PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Brändle

Publications and source records attributed to E Brändle.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Serum half-life time determination of free and total prostate-specific antigen following radical prostatectomy--a critical assessment.

OBJECTIVES: All studies investigating the elimination kinetics of serum total (tPSA) and free (fPSA) prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were carried out in men undergoing radical prostatectomy. Radical prostatectomy itself could, however, have a major influence on the serum concentration of these tumor markers (e.g., perioperative fluid shift or blood loss). The purpose of our study was to determine the half-life time of fPSA and tPSA with special regard to the influence of the radical prostatectomy on the serum concentration of these tumor markers. METHODS: Eleven men (mean age 63.2+/-7.2 years) with organ-confined prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy were investigated (final pathologic Stage pT2pN0 or lower). Serum samples were obtained preoperatively and 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 48, 72, 120, 168, and 240 hours after removal of the prostate. fPSA and tPSA and albumin and total protein serum concentrations were determined in all samples. RESULTS: During the first 120 minutes after removal of the prostate, albumin and total protein serum concentrations continuously declined, with a half-life time of -104.5+/-28 minutes and -129.7+/-32 minutes, respectively. Serum decline of fPSA and tPSA followed a biphasic kinetic. During the initial alpha-phase, fPSA and tPSA serum concentrations decreased, with a half-life time of -69+/-10.3 minutes and -87.3+/-18.1 minutes, respectively. During the terminal beta-phase, the half-life time of fPSA and tPSA was -1152.2 minutes (0.8 days) and -3916.1 minutes (2.7 days), respectively. Between the alpha-phase half-life time of fPSA or tPSA and the half-life time of the total protein or albumin concentration decline, significant correlations were found. CONCLUSIONS: These correlations indicate that the rapid decline of fPSA and tPSA directly after removal of the prostate (alpha-phase half-life time) is caused by the radical prostatectomy itself. The half-life time of the beta-phase reflects the biologic clearance of PSA. Therefore, the half-life time determination of PSA after radical prostatectomy is of limited value if the influence of the operation itself on the serum PSA concentration is not taken into account.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

[3D endosonography to clarify distal ureteral processes].

PURPOSE: Evaluation of 3D endoluminal sonography as a diagnostic modality in lower ureteral pathologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 93 and December 97, 36 consecutive patients with negative findings on IVP and still suspected ureteral obstruction were referred for transrectal or transvaginal endosonography. Patients mean age was 63 years and all of them presented clinically obvious symptoms such as colic pain and miction disturbances. RESULTS: In 31 of 36 patients (86%) 3D endosonography was diagnostic although previous IVP was negative. Reasons for ureteral obstructions were ureteral calculi in 23, urological tumours in 5 and rectal carcinoma in two cases. In one patients a gynecological tumour caused the symptomatology. In the remaining 5 patients CT/MRT or invasive retrograde ureterography/ureteroscopy had to be performed for the final diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The use of 3D endosonography shows encouraging results in the diagnosis of distal ureteral pathologies. In case of negative findings on IVP it should therefore precede invasive diagnostic modalities or cost intensive imaging techniques.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

In situ characterization of oxalate transport across the basolateral membrane of the proximal tubule.

Oxalate transport across the contraluminal membrane of the proximal tubule was studied in vivo using the "capillary stopped flow microperfusion method" (Pflügers Arch 400:250-256, 1984). Cellular uptake of oxalate was characteristic of a carrier-mediated transport process (Jmax = 1.6 +/- 0.6 pmol/s per cm proximal tubular length, Km = 2.03 +/- 0.77 mmol/l). Sulphate inhibited oxalate transport in a dose-dependent manner (Ki-value = 1.53 +/- 0.38 mmol/l). Sulphate transport across the basolateral membrane was also characteristic of a carrier- mediated transport process (Jmax = 1.83 +/- 0.56 pmol/s per cm proximal tubular length, Km = 1.37 +/- 0.57 mmol/l). Oxalate inhibited the sulphate transport in a dose-dependent manner (Ki = 2. 06 +/- 0.82 mmol/l). No significant differences were found between the Ki values and the Km values of the two substances, indicating that oxalate and sulphate are transported by the same carrier across the basolateral membrane of the proximal tubule. Oxalate transport was not dependent on the extracellular sodium or potassium concentration. Bicarbonate competitively inhibited the oxalate transport. Chloride significantly inhibited the oxalate transport, but not dose dependently. It is, therefore, suggested that oxalate is transported into the cell of the proximal tubule in exchange for sulphate or bicarbonate. The dose-independent inhibition by chloride is suggested to be mediated by the coupling of the sulphate (bicarbonate)/oxalate exchanger with the chloride/bicarbonate exchanger at the basolateral membrane of the proximal tubule. This, furthermore, suggests that the transport of oxalate or sulphate across the basolateral membrane might be indirectly coupled with the reabsorption of chloride at this membrane side.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Transurethral collagen injection for treatment of urinary stress incontinence].

Minimally invasive treatment of urinary incontinence has become a subject of major interest in recent years. We examined the use of transurethral collagen injection for incontinence treatment. A total of 48 patients were selected for this procedure from April 1993 to February 1997-26 male patients (19 post-RPX incontinence and 7 post-TUR incontinence) and 22 female patients (all after previous incontinence surgery) were treated by injection of collagen into the continence region. The whole group underwent an average of 1.8 sessions, and a mean collagen injection volume of 14.5 ml was delivered per session. Mean follow-up was 9.2 months. Of the female population, 68.2% were cured or greatly improved. In the male population only 47.3% of the post-RPX patients and 6/7 of the post-TUR patients benefited from the procedure. In males, treatment outcome depends on the degree of pretreatment incontinence, because all grade III incontinence patients did worse. Therefore we conclude: transurethral collagen injection is an interesting method in the treatment of urinary incontinence if proper patient selection is assured.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Treatment of high-risk patients with subvesical obstruction from advanced prostatic carcinoma using a thermosensitive mesh stent.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results obtained using a permanent prostatic stent system (Memotherm, Bard/ Angiomed, Karlsruhe, Germany) in high-risk patients with advanced prostatic carcinoma and subvesical obstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 35 patients (mean age 75.3 years, range 53-89) with advanced prostatic carcinoma and persistent subvesical obstruction despite androgen ablation. Because of serious concurrent diseases, 49% of these patients were classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade 3 and 51% as ASA grade 4. The patients were treated using the Memotherm stent, a thermosensitive Nitinol mesh stent. The outcome was assessed by measuring voiding variables, a symptom score and as the incidence of complications. RESULTS: After inserting the stent, 33 (94%) of the patients were able to void spontaneously and there was a statistically significant improvement in the voiding variables. These results remained unchanged over a mean (range) follow-up of 15.2 months (3-38). There were no serious complications arising from the insertion of the stent. CONCLUSION: For high-risk patients with subvesical obstruction caused by prostatic carcinoma, the insertion of a permanent metal stent system offers a useful alternative treatment to transurethral resection.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Laser therapy in dogs and humans--is there a difference?

OBJECTIVE: To compare quantitatively the reduction of volume of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) achieved by laser therapy in dogs and men. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve mongrels, with a mean prostatic volume of 33.4 mL, underwent transurethral laser treatment using an Nd:YAG laser with an Ultraline fibre at 60 W power setting. The reduction in prostatic volume was assessed quantitatively 3 months after treatment using stereological methods. Forty patients (mean age 70.2 years, range 51-84) with symptomatic BPH (pre-operative mean prostate volume 46.3 mL) were treated under similar operative conditions with the same laser, power and fibre system. Their urinary performance was assessed before and 6 months after treatment using urinary flow rates, residual volume and a symptom score, and their prostatic volume and necrosis assessed using transrectal ultrasonography. RESULTS: After laser treatment, the mean reduction in the dog prostate volume was 50% and in the patients was only 21%. The different impact was probably caused by anatomical differences between the human and dog prostate; the human prostate consists mainly of stromal tissue and the canine prostate of glandular epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: The canine model gives only an approximate guide to the extent of tissue destruction that laser treatment can achieve in men with BPH. Furthermore, tissue differences between men may also affect the response to laser treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Can examination of spontaneous urine samples adequately replace 24-hour-urine samples for determining excretory rate of various lithogenic and inhibitory substances in metabolic evaluation of kidney calculi patients?].

The gold standard for metabolic evaluation of stone-forming patients is the 24-h urine specimen. Recently, some authors have suggested that for routine metabolic evaluation spot urine samples are as valuable as the 24-h urine specimen. The purpose of our study, was to determine the value of the spot urine sample in comparison with the 24-h urine specimens. Eighty-eight healthy volunteers on different diets were investigated (32 vegetarians, 12 body-builders without protein concentrates, 28 body-builders on protein concentrates, and 16 subjects on a regular European diet). Using 24-h specimens, excretion rates of oxalate, calcium, sodium and potassium were determined. The concentration ratio of these electrolytes to creatinine was calculated for spot urine samples. A highly significant correlation between the excretion rates and the results of the spot urine samples was found for all parameters. However, the correlations showed considerable variations. On the other hand, we were able to show that creatinine excretion is highly dependent on daily protein intake, body weight and glomerular filtration rate. This leads to a considerable inter- and intraindividual variation in creatinine excretion. This variation of the creatinine excretion is the major cause for the variation in the results of spot urine samples. It is concluded that spot urine samples are an inadequate substitute for the 24-h urine specimen and that the 24-h urine specimen is still the basis for metabolic evaluation in stone patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Positron emission tomography in diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma].

PET is a new method for staging malignant tumors; the metabolism is examined and not the morphology. In this study the staging of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) by PET was investigated. In 29 patients PET with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) was carried out preoperatively; the PET results were compared to the histology of the OR specimen. In 26 patients a RCC was found histologically, which was diagnosed correctly by PET in 20 patients; in 6 patients a false-negative PET result was obtained. An angiomyolipoma, a pericytoma and a pheochromocytoma showed a false-positive PET result. For lymph-node staging positive nodes were found in 3 patients which was correct; no false-negative result was obtained. In 25 patients the PET result was true-positive; once a false-positive finding occurred. In conclusion, PET offers the advantage that no allergy to FDG is known and a pacemaker or metal implants are not contraindications; in diagnosing RCC, according to our results there is no further advantage of FDG-PET in comparison to standard methods; for lymph-node staging the results are equivalent

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1996

[Minimally invasive treatment of stress urinary incontinence by collagen administration. Comparison between endosonography controlled and transurethral submucous collagen injection].

For many years, injectable substances have been in use for the treatment of incontinence. We examined different methods of injecting glutaraldehyde cross-linked bovine collagen injection for their effectiveness in treatment of genuine stress incontinence. In the first group of patients collagen injection was done under endo-ultrasound guidance. In the second group an endoscopic system was used. There was no major difference in patient selection for the two groups. Incontinence symptoms became less severe in only 5 of 15 (33%) patients in the endo-ultrasound group, who then had moderate stress incontinence. Endoscopic collagen treatment resulted in social continence in 15 of the 22 (68.2%) patients. We conclude that endoscopic collagen is superior to endo-ultrasound-guided collagen injection in the treatment of incontinence.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Effect of chronic dietary protein intake on the renal function in healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Relatively little is known about the influence of chronic oral protein intake on the kidney function. In most studies only the effect of a short-term change in protein intake [6-28 days] or the effect of an acute protein load on the glomerular filtration rate was studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic oral protein intake on endogenous creatinine clearance and on the albumin excretion rate. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: In a prospective study 88 healthy volunteers with normal renal function (32 vegetarians, 12 body-builders with no supplementary protein concentrates, 28 body-builders with supplementary protein concentrates and 16 subjects with no special diet) were examined. In order to investigate the effect of chronic oral protein intake, the participants were on their diet for at least 4 months. RESULTS: Endogenous creatinine clearance as a measure for glomerular filtration rate varied between 32 ml/min and 197 ml/min or 34 and 186 ml/min x 1.73 m2, respectively. Nitrogen excretion rate was used as a measure for the daily protein intake, since it is known to correlate linearly with the daily protein intake. Nitrogen excretion rates ranged between 2.66 g/d and 33.93 g/d reflecting a daily protein consumption between 17 and 212 g/d or 0.29 g/kg bw/d and 2.6 g/kg bw/day, respectively. Between nitrogen excretion rate and endogenous creatinine clearance a non linear, highly significant correlation was found showing a saturation with a maximum endogenous creatinine clearance of 181.7 ml/min (dose response curve). A similar correlation was observed between urea excretion rate and endogenous creatinine clearance. Using a model for multiple regression analysis the dependence of the albumin excretion rate on nitrogen excretion rate and endogenous creatinine clearance was examined. Only a significant correlation was found between albumin excretion rate and endogenous creatinine clearance, while the correlation between albumin excretion rate and nitrogen excretion rate was not significant. CONCLUSION: This investigation shows that chronic oral protein intake of widely varying amounts of protein is a crucial control variable for the glomerular filtration rate in subjects with healthy kidneys. It is suggested that these changes reflect in part structural changes of the glomerulus and tubules due to chronic protein intake.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Is radical prostatectomy a suitable model for determination of PSA half-life?].

A review of the literature relating to PSA half-life reveals great variability in absolute values and pharmacokinetic models. A critical view is needed, however, since some authors suggest that the PSA half-life has implications for diagnosis and prognosis after radical prostatectomy. The aim of our study, therefore, was to characterize the value of PSA half-life determination after radical prostatectomy. Serial serum PSA detections were performed in 16 patients with localized prostatic cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy. Serum PSA was detected on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, after radical prostatectomy. In all patients elimination of PSA from serum followed a biphasic logarithmic decay pattern indicating a two-compartment model of first order elimination kinetics (t1 = 1.01 +/- 0.06 days, t2 = 3.42 +/- 0.23 days; P < 0.00001). In this two-compartment model 56.3 +/- 4.8% of the preoperative PSA serum concentration was cleared by the first compartment. To find a biological correlative for the first compartment a mathematical model was developed to approximate the effect of operative blood and plasma loss on PSA serum concentration. In this model changes of hematocrit were used to estimate blood and plasma loss. These calculations showed that 50.12 +/- 3.04% of the preoperative PSA serum concentration was excreted by operative blood loss. This value was not significantly different from the clearance rate calculated for the first compartment. It is, therefore, concluded that the determination of PSA half-life after radical prostatectomy without correction of the operation-related PSA loss is only of limited value.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Initial experiences with the Memotherm Stent in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia].

We report our experience with a new thermosensitive stent (Memotherm), which has been invented recently as an alternative method for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The wall of this stent is a thermoreactive mesh made of nitinol, which reaches its maximum force of expansion at body temperature. Its high degree of flexibility allows the Memotherm stent to fit the natural course of the prostatic urethra. This stent is available in different sizes between 2 and 8 cm to meet the demand for different lengths of prostatic urethra. Furthermore, the meshed structure of this stent allows its atraumatic removal. From April 1992 to September 1993, 54 consecutive patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and Memotherm stents inserted. The mean patient age was 76.1 years (range 61-98 years). Patients were considered suitable for treatment with the Memotherm stent when they presented with a poor operative risk. Mean prostatic volume was 51.9 +/- 25 ml (20-150 ml), and on average a stent measured 32.3 +/- 9.5 mm (20-70 mm). Preoperatively, only 14 patients (26%) were able to void, and 40 patients (74%) had had a transurethral or suprapubic catheter placed. After placement of the Memotherm stent, 53 of 54 patients were able to void. In the patients who were able to void preoperatively, the mean maximum flow rate increased from 4.5 ml/s to 15.8 ml/s within the first 6 months after treatment. Within the same period of time, the mean residual urine volume decreased from 194.4 ml to 11.8 ml, and the AUA 6-Symptom Score improved from 24 to 3.5 points. All differences are statistically significant (P < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Effects of cicletanine on kidney function. 2. Role of renal prostaglandins and kinins, and of muscarinic receptors.

We report the effect of the prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors indomethacin and meclofenamate, of the ACE-inhibitor captopril and of the muscarinic receptor antagonist methyl-scopolamine on the renal action of cicletanine (20-30 mg/kg i.v.) in anesthetized rats. Methylscopolamine, at doses ranging from 60 to 600 micrograms/kg i.v., did not at all affect cicletanine's action on the kidney's excretory function. Captopril (20 mg/kg i.v.) induced by its own a small rise of urine flow, and of urinary sodium and chloride excretion. The drug enhanced the effect of cicletanine on urine flow and sodium excretion by an additive effect. In the presence of captopril, and also of indomethacin (5 mg/kg i.v.) and meclofenamate (5 mg/kg i.v.), but not with control conditions, cicletanine significantly enhanced glomerular filtration rate and p-animohippurate clearance. Despite the fact that renal hemodynamics improved, the prostaglandin inhibitors nearly completely abolished cicletanine's effect on urinary fluid and electrolyte excretion. The results suggest that muscarinic receptors are not involved in the diuretic response to cicletanine. Cicletanine's diuretic and saluretic action may be related to a stimulation of renal prostaglandin synthesis. An enhanced prostaglandin production, and an activated reninangiotensin system, may also mask a direct vasodilating effect of cicletanine on the renal vasculature in the rat.

Animals↗