Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Following Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Radiation Cystitis: Early Results From the Multicenter Registry for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

PURPOSE

Our purpose was to determine changes in patient-reported hematuria and urinary symptoms after hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment for radiation cystitis (RC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed prospectively collected data from the Multicenter Registry for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Consortium accumulated within a week of beginning and ending HBO2. Measures included the modified Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Hematuria Scale, Urinary Distress Inventory Short Form, and EuroQol Five Dimension Five Level instrument. RTOG hematuria and Urinary Distress Inventory Short Form scores were compared using the sign test. Logistic regression was used to evaluate characteristics associated with hematuria improvement.

RESULTS

A total of 470 registry patients had RC. The median age, number of HBO2 sessions, and years after radiation were 73 (IQR 12) years, 39 (IQR 10) sessions, and 5 (IQR 8) years, respectively. Eighty-four percent of patients (393/470) had prostate cancer‒related radiation. EuroQol Five Dimension Five Level scores improved from 0.83 (IQR 0.14) to 0.85 (IQR 0.22; P < .001. Three hundred seventy patients had complete RTOG hematuria scores that improved from 2 (IQR 2) to 0 (IQR 2; P < .001. Two hundred forty-six patients had complete Urinary Distress Inventory Short Form ratings that decreased from 33.3 (IQR 44) to 22.2 (IQR 33; P < .001). Regression analysis of those with visible hematuria before HBO2 showed lower improvement odds associated with higher HBO2 hematuria scores (odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% CI 0.26-0.73; P < .01), a smoking history (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.92; P = .03), or a nonprostate cancer history (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.10-0.99; P = .05).

CONCLUSIONS

HBO2 for RC improved reported hematuria, urinary function, and quality of life. Higher baseline hematuria scores, smoking, and nonprostate cancer history were associated with lower odds of hematuria improvement.

Escherichia coli isolated from pyometra and cystitis in the same animal exhibit a wide phenotypic similarity

AIMS

Pyometra and cystitis caused by Escherichia coli are common diseases identified in canine or feline females. The origin of pyometra infection remains uncertain, and effective prevention strategies for this disease are still unknown. This study aimed to provide a phenotypic characterization, including antimicrobial resistance and virulence profiles, of endometrial pathogenic (EnPEC) and uropathogenic (UPEC) E. coli strains isolated simultaneously from the same animal.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Sixteen E. coli strains, from eight different animals, were analyzed in this study. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of EnPEC and UPEC strains was determined using the disc diffusion method, which showed a similar susceptibility profile among strains (EnPEC and UPEC) from the same animal. The virulence profile of the strains was assessed through biofilm formation, as well as serum resistance abilities. EnPEC and UPEC strains from the same animal exhibited slight variations in their virulence and antimicrobial resistance capabilities. Overall, most of the strain pairs showed a high similarity in their ability to establish biofilms and survive in serum complement activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, strains of E. coli isolated from both pyometra and cystitis in the same animal, despite presenting distinct clinical diseases, exhibit a wide phenotypic similarity, suggesting a common origin for the strains.

Acute cystitis in men- a nationwide study from primary care: antibiotic prescriptions, risk factors, and complications

BACKGROUND

Research on acute cystitis in men is scarce and treatment guidelines differ between countries. Improved antibiotic stewardship is needed.

AIM

To analyse antibiotic prescriptions and outcomes of Norwegian men diagnosed with cystitis in primary care.

DESIGN & SETTING

A nationwide retrospective study was undertaken in primary care in Norway.

METHOD

We identified all episodes of acute cystitis in men diagnosed in Norwegian primary care during 2012-2019. Choice of antibiotic (from the Norwegian Prescription Database), treatment failure, re-prescription, and complications were stratified by age, calendar year, and risk factors. We used logistic regression to explore predefined risk factors (diabetes, prostate cancer, benign prostate hyperplasia [BPH], urinary retention, and any cancer) with complications (pyelonephritis, prostatitis, and hospitalisation) and re-prescriptions. Linear regression was used to explore time trends.

RESULTS

In total, 108 994 individuals contributed 148 635 episodes. Narrow-spectrum antibiotics were first-choice treatment in 71.0% of the episodes (52.5% of all prescriptions were pivmecillinam). More than 75% of the episodes with narrow-spectrum versus 82.2% of broad-spectrum treatment did not lead to any re-prescription or complication. Complications occurred in 1.8% of all episodes (0.5% prostatitis, 0.7% pyelonephritis, and 0.7% hospitalisation). BPH was associated with increased risk of complications and re-prescription. Diabetes was associated with a lower risk of re-prescriptions. Prostate cancer and urinary retention were associated with a lower risk of both complications and re-prescriptions.

CONCLUSION

Our results support narrow-spectrum antibiotics as first-line treatment. Risk factor analyses warrants further investigation.

Therapeutic strategies for uncomplicated cystitis in women

Uncomplicated cystitis is affecting many women of all ages and has a great impact on the quality of life, especially in women suffering from recurrent, uncomplicated cystitis. By far the most frequent uropathogen, E. coli, may have acquired increasing resistance against a variety of oral antibiotics, which may differ between countries and regions. Therefore, local resistance data are important to be considered. On the other hand, non-antibiotic therapy has also become an option which should be discussed and offered to the patient. In patients suffering from recurrent uncomplicated cystitis, individual risk factors and possible behavioral changes should first be taken into account. Non-antimicrobial prophylactic strategies shown to be successful in well-designed clinical studies are the next options. Long term antibiotic prophylaxis, however, should only be considered as a last option. For some of those patients self-diagnosis and self-treatment may be suitable, e.g. by using a recognized questionnaire.

Treatment of chronic post-radiation cystitis with trans-urethral amniotic bladder therapy appears durable at 9 months: A clinical study

PURPOSE

Chronic radiation cystitis (CRC) develops after radiation therapy and can present with symptoms like urinary frequency, urgency, pelvic pain, and nocturia. We have previously reported that amniotic bladder therapy (ABT) provides symptomatic improvement in refractory CRC patients for up to 3 months. Herein, we evaluated the durability of ABT up to 6 months.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CRC patients recalcitrant to previous treatments received ABT comprised of intra-detrusor injections of 100 mg micronized AM diluted in 10 mL 0.9% preservative-free sodium chloride. Clinical evaluation and questionnaires (Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI), Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI), Bladder Pain/Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Score (BPIC-SS), Overactive Bladder (OAB) Assessment Tool, SF-12 Health Survey) were repeated at pre-op and 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 36 weeks post-injection.

RESULTS

Five consecutive patients with a mean age of 64.4 ± 20.1 years with a median CRC duration of 10 years were included and followed for 6 months. After ABT, the lower urinary tract symptoms improved as early as 2 weeks and were maintained up to 20 weeks. BPIC significantly improved from 36.6 ± 1.1 at baseline to 12.6 ± 1.5 at 16 weeks and 13.8 ± 2.9 at 20 weeks. At 24 and 36 weeks, the improvement was maintained in four (80%) of the five patients (BPIC = 13.8 ± 1.0). Uroflow assessment showed voiding volume improved two-fold in four of the five patients at 24 weeks compared to baseline.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that a significant number of CRC patients may have durable benefit after ABT. Despite this, some of them can show symptoms rebound at 24 weeks.

Qualitative study on shared decision making in cystitis management in general practice

BACKGROUND

Cystitis are commonly treated with antibiotics, although non-antibiotic options could be considered for healthy non-pregnant women. Shared decision making (SDM) can be used in cystitis management to discuss the various treatment options but is not frequently applied in general practice.

AIM

Identifying barriers and facilitators for applying SDM in cystitis management in general practice.

DESIGN & SETTING

Qualitative explorative research in general practice with healthcare professionals (HCPs; general practitioners (GPs) and GP assistants) and healthy non-pregnant women with a recent history of cystitis (patients).

METHOD

Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted between May and October 2022. We applied a combination of thematic and framework analysis.

RESULTS

Ten GPs, seven GP assistants, and fifteen patients were interviewed. We identified three main barriers and one key facilitator: 1) applying SDM is deemed inefficient; 2) HCPs presume that patients expect antibiotic treatment and some HCPs consider non-antibiotic treatment inferior; 3) Patients are largely unaware of the various non-antibiotic treatment options for cystitis; 4) HCPs recognise some benefits of applying SDM in cystitis management, including reduced antibiotic use and improved patient empowerment, and patients appreciate involvement in treatment decisions, but preferences for SDM vary.

CONCLUSION

SDM is infrequently applied in cystitis treatment in general practice due to the current efficient cystitis management, HCPs' perceptions, and patient unawareness. Nevertheless, both HCPs and patients recognise the long-term benefits of applying SDM in cystitis management. Our findings facilitate the development of tailored interventions to increase the application of SDM which should be co-created with HCPs and patients and fit into the current efficient cystitis management.

Treating BCG-Induced Cystitis with Combined Chondroitin and Hyaluronic Acid Instillations in Bladder Cancer

In non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) responders benefit from strong Th1-type inflammatory and T cell responses mediating tumor rejection. However, the corresponding lack of anti-inflammatory Th2-type immunity impairs tissue repair in the bladder wall and facilitates the development of cystitis, causing urinary pain, urgency, incontinence, and frequency. Mechanistically, the leakage of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer enables an influx of potassium ions, bacteria, and urine solutes towards the underlying bladder tissue, promoting chronic inflammation. Treatments directed towards re-establishing this mucopolysaccharide-based protective barrier are urgently needed. We discuss the pathomechanisms, as well as the therapeutic rationale of how chondroitin and hyaluronic acid instillations can reduce or prevent BCG-induced irritative bladder symptoms. Moreover, we present a case series of five patients with refractory BCG-induced cystitis successfully treated with combined chondroitin and hyaluronic acid instillations.

Bacteriological profile, antimicrobial susceptibility, and factors associated with urinary tract infection in pregnant women

INTRODUCTION

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial complication in pregnancy. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence, risk factors, and bacterial etiology of UTI during pregnancy and determine the efficacy of antimicrobial drugs in treating UTIs.

METHODOLOGY

Urine specimens and clinical data were collected from pregnant women who attended primary health centers in Erbil, Iraq. All specimens were cultured on appropriate media and identified by standard microbiological methods. The pregnant women were grouped into symptomatic UTI group, asymptomatic bacteriuria group, and the control group. The agar dilution method was used to determine antimicrobial susceptibility.

RESULTS

Among the 5,042 pregnant women included in this study, significant bacteriuria was found in 625 (12.40%) of the cases, and 198 (31.68%) had symptomatic UTI, of which 43.59% were diagnosed during the third trimester. Out of the 643 bacteria isolated, 33.28% were symptomatic UTI, of which 43.59% developed during the third trimester. There was a significant difference in the bacterial etiology between symptomatic UTI and asymptomatic bacteriuria (p = 0.002), as well as between cystitis and pyelonephritis (p = 0.017). The most common bacterial species isolated was Escherichia coli, which was susceptible to fosfomycin (100%), meropenem (99.45%), and nitrofurantoin (97.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women are more likely to develop UTI in the third trimester. Escherichia coli is the predominant pathogen. The study suggests the use of fosfomycin, meropenem, and nitrofurantoin for the treatment of UTI. No Gram-positive isolates were resistant to daptomycin.

Antibiotic Switches in Urinary Tract Infection Are Associated With Atypical Symptoms and Emergent Care

IMPORTANCE

Given worsening global antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial stewardship aims to use the shortest effective duration of the most narrow-spectrum, effective antibiotic for patients with specific urinary symptoms and laboratory testing consistent with urinary tract infection (UTI). Inappropriate treatment and unnecessary antibiotic switching for UTIs harms patients in a multitude of ways.

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to analyze antibiotic treatment failures as measured by antibiotic switching for treatment of UTI in emergent and ambulatory care.

STUDY DESIGN

For this retrospective cohort study, 908 encounters during July 2019 bearing a diagnostic code for UTI/cystitis in a single health care system were reviewed. Urinary and microbiological testing, symptoms endorsed at presentation, and treatments prescribed were extracted from the medical record.

RESULTS

Of 908 patients diagnosed with UTI, 64% of patients (579/908) received antibiotics, 86% of which were empiric. All patients evaluated in emergent care settings were prescribed antibiotics empirically in contrast to 71% of patients in ambulatory settings (P < 0.001). Of patients given antibiotics, 89 of 579 patients (15%, 10% of all 908 patients) were switched to alternative antibiotics within 28 days. Emergent care settings and positive urine cultures were significantly associated with increased antibiotic switching. Patients subjected to switching tended to have higher rates of presenting symptoms inconsistent with UTI.

CONCLUSIONS

Empiric treatment, particularly in an emergent care setting, was frequently inappropriate and associated with increasing rates of antibiotic switching. Given the profound potential contribution to antibiotic resistance, these findings highlight the need for improved diagnostic and prescribing accuracy for UTI.

Collectin 11 has a pivotal role in host defense against kidney and bladder infection in mice

The urinary tract is constantly exposed to microorganisms. Host defense mechanisms in protection from microbial colonization and development of urinary tract infections require better understanding to control kidney infection. Here we report that the lectin collectin 11 (CL-11), particularly kidney produced, has a pivotal role in host defense against uropathogen infection. CL-11 was found in mouse urine under normal and pathological conditions. Mice with global gene ablation of Colec11 had increased susceptibility to and severity of kidney and to an extent, bladder infection. Mice with kidney-specific Colec11 ablation exhibited a similar disease phenotype to that observed in global Colec11 deficient mice, indicating the importance of kidney produced CL-11 for protection against kidney and bladder infection. Conversely, intravesical or systemic administration of recombinant CL-11 reduced susceptibility to and severity of kidney and bladder infection. Mechanism analysis revealed that CL-11 can mediate several key innate defense mechanisms (agglutination, anti- adhesion, opsonophagocytosis), and limit local inflammatory responses to pathogens. Furthermore, CL-11-mediated innate defense mechanisms can act on clinically relevant microorganisms including multiple antibiotic resistant strains. CL-11 was detectable in eight of 24 urine samples from patients with urinary tract infections but not detectable in urine samples from ten healthy individuals. Thus, our findings demonstrate that CL-11 is a key factor of host defense mechanisms in kidney and bladder infection with therapeutic potential for human application.

Inflammatory Complications in Chronic Granulomatous Disease

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare inborn error of immunity that typically manifests with infectious complications. As the name suggest though, inflammatory complications are also common, often affecting the gastrointestinal, respiratory, urinary tracts and other tissues. These can be seen in all various types of CGD, from X-linked and autosomal recessive to X-linked carriers. The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying these complications are not well understood, but are likely multi-factorial and reflect the body's attempt to control infections. The different levels of neutrophil residual oxidase activity are thought to contribute to the large phenotypic variations. Immunosuppressive agents have traditionally been used to treat these complications, but their use is hindered by the fact that CGD patients are predisposed to infection. Novel therapeutic agents, like anti-TNFa monoclonal antibodies, anakinra, ustekinumab, and vedolizumab offer promise for the future, while hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should also be considered in these patients.

BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis in pediatric stem cell transplantation: a case report and scoping review

Introduction

BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BK-HC) is a debilitating and poorly understood complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Hematuria, dysuria, and other symptoms associated with BK-HC are common in the immediate post-SCT period, making BK-HC difficult to distinguish from other conditions presenting with these symptoms. Despite published criteria for diagnosis, the degree to which these criteria are consistently applied to either clinical diagnosis or to studies informing BK-HC management is unclear. We present a case of BK-HC in a pediatric SCT recipient, and discuss the challenges associated with treatment in the absence of rigorous data to inform clinical management.

Methods

We reviewed all cases of BK viruria at our center in patients undergoing SCT between January 2015 and December 2019. We then performed a scoping review of publications in PubMed addressing BK-HC, specifically focusing on how BK-HC was defined. Publications using the keywords "BK polyomavirus" and "hemorrhagic cystitis" were included if they involved a clinical study of SCT recipients and a full-text article was available in English. Case reports were excluded. Analysis focused on whether BK-HC was explicitly defined and whether the definition incorporated elements of diagnostic criteria published by European Conference on Infections in Leukemia (ECIL).

Results

A total of 30 studies published between January 2018 and 30 June 2021 met criteria for review, including 4 clinical trials, 7 prospective observational studies, and 19 retrospective observational studies. Fifteen of these studies included pediatric patients (7 pediatric only, 8 combined adult and pediatric). Of the 30 publications, 19 included a definition of either BK-HC or BK cystitis, with only five using ECIL criteria, all of which were observational studies. Multiple interventions are described for treatment of BK-HC, including cidofovir, leflunomide, quinolones, hyperbaric oxygen, keratinocyte growth factor, and BK-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. However, evidence to support efficacy for any of these interventions is lacking.

Discussion

Although BK-HC is a well-known complication of SCT, evidence to support available treatment options is limited. Well-controlled studies that incorporate clear diagnostic criteria are needed to better define the risk factors, natural history, and ideal interventions.

Patient Perception and Impact of Home Test Kits on Health Care Utilization for Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common reason for emergency department (ED) utilization that could potentially be treated by a primary care provider (PCP). This study assessed patient perceived value of a home UTI test kit plus educational materials and its impact on ED utilization for a UTI symptom episode. Women aged 18-75 years with Medicaid insurance and a history of 1-3 uncomplicated UTIs in the past year were prospectively identified and randomized to the intervention, intervention plus (intervention plus a patient portal message before its delivery), or standard of care group. A telephone survey was conducted 3-5 months after the mailing. Site of care for each UTI symptom episode was measured 12 months before and 6 months after the intervention. Test kit packages were mailed to 266 intervention individuals, and 150 responded to the telephone survey. Utilization outcomes were compared between a combined intervention group and a control group. Approximately one-third of the intervention patients experienced UTI symptoms within 5 months, and 73% used the test kit. Of those who experienced UTI symptoms, 58% contacted their PCP to seek care and 96% reported that the test kit was helpful. ED utilization was not significantly different in the intervention groups before and after the intervention, nor between the intervention and control groups postintervention. A home UTI test kit plus educational materials mailed to patients with a history of uncomplicated UTI was deemed helpful but did not have a measurable impact on ED utilization.

Delayed and Non-Antibiotic Therapy for Urinary Tract Infections: A Literature Review

Urinary tract infections are among the most common infections encountered in the clinic and remain a top indication for women to receive antibiotics. Delayed antibiotic prescribing and non-antibiotic symptomatic therapies are treatment paradigms common to other uncomplicated infectious diseases, such as upper respiratory infections. We aimed to review the literature on delayed antibiotics and non-antibiotic treatments as alternatives to immediate antibiotic prescriptions for uncomplicated cystitis. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science to identify relevant clinical trials and reference lists of included articles were examined to find additional studies. All published trials where same day treatment with antibiotics was compared to scenarios where antibiotics were intentionally delayed or withheld or where antibiotics were compared to non-antimicrobial agents or placebo were analyzed. A total of 13 articles were included. Trials were grouped into categories based on their comparator groups: placebo (n = 5), delayed antibiotic therapy (n = 3), and symptomatic treatment (n = 5). Antibiotic delay and ibuprofen, while less effective than antibiotics in early microbiologic and clinical cure, may still be considered plausible alternatives to immediate antibiotic treatment in non-pregnant women with cystitis. Day 7 and later symptomatic resolution ranges from 26-75% with delayed or placebo therapy and 70-83% with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Symptom improvement, however, may be delayed compared to immediate antibiotics. These approaches have shown to decrease antibiotic use in primary care settings with low rates of pyelonephritis. Methodology included in these studies may be considered in stewardship interventions for outpatient clinics.

BCG induced lower urinary tract symptoms during treatment for NMIBC-Mechanisms and management strategies

Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) accounts for ~70-75% of total bladder cancer tumors and requires effective early intervention to avert progression. The cornerstone of high-risk NMIBC treatment involves trans-urethral resection of the tumor followed by intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy. However, BCG therapy is commonly accompanied by significant lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) including urinary urgency, urinary frequency, dysuria, and pelvic pain which can undermine treatment adherence and clinical outcomes. Despite this burden, the mechanisms underlying the development of BCG-induced LUTS have yet to be characterized. This review provides a unique perspective on the mechanisms thought to be responsible for the development of BCG-induced LUTS by focussing on the sensory nerves responsible for bladder sensory transduction. This review focuses on how the physiological response to BCG, including inflammation, urothelial permeability, and direct interactions between BCG and sensory nerves could drive bladder afferent sensitization leading to the development of LUTS. Additionally, this review provides an up-to-date summary of the latest clinical data exploring interventions to relieve BCG-induced LUTS, including therapeutic targeting of bladder contractions, inflammation, increased bladder permeability, and direct inhibition of bladder sensory signaling. Addressing the clinical burden of BCG-induced LUTS holds significant potential to enhance patient quality of life, treatment compliance, and overall outcomes in NMIBC management. However, the lack of knowledge on the pathophysiological mechanisms that drive BCG-induced LUTS has limited the development of novel and efficacious therapeutic options. Further research is urgently required to unravel the mechanisms that drive BCG-induced LUTS.

Lower Urinary Tract Inflammation and Infection: Key Microbiological and Immunological Aspects

The urinary system, primarily responsible for the filtration of blood and waste, is affected by several infectious and inflammatory conditions. Focusing on the lower tract, this review outlines the physiological and immune landscape of the urethra and bladder, addressing key immunological and microbiological aspects of important infectious/inflammatory conditions. The conditions addressed include urethritis, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, urinary tract infections, and urosepsis. Key aspects of each condition are addressed, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical considerations. Finally, therapeutic options are outlined, highlighting gaps in the knowledge and novel therapeutic approaches.

Uroprotective and pain-relieving effect of dietary supplementation with micronized palmitoyl-glucosamine and hesperidin in a chronic model of cyclophosphamide-induced cystitis

Introduction

Feline idiopathic cystitis is a common, chronic-relapsing disorder of the lower urinary tract. In addition to environmental modification/enrichment, long-term and safe treatment targeting specific pathophysiological changes may be of help. In this context, effective dietary interventions hold clinical promise. Palmitoyl-glucosamine (PGA) and hesperidin (HSP) are safe and authorized feed ingredients for animal nutrition under European regulations.

Methods

The current study aimed to investigate whether a 3:1 mixture of micronized PGA and HSP could represent a novel mechanism-oriented approach to chronic cystitis management. A newly validated rat model of cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced chronic cystitis was used (40 mg/kg, three intraperitoneal injections every 3rd day). Animals were randomized to orally receive either vehicle or PGA-HSP at a low (72 + 24 mg/kg) or high (doubled) dose for 13 days, starting 3 days before the chronic CYP protocol, with mesna (2-mercaptoethane-sulfonate) being used as a reference drug.

Results

Higher PGA-HSP dose was effective at relieving chronic visceral pain, as measured by mechanical allodynia test (von Frey test). The severity of cystitis was also significantly improved, as shown by the reduced sonographic thickening of the bladder wall, as well as the decrease in edema, bleeding and bladder to body weight ratio compared to the vehicle treated group. A significant decrease of MPO activity, MDA level and fibrosis at Masson's trichrome staining was also observed in animals administered PGA-HSP in comparison to vehicle treated ones. The CYP-induced increase in bladder mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was also significantly counteracted by the study mixture. Moreover, CYP-induced bladder mast cell accumulation and releasability were significantly decreased by PGA-HSP (even at the low dose), as determined by metachromatic staining, chymase and tryptase immunostaining as well as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for histamine and 5-hydoxytriptamine.

Discussion

PGA-HSP is able to block CYP-induced decrease of tight junction proteins, claudin-1 and occludin, thus preserving the urothelial bladder function. Finally, neuroinflammatory changes were investigated, showing that dietary supplementation with PGA-HSP prevented the activation of neurons and non-neuronal cells (i.e., microglia, astrocytes and mast cells) at the spinal level, and counteracted CYP-induced increase of spinal mRNA encoding for pro-inflammatory cytokines. Altogether, the present findings confirm the uroprotective and pain-relieving effect of PGA-HSP and pave the way to potential and relevant clinical applications of the study supplement in feline idiopathic cystitis.

Multimodality radiomics prediction of radiotherapy-induced the early proctitis and cystitis in rectal cancer patients: a machine learning study

Purpose.This study aims to predict radiotherapy-induced rectal and bladder toxicity using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics features in combination with clinical and dosimetric features in rectal cancer patients.Methods.A total of sixty-three patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) were included in this study. Radiomics features were extracted from the rectum and bladder walls in pretreatment CT and MR-T2W-weighted images. Feature selection was performed using various methods, including Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (Lasso), Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (MRMR), Chi-square (Chi2), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), and SelectPercentile. Predictive modeling was carried out using machine learning algorithms, such as K-nearest neighbor (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Logistic Regression (LR), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Naive Bayes (NB), Gradient Boosting (XGB), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). The impact of the Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) filter was investigated with sigma values ranging from 0.5 to 2. Model performance was evaluated in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity.Results.A total of 479 radiomics features were extracted, and 59 features were selected. The pre-MRI T2W model exhibited the highest predictive performance with an AUC: 91.0/96.57%, accuracy: 90.38/96.92%, precision: 90.0/97.14%, sensitivity: 93.33/96.50%, and specificity: 88.09/97.14%. These results were achieved with both original image and LoG filter (sigma = 0.5-1.5) based on LDA/DT-RF classifiers for proctitis and cystitis, respectively. Furthermore, for the CT data, AUC: 90.71/96.0%, accuracy: 90.0/96.92%, precision: 88.14/97.14%, sensitivity: 93.0/96.0%, and specificity: 88.09/97.14% were acquired. The highest values were achieved using XGB/DT-XGB classifiers for proctitis and cystitis with LoG filter (sigma = 2)/LoG filter (sigma = 0.5-2), respectively. MRMR/RFE-Chi2 feature selection methods demonstrated the best performance for proctitis and cystitis in the pre-MRI T2W model. MRMR/MRMR-Lasso yielded the highest model performance for CT.Conclusion.Radiomics features extracted from pretreatment CT and MR images can effectively predict radiation-induced proctitis and cystitis. The study found that LDA, DT, RF, and XGB classifiers, combined with MRMR, RFE, Chi2, and Lasso feature selection algorithms, along with the LoG filter, offer strong predictive performance. With the inclusion of a larger training dataset, these models can be valuable tools for personalized radiotherapy decision-making.

[Onto-phylogenetic prerequisites for development of chronic cystitis in women]

INTRODUCTION

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections. At the request "cystitis", there are 12,067 publications in the RSCI system (e.library) as of 10/08/2023 and 16,332 articles were screened in the Pubmed. This is evidence that the problem of cystitis is far from being resolved.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 425 patients with bacterial vaginosis and 77 women with chronic recurrent cystitis were included in the study. In all patients, the vaginal biocenosis was assessed through molecular genetic testing. The examination included filling out the Russian version of the Acute Cystitis Symptom Score (ACSS), urinalysis, and urine culture. In addition, local microcirculation was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). After examination, patients were prescribed basic therapy and randomly assigned to one of three groups. In a control group (n=17), only basic therapy, consisting of fosfomycin 3.0 once at night + furagin 100 mg after meals 3 times a day for 5 days was prescribed. In the main group 1, 29 women received basic therapy plus Superlymph suppositories 10 units 2 times a day vaginally for 10 days. In the main group 2, 31 patients received basic therapy plus suppositories Superlymph 10 units (rectally in the morning) and Acylact Duo (vaginally in the evening) for 10 days.

RESULTS

Among 425 patients with bacterial vaginosis, 78 (18.3%) complained of various urinary disorders, but only 21 women (4.9% of those with vaginal dysbiosis and 26.9% with dysuria) had a diagnosis of cystitis. In all cases, it was an exacerbation of a chronic disease. Among 77 patients with chronic cystitis, normal vaginal flora was initially present in 32 patients (41.6%), and bacterial vaginosis was found in 45 (58.4%) cases. After therapy, positive results were noted in patients of all groups. Complete eradication of the pathogen occurred in 15 women (88.2%) who received only basic therapy; in the main groups 1 and 2, uropathogens were not detected in 27 (93.1%) and 28 (90.3%) cases, respectively. In the control group, the proportion of patients with normal vaginal flora remained virtually unchanged (41.2% [n=7] vs. 47.1% [n=8]). In the main group 1, the proportion of patients with normal vaginal flora almost doubled: from 41.4% (n=12) to 79.3% (n=23). In main group 2, restoration of vaginal flora was noted in 87.1% of cases.

CONCLUSION

According to our data, only 4.9% of patients with bacterial vaginosis were diagnosed with chronic cystitis, however, 58.4% of patients with chronic cystitis had vaginal dysbiosis. The use of a complex of antimicrobial peptides and cytokines has significantly increased the bidirectional effect of therapy. Suppositories Superlymph in a combination with vaginal use of Acylact Duo allow to obtain the best results.

Recurrent Cystitis Associated With 2 Programmed Death 1 Inhibitors: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of advanced cancer, however, often with immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Adverse events involving the bladder were extremely rare with only few cases. Herein, we described a rare, recurrent cystitis associated with 2 programmed death 1 inhibitors (pembrolizumab and toripalimab) in 1 patient with advanced liver cancer. Cystitis associated with toripalimab, a novel humanized programmed death 1 monoclonal antibody, was first presented in our case. Cystitis is an extremely rare irAE associated with ICIs, especially anti-programmed death 1 antibodies. With widening indications of ICIs in clinical practice, physicians should be also aware of this rare irAE.

Emphysematous Cystitis: A Rare Urologic Emergency

BACKGROUND Emphysematous cystitis is a rare urologic condition typically characterized by abdominal pain, hematuria, and dysuria. In some cases, complications such as bladder rupture, necrosis, and septic shock have been reported. Emphysematous cystitis has been associated with several predisposing medical conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, recurrent urinary tract infections, and immunosuppression, but can also infrequently present in an undifferentiated fashion without these aforementioned risk factors, such as in our patient's case. CASE REPORT We describe a rare case of emphysematous cystitis in a 67-year-old woman presenting to the Emergency Department with hematuria. The patient's presenting symptoms also included severe lower abdominal pain and dysuria. Examination revealed suprapubic tenderness and gross hematuria. Imaging revealed gas within the bladder lumen and throughout the bladder wall. Radiography showed concerns for emphysematous cystitis, without evidence of bladder fistula formation with adjacent bowel loops or cysto-vaginal fistula. After consultation with the Urology Department, the patient was admitted for serial examinations, intravenous antibiotics, and continued monitoring. The patient was discharged in good condition after a 3-day hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians evaluating patients for acute urologic symptoms should be alert to the possible diagnosis of emphysematous cystitis, given the potential for deterioration and concomitant complications. Although our patient's presentation included no traditional risk factors for emphysematous cholecystitis, she required hospitalization to ensure progressive improvement. Therefore, prompt management along with appropriate consultation with specialists are crucial to mitigate the risk of adverse outcomes in this rare urologic emergency.

Immune-related adverse events with severe pain and ureteral expansion as the main manifestations: a case report of tislelizumab-induced ureteritis/cystitis and review of the literature

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is an up-to-date therapy for cancer with a promising efficacy, but it may cause unique immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Although irAEs could affect any organ, irAEs-induced whole urinary tract expansion was rarely reported. Herein, we reported a 27-year-old male patient with thymic carcinoma who received the treatment of tislelizumab, paclitaxel albumin and carboplatin. He was hospitalized for severe bellyache and lumbago after 6 courses of treatment. Antibiotic and antispasmodic treatment did not relieve his symptoms. The imaging examinations reported whole urinary tract expansion and cystitis. Therefore, we proposed that the patient's pain was caused by tislelizumab-induced ureteritis/cystitis. After the discontinuation of tislelizumab and the administration of methylprednisolone, his symptoms were markedly alleviated. Herein, we reported a rare case of ICI-induced ureteritis/cystitis in the treatment of thymic cancer and reviewed other cases of immunotherapy-related cystitis and tislelizumab-related adverse events, which will provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of ICI-related irAEs.

Soluble guanylate cyclase mediates the relaxation of healthy and inflamed bladder smooth muscle by aqueous nitric oxide

Introduction: Due to its chemical properties, functional responses to nitric oxide (NO) are often difficult to examine. In the present study, we established a method to produce NO in an aqueous solution and validated its capacity to evoke functional responses in isolated rat bladders. Furthermore, we compared the NO responses to the commonly used NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP). We also investigated the impact of ongoing inflammation on the involvement of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) dependent signaling in NO relaxation. Methods: A setup to produce an aqueous NO solution was established, allowing the production of an aqueous solution containing a calculated NO concentration of 2 mM. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats received either no treatment (controls) or cyclophosphamide (CYP; 100 mg*kg-1 i.p., 60 h prior to the experiment) to induce experimental cystitis. Bladder strip preparations were mounted in organ baths and studied at basal tension or pre-contracted with methacholine (3 μM). Aqueous NO solution (40-400 μL; 2 mM corresponding to 4-40 μM) or SNP (1-1,000 μM) was added cumulatively in increasing concentrations. Relaxation to aqueous NO was also studied in the presence of the sGC inhibitor ODQ (0.25-25 μM). The expression of sGC was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The NO solution caused functional relaxations in both controls and inflamed bladder preparations. NO-induced relaxations were significantly greater in inflamed bladder strips at basal tension, whereas no differences were seen in methacholine pre-contracted strips. In the presence of the sGC inhibitor ODQ in a high concentration, the NO-evoked relaxations were abolished in both control and inflamed preparations. At a lower concentration of ODQ, only NO relaxations in inflamed preparations were attenuated. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that sGC was expressed in the detrusor and mucosa, with a significantly lower expression in the inflamed detrusor. Conclusion: In the present study, we found that aqueous NO solution induces relaxation of the rat detrusor by activating soluble guanylate cyclase in both control and inflamed bladder strips. Induction of inflammation conceivably leads to decreased sGC expression in the detrusor, which may explain the different susceptibility towards inhibition of sGC in inflamed versus control tissue. The use of an aqueous NO solution should be further considered as a valuable complement to the pharmacological tools currently used.

Phage Therapy in the Management of Urinary Tract Infections: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a problem worldwide, affecting almost half a billion people each year. Increasing antibiotic resistance and limited therapeutic options have led to the exploration of alternative therapies for UTIs, including bacteriophage (phage) therapy. This systematic review aims at evaluating the efficacy of phage therapy in treating UTIs. We employed a comprehensive search strategy for any language, any animal, and any publication date. A total of 55 in vivo and clinical studies were included. Of the studies, 22% were published in a non-English language, 32.7% were before the year 1996, and the rest were after 2005. The results of this review suggest that phage therapy for UTIs can be effective; more than 72% of the included articles reported microbiological and clinical improvements. On the other hand, only 5 randomized controlled trials have been completed, and case reports and case series information were frequently incomplete for analysis. Overall, this comprehensive systematic review identifies preliminary evidence supporting the potential of phage therapy as a safe and viable option for the treatment of UTIs.

Gangrenous Cystitis Secondary to a Spontaneous Hematoma of the Lesser Pelvis

Gangrenous cystitis is considered a life-threatening but rather rare clinical entity due to the widespread use of antibiotics. We herein report a case of a 78-year-old female with gangrenous cystitis secondary to a spontaneous expanded hematoma of the lesser pelvis who underwent partial cystectomy followed by bilateral ureterostomies with no favorable outcome.

Gamma-band Intermuscular Connectivity Is Associated With Increased Neural Drive to Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome

PURPOSE

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients can experience overactive pelvic floor muscle activity at rest. While the frequency power spectrum of pelvic floor muscle has briefly been explored, intermuscular connectivity of the pelvic floor muscle has yet to be studied, which may provide useful insight into the neurological component, ie, neural drive to muscles, in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High-density surface electromyography was collected from 15 female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with pelvic floor tenderness and 15 urologically healthy female controls. Intermuscular connectivity was calculated across the maximally active locations of the left and right sides of the pelvic floor muscle as identified from the root mean squared amplitude at rest and compared with Student t tests for common sensorimotor rhythms involved in motor control: alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (13-30 Hz), and gamma (31-70 Hz) frequency bands. The root mean squared amplitudes at rest were also compared across groups.

RESULTS

The resting root mean squared amplitude of the pelvic floor muscle was significantly greater in female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients compared to healthy female controls (P = .0046). The gamma-band intermuscular connectivity was significantly different between rest and pelvic floor muscle contraction (P = .0001) for healthy female controls, but not for female patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (P = .1214). Both results indicate an elevated neural drive to pelvic floor muscle at rest in female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Gamma-band pelvic floor muscle connectivity in female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients is increased at rest. The results of this study may provide insight into the impaired neural drive to pelvic floor muscle implicated with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Linguistic and Clinical Validation of the Tajik Acute Cystitis Symptom Score for Diagnosis and Patient-Reported Outcome in Acute Uncomplicated Cystitis

Background and Objectives: Acute Cystitis Symptom Score (ACSS) is a self-reporting questionnaire for clinical diagnosis and follow-up of acute uncomplicated cystitis (AC) in women. The ACSS, originally developed in Uzbek and Russian, both considered original languages, is now available in several other languages. This study aimed to translate and validate the ACSS in the Tajik language. Material and Methods: Linguistic validation was carried out according to the Linguistic Validation Manual for Patient-Reported Outcomes Instruments guidelines. Clinical validation was performed by enrolling fifty-four Tajik-speaking women. All women included in this study were first interviewed about the understandability of all questions and statements in the final Tajik ACSS and were asked to fill in form A at the first visit (diagnostics) and form B at any follow-up visit (patient-reported outcome). Results: Thirty-three women, median (range) age of 35 (18-77), were diagnosed with AC (patient group), while twenty-one women, median (range) age of 34 (20-61) (p = 0.109), were enrolled as the control group without any other urological disease. For the diagnostics of AC, a summary score of the six typical symptoms ("Typical" domain) showed the best balance between sensitivity (0.73) and specificity (0.71) at 5 and above. Cronbach's alpha [95% CI] and split-half reliability [95%] were 0.82 [0.76; 0.98] and 0.84 [0.77; 0.87], respectively. At the follow-up visit, the patients reported a significant reduction in the "Typical" domain and an improvement in the "Quality of Life" domain. Conclusion: The Tajik ACSS showed good reliability and diagnostic values and may be used as a reliable tool for the diagnosis and patient-reported outcome in women with AC in clinical and epidemiological studies and for daily practice.

Pelvic Extirpative Surgery for the "End-Stage Irradiated Bladder"

Men with prostate cancer have the daunting task of selecting from multiple modalities of treatment. The long-term effects of radiation therapy are only now being recognized. For both patients and surgeons, the end-stage irradiated bladder poses numerous problems and challenges. Specifically, irradiated bladders with urosymphyseal fistula, radiation cystitis, and rectourethral fistula are challenging to manage and treat. This review outlines the presentation, workup, and management including cystectomy for these three devastating late complications of radiation therapy. There are special considerations when performing benign cystectomy that are not typically considered during oncologic cystectomy. We discuss an overview of the current literature regarding the "end-stage bladder" resulting from radiation therapy and the important considerations that must be acknowledged when managing these patients. It is shown that many of the less invasive and conservative options ultimately lead to cystectomy. Indeed, our review concludes that cystectomy with urinary diversion is a safe and viable option in select irradiated patients with the goal to improve quality of life.

Contribution of Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing and CH Typing Compared to Next-Generation Sequencing for the Diagnosis of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections Due to Genetically Identical Escherichia coli Isolates: a Prospective Cohort Study of Cystitis in Women

Recurrent cystitis is a common disease in women, mainly due to uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). For decades, typing methods now considered obsolete suggested that relapse by the same clone is dominant over reinfection, most UPEC strains being otherwise fully susceptible to antibiotics. We aimed to update these data. Thanks to a prospective study over 17 months, we recruited 323 women with cystitis. Of these, 251 of them had sporadic infection and 72 had recurrence, with 2 to 9 episodes per patient for a total of 131 UPEC isolates and 145 UPEC pairs at patient level. Phylogroups B2 (52.4%) and D (14.1%) were overall dominant, as expected due to their particular urovirulence. CH typing identified 119 distinct profiles with no CH type particularly associated with recurrence. Relapse was attested by CH typing for only 30.6% (22 out of 72), with very diverse situations ranging from all episodes due to the same clone to alternating reinfections and relapses. Next-generation sequencing confirmed the clonality for all but two of the 145 UPEC pairs. Antibiotic resistance was common for recurrent cystitis isolates (only 25 [17.2%] out of 145 UPEC pairs were fully susceptible), allowing us to predict UPEC clonality. Indeed, antibiotic susceptibility profile matched CH typing for 104 (71.7%) pairs. Finally, we demonstrated a large genetic diversity among UPEC isolates responsible for cystitis in women, even in cases of recurrence for which reinfection appeared dominant over relapse. Recurrent cystitis appears to be a heterogeneous disease requiring tailored treatment and prevention. IMPORTANCE More than half of women will experience cystitis during their lifetime. Among these women, 25% will experience a second episode within the following 6 months. It is epidemiologically important to discriminate relapses from reinfections. Relapse identification relies on long and laborious methods and might influence treatment. Therefore, the designation of time- and cost-effective strategies for this goal is of particular interest. Our work suggests using CH typing and antibiotic susceptibility profiles to type Escherichia coli, the main uropathogen.

Uncommon Haemorrhagic Cystitis of Infectious Origin: A Narrative Review for Urologists

Purpose

Haemorrhagic cystitis may be due to different etiologies with infectious diseases representing an insidious cause to diagnose. The aim of this narrative review is to provide a comprehensive overview of less common but difficult-to-diagnose causes of infectious haemorrhagic cystitis of bacterial, mycobacterial, and parasitic origin, Moreover, we highlight possible diagnostic tools and currently available treatment options in order to give an updated tool for urologists to use in daily practice.

Patients and Methods

The search engine PubMed was used to select peer-reviewed articles published from 1/Jan/2010 to 31/Aug/2022.

Results

Bacteria, fungal, TB and schistosomiasis are uncommon causes of haemorrhagic cystitis burdened by high morbidity, especially if not promptly diagnosed.

Conclusion

Because haemorrhagic cystitis ranges in severity from mild dysuria associated with pelvic discomfort to severe life-threatening haemorrhage, punctual diagnosis, and immediate treatment are essential to avoid further complications.

Peripheral Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Blockade Ameliorates Cystitis Severity

Background: The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a key physiological role in bladder function and it has been suggested as a potential target for relieving lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs). Whereas most studies indicate that activating the ECS has some beneficial effects on the bladder, some studies imply the opposite. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of peripheral cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) blockade in a mouse model for LUTSs. Materials and Methods: To this end, we used the cyclophosphamide (CYP; 300 mg/kg, intraperitoneal)-induced cystitis model of bladder dysfunction, in which 12-week-old, female C57BL/6 mice were treated with the peripherally restricted CB1R antagonist, JD5037 (3 mg/kg), or vehicle for three consecutive days. Bladder dysfunction was assessed using the noninvasive voiding spot assay (VSA) as well as the bladder-to-body weight (BW) ratio and gene and protein expression levels; ECS tone was assessed at the end of the study. Results: Peripheral CB1R blockade significantly ameliorated the severity of CYP-induced cystitis, manifested by reduced urination events measured in the VSA and an increased bladder-to-BW ratio. Moreover, JD5037 normalized CYP-mediated bladder ECS tone imbalance by affecting both the expression of CB1R and the endocannabinoid levels. These effects were associated with the ability of JD5037 to reduce CYP-induced inflammatory response, manifested by a reduction in levels of the proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), in the bladder and serum. Conclusions: Collectively, our results highlight the therapeutic relevance of peripheral CB1R blockade in ameliorating CYP-induced cystitis; they may further support the preclinical development and clinical use of peripherally restricted CB1R antagonism for treatment of LUTSs.

Pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of ketamine-induced cystitis

Ketamine is illegally used as a recreational drug in many Asian countries. Long-term ketamine abusers often develop irritable bladder symptoms that gradually develop into more severe urinary frequency and urgency and eventually into a painful ulcerated bladder. These patients typically have reduced functional bladder capacity, increased bladder sensation, detrusor overactivity, severe urgency, urinary incontinence, and bladder contracture. Ketamine metabolites can cause severe inflammation of the urothelium, urothelial barrier deficits, vascular endothelial fibrinoid changes, increased oxidative stress, and bladder wall fibrosis. A decrease in bladder compliance, urinary tract infection, severe bladder pain with a full bladder, and painful micturition are also common symptoms. Finally, with continued abuse of ketamine, hydronephrosis, ureteral stricture, vesicoureteral reflux, and renal failure may develop. Cessation of ketamine is the mainstay of treatment. Lower urinary tract symptoms usually relapse if patients reuse ketamine after stopping. In cases of severe ketamine cystitis, only augmentation enterocystoplasty can relieve bladder pain and restore normal lower urinary tract function. This article reviews the underlying pathophysiology, clinical characteristics, and management of ketamine cystitis.

[Chronic cystitis: how to prolong the relapse-free period?]

INTRODUCTION

Chronic cystitis predominates in the structure of urinary tract infections (UTIs). International guidelines are mainly focused on the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis; the approaches for managing patients with chronic cystitis has not been sufficiently developed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 91 patients were included in prospective multicenter randomized comparative controlled study. They were divided into three groups. In the group 1, 32 women received only standard antibiotic therapy for 5 days. In the group 2, 28 patients (received standard therapy plus rectal suppositories Superlymph 25 IU 1 time per day for 10 days). In the main group, 31 women received standard therapy in combination with the use of rectal suppositories Superlymph at a dose of 10 IU 1 time per day for 20 days. Standard antibiotic therapy included fosfomycin trometamol 3.0 g once and furazidin 100 mg three times for 5 days. To assess the long-term results, patients were invited for a follow-up 6 months after the end of therapy.

AIM

To determine the long-term results of combined etiologic and pathogenetic therapy, including Superlymph rectal suppositories at a dose of 10 U and 25 U, in patients with chronic cystitis.

RESULTS

Six months later, 82/91 (90.1%) women were examined to assess the long-term results. At 6 months, in group 1 a relapse of the cystitis developed in 17 women (60.7%) after an average of 67.3+/-9.4 days. In group 2, recurrence was observed in 12 patients (44.4%), and the relapse-free period was longer, averaging of 84.3+/-9.2 days. The best results were demonstrated in the main group, in which the relapse-free period lasted an average of 123.5+/-8.7 days, and a relapse developed in only 8 cases (29.6%). In 19 patients (70.4%) there were no symptoms after six months. Differences between groups were highly significant (p<0.001). In all groups, none of the patients had more than one recurrence of the cystitis during the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Combined antibiotic therapy results in the absence of recurrence within six months in 39.3% of patients with chronic cystitis. Complex etiologic and pathogenetic therapy, including Superlymph rectal suppositories, allows to significantly reduce the number of recurrences and prolong the relapse-free period. Among the patients who received a course of local cytokine therapy at a dose of 25 units for 10 days, 55.6% did not have a recurrence of chronic cystitis within 6 months. In the group of patients who, along with etiologic therapy, received Superlymph rectal suppositories at a dose of 10 IU for 20 days, a relapse was absent in 70.4% of patients.

Definitions of Urinary Tract Infection in Current Research: A Systematic Review

Defining urinary tract infection (UTI) is complex, as numerous clinical and diagnostic parameters are involved. In this systematic review, we aimed to gain insight into how UTI is defined across current studies. We included 47 studies, published between January 2019 and May 2022, investigating therapeutic or prophylactic interventions in adult patients with UTI. Signs and symptoms, pyuria, and a positive urine culture were required in 85%, 28%, and 55% of study definitions, respectively. Five studies (11%) required all 3 categories for the diagnosis of UTI. Thresholds for significant bacteriuria varied from 103 to 105 colony-forming units/mL. None of the 12 studies including acute cystitis and 2 of 12 (17%) defining acute pyelonephritis used identical definitions. Complicated UTI was defined by both host factors and systemic involvement in 9 of 14 (64%) studies. In conclusion, UTI definitions are heterogeneous across recent studies, highlighting the need for a consensus-based, research reference standard for UTI.

The clinical toxicology of ketamine

INTRODUCTION

Ketamine is a pharmaceutical drug possessing both analgesic and anaesthetic properties. As an anaesthetic, it induces anaesthesia by producing analgesia with a state of altered consciousness while maintaining airway tone, respiratory drive, and hemodynamic stability. At lower doses, it has psychoactive properties and has gained popularity as a recreational drug.

OBJECTIVES

To review the epidemiology, mechanisms of toxicity, pharmacokinetics, clinical features, diagnosis and management of ketamine toxicity.

METHODS

Both OVID MEDLINE (January 1950-April 2023) and Web of Science (1900-April 2023) databases were searched using the term "ketamine" in combination with the keywords "pharmacokinetics", "kinetics", "poisoning", "poison", "toxicity", "ingestion", "adverse effects", "overdose", and "intoxication". Furthermore, bibliographies of identified articles were screened for additional relevant studies. These searches produced 5,268 non-duplicate citations; 185 articles (case reports, case series, pharmacokinetic studies, animal studies pertinent to pharmacology, and reviews) were considered relevant. Those excluded were other animal investigations, therapeutic human clinical investigations, commentaries, editorials, cases with no clinical relevance and post-mortem investigations.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

Following its introduction into medical practice in the early 1970s, ketamine has become a popular recreational drug. Its use has become associated with the dance culture, electronic and dubstep dance events.

MECHANISM OF ACTION

Ketamine acts primarily as a non-competitive antagonist on the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, causing the loss of responsiveness that is associated with clinical ketamine dissociative anaesthesia.

PHARMACOKINETICS

Absorption of ketamine is rapid though the rate of uptake and bioavailability is determined by the route of exposure. Ketamine is metabolized extensively in the liver. Initially, both isomers are metabolized to their major active metabolite, norketamine, by CYP2B6, CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 isoforms. The hydroxylation of the cyclohexan-1-one ring of norketamine to the three positional isomers of hydroxynorketamine occurs by CYP2B6 and CYP2A6. The dehydronorketamine metabolite occurs either by direct dehydrogenation from norketamine via CYP2B6 metabolism or non-enzymatic dehydration of hydroxynorketamine. Norketamine, the dehydronorketamine isomers, and hydroxynorketamine have pharmacological activity. The elimination of ketamine is primarily by the kidneys, though unchanged ketamine accounts for only a small percentage in the urine. The half-life of ketamine in humans is between 1.5 and 5 h.

CLINICAL FEATURES

Acute adverse effects following recreational use are diverse and can include impaired consciousness, dizziness, irrational behaviour, hallucinations, abdominal pain and vomiting. Chronic use can result in impaired verbal information processing, cystitis and cholangiopathy.

DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis of acute ketamine intoxication is typically made on the basis of the patient's history, clinical features, such as vomiting, sialorrhea, or laryngospasm, along with neuropsychiatric features. Chronic effects of ketamine toxicity can result in cholangiopathy and cystitis, which can be confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and cystoscopy, respectively.

MANAGEMENT

Treatment of acute clinical toxicity is predominantly supportive with empiric management of specific adverse effects. Benzodiazepines are recommended as initial treatment to reduce agitation, excess neuromuscular activity and blood pressure. Management of cystitis is multidisciplinary and multi-tiered, following a stepwise approach of pharmacotherapy and surgery. Management of cholangiopathy may require pain management and, where necessary, biliary stenting to alleviate obstructions. Chronic effects of ketamine toxicity are typically reversible, with management focusing on abstinence.

CONCLUSIONS

Ketamine is a dissociative drug employed predominantly in emergency medicine; it has also become popular as a recreational drug. Its recreational use can result in acute neuropsychiatric effects, whereas chronic use can result in cystitis and cholangiopathy.

Urinary Tract Infection and Microbiome

Urinary tract infection is one of the most common bacterial infections and can cause major burdens, not only to individuals but also to an entire society. Current knowledge of the microbial communities in the urinary tract has increased exponentially due to next-generation sequencing and expanded quantitative urine culture. We now acknowledge a dynamic urinary tract microbiome that we once thought was sterile. Taxonomic studies have identified the normal core microbiota of the urinary tract, and studies on the changes in microbiome due to sexuality and age have set the foundation for microbiome studies in pathologic states. Urinary tract infection is not only caused by invading uropathogenic bacteria but also by changes to the uromicrobiome milieu, and interactions with other microbial communities can also contribute. Recent studies have provided insights into the pathogenesis of recurrent urinary tract infections and antimicrobial resistance. New therapeutic options for urinary tract infections also show promise; however, further research is needed to fully understand the implications of the urinary microbiome in urinary tract infections.

Etiology of recurrent cystitis in postmenopausal women based on vaginal microbiota and the role of Lactobacillus vaginal suppository

Background

The vaginal microbiota can be altered by uropathogenic bacteria associated with recurrent cystitis (RC), and the vaginal administration of Lactobacillus have suggested certain effects to prevent RC. The relationship between vaginal microbiota and the development of RC has not been elucidated. We aimed to clarify the etiology of RC from vaginal microbiota and importance of vaginal Lactobacillus.

Methods

Vaginal samples obtained from 39 postmenopausal women were classified into four groups: healthy controls; uncomplicated cystitis; RC; and prevention (prevented RC by Lactobacillus crispatus-containing vaginal suppositories). Principal coordinate analysis and beta-diversity analysis was used to assess 16S rRNA gene sequencing data from the vaginal microbiome.

Results

Cluster analysis divided the vaginal bacterial communities among 129 vaginal samples into three clusters (A, B, and C). Fourteen of 14 (100%) samples from the RC group and 51 of 53 (96%) samples from the prevention group were in clusters B and C, while 29 of 38 (76%) samples from the healthy group and 14 of 24 (58%) samples from the uncomplicated cystitis group were in cluster A. The principal coordinate analysis showed that plots in the uncomplicated cystitis group were similar to the healthy group, indicating a large separation between the RC group and the uncomplicated cystitis group. On beta-diversity analysis, there were significant differences between the healthy group and the uncomplicated cystitis group (p = 0.045), and between the RC group and the uncomplicated cystitis group or the healthy group (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences between the RC group and the prevention group (p = 0.446). The top six taxa were as follows: Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Enterobacteriaceae, Anaerococcus, and Bifidobacterium. Among patients with RC, Lactobacillus was undetectable before administration of suppositories, while the median relative abundance of Lactobacillus was 19% during administration of suppositories (p = 0.0211), reducing the average cystitis episodes per year (6.3 vs. 2.4, p = 0.0015).

Conclusion

The vaginal microbiota of postmenopausal women with RC is differed from healthy controls and uncomplicated cystitis in terms of lack of Lactobacillus and relatively dominant of Enterobacteriaceae. Vaginal administration of Lactobacillus-containing suppositories can prevent RC by stabilizing vaginal dysbiosis and causing a loss of pathogenic bacteria virulence.

Current Viewpoint on Female Urogenital Microbiome-The Cause or the Consequence?

An increasing amount of evidence implies that native microbiota is a constituent part of a healthy urinary tract (UT), making it an ecosystem on its own. What is still not clear is whether the origin of the urinary microbial community is the indirect consequence of the more abundant gut microbiota or a more distinct separation exists between these two systems. Another area of uncertainty is the existence of a link between the shifts in UT microbial composition and both the onset and persistence of cystitis symptoms. Cystitis is one of the most common reasons for antimicrobial drugs prescriptions in primary and secondary care and an important contributor to the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Despite this fact, we still have trouble distinguishing whether the primary cause of the majority of cystitis cases is a single pathogen overgrowth or a systemic disorder affecting the entire urinary microbiota. There is an increasing trend in studies monitoring changes and dynamics of UT microbiota, but this field of research is still in its infancy. Using NGS and bioinformatics, it is possible to obtain microbiota taxonomic profiles directly from urine samples, which can provide a window into microbial diversity (or the lack of) underlying each patient's cystitis symptoms. However, while microbiota refers to the living collection of microorganisms, an interchangeably used term microbiome referring to the genetic material of the microbiota is more often used in conjunction with sequencing data. It is this vast amount of sequences, which are truly "Big Data", that allow us to create models that describe interactions between different species contributing to an UT ecosystem, when coupled with machine-learning techniques. Although in a simplified predator-prey form these multi-species interaction models have the potential to further validate or disprove current beliefs; whether it is the presence or the absence of particular key players in a UT microbial ecosystem, the exact cause or consequence of the otherwise unknown etiology in the majority of cystitis cases. These insights might prove to be vital in our ongoing struggle against pathogen resistance and offer us new and promising clinical markers.

Association of Virulence Markers With Resistance to Oral Antibiotics in Escherichia coli Isolates Causing Uncomplicated Community-Acquired Cystitis

INTRODUCTION

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains equipped with putative virulence factors (VFs) are known to cause approximately 90% of lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) or cystitis affecting individuals of all age groups. Only limited laboratory-based data on the correlation of antimicrobial resistant patterns and VFs of UPEC are available.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 100 non-duplicate E. coli isolates associated with community-acquired UTIs in sexually active women were analysed for antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and putative virulence-associated genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was carried out by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, and results were interpreted as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The isolates non-susceptible to ≥1 agent in ≥3 different antimicrobial categories were considered multidrug-resistant (MDR). Multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay was performed on each E. coli isolate to characterize putative virulence genes (VGs) such as papA, malX, PAI, ibeA, fimH, fyuA, sfa/focDE, papGIII, iutA, papGI, kpsMTII, hlyA, papGII, traT, afa/draBC, cnf1, vat, and yfcV. Results: Capsule synthesis gene kpsMTII (59%)was the most predominant VG present, followed by serum resistance-associated transfer protein gene traT (58%) and adhesin gene fimH (57%); however, adhesin gene papGI (2%) was the least present. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was relatively high for commonly used oral antimicrobials of UTI treatment, such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (68%) and fluoroquinolones (63%). The majority of isolates were MDR (78%) and resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (63.5%). Isolates resistant to norfloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were also resistant to almost all available oral antimicrobials. Isolates resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins showed increased resistance to aztreonam and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (84.6% each) and fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin; 81.5% each). Fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin were the most sensitive antimicrobials for all these resistant isolates. In a multivariate analysis, it was found that MDR isolates were associated with many of the VGs; fimH (65.4%) being the most frequent followed by traT (64.1%). traT (66.2%) and iutA (60.3%) were most commonly present in E. coli isolates resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, while66.7% norfloxacin-resistant isolates have them. Isolates resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins were most commonly associated with fimH and traT (66.2% each). However, E. coli isolates positive for sfa/focDE and vat were more sensitive to norfloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and were non-MDR strains predominantly (p < 0.05). Only two VGs (fimH and traT) were significantly associated with MDR strains.

DISCUSSION

The results of the present study clearly show the association of VFs with some of the commonly used oral antibiotics emphasizing the need for further molecular studies and surveillance programs to monitor drug-resistant UPEC so as to form optimized diagnostic stewardship and appropriate regimen for patient treatment. The reason behind this phenomenon of association has not been studied in much detail here but it can be assumed that genes responsible for drug resistance may share neighbouring loci with VGs on the mobile genetic elements (e.g., plasmid), which transfer together from one bacterium to another.

Urinary tract infection in children: A narrative review of clinical practice guidelines

Background

Urinary tract infection (UTI) has been a major burden on the community and the health-care systems all over the globe. It is the most common cause of bacterial infection in the pediatric age group, with an annual incidence of 3%. The aim of this study is to review and summarize all available guidelines on the diagnosis and management of children with UTI.

Materials and Methods

This is a narrative review of the management of children with a UTI. All biomedical databases were searched, and any guidelines published from 2000 to 2022 were retrieved, reviewed, and evaluated to be included in the summary statements. The sections of the articles were formulated according to the availability of information in the included guidelines.

Results

UTI diagnoses are based on positive urine culture from a specimen of urine obtained through catheterization or suprapubic aspiration, and diagnoses cannot be established on the bases of urine collected from a bag. The criteria for diagnosing UTI are based on the presence of at least 50,000 colony-forming units per milliliter of a uropathogen. Upon confirmation of UTI, the clinician should instruct parents to seek rapid medical assessment (ideally within 48 h) of future febrile disease to ensure that frequent infections can be detected and treated immediately. The choice of therapy depends on several factors, including the age of the child, underlying medical problems, the severity of the disease, the ability to tolerate oral medications, and most importantly local patterns of uropathogens resistance. Initial antibiotic choice of treatment should be according to the sensitivity results or known pathogens patterns with comparable efficacy of oral and parenteral route, for 7 days to 14 days duration. Renal and bladder ultrasonography is the investigation of choice for febrile UTI, and voiding cystourethrography should not be performed routinely unless indicated.

Conclusion

This review summarizes all the recommendations related to UTIs in the pediatric population. Due to the lack of appropriate data, further high-quality studies are required to improve the level and strength of recommendations in the future.

A Rare Case of Xanthogranulomatous Cystitis Mimicking Bladder Malignancy in Nigeria: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Xanthogranulomatous cystitis (XC) is a very rare urinary bladder condition, of unknown etiology. It may mimic bladder malignancy; therefore, histopathologic assessment is crucial in diagnosis. We report a case of a 38-year-old female who presented with persistent, painless hematuria and a strong consideration of bladder malignancy clinically and on cystoscopy. However, on histopathologic evaluation, the rare diagnosis of XC was made. She received a course of antibiotics and has remained asymptomatic after four months of follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of XC in Nigeria and Africa.

Pentosan Polysulfate Affords Pleotropic Protection to Multiple Cells and Tissues

Pentosan polysulfate (PPS), a small semi-synthetic highly sulfated heparan sulfate (HS)-like molecule, shares many of the interactive properties of HS. The aim of this review was to outline the potential of PPS as an interventional therapeutic protective agent in physiological processes affecting pathological tissues. PPS is a multifunctional molecule with diverse therapeutic actions against many disease processes. PPS has been used for decades in the treatment of interstitial cystitis and painful bowel disease, it has tissue-protective properties as a protease inhibitor in cartilage, tendon and IVD, and it has been used as a cell-directive component in bioscaffolds in tissue engineering applications. PPS regulates complement activation, coagulation, fibrinolysis and thrombocytopenia, and it promotes the synthesis of hyaluronan. Nerve growth factor production in osteocytes is inhibited by PPS, reducing bone pain in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (OA/RA). PPS also removes fatty compounds from lipid-engorged subchondral blood vessels in OA/RA cartilage, reducing joint pain. PPS regulates cytokine and inflammatory mediator production and is also an anti-tumor agent that promotes the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and the development of progenitor cell lineages that have proven to be useful in strategies designed to effect repair of the degenerate intervertebral disc (IVD) and OA cartilage. PPS stimulates proteoglycan synthesis by chondrocytes in the presence or absence of interleukin (IL)-1, and stimulates hyaluronan production by synoviocytes. PPS is thus a multifunctional tissue-protective molecule of potential therapeutic application for a diverse range of disease processes.

Urinalysis exhibits excellent predictive capacity for the absence of urinary tract infection

OBJECTIVES

To assess predictive value of urinalysis for negative urine culture and absence of urinary tract infection, re-evaluate the microbial growth threshold for positive urine culture result, and describe antimicrobial resistance features. Urine culture is associated with 27% of U.S. hospitalizations, and unnecessary antibiotic prescription is a main antibiotic resistance contributor.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Urinalyses with urine culture from women ages 18-49 from 2013 to 2020 were studied. Clinically-diagnosed urinary tract infection (CUTI) was defined as 1) uropathogen growth, 2) documented diagnosis of urinary tract infection, and 3) antibiotic prescription. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic predictive values were used to assess urinalysis performance in predicting isolation of a uropathogen by culture and in detection of CUTI.

RESULTS

12,252 urinalyses were included. 41% of urinalyses were associated with positive urine culture and 1287 (10.5%) with CUTI. Negative urinalysis exhibited high predictive accuracy for negative urine culture (specificity 90.3%, PPV 87.3%) and absence of CUTI (specificity 92.2%, PPV 97.4%). 24% of patients not meeting the CUTI definition were still prescribed antibiotics. 22% of cultures associated with CUTI exhibited growth less than 100,000 CFU/ml. Escherichia coli was implemented as causing 70% of CUTIs, and 4.2% of these produced an extended spectrum beta-lactamase.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative urinalysis exhibits high predictive accuracy for absence of CUTI. A reporting threshold of 10,000 CFU/ml is more clinically appropriate than a 100,000 CFU/ml cutpoint. Reflex culture based on urinalysis results could complement clinical judgement and improve laboratory and antibiotic stewardship in pre-menopausal women.

Current approaches for the treatment of ketamine-induced cystitis

AIMS

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, historically used in a clinical setting for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Ketamine usage can produce undesirable psychological manifestations including hallucinations and long-term psychotomimetic effects. As a results of its fast onset and short period of action, ketamine is widely used as a recreational drug. Chronic abuse of ketamine can lead to significant urinary system complications including ketamine-induced cystitis (KIC). Common side effects of chronic ketamine abuse are urinary pain and discomfort and decreased bladder compliance and voiding pressure. Cessation of ketamine use is associated with improvement of symptoms however the exact pathophysiology of KIC remains unknown, complicating the ability of clinicians to treat this condition.

METHOD

A literature search was performed using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Pubmed database up to May 2021.

RESULTS

Animal models of KIC are necessary to further our understanding of KIC pathophysiology and explore potential treatment options. In all cases, cessation of ketamine use is the first line of treatment and is most effective in managing KIC. In addition to cessation, treatment plans must be tailored to the individual, based on the severity of symptoms and disease progression, and include options such as: oral anti-inflammatories, intravesical treatment and in the most severe cases, surgical intervention.

CONCLUSION

KIC is a painful condition that currently lacks standardized treatment methods. Both animal models of KIC and clinical trials to further elucidate the mechanism of KIC pathophysiology must be explored to create targeted treatment plans.

Why Are Some People with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) Depressed? New Evidence That Peripheral Inflammation in the Bladder Causes Central Inflammation and Mood Disorders

Anecdotal evidence has long suggested that patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) develop mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, at a higher rate than the general population and recent prospective studies have confirmed this link. Breakthroughs in our understanding of the diseases underlying LUTS have shown that many have a substantial inflammatory component and great strides have been made recently in our understanding of how this inflammation is triggered. Meanwhile, studies on mood disorders have found that many are associated with central neuroinflammation, most notably in the hippocampus. Excitingly, work on other diseases characterized by peripheral inflammation has shown that they can trigger central neuroinflammation and mood disorders. In this review, we discuss the current evidence tying LUTS to mood disorders, its possible bidirectionally, and inflammation as a common mechanism. We also review modern theories of inflammation and depression. Finally, we discuss exciting new animal studies that directly tie two bladder conditions characterized by extensive bladder inflammation (cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis and bladder outlet obstruction) to neuroinflammation and depression. We conclude with a discussion of possible mechanisms by which peripheral inflammation is translated into central neuroinflammation with the resulting psychiatric concerns.

Detection of Bacteria in Bladder Mucosa of Adult Females

PURPOSE

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is a chronic urological condition diagnosed in nearly 8 million females in the United States. Whether urinary microbiota play an etiological role remains controversial. Most studies assessed the microbiota of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with voided or catheterized urine as a proxy for bladder urothelium; however, urine may not be a true reflection of the bladder microbiota. Bladder biopsy tissue may provide a more accurate, and thus more clinically relevant, picture of bladder microbiota.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bladder biopsy tissues were obtained from: (1) 30 females with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (18-80 years old) via cystoscopically guided cold-cup biopsy following therapeutic bladder hydrodistention, and (2) 10 non-interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome females undergoing pelvic organ prolapse repair. To detect bacteria, technical duplicates of each RNAlater-preserved biopsy were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing. To visualize bacteria, paraformaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsies were subjected to a combined multiplexed fluorescence in situ hybridization and fluorescence immunohistochemistry assay and confocal microscopy.

RESULTS

Bacteria were detected by 16S rRNA gene sequencing in at least 1 technical duplicate of most biopsies. The most abundant genus was Staphylococcus, followed by Lactobacillus; Escherichia was common but not abundant. There was no significant difference between interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients and controls (P > .05). Combined fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry reproducibly detected 16S rRNA in epithelial cells and shed cells in the urothelium and lesioned areas and capillary walls in the lamina propria of human bladder biopsy tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that urothelial and urinary microbiota are similar but not identical in adult females.

Associations Between Urological Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Symptom Flares, Illness Impact, and Health Care Seeking Activity: Findings From the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain Symptom Patterns Study

PURPOSE

Most studies on interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome use typical or average levels of pelvic pain or urological symptom intensity as their outcome, as both are associated with reduced quality of life. Symptom exacerbations or "flares" have also been found to be associated with reduced quality of life, but no studies, to our knowledge, have investigated whether these associations are independent of typical pelvic pain levels and thus might be useful additional outcome measures (or stated differently, whether reducing flare frequency even without reducing mean pain intensity may be important to patients).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used screening visit and weekly run-in period data from the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain Symptom Patterns Study to investigate associations between flare frequency and multiple measures of illness impact and health care seeking activity, independent of typical nonflare and overall pelvic pain levels.

RESULTS

Among the 613 eligible participants, greater flare frequency was associated with worse condition-specific illness impact (standardized β coefficients=0.11-0.68, P trends < .0001) and health care seeking activity (odds ratios=1.52-3.94, P trends .0039 to < .0001) in analyses adjusted for typical nonflare and overall pelvic pain levels. Experiencing ≥1/d was also independently associated with worse general illness impact (standardized β coefficients=0.11-0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that flare frequency and possibly other flare characteristics may be worth considering as additional outcome measures in urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome research to support the development of new preventive and therapeutic flare strategies.

Epidemiology and Risk Factors of UTIs in Children-A Single-Center Observation

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of childhood’s most common bacterial infections. The study aimed to determine the clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, risk factors, and etiology of different UTIs in children admitted to pediatric hospitals for three years. Methods: Patients with positive urine cultures diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis (APN) or cystitis (CYS) were analyzed for clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, risk factors, and etiology, depending on their age and sex. Results: We studied 948 children with UTIs (531 girls and 417 boys), with a median age of 12 (IQR 5−48 months). A total of 789 children had clinical symptoms; the main symptom was fever (63.4% of patients). Specific symptoms of UTIs were presented only in 16.3% of patients. Children with APN had shown significantly more frequent loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, seizures, and less frequent dysuria and haematuria than children with CYS. We found significantly higher median WBC, CRP, and leukocyturia in children with APN than with CYS. The risk factors of UTIs were presented in 46.6% of patients, of which 35.6% were children with APN and 61.7% with CYS. The main risk factor was CAKUT, more frequently diagnosed in children with CYS than APN, mainly in children <2 years. The most commonly isolated bacteria were Escherichia coli (74%). There was a higher percentage of urine samples with E. coli in girls than in boys. Other bacteria found were Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterococcus species. Conclusions: Patients with APN were younger and had higher inflammatory markers. Often, fever is the only symptom of UTI in children, and other clinical signs are usually non-specific. The most common UTI etiology is E. coli, regardless of the clinical presentation and risk factors.

Correlation Between Serum and Urine Biomarkers and the Intensity of Acute Radiation Cystitis in Patients Treated With Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer: Protocol for the Radiotoxicity Bladder Biomarkers (RABBIO) Study

BACKGROUND

Despite improvements in radiation techniques, pelvic radiotherapy is responsible for acute and delayed bladder adverse events, defined as radiation cystitis. The initial symptoms of bladder injury secondary to pelvic irradiation are likely to occur during treatment or within 3 months of radiotherapy in approximately 50% of irradiated patients, and have a significant impact on their quality of life. The pathophysiology of radiation cystitis is not well understood, particularly because of the risk of complications associated with access to bladder tissue after irradiation, which limits our ability to study this process and develop treatments.

OBJECTIVE

It is an original study combining digital data collection to monitor patients' symptoms and biological markers during irradiation. The main objective of our study is to evaluate the correlation of biological biomarkers with the intensity of acute radiation cystitis and the quality of life of patients, assessed with the digital telemonitoring platform Cureety.

METHODS

Patients with intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer who are eligible for localized radiotherapy will be included. Inflammatory biomarkers will be analyzed in urine and blood samples before the start of radiotherapy and at weeks 4, 12, and 48 of irradiation, through quantitative methods such as a multiplex Luminex assay, flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We will also characterize the patients' gut and urine microbiota composition using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing technology. Between sample collection visits, patients will complete various questionnaires related to radiation cystitis symptoms (using the International Prostate Symptom Score), adverse events, and quality of life (using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate questionnaire), using the Cureety digital remote monitoring platform. Upon receipt of the questionnaires, an algorithm will process the information and classify patients in accordance with the severity of symptoms and adverse events reported on the basis of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and International Prostate Symptom Score standards. This will allow us to correlate levels of urinary, blood, and fecal biomarkers with the severity of acute radiation cystitis symptoms and patient-reported quality of life.

RESULTS

The study started in March 2022. We estimate a recruitment period of approximately 18 months, and the final results are expected in 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

This prospective study is the first to explore the overexpression of inflammatory proteins in fluid biopsies from patients with symptoms of acute radiation cystitis. In addition, the 1-year follow-up after treatment will allow us to predict which patients are at risk of late radiation cystitis and to refer them for radioprotective treatment. The results of this study will allow us to develop strategies to limit radiation damage to the bladder and improve the quality of life of patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05246774; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05246774?term=NCT05246774.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/38362.

Long-Term Efficacy and Toxicity of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy in Bulky Cervical Cancer

Treatment of bulky cervical cancer is associated with both high adverse effects and local recurrence rates with traditional box method radiotherapy. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has been adopted for the treatment of cervical cancer in order to deliver more precise radiation doses to the target region. We retrospectively enrolled a total of 98 patients with cervical cancer ≥4 cm who completed IMRT and point A-based brachytherapy treatment. The median follow-up time of the cohort was 6.84 years, with the 5-year OS and DFS being 66.33% and 75.12%, respectively. In addition, 7.14% of patients experienced local recurrence, 12.24% had distant recurrence, 6.12% had both local and distant recurrence, and 3.06% had persistent disease. In the univariate analysis, lymph node metastasis, higher creatinine levels, higher initial CA-125 and receiving chemotherapy other than cisplatin were all associated with a worse PFS. A tumor size ≥6 cm was associated with an increased incidence of higher grade of acute diarrhea. Grade 3 late radiation proctitis and cystitis developed in 11.22% and 13.27% of patients, respectively. The local recurrence rates and overall efficiencies were not inferior to other studies involving traditional pelvic external beam radiation therapy with concurrent chemotherapy. The safety and efficacy of IMRT for bulky cervical cancer were acceptable.