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Biomedical subjects

L Cardozo

Publications and source records attributed to L Cardozo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Morbidity after ambulatory urodynamics.

AIMS: To identify urinary symptoms and morbidity after ambulatory urodynamics. METHODS: One hundred consecutive women underwent ambulatory urodynamics for a variety of urinary complaints. Urinary symptom questionnaires were collected before investigation and again 48 hours later, reporting dysuria and haematuria. Women were screened for urinary tract infection before investigation and again 48 hours later. RESULTS: Of the 91 women who completed the study, 1 (1.1%) had a positive urinary culture after the investigation but was asymptomatic. Seventeen women reported mild to moderate de novo dysuria. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary symptoms and morbidity after ambulatory monitoring is low.

Adult↗

Urodynamic techniques.

Appropriate investigation is essential to a full evaluation of any patient with urinary incontinence, as accurate diagnosis leads to correct treatment. This paper describes the various investigations for lower urinary tract dysfunction, and their main indications. They include the pad test, uroflowmetry, subtracted cystometry, and more complex investigations such as videocystourethrography, ambulatory urodynamics, urethral pressure profilometry, magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography. Although not every patient requires extensive investigation, appropriate use of tests of lower urinary tract function provides useful information on which to base appropriate treatment.

Female↗

Pharmacological management of detrusor instability.

Urinary incontinence and lower urinary tract dysfunction remain an important cause of morbidity, affecting at least 14% of women over the age of 30 years. Whilst the etiology and pathophysiology of detrusor instability remains to be elucidated drug therapy remains important in the management of women with the irritative symptoms of urgency, frequency and urge incontinence. The number of drugs which have been developed illustrates the point that none are ideal, often having systemic adverse effects limiting their therapeutic usage and affecting compliance. This review aims to assess the current pharmacological management of detrusor instability as well as examining recent progress in the development of new agents, some of which may prove to be efficacious.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

Does the menopause influence the risk of bacteriuria?

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the risk of bacteriuria is increased as a result of estrogen deprivation following the menopause. All midstream urine samples (MSU) sent to the King's College Hospital department of microbiology by general practitioners in 1997 were assessed. Bacteriuria was diagnosed when the bacterial count was >10(5) organisms/ml. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the effects of age and sex on the likelihood of having a positive result. Non-linear effects of age were investigated, with interest focusing in particlar on the time around the menopause. There were 15,392 MSU samples analyzed; 11,811 (77%) were from women and 3581 (23%) from men. In both sexes the proportion of positive results increased with increasing age (P<0.0001). The specimens taken from women were significantly more likely to be positive than those taken from a man of the same age (P<0.0001). In women there was no evidence of any non-linear relationship between age and the log odds of a positive result. A plot of the proportion of positive results versus age did not suggest any departure from a linear relationship at or following the menopause. In conclusion, the increased risk of bacteriuria which occurs as women get older appears to happen gradually as a result of the aging process, rather than as the result of pathophysiological changes in the urogenital tract that take place at or following the menopause.

Adolescent↗

The role of estrogen supplementation in lower urinary tract dysfunction.

The female lower urinary and genital tracts both arise from the primitive urogenital sinus and develop in close anatomical proximity. Sex hormones have a substantial influence on the female lower urinary tract throughout adult life, with fluctuations in their level leading to macroscopic, histological and functional changes. Urinary symptoms may therefore develop during the menstrual cycle, in pregnancy and following the menopause. Estrogen deficiency, particularly when prolonged, is associated with a wide range of urogenital complaints, including frequency, nocturia, incontinence, urinary tract infections and the 'urge syndrome'. Estrogen supplementation subjectively improves urinary stress incontinence but there is no objective benefit when given alone; however, estrogen given in combination with phenylpropanolamine may be clinically more useful. Hormone replacement therapy does appear to treat postmenopausal irritative urinary symptoms such as frequency and urgency, possibly by reversing urogenital atrophy, and there is also evidence to suggest that estrogens can provide prophylaxis against recurrent urinary tract infections. However, the 'best' type of estrogen, route of administration and duration of therapy are at present unknown.

Adult↗

Retropubic urethropexy (Burch colposuspension).

Many varied procedures have been described for the surgical treatment of female stress incontinence. Over the years these have had enthusiastic proponents, but not until the recent publication of two systematic literature reviews did their relative efficacies become apparent. At present it would appear that open suprapubic urethropexy is the current 'gold standard' procedure. Many new minimal-access techniques aimed at reducing the morbidity of a Burch colposuspension have been proposed. However, careful analysis of the medium- to long-term success of these procedures and their associated complications is needed before they are adopted universally.

Colposcopy↗

Urogenital prolapse and atrophy at menopause: a prevalence study.

For 285 subjects referred to a menopause clinic data were prospectively collected on the time elapsed since the onset of menopause (menopausal age), sexual activity, dyspareunia, smoking, chronic cough and constipation. Prolapse and atrophy were sought on examination. FSH assay confirmed menopausal status. We found an anterior wall prolapse in 51% of the subjects, of which 6% were protruding beyond the introitus. Posterior wall prolapse was present in 27% and apical prolapse in 20%; none was protruding beyond the introitus. No trend was noted between prolapse and menopausal age. Atrophy was evident in 34% of the women, and this was related to menopausal age (P<0.001). Forty per cent of the sexually active women admitted to dyspareunia, of which 2/3 were superficial. This correlated with advancing menopausal age (P<0.02). In conclusion, genital prolapse was frequent in the population of postmenopausal women, predominantly cystocele, but the prevalence did not correlate with menopausal age.

Adult↗

A systematic review of estrogens for recurrent urinary tract infections: third report of the hormones and urogenital therapy (HUT) committee.

Our objective was to apply a meta-analysis to the available data to evaluate the effect of estrogen supplementation in the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women. The literature review incorporated articles based on a search of Excerpta Medica, Medline, Science Citation Index and a manual search of commonly read journals in the fields of urology, gynecology, gerontology and primary healthcare, from January 1969 to December 1998. The search was not limited to English-language publications. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed articles containing original data with a primary outcome of symptomatic urinary tract infections and an estrogen-treated group. Articles were categorized into randomized controlled trials, case-control studies and self-controlled series. Of the articles reviewed, five were randomized controlled trials, two were case-control studies and three were self-control series. Meta-analysis of data from 334 subjects revealed a significant benefit from estrogen over placebo (odds ratio = 2.51, 95% confidence interval = 1.48 4.25). The most convincing results were obtained using the vaginal route of administration. A variety of different estrogen preparations have been employed in the few published reports, making comparison of the data difficult. However, vaginal administration seems to be effective in the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women.

Administration, Intravaginal↗

A new intravaginal device for stress incontinence in women.

OBJECTIVE: To compare two versions of the same type of disposable intravaginal device (the Conveen Continence Guard, CCG, and the Contrelle Continence Tampon, CCT, Coloplast a/s, Humlebaek, Denmark) for treating stress incontinence in women. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with the predominant symptom of stress incontinence were recruited from four centres in Denmark, Australia and the UK. The women were assessed using a 24-h pad-test, uroflowmetry, postvoid residual urine volume and a voiding diary before treatment, and after 5 weeks using each of the two devices. Vaginal swabs and specimens of urine were sent for culture, and a questionnaire about the subjective effect and adverse events completed at each visit. In all, 94 women were recruited, of whom 62 (66%) completed the study. RESULTS: Both devices reduced the amount of leakage significantly, but the CCT reduced urine loss significantly more than the CCG. Uroflowmetry values and residual urine volume were unchanged when using the two devices. Vaginal culture showed no abnormality during the study period, and only one woman was treated for a urinary tract infection. Side-effects were few and not serious. The women found both devices easy to prepare, insert and use; two-thirds preferred the CCT to the CCG. CONCLUSION: The new intravaginal device (CCT) is more effective for treating stress incontinence than the currently available version (CCG), and patient acceptability of the new device seems to be superior.

Adult↗

How widespread are the symptoms of an overactive bladder and how are they managed? A population-based prevalence study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of chronic and debilitating symptoms of the overactive bladder, defined here as the presence of chronic frequency, urgency and urge incontinence (either alone or in any combination), and presumed to be caused by involuntary detrusor contractions. Subjects and methods Data were collected using a population-based survey (conducted by telephone or direct interview) of men and women aged >/= 40 years, selected from the general population in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, using a random stratified approach. The main outcome measures were: prevalence of urinary frequency (> 8 micturitions/24 h), urgency and urge incontinence; the proportion of participants who had sought medical advice for symptoms of an overactive bladder; and current or previous therapy received for these symptoms. RESULTS: In all, 16 776 interviews were conducted in the six European countries. The overall prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms in individuals aged >/= 40 years was 16.6%. Frequency (85%) was the most commonly reported symptom, followed by urgency (54%) and urge incontinence (36%). The prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms increased with advancing age. Overall, 60% of respondents with symptoms had consulted a doctor but only 27% were currently receiving treatment. Conclusion Symptoms of an overactive bladder, of which frequency and urgency are as bothersome as urge incontinence, are highly prevalent in the general population. However, only a few affected individuals currently receive treatment. Taken together, such findings indicate that there is considerable scope for improvement in terms of how physicians diagnose and treat this condition.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Three-dimensional ultrasound: a novel technique for investigating the urethral sphincter in the third trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: To measure urethral sphincter volume by three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound. To assess the reproducibility of this measurement technique and to compare volumes obtained using 3D ultrasound with volumes calculated from a formula based on 2D ultrasound measurements. METHODS: Women were recruited as part of an ongoing study of changes to the pelvis resulting from pregnancy and childbirth. One hundred and eleven women in the third trimester of pregnancy (between 32 and 41 completed weeks' gestation) underwent a 3D transvaginal ultrasound scan of the urethra. In 10 cases the scan was analyzed twice by different observers to assess the reproducibility of the measurements from the scans and the results were analyzed using limits of agreement. RESULTS: The interobserver error was consistent between all the linear, 2D and 3D measurements obtained from the area scanned. There was a significant difference between volumes calculated directly by 3D ultrasound and the approximated volumes from conventional 2D measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional ultrasound appears to be a useful tool in measuring urethral sphincter volume. The error is consistent with that of linear and 2D imaging. However, the increase in normal range generated by biological variation in all three planes makes 3D ultrasound a more sensitive method of evaluating change to the urethral sphincter.

Adult↗

Evaluating ambulatory urodynamics: a prospective study in asymptomatic women.

OBJECTIVE: To identify abnormal detrusor contractions in asymptomatic women undergoing ambulatory urodynamics, to standardise the investigation technique for women with urinary symptoms for clinical practice. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Two tertiary referral urogynaecology units: one in London, UK and one in Varese, Italy. METHODS: Women without urinary symptoms were recruited into the study. Ambulatory urodynamics was performed according to the King's College Hospital protocol. All the traces were analysed in four different ways: 1. without the second bladder transducer measurements displayed on the screen and without the diary; 2. as in 1. but with the diary; 3. with the second bladder sensor displayed on the screen but without the diary; 4. as in 3. but with the diary. The diary was always interpreted at the end of the test with the woman present. For each method we reported the total number of detrusor contractions and whether the woman would have been diagnosed as having abnormal detrusor contraction. Cochran's Q test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-six women (mean age 31.7 years) were recruited. Ambulatory urodynamic testing lasted an average of 3.57 hour. The diagnosis of abnormal detrusor contraction varied by 65.4% depending on the method of analysis used. The diary and the women's symptoms during the test were the most discriminating factors. A significant difference between the diagnoses was obtained when comparing the four different ways of analysis. According to our protocol only three women (11.5%) had abnormal detrusor contractions. CONCLUSIONS: Using our protocol almost 90% of asymptomatic women have a stable bladder on ambulatory urodynamics. This is similar to the results of labouratory urodynamic testing of asymptomatic women but is in contrast to previous reports of ambulatory urodynamics of asymptomatic women. The technique used during ambulatory urodynamics determines the tests ability to detect detrusor instability with an accurate symptom diary being the most important.

Adult↗

A comparison of the objective and subjective outcomes of colposuspension for stress incontinence in women.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of colposuspension for stress incontinence on the symptoms and quality of life of women undergoing both primary and repeat surgery for genuine stress incontinence and in addition to assess the use of a condition specific quality of life questionnaire as an outcome measure following surgery. DESIGN: Prospective case series: videocystourethrography performed before and between six and twelve months after surgery. Validated condition specific quality of life (QoL) questionnaires completed by women before and six to twelve months after surgery. SETTING: A tertiary referral Urogynaecology Unit in a teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive series of 83 women undergoing colposuspension between March 1995 and December 1997. Pre-operative assessment and surgery was performed by, or was under the direct supervision of, the unit director. INTERVENTION: Modified Burch colposuspension. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Objective results of surgery assessed with videocystourethrography. Subjective results evaluated using a condition specific QoL tool, the Kings Health Questionnaire (KHQ). Symptom severity was evaluated as a component of the condition specific QoL questionnaire. RESULTS: Objective cure was demonstrated in 92% of women undergoing primary surgery with an 8% incidence of de-novo detrusor instability and a 10% incidence of voiding difficulties. In the group of women having repeat surgery the objective cure rate was 81% with no de-novo detrusor instability and a 6% incidence of post-operative voiding difficulties. QoL scores improved in 95% of women. Improvements of over 25% were seen in 70% of women and of over 50% in 28%. However, 2.4% of women recorded a deterioration in QoL scores. CONCLUSIONS: Colposuspension performed in this setting, assessed using both objective and standardised subjective measures, completed by women themselves, appears to produce good objective and subjective results and leads to enhanced quality of life in the great majority of women.

Adult↗

The impact of the menstrual cycle on urinary symptoms and the results of urodynamic investigation.

Four hundred and eighty-three consecutive women referred for videocystourethrography completed a structured questionnaire about their menstrual status and urinary symptoms. Women were included in the study if they were premenopausal, had a regular menstrual cycle and were not taking hormonal therapy. One hundred and thirty-three women satisfied the inclusion criteria of whom 55 (41%) complained that their urinary symptoms were cyclical. The times at which symptoms were said to be at their worst were reported by the women as follows: during a period (n = 20; 36%); just after a period (n = 4; 7%); middle of the month (n = 8; 15%); just before a period (n = 23; 42%). The prevalence of abnormal detrusor activity on videocystourethrography increased significantly with time from the last menstrual period (chi2 for trend = 6.56, P = 0.01) and might reflect increases in the circulating level of progesterone following ovulation. This study provides further indirect evidence that progesterone could have an adverse effect on female lower urinary tract function. In addition, it might be necessary to consider the stage within the menstrual cycle when interpreting the results of urodynamic investigation.

Adult↗

Characterisation of lectin binding patterns of mouse bronchiolar and rat alveolar epithelial cells in culture.

Lung epithelial cell differentiation pathways remain unclear. This is due in part to the plasticity of these cells and the lack of markers which accurately reflect their differentiation status. The aim of this study was to determine if lectin binding properties are useful determinants of functional differentiation status in vitro. Mouse Clara cells were cultured for 5 days. During this time, no alteration in differentiation was evident by electron microscopy. No significant alteration in binding reactivity of Bauhinia purpurea (BPA), Maclura pomifera (MPA), Concanavalin A, Wheat germ or Helix pomatia lectins occurred in cultures compared with Clara cells in mouse lung tissue. In contrast, nitrotetrazolium blue reductase activity and CC10 expression declined in culture. Rat type II cells were cultured for 8 days. Between days 0 and 4, the number of type II cells identified by electron microscopy was constant at 70-80%, decreasing to 8% by day 6. In contrast, by day 4, only 42% cells retained alkaline phosphatase activity. BPA and MPA reactivity was altered at day 0 and day 4 respectively, compared with cells in situ. Therefore, the reactivity of lectins analysed here does not reflect functional differentiation status of cultured mouse Clara cells. However, BPA and MPA reactivity may be a sensitive indicator of alterations in rat type II cell differentiation in vitro.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Efficacy of trospium chloride in patients with detrusor instability: a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, multicentre clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of trospium chloride (TCl, 20 mg twice daily) in the treatment of detrusor instability, compared with placebo. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 208 patients were allocated at random to either TCl or placebo in a double-blind clinical study; the patients were treated for 3 weeks. Urodynamic values were measured at the beginning and end of the treatment period. Adverse events were recorded on patient diary cards. A confirmatory adaptive procedure with one planned interim analysis was used to evaluate efficacy. RESULTS: Trospium chloride produced significant improvements in maximum cystometric bladder capacity (median treatment effect 22.0 mL, mean 37.3 mL, one-sided P = 0. 0054) and urinary volume at first unstable contraction (median treatment effect 45.0 mL, mean 63.6 mL, one-sided P = 0.0015). The patients' assessment of efficacy showed significantly greater clinical improvement in the TCl group than in the placebo group (two-sided P = 0.0047). Furthermore, TCl was well tolerated, with similar frequencies of adverse events reported in both groups (68% in the TCl and 62% in the placebo group). CONCLUSION: Trospium chloride (20 mg twice daily) is an effective and safe option for the treatment of detrusor instability.

Adult↗