Experimental long-term diabetes mellitus alters the transcriptome and biomechanical properties of the rat urinary bladder

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy is widely studied. In contrast, the pathobiology of diabetic urinary bladder disease is less understood despite dysfunctional voiding being common in DM. We hypothesised that diabetic cystopathy has a characteristic molecular signature. We therefore studied bladders of hyperglycaemic and polyuric rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM. Sixteen weeks after induction of DM, as assessed by RNA arrays, wide-ranging changes of gene expression occurred in DM bladders over and above those induced in bladders of non-hyperglycaemic rats with sucrose-induced polyuria. The altered transcripts included those coding for extracellular matrix regulators and neural molecules. Changes in key genes deregulated in DM rat bladders were also detected in db/db mouse bladders. In DM rat bladders there was reduced birefringent collagen between detrusor muscle bundles, and atomic force microscopy showed a significant reduction in tissue stiffness; neither change was found in bladders of sucrose-treated rats. Thus, altered extracellular matrix with reduced tissue rigidity may contribute to voiding dysfunction in people with long-term DM. These results serve as an informative stepping stone towards understanding the complex pathobiology of diabetic cystopathy.

Diabetic Cystopathy Occurs Independently from Other Atherosclerotic Risks

It has not yet been clarified whether atherosclerotic risks other than diabetes are related to bladder small fiber neuropathy (cystopathy) in type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to answer this question by urodynamics. This was a retrospective study. The subjects were 44 patients: 27 male, 17 female; mean age 67.0 ± 12.7 years; mean duration of diabetes 16.8 ± 13.1 years; mean HbA1c 7.8 ± 1.2%. We analyzed the relationship between diabetic cystopathy (at least one of the following abnormalities in urodynamics: decreased bladder sensation, post-void residual, detrusor overactivity, low-compliance detrusor) and clinical items, i.e., severity and duration of diabetes, nerve conduction, body mass index, blood pressure, cardio-ankle vascular stiffness index, and ultrasound Doppler echography (plaque score, intima-media thickness) in these patients. As a result, urodynamic diabetic cystopathy was not correlated with any of the above systemic items. In conclusion, the above findings suggest that bladder small fiber neuropathy can occur independently from systemic atherosclerotic risks.

Physiopathology of the diabetic bladder

Objective: To investigate the incidence of diabetic cystopathy in relation to age, gender, type of diabetes, duration of diabetic disease and clinical evidence of peripheral neuropathy and to analyze the physiopathology of the various forms of diabetic cystopathy due to sensory impairment, motor-sensory impairment, motor impairment and hyperreflexia. Materials and methods: In a retrospective multicenter cohort study the medical records of a cohort of 126 diabetic patients with (128 patients) or without (48 patients) urological symptoms were analyzed. Patients were observed at the Città di Alessandria Clinic of Policlinico di Monza and/or at the outpatient clinic of Alessandria Hospital from June 2018 to June 2020. The study excluded patients with central and/or peripheral neuropathy, spina bifida (mylomeningocele or meningocele) or spina bifida occulta; with persistent urinary infections; in anticholinergic treatment for enteric dysfunctions; in medical treatment for cervical-prostatic-urethral obstruction; with vaginal and/or rectal prolapse of II, III, IV degree; with previous spinal or pelvic surgery including radical prostatectomy, Wertheim hysterectomy or colorectal surgery. All the patients were studied with computed tomography (CT) scan of the urinary tract, voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), uroflowmetry, cystomanometry with intrinsic pressure assessment and compliance evaluation, electromyography (EMG) of the anal sphincter, pressure flow analysis, urethral pressure profile and, when advised, pharmacological tests.Results: Out of 126 diabetic patients, 48 did not show any signs or symptoms of urine voiding dysfunction; 30 were men and 18 women with an average age of 62.6 years; 20 had type I diabetes and were in treatment with insulin and 28 type II diabetes treated with oral hypoglycemic medication. The remaining 78 patients (48 men and 30 women), with an average age of 64.8 years, presented urological symptoms; 31 had type I diabetes and 47 had II type diabetes. Conclusions: Diagnosis of the various forms of diabetic cystopathy and early treatment decreases complications and consequently accesses to outpatient facilities and hospital admissions, resulting in an improved quality of life.

Bacteria-ball in the urinary tract: a rare entity

A bacterial mass in the urinary tract is a very rare entity. We report the first case of a bacterial ball within the urinary tract of a patient with diabetic cystopathy on long term urinary indwelling catheter. She presented with fever and gross haematuria. CT scan of abdomen and pelvis revealed a gas containing hyperdense mass within the bladder suspicious of bladder stone. The lesion was resected, and histopathology revealed a matrix of acellular materials with bacteria colony.

Urodynamic findings of bladder dysfunction in patients with Type 2 DM

Bladder dysfunction is one of the most common complications of diabetes, even exceeding nephropathy or peripheral neuropathy. Diabetic cystopathyaffects patients in both sexes, and its prevalence increases over time with diabetes; our concern is to evaluate the urodynamic findings of bladder dysfunction in diabetic patients.A cross sectional study conducted at Ghazi Al-Hariri Surgical specialized hospital during the period from the firsts of January 2018 to the end of Mar 2019, in which 118 diabetic patients (71 female and 47 male) with lower urinary tract symptoms were enrolled in the current study. The mean age (62±13) years old, 37.3% of patients presented with urgency as the main type of dysfunction. Diabetic cystopathy were found in (40,4%) of the male and (43.7%) of the female, while detrusor over activity were found in (15.5%) of the male and (18.3%) of the female, bladder outlet obstruction were represent (8.5%) of the male with significant association. Highly significant (<0.001) increase in female compliance and flow rate than that in male but highly significant decrease were found in female filling IV pressure. We concluded that Bladder over activity of the patients in the current study was found in more than half of the patients and diabetic cystopathy is the most common urodynamic finding in diabetic bladder dysfunction in patients with DM.

Bladder dysfunction in women with diabetes mellitus

Introduction: Lower urinary tract dysfunctions secondary to type 2 DM are common, chronic and costly disorders. The incidence of diabetic bladder dysfunction was estimated range between 43% and 87% for type 1 and 25% for type 2 diabetes. Ultrasonography is an easy-to-use, fast, safe, non-invasive, painless, pleasant and valuable method of assessing Bladder Post-Void Residual Volume (PVR). Aim: To investigate prevalence of bladder dysfunction and its relation with risk factors, clinical features of diabetic cystopathy in women with diabetes, to identify the values predicting to have postvoid residual volume of the risk factors. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study, a cohort of 84 female inpatients and outpatients with diabetes mellitus who were treated at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital from 08/2017 to 08/2019 and 84 healthy control subjects were enrolled, the patients were carried out clinical finding, taken blood tests, and estimated postvoid residual volume using 2D ultrasound. Results: the postvoid residual volume was presented in 67 cases (79.80%), the clinical symptoms of diabetic cystopathy were reported in 75% of women with diabetes. Blood glucose, HbA1c, clinical symptoms of diabetic cystopathy, postural hypotension and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were associated with postvoid residual volume. The HbA1c level had a great capability to predict who had postvoid residual volume, at HbA1c cutoff value of 9.1%, Se 65.67%, Sp 94.12%, AUC 0.811, p < 0.001. Conclusion: Bladder dysfunction made up a highly prevalent in women with poor glycemic control. Key words: bladder dysfunction, diabetic cystopathy, bladder postvoid residual volume (PVR)