Relugolix for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Introduction: Androgen deprivation therapy consists of the cornerstone of prostate cancer medical treatment. Until recently, castration of hypothalamus-hypophysis-gonadal axial was based on injectable medical agents. A few years ago, a novel per os administered GnRH antagonist was approved leading testosterone to castration level.

Relapses and serious adverse events during rituximab maintenance therapy in ANCA-associated vasculitis: a multicentre retrospective study.

Objectives: There are limited real-life data regarding the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) as a remission-maintenance agent in microscopic-polyangiitis (ΜPA) and granulomatosis-with-polyangiitis (GPA). We aimed to estimate the incidence and risk factors for relapses, as well serious-adverse-events (SAEs) in MPA/GPA patients during RTX-maintenance.

Methods: Retrospective cohort of newly-diagnosed/relapsing GPA/MPA patients who received RTX-maintenance (≥1 RTX-cycle, ≥6 months follow-up) following complete-remission (Birmingham-Vasculitis-Activity-Score-version-3 = 0 plus prednisolone ≤7.

The Contemporary Role of Salvage Radical Prostatectomy in the Management of Recurrent Prostate Cancer: An Up-to-Date Review.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, with many treatment modalities available for patients, such as radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, cryotherapy, electroporation and other whole-gland or focal ablative novel techniques. Unfortunately, up to 60% of men with prostate cancer experience recurrence at 5 to 10 years. Salvage radical prostatectomy can be offered as an option in the setting of recurrence after a primary non-surgical treatment.

PSMA-based therapeutics for prostate cancer.

Introduction: The prostate cancer (PCa) consists the most frequently diagnosed malignancy of urogenital system in males. Traditionally, treatment of localized PCa was based on surgery or radiotherapy while hormonotherapy was used in more advanced stages. However, the implementation of radiolabels has revolutionized the landscape of prostate cancer.

Identification and characteristics of patients with potential difficult-to-treat psoriatic arthritis: exploratory analyses of the Greek PsA registry.

Objective: To present the characteristics of patients with potential difficult-to-treat (D2T) PsA.

Methods: We used data from the Greek multicentre registry of PsA patients. D2T PsA was defined as follows: patients with at least 6 months' disease duration, who have failed to at least one conventional synthetic DMARD and at least two biologic DMARDs/targeted synthetic DMARDs with a different mechanism of action and have either at least moderate disease activity (MODA) defined as DAPSA (Disease Activity index in PSoriatic Arthritis) >14, and/or are not at minimal disease activity (MDA).

Optimal Volume Assessment for Serous Fluid Cytology.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the optimal volume of serous fluid needed for accurate diagnosis using The International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytopathology (TIS), as well as to provide information on the distribution of serous effusion cases in the TIS categories (ND: non-diagnostic, NFM: negative for malignancy, AUS: atypia of undetermined significance, SFM: suspicious for malignancy, MAL: malignant) and relevant epidemiological data.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 2340 serous effusion cases (pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial) from two hospitals between 2018 and 2020 was conducted. TIS categories were assigned to each case, and for 1181 cases, these were correlated with the volume of the analyzed fluid.

Evaluating the diagnostic and prognostic ability of ischemia modified albumin in COVID-19.

Background: Patients with COVID-19 can rapidly deteriorate and develop acute hypoxic respiratory failure. Prominent features of the disease include severe inflammation, endotheliitis, and thrombosis.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic effectiveness of ischemia modified albumin (ΙΜΑ) in a cohort of COVID-19 patients.

Ureteral stent related symptoms: A comparative study.

Background: In urology, ureteral stents are used to treat obstructive diseases. Hematuria (54%), fever, discomfort, and lower urinary system symptoms are the predominant symptoms related to ureteral stent.

Aim: This article links stent symptoms to double-j width and length, as well as patient's height, weight, and body mass index (BMI).

Disease Profile and Achievement of Therapeutic Goals in a Modern, Nationwide Cohort of 923 Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis.

Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogenous chronic inflammatory disease affecting skin, joints, entheses, and spine with various extra-musculoskeletal manifestations and comorbidities. The reported patient, disease and treatment characteristics in the modern therapeutic era are limited.

Methods: In this cross-sectional, multi-centre, nationwide study, we recorded the demographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics as well as the comorbidities of patients with PsA seen for 1 year (1/1/2022-31/12/2022).

Frailty and Erectile Dysfunction: An Understudied Correlation.

The area of geriatrics and the study of the aged are gaining prominence all over the world. In the US, the population of people over 65 years old is expected to reach 71 million in 10 years. Men are projected to account for approximately 43% of the population.

A Greek Multicentre Study Assessing the Outcome of Late Rupture After Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

Objective: Late rupture after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an increasing complication associated with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to analyse the causes and outcomes in patients with AAA rupture after EVAR.

Methods: A multi-institutional Greek study of late ruptures after EVAR between 2008 - 2022 was performed.

The definition of ideal training of a urology resident from two different perspectives: trainees vs professors. Is there agreement in their idea of good training?

Introduction: At the end of their residency program, urology trainees should reach the minimum skills required to be able to work by themselves and within a team. To achieve this objective, it is fundamental that the training involves not only surgical activities, but also theoretical, academic, and relational ones. What is the perfect balance between these activities within the ideal urological training? This study aims to evaluate the concordance in different concepts of good urological training between different perspectives (trainees vs professors).

Ureteral Stent-Related Symptoms and Pharmacotherapy: A Brief Narrative Review.

The purpose of this article is to review the effects of different types of pharmacotherapy on symptoms that affect the quality of a patient's life after stent insertion. A thorough Medline/PubMed nonsystematic review was conducted from 1987 to January 2023, using the terms: "pigtail" OR "ureteral stents" AND "lower urinary tracts symptoms" OR "LUTS" AND "pharmacotherapy" OR "drugs". Relevant studies conducted in humans and reported in English language were included.

Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Progression of Dry Form of Age-related Macular Degeneration.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effect of the Mediterranean diet (Med Diet) on the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients with early or intermediate stages of dry AMD.

Patients And Methods: The present study included 164 patients with early or intermediate dry AMD. Data collected included demographics, anthropometric data, ophthalmic and medical history.

Health-related quality of life in patients with ANCA vasculitides compared to rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional comparative study.

Objectives: There are limited data regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAVs). We aimed to evaluate the HRQoL in patients with AAVs and compare it to another chronic inflammatory disease like RA and to healthy controls (HC).

Methods: This was a multicentre, cross-sectional study of patients with AAVs and RA recruited from three tertiary rheumatology clinics.

Infliximab (IFX)-Biosimilar Induced Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI): A Case Report.

Infliximab (IFX) is a chimeric human-murine monoclonal antibody that prevents tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) activation by binding to both soluble and transmembrane forms of TNF-α. Antagonists of TNF (anti-TNF agents) can cause drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We present a non-anti-TNF naïve patient suffering from severe Crohn's disease who developed DILI with a hepatocellular pattern, without jaundice, after two infusions of an IFX biosimilar.

Frailty and benign prostatic hyperplasia: The thrilling underlying impact.

Background: World population is aging. The number of individuals aged over 65 are expected to be 71 million only in the US. 43% of this population will be men.

Sarcopenia in Urinary Bladder Cancer: Definition, Prevalence and Prognostic Value in Survival.

Sarcopenia, defined as the systemic loss of muscle function and mass, is commonly seen in advanced oncologic states, usually in conjunction with cancer cachexia. Bladder cancer represents one of the most common neoplasms worldwide and affects mainly the elderly who are already frail. The purpose of this study is to review the potential association between sarcopenia and bladder cancer in patients receiving different types of treatments.

Aortic stiffness and systemic inflammation changes predict clinical response to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Aortic stiffness and systemic inflammation are predictors of cardiovascular risk. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents (anti-VEGF), injected intravitreally, can reverse the course of exudate age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We sought to investigate the association of changes in aortic stiffness and systemic inflammation with response to anti-VEGF therapy.

ERCC1 19007 Polymorphism in Greek Patients with Advanced Urothelial Cancer Treated with Platinum-Based Chemotherapy: Effect of the Changing Treatment Paradigm: A Cohort Study by the Hellenic GU Cancer Group.

We previously showed that ERCC1 19007 C>T polymorphism was associated with cancer-specific survival (CSS) after platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced urothelial cancer (aUC). We aimed to confirm this association in a different cohort of patients. Genotyping of the 19007C>T polymorphism was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in 98 aUC patients, treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

Relugolix: A new kid on the block among gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonists.

Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is the cornerstone of metastatic prostate cancer treatment. ADT can be achieved through surgical castration, or it may be induced either by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists or GnRH antagonists. GnRH antagonists provide a more rapid castration alongside with a safer profile regarding adverse events.