Chitosan nanoencapsulation of Turbinaria triquetra metabolites in the management of podocyturia in nephrotoxic rats.

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic drug, which exhibits undesirable side effects. Chitosan nanoparticles are promising for drug delivery. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the brown alga Turbinaria triquetra ethyl acetate fraction and polysaccharides, either loaded on chitosan nanoparticles or free, against podocyturia and cisplatin nephrotoxicity in rats.

Cohort Profile: VZNKUL-NMIBC Quality Indicators Program: A Flemish Prospective Cohort to Evaluate the Quality Indicators in the Treatment of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease with varying outcomes, influenced by disease heterogeneity and variability in treatment and follow-up. Risk groups have been established for non-muscle-invasive BC (NMIBC) to standardize therapy, and several quality control indicators (QCIs) monitor adherence to these risk group-based guidelines. However, controversial results had been obtained regarding the oncological benefits of these QCIs until recent high-quality studies from large registries showed their usefulness.

Deciphering the molecular heterogeneity of intermediate- and (very-)high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer using multi-layered studies.

Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract. About 75% of all BC patients present with non-muscle-invasive BC (NMIBC), of which up to 70% will recur, and 15% will progress in stage and grade. As the recurrence and progression rates of NMIBC are strongly associated with some clinical and pathological factors, several risk stratification models have been developed to individually predict the short- and long-term risks of disease recurrence and progression.

The Complex Challenge of Urosymphyseal Fistula and Pubic Osteomyelitis in Prostate Cancer Survivors.

Background And Objective: Urosymphyseal fistula (UF) and pubic osteomyelitis (PO) are rare and often poorly recognized long-term complications of treatment for localized prostate cancer. Our aim was to describe UF/PO in prostate cancer survivors.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 26 patients treated for UF/PO after localized prostate cancer treatment at University Hospitals Leuven (1996-2021).

Prototol for the Prospective Sample Collection for Cancer of Bladder (ProCaB) Trial by the Cancer of the Bladder Leuven (CaBLe) Consortium.

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a heterogeneous disease categorized as low, intermediate, high, or very high risk, for which recurrence and progression rates and thus management strategies differ. Current molecular subclassification of bladder cancer (BC) is mainly based on data for muscle-invasive disease, with very few data for NMIBC. A more accurate classification system is needed for better stratification of NMIBC using multiomics and immunohistopathological molecular data alongside clinical data collected in a prospective cohort.

Artificial urinary sphincter and female stress urinary incontinence over the past 50 years: a narrative review.

Background And Objective: The aim of the present report was to provide an overview of the use of the artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) in adult females with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) over the past 50 years.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in December 2022 and January 2023 using the MEDLINE and Embase databases, screening for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective and retrospective series and reviews on AUS. Only articles published in English or French were included.

Fibroblast Activation Protein-α and the Immune Landscape: Unraveling T1 Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Progression.

Background And Objective: The tumor microenvironment (TME) in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) plays an important role in the anticancer response. We aimed to identify the prognostic biomarkers in the TME of patients with NMIBC for progression to ≥T2.

Methods: From our institutional database, 40 patients with T1 high-risk NMIBC who progressed were pair matched for Club Urologico Español de Tratamiento Oncologico (CUETO) progression variables with 80 patients who never progressed despite longer follow-up.

Intra/inter-observer reliability of cystoscopic sphincter evaluation in men undergoing sling surgery.

Objectives: To assess the intra/inter-observer reliability of cystoscopic sphincter evaluation (CSE) in men undergoing sling surgery for urinary incontinence and if possible to evaluate its correlation with the final clinical decision.

Patients And Methods: Two expert urologists prospectively filmed and recorded, incontinent patient's cystoscopies according to a standard scenario. Anonymised recordings where randomly offered to the same observer twice.

How I Do It: Transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation TENSI+ system.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition that significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL), well-being and daily functioning for both men and women. Among various treatments, peripheral tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) emerges as an effective third-line treatment for OAB symptoms, with options for either a percutaneous approach (P-PTNS) or by transcutaneous delivery (T-PTNS). Recent studies have shown negligible differences between P-PTNS and T-PTNS efficacy in alleviating urinary urgency and frequency and QoL improvement and, overall no difference in efficacy over antimuscarinic regimens.

A software package for efficient patient trajectory analysis applied to analyzing bladder cancer development.

We present the Patient Trajectory Analysis Library (PTRA), a software package for explorative analysis of patient development. PTRA provides the tools for extracting statistically relevant trajectories from the medical event histories of a patient population. These trajectories can additionally be clustered for visual inspection and identifying key events in patient progression.

Bladder pain syndrome AKA interstitial cystitis - a condition with severe unmet medical need: an exploration of brimapitide as a potential treatment opportunity.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this article is to present recent findings of KU002 (brimapitide) as a novel treatment option for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).

Recent Findings: IC/BPS is a complex and poorly understood heterogeneous syndrome, with many burdensome symptoms that severely affect patients' quality of life. Treatment options beyond conservative and nonpharmacologic approaches remain limited, and there is an unmet medical need for effective medical treatments.

Safety and medium-term outcome of redo laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy: a matched case-control study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: In the case of recurrent apical prolapse following laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSCP), one may consider a "redo" procedure. We hypothesized that redo LSCP may carry an increased complication risk and less favorable outcomes when compared with primary procedures.

Methods: This is a single-center, matched case-control (1:4) study, comparing all 39 women who had a redo LSCP and 156 women who had a primary LSCP for symptomatic apical prolapse between 2002 and 2020 with a minimum follow-up of 12 months.

Long-term Data on Graft-Related Complications After Sacrocolpopexy With Lightweight Compared With Heavier-Weight Mesh.

Objective: To estimate the long-term incidence and characteristics of graft-related complications, rate of reintervention for graft-related complications and prolapse, and subjective and anatomical outcomes after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy with heavier-weight (more than 44 g/m2) compared with lightweight (28 g/m2) polypropylene mesh, the latter with resorbable poliglecaprone component.

Methods: We conducted a single-center study that compared two consecutive prospective cohorts of patients who were undergoing laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for symptomatic stage 2 or greater cervical or vault prolapse, by using either heavier-weight polypropylene mesh or lightweight polypropylene mesh at a similar duration of follow-up. The primary outcome was the occurrence of graft-related complications and their nature.

Quality Control Indicators for Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor: Results from an Embedded Belgian Multicenter Prospective Registry.

Background: Quality control indicators (QCIs) can be used to objectively evaluate guideline adherence and benchmark quality among urologists and centers.

Objective: To assess six QCIs for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) using a prospective registry of transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) procedures.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Clinical data for TURBT cases were prospectively collected using electronic case report forms (eCRFs) embedded in the electronic medical record in three centers during 2013-2017.

Personalised versus non-individualised case-based CME: A randomised pilot study.

The PinPoint Case Platform (PPCP) offers independent online case-based CME. To align with personal learning needs, a functionality of needs assessments ("QuickScan") was developed, directing users to follow personalised case journeys. A randomised study was conducted, comparing its effectiveness, time efficiency and user experience with a format of non-individualised case-based learning.

The key role of levator ani thickness for early urinary continence recovery in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: A multi-institutional study.

Background: Urinary continence (UC) recovery dramatically affects quality of life after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Membranous urethral length (MUL) has been the most studied anatomical variable associated with UC recovery.

Objective: To investigate whether levator ani thickness (LAT), assessed with multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), correlates with UC recovery after RARP.

Augmenting THerapeutic Effectiveness Through Novel Analytics (ATHENA) - A Public and Private Partnership Project Funded by the Flemish Government (VLAIO).

The complexity and heterogeneity of cancers leads to variable responses of patients to treatments and interventions. Developing models that accurately predict patient's care pathways using prognostic and predictive biomarkers is increasingly important in both clinical practice and scientific research. The main objective of the ATHENA project is to: (1) accelerate data driven precision medicine for two use cases - bladder cancer and multiple myeloma, (2) apply distributed and privacy-preserving analytical methods/ algorithms to stratify patients (decision support), (3) help healthcare professionals deliver earlier and better targeted treatments, and (4) explore care pathway automations and improve outcomes for each patient.

Long-term Functional Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction After AdVance and AdVanceXP Male Sling Surgery.

Background: Transobturator male sling has gained increasing acceptance for the treatment of male urinary incontinence. Several prospective trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the AdVance and AdVanceXP slings.

Objective: To evaluate long-term functional outcomes after AdVance or AdVanceXP sling implant for non-neurogenic male stress urinary incontinence and identify factors associated with a higher risk for incontinence or decreased satisfaction.

Long-term outcomes and patient satisfaction after artificial urinary sphincter implantation.

Purpose: To evaluate long-term functional outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter implantation in men for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent artificial urinary sphincter implant for non-neurogenic stress urinary incontinence between June 1989 and January 2020 were included in this single-centre retrospective series. All patients with a functional artificial urinary sphincter in situ were contacted to evaluate long-term functional outcomes using validated questionnaires.

Stromal marker fibroblast activation protein drives outcome in T1 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is a transmembrane peptidase and a surrogate marker for cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). FAP has been linked to worse prognosis and therapy resistance in several cancers. We hypothesised that FAP might have a prognostic 3biomarker potential to stratify patients with high-grade (HG) T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).