Objectives: In a prospective study, we inves-tigated the value of acute-phase proteins, procal-citonin and anti-oxidant enzymes in differential diagnosis of acute scrotum.
Material and Methods: A total of 23 patients (epididymitis n=17, testicular torsion n=6) with acute scrotum (Group 1) and 23 healthy men as a control group (Group 2) were included in the study. All patients were assessed by blood analy-sis for serum levels of white blood cells (WBC), albumin, neutrophil rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), eritrosit sediment rate (ESR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and procalcitonin. The results were confirmed by the clinical findings, routine blood and urine tests and Doppler ultrasound.
Results: The mean age of all patients was 30.17±12.46; while the mean ages of each group were 29,96±15,85 and 30,40±7,21 respectively. Mean time from the beginning of patient compla-int to admission to hospital was 89.6 hours (ran-ge: 10-240 hours) in the patient group whereas the time was 100 hours in epididymo-orchitis pa-tients and 42 hours in spermatic cord torsion. In addition, 1 patient (4.3%) with torsion was over 18 years old (42 years old), while 8 with acute epi-didymitis were younger than 18 years old. When group 1 was compared with group 2, WBC, ne-utrophil albumin, sedimentation, CRP, SOD, CAT and GPX were statistically higher in group 1. However, only procalcitonin was higher when compared with torsion and epididymo-orchitis patients and also higher than group 2 (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Acute-phase proteins (especially procalcitonin) are helpful in differentiating epididymitis from noninflammatory conditions like testicular torsion or tumor.
Key Words: Acute scrotum; testes torsion; procalcitonin
Abstract
Objectives: In a prospective study, we inves-tigated the value of acute-phase proteins, procal-citonin and anti-oxidant enzymes in differential diagnosis of acute scrotum.
Material and Methods: A total of 23 patients (epididymitis n=17, testicular torsion n=6) with acute scrotum (Group 1) and 23 healthy men as a control group (Group 2) were included in the study. All patients were assessed by blood analy-sis for serum levels of white blood cells (WBC), albumin, neutrophil rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), eritrosit sediment rate (ESR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and procalcitonin. The results were confirmed by the clinical findings, routine blood and urine tests and Doppler ultrasound.
Results: The mean age of all patients was 30.17±12.46; while the mean ages of each group were 29,96±15,85 and 30,40±7,21 respectively. Mean time from the beginning of patient compla-int to admission to hospital was 89.6 hours (ran-ge: 10-240 hours) in the patient group whereas the time was 100 hours in epididymo-orchitis pa-tients and 42 hours in spermatic cord torsion. In addition, 1 patient (4.3%) with torsion was over 18 years old (42 years old), while 8 with acute epi-didymitis were younger than 18 years old. When group 1 was compared with group 2, WBC, ne-utrophil albumin, sedimentation, CRP, SOD, CAT and GPX were statistically higher in group 1. However, only procalcitonin was higher when compared with torsion and epididymo-orchitis patients and also higher than group 2 (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Acute-phase proteins (especially procalcitonin) are helpful in differentiating epididymitis from noninflammatory conditions like testicular torsion or tumor.
Key Words: Acute scrotum; testes torsion; procalcitonin