Management of nocturnal enuresis in Taiwan: Consensus statements of the Taiwan enuresis expert committee.

Nocturnal enuresis causes significant psychological distress to affected children and their family and requires appropriate management. A 12-member expert committee of pediatric urologists and pediatric nephrologists in Taiwan with extensive experience in treating enuresis was established to develop consensus statements and a recommended treatment algorithm for the management of patients with nocturnal enuresis in Taiwan after careful consideration of current evidence, existing guidelines, and expert opinion as well as local practice and culture. The finalized consensus statements were reviewed by and have received endorsement from the Taiwan Urological Association and the Taiwan Pediatric Association.

Factors associated with delayed pediatric hypospadias surgery in Taiwan: a population-based, nationwide analysis.

Background/purpose: Current guidelines recommend that hypospadias repair should be performed before age 18 months. This study aims to investigate the trends of surgical timing and to determine what factors are associated with age at surgery.

Methods: The present study utilized a subset of the National Health Insurance Research Database, known as Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005, which contains the data of all paid medical benefit claims over the period from 1997 to 2007 for a subset of one million beneficiaries randomly drawn from the population of 22.

Correlation between clinical manifestations of nocturnal enuresis and attentional performance in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Background/purpose: Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to be more vulnerable to various forms of voiding dysfunction and nocturnal enuresis (NE). We attempt to compare the clinical manifestations and attentional performance between ADHD children with NE and those without NE.

Methods: We consecutively enrolled children diagnosed with ADHD in child and adolescent psychiatric clinics.

Postconditioning with far-infrared irradiation increases heme oxygenase-1 expression and protects against ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat testis.

Aims: Studies have shown that heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has a protective role in the mechanism underlying hypoxic preconditioning. We used a far-infrared radiation (FIR) heater to investigate the postconditioning protective role of HO-1 against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat testis.

Main Methods: Forty rats were used.

Metabolic syndrome associated with reduced lower urinary tract symptoms in middle-aged men receiving health checkup.

Objective: To investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome on lower urinary tract symptoms in a sample of middle-aged men receiving a health checkup.

Methods: Subjects aged 45 years or older who voluntarily underwent a medical checkup were enrolled. Participant demographics and health history were collected by a self-administered questionnaire.

Pediatric urolithiasis in Taiwan: a nationwide study, 1997-2006.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence, incidence, associated risk factors, and treatment of pediatric urolithiasis in Taiwan.

Methods: The present study used a subset of the National Health Insurance Research Database, known as the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005, which contains the data for all paid medical benefit claims from 1997 to 2006 for a subset of 1 million beneficiaries randomly drawn from the population of 22.72 million individuals during any part of the calendar year 2005.

Down-regulation of glucose-regulated protein (GRP) 78 potentiates cytotoxic effect of celecoxib in human urothelial carcinoma cells.

Celecoxib is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor that has been reported to elicit anti-proliferative response in various tumors. In this study, we aim to investigate the antitumor effect of celecoxib on urothelial carcinoma (UC) cells and the role endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays in celecoxib-induced cytotoxicity. The cytotoxic effects were measured by MTT assay and flow cytometry.

Honokiol attenuates torsion/detorsion-induced testicular injury in rat testis by way of suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress-related apoptosis.

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of honokiol, a phytochemical used in traditional medicine, on testicular injury after torsion/detorsion (T/D) in a rat model. Testicular torsion is a medical emergency that can cause impairment of semen quality and permanent testicular atrophy or loss.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomized to each time point of each group (n = 6/time point/group).

Correlation between symptoms of voiding dysfunction and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity in children with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Purpose: We clarified correlations between symptoms of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and voiding dysfunction in children.

Materials And Methods: The study sample consisted of 92 boys and 38 girls 4 to 14 years old who presented at pediatric urology clinics with untreated lower urinary tract symptoms. Parents completed the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham-IV scale.

Simvastatin induces the expression of hemeoxygenase-1 against ischemia-reperfusion injury on the testes in rats.

We evaluate the protective role of simvastatin-induced HO-1 in remote preconditioning against testis ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in vivo. Simvastatin was intraperitoneally (i.p.

Finasteride upregulates expression of androgen receptor in hyperplastic prostate and LNCaP cells: implications for chemoprevention of prostate cancer.

Background: Although finasteride is recognized for its role as a chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer, higher grades of malignancy have been reported. It is questioned whether blocking of testosterone conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by finasteride in prostate tissue will change expression of androgen receptor (AR). Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of finasteride on AR expression in prostate tissue and in the LNCaP cell line.

Stathmin immunoreactivity in phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas: differential expression between benign and malignant neoplasms.

Objective: This study aimed to assess stathmin expression in benign and malignant phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas.

Methods: Tissue specimens from 37 patients with malignant phaeochromocytomas (n = 5), malignant paragangliomas (n = 3), benign phaeochromocytomas (n = 24), and benign paragangliomas (n = 5) were analysed for stathmin expression by western blotting and immunohistochemical staining with polyclonal antibodies. Malignancy was defined by metastases in nonchromaffin tissues.

Epidemiology of hypospadias and treatment trends in Taiwan: a nationwide study.

Purpose: We investigated the rate of diagnosis and treatment trends of hypospadias in Taiwan within the first 3 years of life.

Materials And Methods: We used a subset of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, which contains data on all inpatient and outpatient medical benefit claims, for the period 1997 through 2008 for a sample of 1 million individuals randomly drawn from the population of 25.68 million who held membership in the National Health Insurance program during any part of the calendar year 2005.

Lower urinary tract symptoms and urinary flow rates in female patients with hyperthyroidism.

Objectives: To investigate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and voiding function in a cohort of hyperthyroid women. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalance has been thought to cause LUTS in hyperthyroidism.

Methods: Between January 2008 and December 2008, 65 newly diagnosed, untreated female hyperthyroid patients were enrolled in this study.

Predictive factors for ureteral double-J-stent-related symptoms: a prospective, multivariate analysis.

Background/purpose: Whether the length of stent affects stent-related symptoms after urological procedures remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the predictive factors for stent-related urinary tract symptoms after uncomplicated ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL).

Methods: We prospectively recruited a total of 59 patients who underwent URSL and 6-Fr double-J ureteral stent placement.

Appropriate cut-off value for follicle-stimulating hormone in azoospermia to predict spermatogenesis.

Background: This study was undertaken to determine the optimal cut-off value for FSH to predict the presence of spermatogenesis in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia.

Methods: A total of 206 non-obstructive azoospermic men were enrolled in this prospective study. By using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, we determined the optimal cut-off value for FSH and evaluated whether the test could adequately predict successful sperm retrieval.

Lower urinary tract symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome.

Objectives: To investigate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to evaluate risk factors associated with the psychiatric morbidity of these patients.

Methods: The study group included 52 female patients with a diagnosis of IBS. Fifty-five women without gastrointestinal symptoms were used as controls.

Expression of stathmin in localized upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: correlations with prognosis.

Objectives: To investigate the expression of stathmin in upper urinary tract (UUT) urothelial carcinoma (UC) in human tissues and to determine whether the level of stathmin expression was correlated with prognosis because overexpression of stathmin has been observed in various malignancies.

Methods: We first analyzed stathmin mRNA level in 5 UUT-UC paired fresh specimens (tumor and nontumoral urothelium) by RT-PCR. Besides, a total of 58 patients with localized UUT-UC (pT1-3N0M0) treated by nephroureterectomy were enrolled.

Choosing the ideal length of a double-pigtail ureteral stent according to body height: study based on a Chinese population.

Objective: We conducted this study to determine the ideal stent length according to body height, as data are limited.

Patients And Methods: A total of 408 patients undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy and stent insertion (22, 24 or 26 cm) were enrolled. The appropriateness of the stent length was determined according to the plain films and was further compared among patients with different body heights and stent lengths.

Long-term outcome of hand-assisted laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for pathologic T3 upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine the feasibility and long-term outcomes of hand-assisted laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (HALNU) compared with open nephroureterectomy (ONU) in the management of pT(3)N0 upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUT-UC).

Patients And Methods: Between January 1994 and December 2005, 21 patients who underwent HALNU for stage pT(3)N0 UTT-UC were matched and compared with 31 patients who underwent ONU. The oncologic out-comes, including bladder recurrence, recurrence-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival, were statistically analyzed.

Determining the appropriate length of a double-pigtail ureteral stent by both stent configurations and related symptoms.

Purpose: To evaluate whether stent length affects the symptoms after stent insertion and to determine the appropriate stent length according to the stent configurations and the related symptoms simultaneously.

Patients And Methods: A total of 87 patients who underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) and double-pigtail ureteral stent (22, 24, or 26 cm) insertion were enrolled. The stent configurations on the images were reviewed to determine whether the length was appropriate.

An alternative access technique under direct vision for preperitoneoscopic pelvic surgery: easier for the beginners.

Background: We present an alternative access technique to facilitate preperitoneoscopic (extraperitoneal laparoscopic) approach for radical prostatectomy, herniorrhaphy, and other pelvic procedures.

Methods: A 0 degrees telescope was mounted into a Visiport Optical Trocar (Visiport), and via a periumbilical incision it was advanced under direct vision at first vertically through different layers of the anterior abdominal wall. Immediately before the posterior rectus sheath, it was redirected caudally and horizontally toward the symphysis pubis.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy using needlescopic instruments for adrenal tumors less than 5cm in 112 cases.

Objective: To examine the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic adrenalectomy with needlescopic instruments for most adrenal tumors less than 5cm.

Methods: Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy with needlescopic instruments for 112 patients with presumptively benign adrenal tumors < 5cm were enrolled from July 2000 to February 2005. Operative time, blood loss, conversion and complication rates, and postoperative data were analyzed by appropriate statistical methods.

Clinical and pathological data of 10 malignant pheochromocytomas: long-term follow up in a single institute.

Background: Malignant pheochromocytomas are rare. Many controversies still exists in clinical practice. We report the clinical and histological data of long-term follow up in 10 patients with malignant pheochromocytoma.