Does an Alternative Sunitinib Dosing Schedule Really Improve Survival Outcomes over a Conventional Dosing Schedule in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma? An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) can obfuscate the maintenance of a conventional schedule of sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Accordingly, alternative schedules seeking to improve the safety profile of sunitinib have been tested. Recently, two meta-analyses similarly described improved safety profiles favoring a two weeks on and one week off (2/1) schedule, but with conflicting results for survival outcomes.

Hemoperfusion leads to impairment in hemostasis and coagulation process in patients with acute pesticide intoxication.

Hemoperfusion (HP) is one of the important treatment modalities in extracorporeal therapy for patients with acute intoxication. Its use has declined during the past 20 years despite its efficacy, because of its side effects, especially an increased risk of bleeding. Mechanisms of hemostasis impairment have not been clearly elucidated and studies demonstrating the mechanism are lacking.

Efficacy and safety of anticholinergics for children or adolescents with idiopathic overactive bladder: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Anticholinergics have been established for their efficacy and safety in adults with idiopathic overactive bladder syndrome (OAB-s) but not in children and adolescents. This study was aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of anticholinergics in children and adolescents with idiopathic OAB-s.

Method: A total of nine studies with 11 trials comprising of 1801 subjects (1116 experimental and 685 controls) were included.

Is Pelvic Plexus Block Superior to Periprostatic Nerve Block for Pain Control during Transrectal Ultrasonography-Guided Prostate Biopsy? A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

We evaluated whether pelvic plexus block (PPB) is superior to periprostatic nerve block (PNB) for pain control during transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy (PBx). A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled study was performed at a single center; 46 patients were enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: PPB (n = 23) and PNB (n = 23). The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used; pain scores were measured four times: during local anesthesia, probe insertion, sampling procedures, and at 15 min post procedures.

Change of Trends in the Treatment Modality for Pediatric Nephrolithiasis: Retrospective Analysis of a US-Based Insurance Claims Database.

The objective of this study was to show the prevalence and investigate treatment trends of pediatric nephrolithiasis based on a large population of U.S. insurance individual's data.

Trends in Prostate Cancer Prevalence and Radical Prostatectomy Rate according to Age Structural Changes in South Korea between 2005 and 2015.

Purpose: Radical prostatectomy (RP) is one of main treatments for prostate cancer (Pca). The prevalence of Pca has been decreasing in recent reports. However, no study has reported trends in Pca prevalence or RP rate according to age structural changes.

Efficacy and Safety of Noninvasive Intravesical Instillation of Onabotulinum Toxin-A for Overactive Bladder and Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of noninvasive intravesical instillation of onabotulinum toxin-A (OBTX-A) through systematic review and meta-analysis. Recently, several studies of noninvasive intravesical instillation of OBTX-A have been published. However, its efficacy is not well validated yet compared to well-known efficacy of minimally invasive intravesical injection of OBTX-A.

Association between lower urinary tract symptoms and cardiovascular risk scores in ostensibly healthy women.

Objectives: To investigate the association between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women, as severe LUTS are known to be associated with CVD risk in men but few studies have focused on this issue in women.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 1014 ostensibly healthy women, who participated in a voluntary health check in a health promotion centre from November 2013 to October 2015, were enrolled. LUTS were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS).

Effect of highly concentrated hyaluronic acid/chondroitin sulphate instillation on ureteric stent-induced discomfort after ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a multicentre randomised controlled pilot study.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of instilling highly concentrated hyaluronic acid (HA)/chondroitin sulphate (CS) on ureteric stent-related pain, urinary symptoms, and quality of life (QoL) of patients who underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteric stones followed by ureteric stent placement.

Patients And Methods: Eligible patients were randomly allocated to receive intravesical instillation with HA/CS or normal saline just after ureteric stent placement. Just before stent removal on postoperative day 7, the patients completed the Ureteric Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) QoL question, and a pain visual analogue scale (VAS).

Phenotyping the detrusor underactivity: Is it more important than categorizing the symptomatic presentation of detrusor underactivity?

Aims: Recently, [Brown et al Neurourol Urodyn. 36:1151-1154, 2017] reported a remarkable study regarding detrusor underactivity (DU) by categorizing the possible phenotypes. Although this study presents novel findings on the possible phenotypes, several points need to be clarified further for a better understanding.

Factors affecting the efficacy and safety of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor and placebo in treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms: meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the real benefit and safety of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE 5I) for benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms (BPH/LUTS) by determining the affecting factors and to overcome the previous meta-analysis studies.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of improvements in LUTS using International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), voiding subscore of IPSS (voiding IPSS), storage subscore of IPSS (storage IPSS), quality of life (QoL), maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), and post-voided residual volume (PVR), and also investigated adverse events and relevant withdrawal rate.

Results: Final included studies were 28 studies with 19,820 subjects (9800 treatment group and 10,020 control group).

Results of a phase II study of vorinostat in combination with intravenous fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma: an interim analysis.

Purpose: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a disease that frequently relapses and primarily affects elderly people. We performed an open-label, multi-center, phase II study to investigate the effect and quality of life (QoL) of treatment with vorinostat in combination with fludarabine, mitoxantrone and dexamethasone (V-FND) for relapsed or refractory MCL.

Methods: The treatment schedule was composed of four cycles of induction treatment with V-FND and subsequent consolidation therapy involving autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or six cycles of vorinostat maintenance.

Acute health effects of accidental chlorine gas exposure.

Objectives: This study was conducted to report the course of an accidental release of chlorine gas that occurred in a factory in Gumi-si, South Korea, on March 5, 2013. We describe the analysis results of 2 patients hospitalized because of chlorine-induced acute health problems, as well as the clinical features of 209 non-hospitalized patients.

Methods: We analyzed the medical records of the 2 hospitalized patients admitted to the hospital, as well as the medical records and self-report questionnaires of 209 non-hospitalized patients completed during outpatient treatment.

Effect of glutathione administration on serum levels of reactive oxygen metabolites in patients with paraquat intoxication: a pilot study.

Background/aims: Based on preliminary in vitro data from a previous study, we proposed that 50 mg/kg glutathione (GSH) would be adequate for suppressing reactive oxygen species in patients with acute paraquat (PQ) intoxication.

Methods: Serum levels of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) were measured before and after the administration of 50 mg/kg GSH to each of five patients with acute PQ intoxication.

Results: In one patient, extremely high pretreatment ROM levels began to decrease prior to GSH administration.

Comparison of patients starting hemodialysis with those underwent hemodialysis 15 years ago at the same dialysis center in Korea.

Background/aims: Maintenance dialysis is made decreased the death rate of patients with end-stage renal disease; however, mortality is still high. The aim of this study was to identify the association between clinical parameters at the start of hemodialysis with survival and compare these findings with data from patients who underwent hemodialysis about 15 years ago at the same dialysis center.

Methods: We reviewed 117 patients who started hemodialysis between 2000 and 2004.

Benzene and toluene concentrations in a hemodialysis room in a medium sized South Korean city.

Background/aims: The current study was designed to determine whether the indoor air pollution in a hemodialysis room (HD) was different from that of other comparable areas in a hospital.

Methods: Five air monitor samplers were hung on the ceiling and placed on the table in both the HD and general ward nursing stations, respectively. In addition, five samplers were placed in the nurse's breathing zone of the HD and the general ward, respectively.

Resistance to thyroid hormone with missense mutation (V349M) in the thyroid hormone receptor beta gene.

Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is a syndrome characterized by reduced sensitivity to the thyroid hormone. It is generally caused by mutations in the thyroid hormone receptor beta (TR beta) gene. On the basis of its clinical features, two different forms of this syndrome have been described: generalized resistance and pituitary resistance.

Relationship between pulmonary surfactant protein and lipid peroxidation in lung injury due to paraquat intoxication in rats.

Background: Pulmonary damage resulting from lipid peroxidation is a principal effect of paraquat intoxication. The host-defense functions of surfactant are known to be mediated by the surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D, respectively). The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the variations over time in levels of surfactant protein and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in lung tissue following free-radical-induced injury.