European Association of Urology Guidelines on Urological Infections: Summary of the 2024 Guidelines

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Urological infections significantly impact the wellbeing and quality of life of individuals owing to their widespread occurrence and diverse clinical manifestations. The objective of the guidelines panel was to provide evidence-based guidance on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and male accessory-gland infections, while addressing crucial public health aspects related to infection control and antimicrobial stewardship.

METHODS

For the 2024 guidelines on urological infections, new and relevant evidence was identified, collated, and appraised via a structured assessment of the literature. Databases searched included Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Libraries. Recommendations within the guidelines were developed by the panel to prioritise clinically important care decisions. The strength of each recommendation was determined according to a balance between desirable and undesirable consequences of alternative management strategies, the quality of the evidence (including the certainty of estimates), and the nature and variability of patient values and preferences.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS

Key recommendations emphasise the importance of a thorough medical history and physical examination for patients with urological infections. The guidelines stress the role of antimicrobial stewardship to combat the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance, providing recommendations for antibiotic selection, dosing, and duration on the basis of the latest evidence.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

This overview of the 2024 EAU guidelines offers valuable insights into managing urological infections and are designed for effective integration into clinical practice.

PATIENT SUMMARY

The European Association of Urology has issued an updated guideline on urological infections. The guidelines provide recommendations for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, with a particular focus on minimising antibiotic use because of the increasing global threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Prostate cancer detection and complications of MRI-targeted prostate biopsy using cognitive registration, software-assisted image fusion or in-bore guidance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies

BACKGROUND

Three primary strategies for MRI-targeted biopsies (TB) are available: Cognitive TB (COG-TB), MRI-US Fusion TB (FUS-TB), and In Bore TB (IB-TB). Despite nearly a decade of practice, a consensus on the preferred approach is lacking, with previous studies showing comparable PCa detection rates among the three methods.

METHODS

We conducted a search of PubMed, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from 2014 to 2023, to identify studies comparing at least two of the three methods and reporting clinically significant PCa (csPCa) detection rates. The primary and secondary outcomes were to compare the csPCa and insignificant prostate cancer (iPCa, ISUP GG 1) detection rates between TB techniques. The tertiary outcome was to compare the complication rate between TB techniques. Detection rates were pooled using random-effect models. Planned sensitivity analyses included subgroup analysis according to the definition of csPCa and positive MRI, previous biopsy status, biopsy route, prostate volume, and lesion characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of twenty studies, involving 4928 patients, were included in the quantitative synthesis. The meta-analysis unveiled comparable csPCa detection rates among COG-TB (0.37), FUS-TB (0.39), and IB-TB (0.47). iPCa detection rate was also similar between TB techniques (COG-TB: 0.12, FUS-TB: 0.17, IB-TB: 0.18). All preplanned sensitivity analyses were conducted and did not show any statistically significant difference in the detection of csPCa between TB methods. Complication rates, however, were infrequently reported, and when available, no statistically significant differences were observed among the techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

This unique study, exclusively focusing on comparative research, indicates no significant differences in csPCa and iPCa detection rates between COG-TB, FUS-TB, and IB-TB. Decisions between these techniques may extend beyond diagnostic accuracy, considering factors such as resource availability and operator preferences. Well-designed prospective studies are warranted to refine our understanding of the optimal approach for TB in diverse clinical scenarios.

Genitourinary Tuberculosis: A Brief Manual for Urologists on Diagnosis and Treatment from the European Association of Urology Urological Infections Panel

Although tuberculosis (TB) ranks among the most frequent infectious diseases worldwide, one of its extrapulmonary (EP) manifestations, genitourinary (GU) TB, is often underestimated by urologists, particularly in areas such as Europe where TB is not endemic. The aim of this review is to give urologists a concise overview of GUTB as a supplement to the more comprehensive European Association of Urology 2023 update on urological infections guidelines. EPTB can develop in 16% of TB cases. GUTB accounts for 4.6% of EPTB and is often asymptomatic or nonspecific, so it can be confused with other urogenital diseases. GUTB can be highly destructive, leading to failure of urogenital organs. Diagnosis is via microbiological, molecular, and histological testing for urine, genital secretions, or genitourinary tissue, supported by imaging. A 6-mo combinational medical regimen is the first-line treatment for GUTB. However, surgical interventions are also frequently required for the treatment of GUTB complications. Therefore, it is important to keep GUTB in mind for differential diagnosis. PATIENT SUMMARY: We reviewed scientific studies on the occurrence, diagnosis, and treatment of tuberculosis in the genitourinary tract. Our aim is to raise awareness among urologists from countries where this disease does not occur frequently, as urogenital tuberculosis can occur without any symptoms or with unspecific symptoms that can be confused with other diseases.

Fluorescence Confocal Microscopy in Urological Malignancies: Current Applications and Future Perspectives

Fluorescence confocal microscopy (FCM) represents a novel diagnostic technique able to provide real-time histological images from non-fixed specimens. As a consequence of its recent developments, FCM is gaining growing popularity in urological practice. Nevertheless, evidence is still sparse, and, at the moment, its applications are heterogeneous. We performed a narrative review of the current literature on this topic. Papers were selected from the Pubmed, Embase, and Medline archives. We focused on FCM applications in prostate cancer (PCa), urothelial carcinoma (UC), and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Articles investigating both office and intraoperative settings were included. The review of the literature showed that FCM displays promising accuracy as compared to conventional histopathology. These results represent significant steps along the path of FCM's formal validation as an innovative ready-to-use diagnostic support in urological practice. Instant access to a reliable histological evaluation may indeed significantly influence physicians' decision-making process. In this regard, FCM addresses this still unmet clinical need and introduces intriguing perspectives into future diagnostic pathways. Further studies are required to thoroughly assess the whole potential of this technique.

Analysis of Bacterial Stent Colonization: The Role of Urine and Device Microbiological Cultures

In this study, we explored the incidence of double J (JJ) contamination of patients who underwent an endourological procedure for urinary stones and ureteral stenosis. We developed a prospective study between January 2019 and December 2021. Ninety-seven patients, 54 male and 43 female, were enrolled. Urine culture was taken during four steps: before stent insertion, a sample from selective renal pelvis catheterization, a sample two days after the JJ insertion and finally, after the stent removal procedure. At the time of the stent removal, 1 cm of proximal and distal ends were cut off and placed in the culture for bacterial evaluation. Cohen's kappa coefficient value (k) and concordance rates of microbiological culture results were evaluated. The study group comprised 56% of male patients. Proximal and distal stent cultures were positive in 81 and 78 patients. The concordance rate of microbiological cultures between proximal and distal double J stent is 88% (k 0.6). The most common pathogens isolated from urine and stent cultures were Enterococcus spp. in 52 cases and Klebsiella spp. in 27 cases.

BCG-Unresponsive Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: Current Treatment Landscape and Novel Emerging Molecular Targets

Urothelial carcinoma (UC), the sixth most common cancer in Western countries, includes upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and bladder carcinoma (BC) as the most common cancers among UCs (90-95%). BC is the most common cancer and can be a highly heterogeneous disease, including both non-muscle-invasive (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive (MIBC) forms with different oncologic outcomes. Approximately 80% of new BC diagnoses are classified as NMIBC after the initial transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBt). In this setting, intravesical instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the current standard treatment for intermediate- and high-risk patients. Unfortunately, recurrence occurs in 30% to 40% of patients despite adequate BCG treatment. Radical cystectomy (RC) is currently considered the standard treatment for NMIBC that does not respond to BCG. However, RC is a complex surgical procedure with a recognized high perioperative morbidity that is dependent on the patient, disease behaviors, and surgical factors and is associated with a significant impact on quality of life. Therefore, there is an unmet clinical need for alternative bladder-preserving treatments for patients who desire a bladder-sparing approach or are too frail for major surgery. In this review, we aim to present the strategies in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC, focusing on novel molecular therapeutic targets.

Prognostic impact of variant histologies in urothelial bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate variant histologies (VHs) for disease-specific survival (DSS) in patients with invasive urothelial bladder cancer (BCa) undergoing radical cystectomy (RC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analysed a multi-institutional cohort of 1082 patients treated with upfront RC for cT1-4aN0M0 urothelial BCa at eight centres. Univariable and multivariable Cox' regression analyses were used to assess the effect of different VHs on DSS in overall cohort and three stage-based analyses. The stages were defined as 'organ-confined' (≤pT2N0), 'locally advanced' (pT3-4N0) and 'node-positive' (pTanyN1-3).

RESULTS

Overall, 784 patients (72.5%) had pure urothelial carcinoma (UC), while the remaining 298 (27.5%) harboured a VH. Squamous differentiation was the most common VH, observed in 166 patients (15.3%), followed by micropapillary (40 patients [3.7%]), sarcomatoid (29 patients [2.7%]), glandular (18 patients [1.7%]), lymphoepithelioma-like (14 patients [1.3%]), small-cell (13 patients [1.2%]), clear-cell (eight patients [0.7%]), nested (seven patients [0.6%]) and plasmacytoid VH (three patients [0.3%]). The median follow-up was 2.3 years. Overall, 534 (49.4%) disease-related deaths occurred. In uni- and multivariable analyses, plasmacytoid and small-cell VHs were associated with worse DSS in the overall cohort (both P = 0.04). In univariable analyses, sarcomatoid VH was significantly associated with worse DSS, while lymphoepithelioma-like VH had favourable DSS compared to pure UC. Clear-cell (P = 0.015) and small-cell (P = 0.011) VH were associated with worse DSS in the organ-confined and node-positive cohorts, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

More than 25% of patients harboured a VH at time of RC. Compared to pure UC, clear-cell, plasmacytoid, small-cell and sarcomatoid VHs were associated with worse DSS, while lymphoepithelioma-like VH was characterized by a DSS benefit. Accurate pathological diagnosis of VHs may ensure tailored counselling to identify patients who require more intensive management.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Prostate Cancer: An Overview of Diagnostic Performance, Oncological Outcomes, Safety, and Feasibility

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) for prostate cancer (PCa) represents an innovative technique aimed at improving nodal staging accuracy. The routinary adoption of this procedure in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) might be crucial to identify candidates who could effectively benefit from extensive pelvic lymph nodal dissection (ePLND). Despite some promising results, SNB for PCa is still considered experimental due to the lack of solid evidence and procedural standardization. In this regard, our narrative review aimed to analyze the most recent literature in this field, providing an overview of both the diagnostic accuracy measures and the oncological outcomes of SNB.

The Utility of Inflammatory Serum Markers in the Assessment of Perioperative Morbidity after Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer

Background and Objectives: To date, sparse evidence exists about the impact of inflammatory serum markers in predicting perioperative complications after radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer (BC). Here, we evaluated the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), C-reactive protein (CRP), and plasma fibrinogen in predicting perioperative morbidity and unplanned 30-days readmission after RC for BC. Materials and methods: We relied on a collaborative database of 271 patients who underwent open RC for cT1-4a N0 M0 BC between January 2012 and December 2022. Univariable and multivariable binomial logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) testing the ability of each serum marker to predict postoperative complications (any-grade and major complications), and 30-days unplanned readmission. Results: The median age at RC was 73 yr (IQR 67-79). A total of 182 (67.2%) patients were male and the median BMI was 25.2 (IQR 23.2-28.4). Overall, 172 (63.5%) patients had a Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) greater than 2 points and 98 (36.2%) were current smokers at the time of RC. Overall, 233 (86.0%) patients experienced at least one complication after RC. Of these, 171 (63.1%) patients had minor complications (Clavien-Dindo grade 1-2) while 100 (36.9%) experienced major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3). According to multivariable analysis, current smoking status, high plasma fibrinogen, and preoperative anemia were independently associated with major complications (OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.15-4.90, p = 0.02), (OR 1.51, 95%CI 1.26-1.98, p = 0.09), and (OR 1.35, 95%CI 1.17-2.57, p = 0.03), respectively. Overall, 56 (20.7%) patients experienced a 30-days unplanned readmission. According to univariable analysis, high preoperative CRP and hyperfibrinogenemia were significantly associated with an increased risk of unplanned readmission (OR 2.15, 95%CI 1.15-4.16, p = 0.02; OR 2.18, 95%CI 1.13-4.44, p = 0.02, respectively). Conclusions: In our study, the preoperative immune-inflammation signature described by NLR, PLR, LMR, SII, and CRP showed a low reliability in predicting perioperative course after RC. Preoperative anemia and hyperfibrinogenemia were independent predictors of major complications. Further studies are pending in order to draw definitive conclusions.

Is EMA warning on quinolones and fluoroquinolones really assessed? An EudraVigilance database analysis

BACKGROUND

On March 11^th 2019, European Medicines Agency (EMA) issues a warning after a review of serious, disabling and potentially permanent adverse events (AEs), particularly on musculoskeletal and nervous system, with quinolone (QN) and fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibiotics. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the EMA warning on the rate of AEs after QN and FQ treatments, reported in the EudraVigilance (EV) database.

METHODS

EV database is the system for managing and analyzing information on suspected AEs to medicines which have been authorized or being studied in clinical trials in the European Economic Area (EEA). We retrospectively explored the effect of FQs and QNs on musculoskeletal and nervous system from the EMA warning up to now (21 months) and compared these results with the 21 months before the EMA warning.

RESULTS

Main part of AEs in EV database were reported for ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin total AEs before 21 months till 12 months of EMA warning were 2763. 12 months before EMA Warning they were 2935. Twelve months after EMA Warning they were 3419. Between 12 months till 21 months they were 3174. Musculoskeletal disorders were respectively 574 (21% of the total) 21 months before, 558 (19%) 12 months before, 1048 (31%) after 12 months, 540 (17%) after 21 months of EMA Warning. Nervous system disorders were respectively 606 (22% of the total) 21 months before, 517 (18%) 12 months before, 680 (20%) after 12 months, 560 (18%) after 21 months of EMA Warning (respectively OR 1,16 95%CI 1,10 -1,22, p 0,12 ; OR 0,76 95%CI 0,69-0,83, p 0,27 ; OR 1,01 95%CI 0,96-1,06 p 0,05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis clearly showed no significant differences before and after EMA warning, opening new insights in the role of the EMA warning in clinical practice.

Idiopathic Retroperitoneal Fibrosis: What Is the Optimal Clinical Approach for Long-Term Preservation of Renal Function?

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of ureteral stenting and the exact timing of stent removal in favor of surgery in patients with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF).

SUMMARY

Medline research terms of "idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis" AND " medical therapy" OR "ureteral stenting" OR "surgical treatment" were done. Systematic reviews and observational and clinical studies were analyzed to obtain indication regarding the objective of the study for a narrative review. Ninety-two papers were analyzed. The treatment of IRF includes the monitoring of retroperitoneal fibrotic process spread and the prevention of abdominal organs entrapment. Treatment of ureteral obstruction includes medical therapy and ureteral stenting (US) or percutaneous nephrostomy (PNS) to overcome the worsening of renal function. Up to now, the timing of US or PNS removal is not yet clear, both for the complexity of evaluating the efficacy of the medical therapy and demonstrating the resolution of obstructive nephropathy. Moreover, it is not yet clear if the long-term ureteral stent placement or PNS is able to maintain an efficient renal function. Ureterolysis with a laparoscopic robot-assisted approach is now considered as an ultimate treatment for ureteral obstruction, limiting the progression of kidney impairment and improving the quality of life of patients, although nephrologists are generally abdicant regarding the potential switch toward the surgical approach.

KEY MESSAGES

Prospective studies regarding the long-term effects of US on the renal function impairment in patients with IRF should be structured to obtain adequate information on the exact timing for the surgical approach.

A single pedicled robotic peritoneal flap in penile inversion vaginoplasty augmentation

OBJECTIVES

To develop a surgical technique to achieve greater depth of the neovaginal cavity in transgender patients undergoing scrotovaginoplasty, and to propose a method for restoring neovaginal integrity in case of lack of genital skin or reduction of the depth due to scarring after infections or ischaemic processes.

METHODS

Eight patients were selected to undergo scrotovaginoplasty with scrotal graft and peritoneal flap augmentation in one operating session as a modification of Zhao's original technique. The age of the patients ranged from 25 to 65 years. The first step of the procedure was standard penile inversion vaginoplasty, avoiding suturing of the superior side of the skin cylinder. The skin cylinder was pushed into the abdominal cavity through the perineal access. Afterwards a laparoscopic/robotic approach was used: a single peritoneal flap was harvested from the posterior bladder surface, incised, dissected, pedicled on the neovaginal dome, overturned and and sutured all-round to the neovagina. The sides were adapted to obtain a 'cul-de-sac'.

RESULTS

The average operating time was 6 ± 1.5 h, and patients' hospitalization lasted 6 days. There were no intra- or postoperative complications. Postoperative management was the same as that usually reported in BJUI for patients undergoing standard scrotovaginoplasty.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of this technique represents a good solution for increasing neovaginal depth by harvesting a large peritoneal vascularized flap, without significantly affecting postoperative management or increasing complications, as frequently observed using the colovaginoplasty technique.

A single-operator experience using EchoLaser SoracteLiteTM for focal laser ablation of prostate cancer: One more arrow in the quiver for the conservative management of the disease

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients suffering prostate cancer (PCa) treated conservatively using 1064 nm laser energy for focal laser ablation (FLA). The patients included in the study were unsuitable for surgery or unwilling to receive external beam radiotherapy because they were afraid of the possible side effects of whole-gland therapies.

METHODS

This study included patients with a diagnosis of nonmetastatic PCa who underwent FLA using SoracteLiteTM system. Tissue ablation was performed at a fixed power of 5 W by the diode multichannel laser system EchoLaser X4 that uses laser light transmitted through optical fibres causing the target tissue to undergo irreversible thermal damage. Functional outcomes were evaluated with the International Prostatic Symptoms Score (IPSS) and 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) before the treatment and one year later.

RESULTS

Ten patients suffering non-metastatic PCa were included. Four decided upon a conservative treatment because of reduced performance status and for six patients the procedure was chosen electively. All patients underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging at 3 and 12 months and eight out of ten patients underwent prostate biopsy at 6 months. Persistent disease was detected in 3 patients who underwent a second ablation. In these patients at the biopsy following the second ablation none harbored residual disease. At follow-up, no patient suffered urinary incontinence requiring the use of pads. No significant worsening in sexual potency measured with IIEF-5 (p = 0.356) or prostatic symptoms measured at IPSS (p = 0.462) were recorded comparing pre-treatment condition vs one-year follow-up. Compared with baseline, prostate-specific antigen was significantly reduced at one-year follow-up (3.7 ± 1.1 vs 7.9 ± 4.1 ng/mL; p = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Although whole gland therapies remain the gold standard treatment for PCa, our results indicate that the SoracteLiteTM system for focal laser ablation, as a very preliminary step, appears to offer a short-term oncologic control of PCa with negligible side effects.

Combining Feature-Based Molecular Networking and Contextual Mass Spectral Libraries to Decipher Nutrimetabolomics Profiles

Untargeted metabolomics approaches deal with complex data hindering structural information for the comprehensive analysis of unknown metabolite features. We investigated the metabolite discovery capacity and the possible extension of the annotation coverage of the Feature-Based Molecular Networking (FBMN) approach by adding two novel nutritionally-relevant (contextual) mass spectral libraries to the existing public ones, as compared to widely-used open-source annotation protocols. Two contextual mass spectral libraries in positive and negative ionization mode of ~300 reference molecules relevant for plant-based nutrikinetic studies were created and made publicly available through the GNPS platform. The postprandial urinary metabolome analysis within the intervention of Vaccinium supplements was selected as a case study. Following the FBMN approach in combination with the added contextual mass spectral libraries, 67 berry-related and human endogenous metabolites were annotated, achieving a structural annotation coverage comparable to or higher than existing non-commercial annotation workflows. To further exploit the quantitative data obtained within the FBMN environment, the postprandial behavior of the annotated metabolites was analyzed with Pearson product-moment correlation. This simple chemometric tool linked several molecular families with phase II and phase I metabolism. The proposed approach is a powerful strategy to employ in longitudinal studies since it reduces the unknown chemical space by boosting the annotation power to characterize biochemically relevant metabolites in human biofluids.

Prospective cross-sectional evaluation of penile helicine circulation by power doppler during dynamic ultrasound in veno-occlusive erectile dysfunction

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the usefulness of Power Doppler to improve the diagnostic work up of veno-occlusive erectile dysfunction patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients affected by erectile dysfunction, mean IIEF 5 = 13.5 (12-17) for at least 6 months, were enrolled in a prospective cross-sectional study. All patients underwent Dynamic Power Doppler after intracavernous injection of vasoactive drugs (PGE1 20 mcg and Papaverine 6 mg). Poor responders' patients subsequently underwent to cavernosometry to get a full assessment of the vascular framework.

RESULTS

202 patients (mean age 46 y.o.), were included in the study. 96 subjects (47.5%) who did not adequately respond to the intracavernous injection -test, subsequently underwent to cavernosometry. In 42/96 patients (43.7%) cavernosometry was positive for veno-occlusive dysfunction. In a total of 160 patients who did not have veno-occlusive dysfunction (54 with negative cavernosometry + 106 intracavernous injection-test responders), the Power Doppler was normal in 126 (78.8%) and pathological in 34 (21.3%) in terms of steric conformation of "low flow" vessels corresponding to the Cavernosal Terminal Unit. The diagnostic sensitivity of Power Doppler towards veno-occlusive dysfunction was found to be 52.4% (Positive Predictive Value: 39.3%), the specificity was 78.8% (Negative Predictive Value: 86.3%) and the total diagnostic accuracy was equal to 73.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Collected data evidenced that patients who reported altered morphological features of the Cavernosal Terminal Unit had an approximately 4-fold greater risk of having veno-occlusive dysfunction compared to patients who had normal Power Doppler features (OR = 4.076; 95% CI: 1.996-8.327).

16 years follow-up evaluation of immediate vs delayed vs. combined hormonal therapy on fertility of patients with cryptorchidism: results of a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

To investigate in a longitudinal cohort study, the best treatment to preserve fertility in cryptorchid subjects. Patients treated with immediate hormonal vs. delayed vs. combined (hormone plus surgery) therapy consecutively enrolled during the period 1987-1997, were evaluated.

METHODS

Two hundred fifty-five subjects were enrolled and 192 patients completed the follow-upt. One hundred fifty-six patients and 36 out 192 had monolateral and bilateral cryptorchidism, respectively. Twenty-nine out of 192 were previously treated by surgery alone (Group A), 93/192 by hormone therapy alone (Group B), 51/192 received sequential combined hormone therapy plus surgery (Group C) whilst 19/192 refused any type of treatment (Group D). The other 63 patients were considered lost to follow-up. All the patients underwent medical consultation, scrotal ultrasound scan, sperm analysis and Inhibin B, Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Testosterone (T) serum level determination.

RESULTS

Testicular volume was found decreased in the Group D patients whilst hormone serum levels were comparable in all groups. Statistically significant differences for sperm characteristics were found in patients treated with hormonal therapy alone or combined with surgery (Groups B and C). These two groups reported better semen quality than patients who received surgery alone or no treatment. No differences were observed between monolateral and bilateral cryptorchidism patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Early prolonged hormonal therapy is advisable in all patients with cryptorchidism independently from the surgical option of promoting testicular descent to the scrotum. Hormonal therapy provides in our study better chance to obtain adequate sperm quality in adult life.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in patients who had undergone to prostate biopsy in between the EMA warning era: effects of fluoroquinolones in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Results of an observational cohort study

Purpose

To investigate the effects of different antibiotic prophylaxis regimens in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) candidates to trans-rectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB).

Methods

143 outpatients with DM who underwent TRUSPB during the period 2018–2020 were selected from a cohort of 1150 patients in 3 different institutions. Exclusion criteria were allergies, concomitant anti-platelet therapies and uncontrolled DM. Different antibiotic prophylaxis regimens were adopted. Bacterial resistance levels to fluoroquinolones into the different communities were also collected. Univariable and multivariable binomial logistic regression analyses were used to assess the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) testing the risk of infective complications' occurrence after adjusting for clinical covariates.

Results

Overall, DM patients were significantly associated with infective complications' occurrence (p < 0.001). No differences on the event of sepsis were found between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Clinically relevant infections with fever > 37 °C were found in 9.1% and 1.5% (p < 0.001) in diabetic and non-diabetic patients, respectively. Trimethoprim–sulphametoxazole and fluoroquinolones were six times more efficient than Cefixime in non-diabetic patients. Fluoroquinolones confirmed the same effect in diabetic patients although the level of resistance in the period of study decreased only from 56 to 46%.

Conclusion

Fluoroquinolones were active in antibiotic prophylaxis of diabetic patients who had undergone to TRUSPB independently from the level of bacterial resistance found in the community. These results conflict with the recent European warning and support the Japanese and American guidelines on the topic.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00345-022-04055-7.

Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Female Patients With Ileal Conduit or Orthotopic Neobladder Urinary Diversion: 6-Month Results of a Multicenter Prospective Study

Radical cystectomy (RC) often affects patients’ life as this surgery is a traumatic and invasive event for the patients, with drawbacks on their daily, social, working, and sex life. Such changes in the quality of life (QoL) of patients are commonly studied through retrospective clinical evaluations and rarely with longitudinal studies. To date, studies focusing on functional outcomes, sexual function, and health-related QoL for female patients are lacking. We evaluated 37 patients using EORTC QLQ-C30 (QLQ-30) and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaires, before and after surgery, at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. The mean values for the emotional functioning in QLQ-C30 as well as the mental health in SF-36 were significantly higher in the ONB group compared to the IC group at 3 months of follow-up. These differences were not significant at 6 months of follow-up. At 6 months of follow-up, the ONB group showed a higher mean score in the physical and role functioning than the IC group. Although there was a statistically significant age difference at baseline of the two groups, none of the results are correlated with age, as demonstrated by Spearman’s analysis. The ONB seems to represent the most advantageous solution compared to the IC in terms of QOL at the 6-month follow-up.

Core urological surgical training: The pivotal role of feminizing genital reconstruction for gender dysphoria

Not available.

COVID-19 disease in clinical setting: impact on gonadal function, transmission risk, and sperm quality in young males

OBJECTIVES

We want to evaluate the possible presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in semen samples and semen quality, looking for a possible relationship between the infectious disease and fertility.

METHODS

In this prospective study, we enrolled 15 consecutive men (age 18-50 years) with positive oropharyngeal swab to SARS-CoV-2 and classified, according to WHO criteria, in mild to moderate disease. A semen sample was collected to detect SARS-CoV viral RNA by the automated Real-Time PCR ELITe InGenius^® system and the GeneFinder^TM COVID-19 Plus RealAmp Kit assay (ELITechGroup, France). Analysis of semen characteristics was performed according to WHO laboratory manual 5th ed. for the examination and processing of human semen. Blood samples for the dosage of hormonal assay, procalcitonin, interleukin 6, C-reactive protein were obtained.

RESULTS

SARS-CoV-2 RNA has not been detected in semen samples from any of the subjects analysed. Sperm analysis exhibited abnormal seminal values in 14 out of 15 patients (93.3%). Furthermore, no difference was detected regarding sperm quality between mild and moderate SARS-CoV-2 patients. No alteration in the inflammatory indices was observed in the studied population, as well gonadotropins and testosterone levels.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID patients studied exhibits alteration of the seminal fluid both in microscopic and macroscopic characteristics such as hypoposia and increased viscosity, which have not been detected in previous studies. The presence of viral RNA within the seminal fluid was excluded.

Bioelectric Impedance Analysis Test Improves the Detection of Prostate Cancer in Biopsy Candidates: A Multifeature Decision Support System

Prostate cancer (PCa) gold-standard diagnosis relies on prostate biopsy, which is currently overly recommended since other available noninvasive tools such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) multiparametric MRI (mMRI) showed low diagnostic accuracy or high costs, respectively. The aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of a novel Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (BIA) test endorectal probe for the selection of patients candidate to prostate biopsy and in particular the clinical value of three different parameters such as resistance (R), reactance (Xc), and phase angle (PA) degree. One-hundred twenty-three consecutive candidates to prostate biopsy and 40 healthy volunteers were enrolled. PSA and PSA density (PSAD) determinations, Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), and the novel BIA test were analyzed in patients and controls. A 16-core prostate biopsy was performed after a mMRI test. The study endpoints were to determine accuracy of BIA test in comparison with PSA, PSAD levels, and mMRI and obtain prostate cancer (PCa) prediction by BIA test. The Mann-Whitney U-test, the Wilkoxon rank test, and the Holm-Bonferroni's method were adopted for statistical analyses, and a computational approach was also applied to differentiate patients with PCa from those with benign disease. Combined PSA, PSAD, DRE, and trans-rectal ultrasound test failed to discern patients with PCa from those with benign disease (62.86% accuracy). mMRI PIRADS ≥3 showed a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 59%. The accuracy in discerning PCa increased up to 75% by BIA test (sensitivity 63.33% and specificity 83.75%). The novel finger probe BIA test is a cheap and reliable test that may help to improve clinical multifeature noninvasive diagnosis for PCa and reduce unnecessary biopsies.

Clinical use of hyaluronic acid in andrology: A review

Background

Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan widely used in the fields of orthopedics, ophthalmology, and aesthetic medicine due to its significant ability to reduce the synthesis of pro‐inflammatory proteins and its activity against oxidative stress, a feature of many degenerative illnesses.

Objectives

The objective of the present review is to provide a comprehensive narrative review of the most recent literature on the use of hyaluronic acid in andrology in order to facilitate the use of this therapeutic device in the common clinical practice of many physicians. Specific conditions covered in the review are Peyronie's disease, premature ejaculation, and penile enlargement.

Materials and methods

A broad and comprehensive literature search included Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Libraries, with no time restriction up to December 2020 and restricted to English language publications. Unpublished studies were not included. The study was registered as “The role of hyaluronic acid in andrology: A systematic review and meta‐analysis” in PROSPERO with the ID CRD42021223416.

Discussion and conclusion

Hyaluronic acid is a valid choice for the treatment of Peyronie's disease in terms of the resolution of the acute phase of the disease and of contributing to stabilizing the disease as a bridge to potential surgery. Data, furthermore, suggest that hyaluronic acid is frequently associated with an overall clinical improvement, allowing the patient to resume normal sexual activity.

With regard to premature ejaculation, data suggests hyaluronic acid‐based treatments were effective in prolonging intra‐vaginal ejaculation time. Furthermore, hyaluronic acid was found to be safe and well‐tolerated, with main adverse events limited to local discomfort, ecchymosis, papule formation, and glans numbness, all of which were reported to resolve spontaneously.

Last, with regard to penile enlargement, the overall perception of experts is that hyaluronic acid may be an extremely well‐tolerated compound with potential for application in specific areas of male sexual health that are often neglected as compared to more common, and relatively simpler to treat, conditions.

Risk factors for residual disease at re-TUR in a large cohort of T1G3 patients

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The goals of transurethral resection of a bladder tumor (TUR) are to completely resect the lesions and to make a correct diagnosis in order to adequately stage the patient. It is well known that the presence of detrusor muscle in the specimen is a prerequisite to minimize the risk of under staging. Persistent disease after resection of bladder tumors is not uncommon and is the reason why the European Guidelines recommended a re-TUR for all T1 tumors. It was recently published that when there is muscle in the specimen, re-TUR does not influence progression or cancer specific survival. We present here the patient and tumor factors that may influence the presence of residual disease at re-TUR.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In our retrospective cohort of 2451 primary T1G3 patients initially treated with BCG, pathology results for 934 patients (38.1%) who underwent re-TUR are available. 74% had multifocal tumors, 20% of tumors were more than 3 cm in diameter and 26% had concomitant CIS. In this subgroup of patients who underwent re-TUR, there was no residual disease in 267 patients (29%) and residual disease in 667 patients (71%): Ta in 378 (40%) and T1 in 289 (31%) patients. Age, gender, tumor status (primary/recurrent), previous intravesical therapy, tumor size, tumor multi-focality, presence of concomitant CIS, and muscle in the specimen were analyzed in order to evaluate risk factors of residual disease at re-TUR, both in univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regressions.

RESULTS

The following were not risk factors for residual disease: age, gender, tumor status and previous intravesical chemotherapy. The following were univariate risk factors for presence of residual disease: no muscle in TUR, multiple tumors, tumors > 3 cm, and presence of concomitant CIS. Due to the correlation between tumor multi-focality and tumor size, the multivariate model retained either the number of tumors or the tumor diameter (but not both), p < 0.001. The presence of muscle in the specimen was no longer significant, while the presence of CIS only remained significant in the model with tumor size, p < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONS

The most significant factors for a higher risk of residual disease at re-TUR in T1G3 patients are multifocal tumors and tumors more than 3 cm. Patients with concomitant CIS and those without muscle in the specimen also have a higher risk of residual disease.

Urology practice during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign

Introduction:

The current scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic is significantly different from that of the first, emergency phase. Several countries in the world are experiencing a second, or even a third, wave of contagion, while awaiting the effects of mass vaccination campaigns. The aim of this report was to provide an update of previously released recommendations on prioritization and restructuring of urological activities.

Methods:

A large group of Italian urologists directly involved in the reorganization of their urological wards during the first and second phase of the pandemic agreed on a set of updated recommendations for current urology practice.

Results:

The updated recommendations included strategies for the prioritization of both surgical and outpatient activities, implementation of perioperative pathways for patients scheduled for elective surgery, management of urological conditions in infected patients. Future scenarios with possible implementation of telehealth and reshaping of clinical practice following the effects of vaccination are also discussed.

Conclusion:

The present update may be a valid tool to be used in the clinical practice, may provide useful recommendations for national and international urological societies, and may be a cornerstone for further discussion on the topic, also considering further evolution of the pandemic after the recently initiated mass vaccination campaigns.

Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor in Low Grade Prostate Cancer: Can It Be a Better Predictor Than Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen?

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether prostate cancer (PC) patients can be accurately classified on the bases of tissue expression of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). This retrospective study included 28 patients with PC. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were used for diagnosis. Immunohistochemistry staining techniques were used to evaluate PSMA and GRPR expression (both number of cells expressed and % of area stained). To assess the independent associations among selected variables, a multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis was used. It was found that the PSMA expression was inversely correlated with GRPR expression. Only the number of cells expressing GRPR was significantly related to the Gleason score. Both the percentage of area expressing GRPR and the number of cells expressing PSMA were close to reaching significance at the 0.05 level. MDS provided a map of the overall, independent association confirming that GRPR and PSMA represent inversely correlated measures of the same dimension. In conclusion, our data showed that GRPR expression should be evaluated in prostate biopsy specimens to improve our ability to detect PC with low grades at the earliest phases of development. Considering that GRPRs appear to be directly involved in the mechanisms of tumor proliferation, advancements in nuclear medicine radiotherapy can focus on this receptor to improve the therapeutic approach to PC. Further studies in our laboratory will investigate the molecular mechanisms of activation based on GRPR.

Association of patients' sex with treatment outcomes after intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy for T1G3/HG bladder cancer

Purpose

To investigate the association of patients’ sex with recurrence and disease progression in patients treated with intravesical bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for T1G3/HG urinary bladder cancer (UBC).

Materials and methods

We analyzed the data of 2635 patients treated with adjuvant intravesical BCG for T1 UBC between 1984 and 2019. We accounted for missing data using multiple imputations and adjusted for covariate imbalance between males and females using inverse probability weighting (IPW). Crude and IPW-adjusted Cox regression analyses were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of patients’ sex with HG-recurrence and disease progression.

Results

A total of 2170 (82%) males and 465 (18%) females were available for analysis. Overall, 1090 (50%) males and 244 (52%) females experienced recurrence, and 391 (18%) males and 104 (22%) females experienced disease progression. On IPW-adjusted Cox regression analyses, female sex was associated with disease progression (HR 1.25, 95%CI 1.01–1.56, p = 0.04) but not with recurrence (HR 1.06, 95%CI 0.92–1.22, p = 0.41). A total of 1056 patients were treated with adequate BCG. In these patients, on IPW-adjusted Cox regression analyses, patients’ sex was not associated with recurrence (HR 0.99, 95%CI 0.80–1.24, p = 0.96), HG-recurrence (HR 1.00, 95%CI 0.78–1.29, p = 0.99) or disease progression (HR 1.12, 95%CI 0.78–1.60, p = 0.55).

Conclusion

Our analysis generates the hypothesis of a differential response to BCG between males and females if not adequately treated. Further studies should focus on sex-based differences in innate and adaptive immune system and their association with BCG response.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00345-021-03653-1.

The negative aftermath of prostate biopsy: prophylaxis, complications and antimicrobial stewardship: results of the global prevalence study of infections in urology 2010-2019

PURPOSE

To evaluate and report the complications, and to analyse antimicrobial stewardship aspects following prostate biopsies (P-Bx) based on the data from a 9-year global study.

METHODS

The primary outcome was to compare complications after P-Bx between patients of two cohorts: 2010-2014 and 2016-2019. Primary outcomes included symptoms of lower and severe/systemic urinary tract infection (LUTIS and SUTIS, respectively), and positive urine culture. Readmission to hospital after P-Bx, need for additional antimicrobial therapy, consumption of different antimicrobial agents for prophylaxis and therapy were evaluated. Students t test and chi-square test were used for comparative analyses.

RESULTS

Outcome data were available for 1615 men. Fluoroquinolones-based prophylaxis rate increased from 72.0% in 2010-2014 to 78.6% in 2015-2019. Overall rates of complications increased from 6 to 11.7% including an increase in symptomatic complications from 4.7 to 10.2%, mainly due to an increase in LUTIS. Rates of patients seeking additional medical help in primary care after P-Bx increased from 7.4 to 14.4%; cases requiring post P-Bx antibiotic treatment increased from 6.1 to 9.7%, most of which received fluoroquinolones. Transperineal P-Bx was significantly associated with LUTIS. Following transrectal P-Bx, 2.8% developed febrile infections and 4.0% required hospitalisation. Two men (0.12%) died after transrectal P-Bx due to sepsis.

CONCLUSIONS

The rates of complications after P-Bx tended to increase in time, as well as rates of patients seeking additional medical help in the post-P-Bx period. To reduce the risk of infectious complications and to comply with the principles of antibiotic stewardship, clinicians should switch to the transperineal biopsy route.

The use of Lactobacillus casei DG® prevents symptomatic episodes and reduces the antibiotic use in patients affected by chronic bacterial prostatitis: results from a phase IV study

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-1572 (L. casei DG®) in both prevention of symptomatic recurrences and improvement of quality of life in patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP).

Methods

Patients with CBP attending a single Urological Institution were enrolled in this phase IV study. At enrollment, all patients were treated with antibiotics in agreement with EAU guidelines and then were treated with L. casei DG® (2 capsules/day for 3 months). Clinical and microbiological analyses were carried out before (enrollment, T0) and 6 months (T2) after the treatment. Both safety and adherence to the treatment were evaluated 3 months (T1) after the enrollment. NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Quality of Well-Being (QoL) questionnaires were used. The outcome measures were the rate of symptomatic recurrence, changes in questionnaire symptom scores and the reduction of antibiotic use.

Results

Eighty-four patients were included. At T2, 61 patients (72.6%) reported a clinical improvement of symptoms with a return to their clinical status before symptoms. A time dependent improvement in clinical symptoms with significant changes in NIH-CPSI, IPSS and QoL (mean difference T2 vs T0: 16.5 ± 3.58; − 11.0 ± 4.32; + 0.3 ± 0.09; p < 0.001), was reported. We recorded that L. casei DG® treatment induced a statistically significant decrease in both (p < 0.001) symptomatic recurrence [1.9/3 months vs 0.5/3 months] and antibiotic use [− 7938 UDD]. No clinically relevant adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

L. casei DG® prevents symptomatic recurrences and improves the quality of life in patients with CBP, reducing the antibiotic use.

European Association of Urology Position Paper on the Prevention of Infectious Complications Following Prostate Biopsy

The transperineal approach is preferred to reduce prostate biopsy (PB)-related infections. Fluoroquinolones are suspended for prophylaxis of PB in the European Union; therefore, alternative antibiotics based on local resistance, or targeted prophylaxis, in conjunction with povidone-iodine rectal preparation are recommended for transrectal PB.

Risk of Virus Contamination Through Surgical Smoke During Minimally Invasive Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Literature on a Neglected Issue Revived in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

CONTEXT

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raised concerns about the safety of laparoscopy due to the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) diffusion in surgical smoke. Although no case of SARS-CoV-2 contagion related to surgical smoke has been reported, several international surgical societies recommended caution or even discouraged the use of a laparoscopic approach.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk of virus spread due to surgical smoke during surgical procedures.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We searched PubMed and Scopus for eligible studies, including clinical and preclinical studies assessing the presence of any virus in the surgical smoke from any surgical procedure or experimental model.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

We identified 24 studies. No study was found investigating SARS-CoV-2 or any other coronavirus. About other viruses, hepatitis B virus was identified in the surgical smoke collected during different laparoscopic surgeries (colorectal resections, gastrectomies, and hepatic wedge resections). Other clinical studies suggested a consistent risk of transmission for human papillomavirus (HPV) in the surgical treatments of HPV-related disease (mainly genital warts, laryngeal papillomas, or cutaneous lesions). Preclinical studies showed conflicting results, but HPV was shown to have a high risk of transmission.

CONCLUSIONS

Although all the available data come from different viruses, considering that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been shown in blood and stools, the theoretical risk of virus diffusion through surgical smoke cannot be excluded. Specific clinical studies are needed to understand the effective presence of the virus in the surgical smoke of different surgical procedures and its concentration. Meanwhile, adoption of all the required protective strategies, including preoperative patient nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19, seems mandatory.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this systematic review, we looked at the risk of virus spread from surgical smoke exposure during surgery. Although no study was found investigating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or any other coronavirus, we found that the theoretical risk of virus diffusion through surgical smoke cannot be excluded.

Telehealth in Urology: A Systematic Review of the Literature. How Much Can Telemedicine Be Useful During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Context

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused increased interest in the application of telehealth to provide care without exposing patients and physicians to the risk of contagion. The urological literature on the topic is sparse.

Objective

To perform a systematic review of the literature and evaluate all the available studies on urological applications of telehealth.

Evidence acquisition

After registration on PROSPERO, we searched PubMed and Scopus databases to collect any kind of studies evaluating any telehealth interventions in any urological conditions. The National Toxicology Program/Office of Health Assessment and Translation Risk of Bias Rating Tool for Human and Animal Studies was used to estimate the risk of bias. A narrative synthesis was performed.

Evidence synthesis

We identified 45 studies (11 concerning prostate cancer [PCa], three hematuria management, six urinary stones, 14 urinary incontinence [UI], five urinary tract infections [UTIs], and six other conditions), including 12 randomized controlled trials. The available literature indicates that telemedicine has been implemented successfully in several common clinical scenarios, including the decision-making process following a diagnosis of nonmetastatic PCa, follow-up care of patients with localized PCa after curative treatments, initial diagnosis of hematuria, management diagnosis and follow-up care of uncomplicated urinary stones and uncomplicated UTIs, and initial evaluation, behavioral therapies, and pelvic floor muscle training in UI patients, as well as follow-up care after surgical treatments of stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse. The methodological quality of most of the reports was good.

Conclusions

Telehealth has been implemented successfully in selected patients with PCa, UI, pelvic organ prolapse, uncomplicated urinary stones, and UTIs. Many urological conditions are suitable for telehealth, but more studies are needed on other highly prevalent urological malignant and benign conditions. Likely, the COVID-19 pandemic will give a significant boost to the use of telemedicine. More robust data on long-term efficacy, safety, and health economics are necessary.

Patient summary

The diffusion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections has recently increased the interest in telehealth, which is the adoption of telecommunication to deliver any health care activity. The available literature indicates that telemedicine has been adopted successfully in selected patients with several common clinical urological conditions, including prostate cancer, uncomplicated urinary stones, uncomplicated urinary infections, urinary incontinence, or pelvic organ prolapse. Likely, the COVID-19 pandemic will give a significant boost to the use of telemedicine, but more robust data on long-term efficacy, safety, and costs are necessary.

Guidelines in urology: Lights and shadows

Clinical practice guidelines have become increasingly important in the decision-making process in many clinical conditions and have been recognized as key instruments to improve the quality of care. On the one hand, guidelines represent a good tool for improving patient's outcome, and on the other hand, the adherence to guidelines and good practice recommendations is mandatory to reduce the risk of legal disputes. A recent revision by the Italian Parliament of the legal system that rules the responsibilities of health professionals and health care safety stimulated all clinicians to improve their adhesion to clinical guidelines. It is justified by the high-quality level obtained in the recent years by the international guidelines. In the recent years, a revision of the clinical guideline development has been done. In particular, the European Association of Urology Guideline Office changed the "Guidelines for Guidelines," and a rigorous development process has been established. A clinical recommendation is produced after a rigorous methodological process using an analysis of all published clinical trials, and the expert opinion is not yet considered. For oncological guidelines, the adherence to the producing process is easily feasible due to the high number of clinical trials; for non-oncological guidelines, instead, the small number of clinical trials could represent a problem for obtaining recommendation based on rigorous methodology. Here, on the basis of these considerations, we aim to discuss the lights and the shadows of the clinical applicability of guidelines in urology.