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Previous studies have evidenced that inflammation and endothelial dysfunction have a crucial role in erectile dysfunction (ED). Increased monocyte count or activity and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels have been associated with inflammation. The monocyte to HDL-C ratio (MHR) is a recently emerged indicator of inflammation. We aimed to investigate the relationship between MHR and ED. In this retrospective study, a total of 120 patients were enrolled, 60 of them having ED and 60 having a normal erectile function. The presence of ED was evaluated with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Patients with ED were compared with the control group for IIEF-5 and MHR. The mean ages of patients and controls were 55.6±5.53 and 56.42±6.63 years, respectively (p = 0.47). The risk factors for ED were similar between cases and controls. The total testosterone, glucose and creatinine levels did not differ between groups. While the HDL-C, LDL-C and triglyceride levels were similar between groups, the monocyte count (0.55±0.20 vs. 0.73±0.18, p < 0.0001) and MHR was significantly greater in patients with ED than in those without ED (1.31 vs. 1.77, p < 0.0001). MHR was significantly negatively correlated with IIEF-5 (p < 0.0001). To our knowledge, this is the first study that has shown a significant and independent association between elevated MHR and ED.
Objective
To present a nation‐wide analysis of the workload of urology departments in Turkey week‐by‐week during Covid‐19 pandemic.
Methodology
The centers participating in the study were divided into three groups as tertiary referral centers, state hospitals and private practice hospitals. The number of outpatients, inpatients, daily interventions and urological surgeries were recorded prospectively between 9‐March‐2020 and 31‐May‐2020. All these variables were recorded for the same time interval of 2019 as well. The weekly change of the workload of urology during pandemic period was evaluated; also the workload of urology and the distributions of certain urological surgeries were compared between the pandemic period and the same time interval of the year 2019.
Results
A total of 51 centers participated in the study. The number of outpatients, inpatients, urological surgeries and daily interventions were found to be dramatically decreased by the third week of pandemics in state hospitals and tertiary referral centers; however the daily urological practice were similar in private practice hospitals throughout the pandemic period. When the workload of urology in pandemic period and the same time interval of the year 2019 were compared; a huge decrease was observed in all variables during pandemic period. However, temporary measures like ureteral stenting, nephrostomy placement and percutaneous cystostomy have been found to increase during Covid‐19 pandemic compared to normal life.
Conclusions
Covid‐19 pandemic significantly effected the routine daily urological practice likewise other subspecialties and priority was given to emergent and non‐deferrable surgeries by urologists in concordance with published clinical guidelines.
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