresses high levels of NLRP3, such a hypothesis seems to be reasonable. The purpose of this review is to discuss a scenario that NLRP3 inflammasome is a crucial player in the development of this disease. Identification of a novel mediator of bladder inflammation and pain could lead to emerging new therapeutic strategy and the first causative therapy.
Corynebacterium coyleae is part of the commensal microflora of the skin, urethra, mucous membranes, and genital tract. Isolates from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) were reported, but the pathogenic potential of this species has not been defined yet. The aim of the study is to determine whether C. coyleae could be the etiological agent of UTI and to analyze its antibiotic susceptibility. Urine samples were cultured quantitatively according to accepted laboratory procedures. The identification of bacterial isolates was carried out using the Vitek MS (bioMérieux) and antibiotic susceptibility was tested using disc diffusion according to EUCAST guidelines. Between 1 January 2017 and 30 October 2018, a total of 39 C. coyleae strains were isolated. This represented 0.32% of all urine samples cultured in the laboratory during the collection period. The strains were isolated from samples obtained from 35 women and 3 men (age median for all—64 years). One female patient presented with C. coyleae in her urine twice at an interval of 21 months. In six cases of UTI, C. coyleae was isolated in monoculture. The isolates had the same resistance pattern. A total of 11 strains were obtained from cases with a clinical diagnosis of UTI. In 13 cases, the strain was cultured in a monoculture and in 28 cases with accompanying species. All strains were susceptible to vancomycin. However, resistance to ciprofloxacin was observed for 58.4% of the strains. Urine isolates of C. coyleae must be considered as contamination or normal flora in most cases (28/39, 72%). In the remaining cases, it can be considered as potential etiologic agents, mostly in women and especially in the 6 UTI cases where C. coyleae was found as the single culture-positive species. Several of these isolates demonstrate resistance to antibiotics commonly used in empiric treatment of urinary tract infections.
IntroductionStandard intra-urethral instillation of anaesthetic gel may not sufficiently exclude pain perception during cystoscopy.AimTo evaluate the impact of the anaesthesia within the posterior urethra on pain intensity related to cystoscopy in men.Material and methodsOne hundred and twenty-seven men undergoing cystoscopy were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group (66 vs. 61 patients). Intra-urethral instillation of 2% lidocaine gel was done in both groups. In the experimental group, the posterior urethra was additionally anaesthetized with distribution of the lidocaine gel by catheterisation. The study endpoints were pain intensity at successive time points of the procedure assessed on a numeric rating scale, overall pain intensity assessed on a Likert scale, the need for analgesics during 6 h after the procedure, and the frequency of urinary tract infections (UTIs) during 14 days after the procedure.ResultsPain perception during cystoscopy did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, after 6 h patients in the experimental group were more likely to declare that the cystoscopy was painless (81.8% vs. 70.2%, relative risk = 1.17). The need for analgesics and the incidence of UTI were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Statistically significant differences regarding pain perception were observed depending on patients’ age and the number of transurethral procedures performed in the past, with no relation to type of anaesthesia (p < 0.05).ConclusionsAnaesthesia of the posterior urethra is not more efficacious in reducing pain related to cystoscopy than standard instillation of anaesthetic gel. However, it improves the general perception of the procedure, and hence may positively influence patients’ compliance.
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