Abstract

Introduction: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) are the main methods of minimally invasive treatment of patients with nephrolithiasis. Each of these minimally invasive techniques has both advantages and disadvantages, which are the subject of intensive current research. According to the literature, limited prospective evidence exists regarding the quality of life of patients with kidney stones up to 2 cm after PCNL or RIRS.

Objective: We aimed to compare the impact of PCNL and RIRS on the quality of life of patients with kidney stones up to 2 cm in diameter.

Materials and Methods: We included 157 patients with kidney stones sized 0.9–2.0 cm (1.6±0.4 cm). PCNL was performed in 77 (49.0%) patients and RIRS in 80 (51.0%). Ureteral stenting with double J-stents was performed in all patients selected for RIRS. After RIRS, all patients received combination therapy with tamsulosin 0.4 mg+tadalafil 5 mg in the postoperative period to alleviate stent-associated symptoms. The SF-36 questionnaire, developed by Ware & Sherbourne in 1992, was used to assess quality of life (QOL). The surveys were conducted on the 4th week after minimally invasive treatment. A two-sample t-test was used. A p-value < 0.05 indicated a significant statistical difference.

Results: The total score reflecting physical functioning was higher in the RIRS group: 72 (71–73) vs 61 (60–62), p<0,001. Role-physical functioning was better in patients who underwent RIRS than in the PCNL group: 56 (55–57) vs 45 (43–46), respectively, p<0.001. Bodily pain after RIRS was less than after PCNL: 53 (52–54) vs 43 (42–44.5), p<0.001. The domains of social functioning and role-emotional functioning showed better values ​​in patients with RIRS. General health, vitality, and mental health were similar across the comparison groups.

Conclusions: Using the SF-36 questionnaire, we found that retrograde intrarenal surgery was associated with better short-term quality-of-life outcomes than PCNL in patients with kidney stones up to 2.0 cm in diameter.

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by impact on different systems of human body. Recently, several anti-COVID vaccines have been developed. Material and methods In our study, we included two groups of males: GROUP1, anti-COVID vaccinated males, n = 46, and GROUP2, n = 43, non-vaccinated males, who all fell ill with the Coronavirus infection. A level of semen DNA fragmentation was characterized by Sperm DNA Fragmentation Index (SDFI) that was calculated before infection and compared with data at every month after laboratory recovery. The Mann–Whitney test was used to establish differences between parameters, with p <0.05 considered significant. Results Compared with the pre-COVID baseline we registered significant increasing of SDFI in each group of participants: 35.3 ±4.7% vs 18.6 ±5.8% in GROUP1, p = 0.0009, and 41.8 ±5.6% vs 19.2 ±6.1% in GROUP2, p = 0.0006. At the 2nd month after recovery SDFI in GROUP1 and GROUP2 continued to grow and reached its peak to 40.6 ±6.4% and 49.7 ±7.2% respectively. Thereafter SDF indexes in both Groups started to decrease, normalizing at the 7th month after COVID-19 recovery in GROUP1 and at the 9th month in GROUP2. Conclusions COVID-19 causes a gradual increase in semen DNA fragmentation, which peaks at the 2nd month after recovery and is more pronounced in unvaccinated men. Normalization of SDFI occurs no earlier than at the 7th month in vaccinated and at the 9th month in non-vaccinated men.