Clinical Study on Treatment of Chronic Prostatitis with Lingze Tablets Combined with TCM Herbal Acupoint Plasters

Objective:To study the therapeutic effect of Lingze tablets combined with traditional Chinese medicine herbal acupoint plasters on chronic prostatitis.Methods:A total of 64 patients with chronic prostatitis who were admitted to the Andrology Clinic of Shuyang County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2021 to March 2023 were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,with 32 cases in each group.The control group took Lingze tablets orally,4 tablets/time,3 times/d;the treatment group took the same medication along with traditional Chinese medicine acupoint herbal plasters.The two groups of patients were treated continuously for 6 weeks,and the differences in the relevant indexes of the curative effect were observed.Results:The NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index(NIH-CPSI)scores of the two groups significantly reduced after treatment(P<0.05),and the scores of the patients in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The treatment received in the treatment group achieved and efficacy of 96.88%,which was significantly higher than that of the group,which was 81.25%(P<0.05).The maximum flow rate(MFR),average flow rate AFR,and urine output of the patients of both groups improved significantly after treatment(P<0.05).However,the experimental group showed better improvements in these indicators(P<0.05).Conclusion:Lingze tablets combined with traditional Chinese medicine acupoint herbal plasters can significantly improve the symptoms and urodynamic function of patients with chronic prostatitis.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis in Chinese men

The aim of this study is to assess the status of treatment of chronic prostatitis(CP)in Chinese men.A population-based cross-sectional survey was performed,in which 15000 men aged between 15 and 60 years were randomly selected to receive a questionnaire designed to assess National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptoms Index(NIH-CPSI)status,therapeutic efficacy and 28 other items.A total of 12743 men(84.95%)completed the questionnaire,of whom 1071(8.4%)were identified as having prostatitis-like symptoms and 517(4.5%)were diagnosed with CP according to NIH-CPSI criteria and prostatitis-like symptomatology.Of the CP patients,372(65%)underwent long-term routine treatment 12 times per year.Additionally,217(72.8%)patients received antibiotic therapy and 215(79.3%)men showed therapeutic effects.The treatment cost USD 1151(8059 yuan)per person per year on average.Most CP patients received routine treatment,in most cases with antibiotics.Treatment was costly and most CP patients were not satisfied with its effectiveness.Antibacterial treatment might have been effective primarily in patients with bacterial disease.

Characterisation of the bacterial community in expressed prostatic secretions from patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and infertile men： a preliminary investigation

The expressed prostatic secretions （EPSs） of men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome （CP/CPPS）, infertile men and normal men were subjected to microbiological study. EPSs were collected from the subjects, which included 26 normal men, 11 infertile patients and 51 CP/CPPS patients. DNA was extracted from each specimen, and the V3 regions of the 16S rRNA genes were amplified using universal bacterial primers. The results showed that the EPS 16S rRNA gene-positive rate in the CP/CPPS and infertile patients was much higher than in the normal men, but without any difference among the three patient groups. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） method was used to characterize the EPS bacterial community structure of the prostate fluid from patients with CP/CPPS or infertility issues. Principal component analysis （PCA） and partial least squares （PLS） analyses of PCR-DGGE profiles revealed that the EPS bacterial community structure differed among the three groups. Three bands were identified as the key factors responsible for the discrepancy between CP/CPPS patients and infertile patients （P〈O.05）. Two bands were identified as priority factors in the discrepancy of category IliA and category IIIB prostatitis patients （P〈O.05）. According to this research, the ecological balance of the prostate and low urethra tract, when considered as a microenvironment, might play an important role in the maintenance of a healthy male reproductive tract.

Factors influencing the diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis among urologists in China

Aim. To identify the factors influencing diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis （CP） among Chinese urologists. Methods： A sample of 656 urologists from 29 provinces of China were asked to complete a questionnaire that explored attitudes towards CP as well as diagnosis and treatment patterns in the management of CP. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis schemes were used to determine the factors that influence the diagnosis and treatment of CP. Results： A total of 656 questionnaires were given out. All were returned and 410 of those were included in the final univariate and multivariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that belief of bacterial infection in the etiology of CP （odds ratio [OR], 2.544; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.650-3.923; P 〈 0.001） was the most significant factor influencing the routine performance of bacterial culture test. Using the same model, the type of hospital （OR, 2.799; 95% CI, 1.719-4.559; P 〈 0.001） and the routine use of the 4- or the 2-glass test （OR, 3.194; 95% CI, 2.069-4.931; P 〈 0.001） were determined to be significant factors influencing the use of the National Institutes of Health （NIH） new classification system. According to the same model, belief of bacterial infection in the etiology of CP （OR, 3.415; 95% CI, 2.024-5.762; P 〈 0.001） and the routine use of bacterial culture test （OR, 2.261; 95% CI, 1.364-3.749; P 〈 0.01） were important factors influencing the routine prescription of antibiotics. Conclusion： Our findings suggest that attitudes towards CP, and the characteristics of individual urologists＇ practices may influence the diagnosis and treatment of CP among Chinese urologists.

Endotoxins in the prostatic secretions of chronic prostatitis patients

Aim: To evaluate the clinical significance of the quantitative determinations of endotoxins in the expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) of chronic prostatitis (CP) patients. Methods: The EPS of 45 patients with CP and 15 normal volunteers were obtained for microscopic examination, bacterial culture and endotoxin determination. The level of endotoxins was determined by the Limulus-amebocyte-lysate test with chromogenic substrate. Results: Patients with CP had higher mean levels of endotoxins in EPS than normal volunteers [52.06 ± 32.83 EU.L^(-1) vs. 4.77 ± 4.14 EU'L^(-1) (P < 0.05)]. The levels of endotoxins in CP type Ⅱ, type Ⅲa and type Ⅲb were 68.62 ± 34.78 EU.L^(-1), 45.30± 23.33 EU.L^(-1) and 15.83 ± 5.31 EU·L^(-1), respectively [type Ⅱ vs. type Ⅲa (P > 0.05), type Ⅲb vs. normal controls (P > 0.05), type Ⅱ/type Ⅲa vs. normal controls P < 0.05)]. Conclusion: CP patients have elevated levels of endotoxins in the EPS, which suggests that inflammation is a feature of this disease. EPS endotoxin determination is not only helpful in diagnostic confirmation, but also in evaluating the response to treatment in CP patients.

Boswellia resin extract and propolis derived polyphenols in patients with type III chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome:An Italian prospective multicenter study

Objective:To assess the efficacy and safety of a treatment regimen based on rectal administration of Boswellia resin extract and propolis derived polyphenols in patients with type IIIa and type IIIb chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CP/CPPS).Methods:Patients with type IIIa and type IIIb CP/CPPS received one rectal suppository a day for 15 days per month for 3 consecutive months.Participants were evaluated with National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index(NIH-CPSI),the International Prostate Symptom Scores(IPSS),International Index of Erectile Function(IIEF),four-glass test,uroflowmetry,and prostate-specific antigen assessments at baseline and at Week 4,and Week 12.Primary endpoints were improvement in pain domain of NIH-CPSI and improvement of NIH-CPSI total score.Secondary outcomes included improvement of micturition and quality of life(QoL)domains of NIH-CPSI questionnaire.Results:A total of 61 males were enrolled.No adverse events were reported.Significant improvements from baseline to Day 30 were reported for NIH-CPSI total score(mean difference:-9.2;p<0.01),NIH-CPSI pain domain(mean difference:-5.5;p<0.01),NIH-CPSI micturition domain,NIH-CPSI QoL domain,and IPSS total score(mean difference:-5.6;p<0.01).No significant changes from baseline in terms of IIEF score or maximum flow rate were observed.At final follow-up(Day 90),further significant improvements in terms of NIH-CPSI total score(mean difference:-12.2;p<0.01),NIH-CPSI pain domain(mean difference:-6.6;p<0.01),NIH-CPSI micturition domain,NIH-CPSI QoL domain,and IPSS total score were reported.Conclusion:Rectal administration of Boswellia resin extract and propolis derived polyphenols is well tolerated and delivers a significant symptomatic improvement in most patients with type IIIa and type IIIb CP/CPPS.

A review of the literature on randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic-pain syndrome within 2016-2021

Chronic prostatitis(CP)/chronic pelvic-pain syndrome(CPPS)is a common urinary-system disease with a high incidence in young and middle-aged men,seriously affecting patients'ability to work and their quality of life(Qo L).Western medicine(WM)has some limitations in treating CP/CPPS.Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical method that is commonly used to treat this condition and has a relatively good effect on it.Many randomized controlled trials(RCTs)on this subject have been published.For this study,we searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Chinese Science and Technology Periodical(VIP),Wanfang,Sino Med,and Pub Med databases for RCTs on acupuncture treatment of CP/CPPS in the last 5 years(2016/01/01-2021/12/01).In addition,we conducted analysis and research,aiming to summarize acupuncture treatment in CP/CPPS RCTs and the clinical efficacy,with the goal of providing clinical reference.A total of 466 related documents were retrieved in the search,and 62 articles were retained after screening.We obtained RCT information on acupuncture treatment of CP/CPPS.The results showed that several relevant clinical studies have been performed over the last 5 years and that acupuncture and moxibustion have better curative effect on CP/CPPS than WM.Due to the small number of included studies,more experimental evidence is needed to verify the clinical efficacy of acupuncture.

Treatment of Nonspecific Chronic Prostatitis with Qian Lie Xian Yan Suppository in 104 Cases

Qian Lie Xian Yan Suppository (前列腺炎栓) was rectally applied to treat 104 patients with nonspecific chronic prostatitis ( damp-heat syndrome with blood stasis) in contrast to 30 patients treated with traditional Chinese drug Ye Ju Hua Shuan (野菊花栓Suppository of Flos Chrysanthemi Indici). The results show that chronic prostatitis is markedly improved by using Qian Lie Xian Yan suppository, with a short-term cure rate of 23.1% and a total effective rate of 84.6%, superior to that of the control group. The animal experiment indicates that Qian Lie Xian Yan suppository has better anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, with an action of promoting blood circulation.

Prediction of the mechanism of prostate prescription Ⅰ in the treatment of chronic prostatitis based on integrative pharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine

Objective:To investigate potential mechanism of Prostate prescriptionⅠin the treatment of chronic prostatitis based on integrated pharmacology.Methods:with the help of TCMIP,the effective compounds of Prostate prescriptionⅠwere screened,and the potential target database of Prostate prescriptionⅠwas established by using the target prediction function of TCMIP.Based on the Human Phenotype Ontology database and protein interaction network(PPI)database,the disease target of CP was identified and the target interaction network was constructed;Through the GO function analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the candidate targets,combined with Chinese and foreign literature studies to predict the potential Signaling pathway of Prostate prescriptionⅠin the treatment of CP.Results:79 effective compounds of Prostate prescriptionⅠexerted its effect on 33 targets through 11 pathways.Conclusion:Clinical efficacy of Prostate prescriptionⅠon CP may be reflected in antiinflammation and anti-tumor,cell metabolism,immune regulation,neuroregulation and so on.

Effects of Qianlie'an(前列安)Suppository in Patients with Chronic prostatitis Syndrome:A Randomized Open-Labelled Prospective and Controlled Trial

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Qianlie'an (前列安,QLA) suppository via a-nal route administration in treating chronic prostatitis syndrome. Methods:A randomized open-labelled prospective controlled trial was carried out. The total of 120 patients with chronic prostatitis syndrome were randomly divided into 2 groups: 60 patients in the treated group who were treated with QLA suppository combined with ofloxacin, and the other 60 patients in the control group who were given ofloxacin a-lone. The efficacy was evaluated by WBC count in the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and the Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI) made by the National Institute of Health (NIH). The clinical effects were also observed in a 4-week follow-up. Results:All but six cases completed the trial and the follow-up. It showed that in the treated group recovery rate was 17. 2%, markedly effective rate 34. 5%, effective rate 32. 8%, total markedly effective rate 51. 7%, and total effective rate 84. 5%, all of which were superior to those in the control group (total markedly effective rate 32.1% and total effective rate 66.1%, respectively), P<0. 01. Conclusion: Administration of QLA suppository via anal route combined with oral antibiotics is an effective therapy for chronic prostatitis syndrome. It can relieve the symptoms of chronic prostatitis syndrome markedly and rapidly. It is a new choice for treatment of the disease.

Study on the Mechanism of Angelica sinensis-Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex in the Treatment of Chronic Prostatitis Based on Network Pharmacology

[Objectives]To explore the mechanism of Angelica sinensis-Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex in the treatment of chronic prostatitis(CP)based on the method of network pharmacology.[Methods]The active components and action targets of Angelica sinensis-Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex were screened by(TCMSP),a systematic pharmacological analysis platform of traditional Chinese medicine,combined with literature search.The target was corrected by Uniprot database,and the disease CP target was screened by GeneCards and OMIM database.The common targets of drugs and diseases were screened by R language software,and the visual network map of drugs-active components-targets-diseases was constructed by Cytoscape 3.5.1 software.The common target protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed by using STRING platform.The R language software was used to annotate and analyze the gene function and pathway of the core target through geneontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG).[Results]46 active components of Angelica sinensis-Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex were screened,and 212 related targets were predicted,of which 159 were related to disease.These targets were mainly involved in biological processes such as heterologous biological stimulation,oxidation and anti-oxidation,and were mainly concentrated in PI3K-Akt,mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK),hypoxia inducible factor-1(HIF-1)and other related signaling pathways.[Conclusions]The multi-component,multi-target and multi-pathway action characteristics of Angelica sinensis-Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex were confirmed by network pharmacology,and the possible mechanism of Angelica sinensis-Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex in the treatment of CP was predicted,which provided a theoretical basis for further experiments to verify its action mechanism.

Clinical classification of chronic prostatitis:a preliminary investigation

Aim: To propose a practical clinical classification for the chronic prostatitis (CP). Methods: The clinical fea-tures and the findings in the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) in 804 cases of CP patients were retrospectively ana-lyzed. Results: Four types of CP were identified based on the clinical manifestations and the amounts of whiteblood cells (WBC) and lecithin in EPS. They were the latent type (85 cases; 10.6%), the common type (423 cases;52.6%), the persisting type (104 cases; 12.9%), and the active type (192 cases, 23.9%). The therapeutic efficacyfor these 4 subtypes were 40.4%, 76.8%, 30.8% and 37%, respectively; a statistical difference was noticed be-tween the common type and the persisting type (P < 0.01 ). Conclusion: The method of classification proposed bythe authors may help clinicians in the diagnosis and predicting the prognosis of CP. (Asian J Androl 2000 Dec; 2:311-313)

Molecular mechanism and promising treatments of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome:An exploratory bibliometric analysis and literature review of preclinical studies

Background:As one of the most common diseases in urology,a large number of preclinical studies have been accumulated to explore the etiological mechanism and potential intervention of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CP/CPPS).Methods:In this study,we systematically evaluated the current status of preclinical research on CP/CPPS through bibliometrics analysis using VOSviewer and Citespace.Characteristics of publication such as year,country/region,institution,author,journal,citation,and keywords were analyzed.Based on the bibliometrics analysis results of keywords,we summarized the possible mechanisms and promising treatments for CP/CPPS narratively.Results:According to the results of this study,the most common mechanisms involved in CP/CPPS were as follows:Disturbed immune and inflammation mediators,immune cell dysfunction,oxidative stress,dysregulated signaling pathways,apoptosis,gut microbiota,and testosterone metabolism.Traditional Chinese Medicine and extracorporeal shock wave therapy have important potential in the treatment of CP/CPPS.Conclusion:Further translational studies targeting the above mechanisms and validating the objective efficacy of potential treatments indicated by preclinical studies in clinical patients are needed in the future.

Research progress of miRNA and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis

Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis(CNP),also the typeⅢprostatitis account for more than 90%of all patients with prostatitis.It has a long course of disease,easy to repeat,unknown pathogenesis and poor clinical efficacy.At present,some scholars at home and abroad have found that there is differential expression of microRNA(miRNA)in prostatic fluid of CNP patients or prostate tissue of CNP rat model.Intervention of miRNA expression can alleviate the symptoms and pharmacodynamics of CNP to a certain extent,which opens up a new way and direction for the pathogenesis and diagnosis and treatment of CNP.Therefore,this paper reviews the research progress of miRNA and CNP in recent years.

A comparative study of two methods for establishing a chronic non‑bacterial prostatitis model in rats‑

Objective:To compare the biological characteristics and stability of the chronic non-bacterial prostatitis(CNP)model in rats induced by the depot combined with estrogen induction method and the autoimmune response induction method.Methods:The CNP rat model was prepared using the depot combined with 17β-estradiol induction method in the depot hormone group and three concentrations of prostate protein homogenate at 40 mg/mL,20 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL in the autoimmune group,respectively.The degree of prostate tissue damage was evaluated by pathology(HE staining),and the immunoturbidimetric method was used to evaluate the contents of immunoglobulins IgA,IgM and IgG.ELISA was used to evaluate interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-10(IL-10),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and high-sensitivity-C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),and electrochemiluminescence was used to evaluate the expression level of testosterone(T),and the two model methods were compared.Results:Compared with the sham-operated group,the body mass of rats in both models was significantly lower in the depot hormone group and autoimmune group before extraction(P<0.01,P<0.01),and histopathology of the prostate in both models showed destruction of glandular structure and a significant increase in inflammatory cells.Compared with the depot hormone group and the autoimmune group,the histopathological changes and inflammatory pathological scores of prostate and the contents of immune indexes IgA,IgM and IgG were significantly different in the depot hormone group(P<0.05,P<0.05,P<0.05),and the levels of IL-1β,IL-10,TNF-α,hs-CRP and T were significantly changed in the autoimmune group(P<0.01).The comparison between the high,medium and low dose groups of the autoimmune group,in which the pathological changes in the medium dose of the autoimmune group were slightly better than the other two groups between the groups,but the changes in IL-1β,IL-10,TNF-α,hs-CRP,and T in the low dose of the autoimmune group were the most significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:The pathological tissues of the chronic non-bacterial prostatitis model established by the depot combined with estrogen induction method and the autoimmune response induction method both showed significant changes,and the comprehensive indexes indicated that the depot combined with estrogen induction method was a more appropriate modeling choice.

Fluoroquinolone-macrolide combination therapy for chronic bacterial prostatitis： retrospective analysis of pathogen eradication rates, inflammatory findings and sexual dysfunction

We previously demonstrated the safety and efficacy of fluoroquinolone-macrolide combination therapy in category Ⅱ chronic bacterial prostatitis （CBP）. The aim of this study is to retrospectively compare the microbiological and clinical findings of two treatment schemes for CBP based on the combination of azithromycin （500 rag, thrice-weekly） with a once-daily 500- or 750-mg dose of ciprofloxacin （Cipro-500 or Cipro-750 cohort, respectively）. Combined administration of azithromycin （1500 mg week^-1） with ciprofloxacin at the rate of 750 mg day^- 1 for 4 weeks rather than at 500 mg day^- 1 for 6 weeks increased the eradication rates from 62.35% to 77.32% and the total bacteriological success from 71.76% to 85.57%. A significant decrease in pain and voiding signs/symptoms and a significant reduction in inflammatory leukocyte counts and serum prostate-specific antigen （PSA） were sustained throughout an 18-month follow-up period in both groups. Ejaculatory pain, haemospermia and premature ejaculation were significantly attenuated on microbiological eradication in both groups, but the latter subsided more promptly in the Cipro-750 cohort. In total, 59 Cipro-750 patients showed mild-to-severe erectile dysfunction （ED） at baseline, while 22 patients had no ED on microbiological eradication and throughout the follow-up period. In conclusion fluoroquinolone-macrolide therapy resulted in pathogen eradication and CBP symptom attenuation, including pain, voiding disturbances and sexual dysfunction. A once-daily 750-mg dose of ciprofloxacin for 4 weeks showed enhanced eradication rates and lower inflammatory white blood cell counts compared to the 500-mg dose for 6 weeks. Our results are open to further prospective validation.

A preliminary evaluation of the psychometric profiles in Chinese men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Background As one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome （CP/CPPS） is characterized by a variety of complex symptoms. Anxiety and depression are two of the most prevalent clinical manifestations of patients with CP/CPPS, and have adverse effects on the health of the subjects and prognosis of comorbidities. Such psychological disorders, however, have not been deeply and thoroughly studied in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of psychological disorders in Chinese adults with CP/CPPS.Methods From April 2008 to June 2009, 80 patients and 40 age-matched healthy men participating in a voluntary health examination were recruited. The majority of the subjects completed the questionnaires on the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index （NIH-CPSI） as well as the hospital anxiety and depression scale （HADS）.Results Of all the participants, 77 （96.3%） patients and 37 （92.5%） healthy controls completed the questionnaires. The average NIH-CPSI total score was 21.0±9.5 for the patients and 2.2±1.5 for the controls （P=0.03）. Of the 77 patients with CP/CPPS, 48 （62.3%）, 5 （6.5%）, and 1 （1.2%） had anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, or both anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively. For the controls, the average HADS anxiety and depression scores in patients were 14.5±6.8 and 5.2±4.5, which were both significantly higher than in controls. Moreover, the prevalence and the symptom scores of both the HADS anxiety and depression were higher for the younger age group （〈35 years） than for the older age group （〈35 years）.Conclusions This preliminary study revealed that male patients with CP/CPPS had a higher prevalence of psychological disorders than in the control subjects. Moreover, the differences of the prevalence and severity of the psychological symptoms between the two different age groups may imply that psychological disorders related to CP/CPPS may be relieved with increasing age. The present study indicated that psychological evaluation is important in men with CP/CPPS, especially in younger men.

Fluoxetine ameliorates symptoms of refractory chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Background Category Ⅲ chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome （CP/CPPS） is a common syndrome of unclear etiology with significant impact on quality of life. Because the outcomes of multiple therapies for CP/CPPS have been far from approving, the possible psychological factors have been considered to play an important role in CP/CPPS.Based on this, we investigated the role of antidepressant drug （fluoxetine） in men with refractory CP/CPPS.Methods In this study, 42 men diagnosed with refractory CP/CPPS without response to standard therapy （include multiple antibiotic courses and a-blockers） were referred for fluoxetine therapy. All patients received fluoxetine （20 mg/d） for three months and were clinically evaluated before （baseline）, and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of therapy. The evaluation included a National Institutes of Health-chronic prostatitis symptom index （NIH-CPSI） and a Beck depression inventory （BDI） questionnaire. Moreover, the subjective global assessment （SGA） was assessed at the 4th, 8th and 12th week of therapy.Results Significant decreases were observed for total NIH-CPSI （28.55 to 9.29）, NIH-CPSI pain （14.69 to 5.19）,NIH-CPSI urinary （4.95 to 1.88 ）, NIH-CPSI quality of life （8.83 to 2.20）, and BDI （34.67 to 13.95） scores compared with baseline, all P values ＜0.05. Twenty-nine （69.05%） reported marked improvement on the subjective global assessment and 33 （78.57%） had a greater than 50% decrease in NIH-CPSI at the end of therapy （12th week）. At the same time, the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between BDI score and each CPSI score. No adverse events were reported in this study.Conclusions Fluoxetine appears to be a safe and effective treatment in improving symptoms in, and the quality of life of, men with difficult CP/CPPS. Moreover, amelioration of difficult CP/CPPS-related symptoms could be related to a decrease in depressive symptoms.

Is mild erectile dysfunction associated with severe psychological symptoms in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome?

This study aimed to assess the association between psychological disorders and erectile dysfunction(ED)in patients with different degrees of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CP/CPPS).This was a retrospective study conducted from June 2017 to October 2019 and included 182 outpatients.Patients were interviewed using the Structured Interview on Erectile Dysfunction(SIEDY)for pathogenic quantification.The National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index(NIH-CPSI)and the International Index of Erectile Function-5(IIEF-5)were used for the evaluation of CP/CPPS and ED.The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7(GAD-7)and Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9)were used to assess anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms.The number of patients with mild CP/CPPS and mild ED,mild CP/CPPS and moderate-to-severe ED,moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS and mild ED,and moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS and moderate-to-severe ED was 69(37.9%),36(19.8%),35(19.2%),and 42(23.1%),respectively.The corresponding PHQ-9 scores of the four groups were 6.22,7.19,10.69,and 7.71,respectively.The corresponding GAD-7 scores of the four groups were 5.26,6.31,8.77,and 6.36,respectively.Among patients with moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS,the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores of the moderate-to-severe ED group were significantly lower than those of the mild ED group(P=0.007 and P=0.010,respectively).The prevalence of ED and premature ejaculation(PE)in patients with moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS was significantly higher than that in patients with mild CP/CPPS(P=0.001 and P=0.024,respectively).Our findings proved that the severity of ED was negatively associated with psychological symptoms in outpatients with moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS.

ASICla contributes to the symptom of pain in a ra＇ model of chronic prostatitis

This study aims to validate our hypothesis that acid-sensing ion channels （ASICs） may contribute to the symptom of pain in patients with chronic prostatitis （CP）. We first established a CP rat model, then isolated the L5-S2 spinal dorsal horn neurons for further studies. ASICla was knocked down and its effects on the expression of neurogenic inflammation-related factors in the dorsal horn neurons of rat spinal cord were evaluated. The effect of ASICla on the Ca2＋ ion concentration in the dorsal horn neurons of rat spinal cord was measured by the intracellular calcium （[Ca~＊]i） intensity. The effect of ASICla on the p38/mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway was also determined. ASICla was significantly upregulated in the CP rat model as compared with control rats. Acid-induced ASICla expression increased [Ca2＋]i intensity in the dorsal horn neurons of rat spinal cord. ASICla also increased the levels of neurogenic inflammation-related factors and p-p38 expression in the acid-treated dorsal horn neurons. Notably, ASICla knockdown significantly decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, the levels of p-p38 and pro-inflammatory cytokines in acid-treated dorsal horn neurons were significantly decreased in the presence of PcTx-1, BAPTA-AM, or SB203580. Our results showed that ASIC1a may contribute to the symptom of pain in patients with CP, at least partially, by regulating the p38/MAPK signaling pathway.