Pretreatment screening and counseling on prolonged erections for patients prescribed trazodone

Purpose

We examined whether patients are appropriately screened for previous prolonged erections or priapism and counseled about trazodone complications, specifically prolonged erections and priapism, prior to trazodone treatment.

Materials and Methods

We identified patients under the age of 50 on trazodone as of February 27, 2019 at the VA New Jersey Health Care System. Patients were asked about information provided to them prior to medication initiation, occurrence of prolonged erections/priapism, and reporting rate of side effects.

Results

Two hundred and twenty nine out of five hundred and twenty four male patients agreed to participate in the study. Forty three out of two hundred and twenty nine of patients were informed about the side effects of prolonged erections and 37/229 of patients were informed of risk of priapism prior to treatment. Only 17/229 of patients were asked if they had had any episodes of prolonged erection or priapism in the past. Eighteen patients developed prolonged erection while taking trazodone. Only 5/18 patients who had developed prolonged erections informed their physicians.

Conclusions

Only a fraction of patients were properly screened for previous prolonged erections or priapism and properly informed about the side effects of trazodone. Urologist should better educate trazodone prescribers, such as family medicine and psychiatric colleagues, regarding the side effects of trazodone. It is imperative that prescribing physicians appropriately screen and educate patients prior to trazodone initiation and instruct patients to report any treatment side effects to avoid potential long-term adverse outcomes.

A Review of Antipsychotics and Priapism

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacologically induced priapism is now the most common cause of priapism, with approximately 50% of drug-related priapism being attributed to antipsychotic usage. The majority of pharmacologic priapism is believed to result in ischemic priapism (low flow), which may lead to irreversible complications, such as erectile dysfunction. It is imperative that prescribing physicians be aware of potentially inciting medications.

OBJECTIVES

To identify medications, specifically antipsychotics, associated with priapism and prolonged erections and understand the rates and treatment of these side effects.

METHODS

A PubMed search of all articles available on the database relating to priapism, prolonged erections, and antipsychotics was performed.

RESULTS

Various typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs) have been implicated in pharmacologically induced priapism. In addition to dopaminergic and serotoninergic receptors, APDs have affinities for a wide array of other receptors in the central nervous system, including histaminergic, noradrenergic, and cholinergic receptors. Although the exact mechanism is unknown, the most commonly proposed mechanism of priapism associated with APDs is α-adrenergic blockade in the corpora cavernosa of the penis. Priapism appears in only a small fraction of men using medications with α1-receptor-blocking properties, indicating differential sensitivities to the α-blocking effect among men, and/or additional risk factors that may contribute to the development of priapism. The best predictor for the subsequent development of priapism is a past history of having prolonged and painless erections. The acute management algorithm of APD-induced priapism is the same as for other causes of low-flow priapism.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians should educate patients treated with antipsychotics about the potential for priapism and its sequelae including permanent erectile dysfunction. Appropriate patient education will raise awareness, encourage early reporting, and help reduce the long-term consequences associated with priapism through early intervention. Hwang T, Shah T,Sadeghi-NejadH. A Review of Antipsychotics and Priapism. Sex Med Rev 2021;9:464-471.

Carcinoid heart disease: the role of echocardiography in predicting post-surgical outcomes

Background

Carcinoid heart disease (CHD) often complicates neuroendocrine tumours (NET). The prognosis of CHD without intervention is poor; 3 year survival is estimated at 31%. Surgical valve replacement is the only treatment for CHD, but is associated with high 30-day mortality (10–15%).

Purpose

The aim is to identify pre-operative transthoracic echocardiogram (PTTE) findings that could determine which patients have a high likelihood of post-surgical mortality at 1 year.

Methods

This retrospective observational cohort study recruited 88 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CHD between 2005–19 at University Hospital Birmingham; 49 (56%) of these were treated surgically. Indications for surgery: stable NET, symptomatic severe valvular dysfunction, progressive RV dilatation or RV dysfunction, no significant comorbidities. All patients underwent a standard PTTE. PTTE parameters assessed: right ventricular (RV) size, RV function (qualitative), TAPSE, RV fractional area change, RV S wave velocity, left ventricular (LV) size, LV ejection fraction and valve velocities. Surgery was performed by a single surgical team with bioprosthetic valve replacements.

Results

Patients were followed up for a median of 15 months (IQR: 6–59) after surgery, during which time there were 33 deaths, giving a median survival time of 30 months (IQR: 7–85). Increasingly severe RV dilatation was significantly associated with shorter survival (p=0.032). The estimated survival rate at three years was 67% in those with normal RV size, compared to 24% in the severe RV group (Figure 1). RV basal diameter was assessed used ROC curve analysis for the outcome of one year survival and returned an area under the curve of 0.66 (SE=0.10). Youden's index identified RV diameter >4.8cm to be the optimal cut-off for identifying high-risk patients. One year mortality rates were 26% (7/27) vs. 75% (9/12) in those with RV basal diameter of ≤4.8 vs. >4.8cm (p=0.006).

Conclusion

A pre-operative right ventricular basal diameter >4.8cm is associated with a near three-fold increase in post-operative mortality at one year. These findings highlight the importance of regular imaging in order to optimise the timing of surgery in patients with CHD.

Figure 1. Kaplan-Meier curve of post-op survival

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Primary adrenal leiomyosarcoma with inferior vena cava extension in a 70-year-old man

Primary adrenal leiomyosarcoma, a malignant soft tissue tumour originating from the smooth muscle of the inferior vena cava and adrenal vein, is rarely described in the literature. Cases are often diagnosed at an advanced stage as the tumour is not hormone-producing. We describe a 70-year-old man who presented with lower extremity swelling and abdominal varices and was subsequently found to have a large adrenal mass on imaging. Our case is among the few reported primary adrenal leiomyosarcomas in which a CT-guided biopsy was used to aid in diagnosis.

Xiaflex for Treatment of Peyronie's Disease

Xiaflex or collagenase Clostridium histolyticum intralesional injections are safe and effective as first-line treatment for Peyronie's disease.

Adult height, coronary heart disease and stroke: a multi-locus Mendelian randomization meta-analysis

Background: We investigated causal effect of completed growth, measured by adult height, on coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and cardiovascular traits, using instrumental variable (IV) Mendelian randomization meta-analysis.

Methods: We developed an allele score based on 69 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with adult height, identified by the IBCCardioChip, and used it for IV analysis against cardiovascular risk factors and events in 21 studies and 60 028 participants. IV analysis on CHD was supplemented by summary data from 180 height-SNPs from the GIANT consortium and their corresponding CHD estimates derived from CARDIoGRAMplusC4D.

Results: IV estimates from IBCCardioChip and GIANT-CARDIoGRAMplusC4D showed that a 6.5-cm increase in height reduced the odds of CHD by 10% [odds ratios 0.90; 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 0.78 to 1.03 and 0.85 to 0.95, respectively],which agrees with the estimate from the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration (hazard ratio 0.93; 95% CI: 0.91 to 0.94). IV analysis revealed no association with stroke (odds ratio 0.97; 95% CI: 0.79 to 1.19). IV analysis showed that a 6.5-cm increase in height resulted in lower levels of body mass index (P < 0.001), triglycerides (P < 0.001), non high-density (non-HDL) cholesterol (P < 0.001), C-reactive protein (P = 0.042), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.064) and higher levels of forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity (P < 0.001 for both).

Conclusions: Taller individuals have a lower risk of CHD with potential explanations being that taller people have a better lung function and lower levels of body mass index, cholesterol and blood pressure.

Meat Hygiene Practices Among Meat Sellers in Dharan Municipality of Eastern Nepal

IntroductionEating the meat derived from animals suffering from zoonotic diseases or contaminated with meat borne bacteria cause infection or intoxication and grave danger to both the handler and consumer causing morbidity and mortality.ObjectiveThe study aims to assess the meat hygiene practices among meat sellers in Dharan City of Eastern Nepal.MethodologyA descriptive cross sectional study was carried in all meat shops registered in Dharan from December 2013 to December 2014. A total of 125 meat shops, which were registered in Dharan Municipality, Dharan Mashu Baybasashi Prabadhi Sang and Dharan Mashu Baybasashi Sangh were enrolled. Checklist and semi structured interview schedule were used to assess the hygiene practices of meat shops. Data were analyzed by using descriptive as well as inferential statistics.ResultsThis study revealed that practice of meat inspection, antemortem and post-mortem examination of animals/carcass were not seen and separate slaughterhouse was not made. Only few (19%) of the respondents had practice of washing hands before and a