Abdolrasoul Mehrsai | PubMed Health

PubMed2006

Comparison of urinary proteins in calcium stone formers and healthy individuals: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at comparing the urinary protein levels in calcium stone formers with those of healthy individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2002 until June 2004, 100 calcium stone formers (mean age 38.6 +/- 10.3 years), who had at least two episodes of calcium stone formation, were compared with 100 healthy individuals (mean age 33.8 +/- 9.7 years). Their 24-hour urinary protein levels, using SDS-PAGE, were measured. RESULTS: The mean 24-hour urinary Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) levels were 3.3 +/- 0.8 mg in the case group and 4.6 +/- 1.9 mg in the controls, and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.53). However, the THP levels in individuals with and without bacteriuria were significantly different (15.8 +/- 3.3 mg vs. 2.6 +/- 1.0 mg, p = 0.0001). The mean 24-hour urinary albumin concentrations were 163.31 +/- 15.1 mg in the case group and 74.26 +/- 4.6 mg in the controls. The mean 24-hour urinary transferrin levels were 8.09 +/- 2.7 mg in the case group and 0.40 +/- 0.3 mg in the controls. The differences were statistically significant for both albumin and transferrin (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0063, respectively). There were no significant differences in any other mean urinary protein concentrations between cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS: The THP level in the urine of stone formers is not quantitatively different from that of healthy individuals, but it increases in association with bacteriuria. Albumin and transferrin may play a presumptive role in stone formation.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Do cigarette smokers with erectile dysfunction benefit from stopping?: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether stopping smoking can improve erectile dysfunction (ED) in smokers, as cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for ED. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Smokers who requested nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and complained of ED were first evaluated for hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, psychiatric disorders and drug history. The grade of ED in smokers with none of these risk factors was then determined using the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) before NRT, and the grading repeated after 1 year of follow-up. The correlation between the exposure to smoking (pack-years) and severity of ED was assessed before the follow-up. The ED status between patients who stopped smoking after NRT and those who continued during the follow-up was then compared before and after the follow-up. RESULTS: The severity of ED correlated significantly with the level of exposure to smoking. Age and ED status before the follow-up were not significantly different between 118 patients who stopped (ex-smokers) and 163 who continued smoking (current smokers). After 1 year the ED status improved in > or = 25% of ex-smokers but in none of the current smokers; 2.5% of ex-smokers and 6.8% of current smokers had a deterioration in ED. Ex-smokers had a significantly better ED status after the follow-up (P = 0.009). Among ex-smokers, patients with advanced ED and those who were older had less improvement. CONCLUSION: There is a strong association between the intensity of cigarette smoking and degree of ED. Stopping cigarette smoking can improve ED in a considerable proportion of smokers. Age and the severity of ED before stopping are inversely related to the chance of improvement.

Adult↗