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Background: To investigate the effect of systemic hypertension on the prostatic artery resistive indices by a comparative ultrasonographic evaluation of the prostate gland in normotensive and hypertensive patients with benign prostatic enlargement (BPE). Materials and methods: The participants had BPE and presented at the outpatient urologic clinic of a tertiary hospital. They were divided into normotensive and hypertensive groups. Each group had fifty patients. Calculation of international prostate symptom score, measurement of blood pressure, and transrectal ultrasonographic evaluation were done. Results: The mean age for the normotensive and hypertensive groups were 66.9 ± 9.8 and 66.0 ± 10.7 years, respectively (P = 0.662). Patients with hypertensive BPE had a significantly higher mean transitional zone volume, transitional zone index, presumed circle area ratio, quality of life score, and prostatic arterial resistive indices than the age-matched normotensive BPE patients. Conclusion: Patients with BPE and with hypertension had significantly higher prostate arteries resistive indices than normotensives with BPE. Even in patients with BPE and controlled hypertension, the prostatic artery resistance indices were still elevated than that of normotensive men with BPE.
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OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic and annual influenza epidemic are responsible for thousands of deaths globally. With a similarity in clinical as well as laboratory findings, there is a need to differentiate these two conditions on chest CT scan. This paper attempts to use existing literature to draw out differences in chest CT findings in COVID-19 and influenza. METHODS: A search was conducted using PubMed. 17 original studies on chest CT findings in COVID-19 and influenza were identified for full-text review and data analysis. Findings. COVID-19 and influenza share similar chest CT findings. The differences found show that COVID-19 ground-glass opacities are usually peripherally located with the lower lobes being commonly involved, while influenza has a central, peripheral, or random distribution usually affecting the five lobes. Vascular engorgement, pleural thickening, and subpleural lines were reported in COVID-19 patients. In contrast, pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax were reported only in studies on influenza. Conclusion and Relevance. COVID-19 and influenza have overlapping chest CT features with few differences which can assist in telling apart the two pathologies. Additional studies are needed to further define the differences and degree between COVID-19 and influenza.