Ali Cetinkaya

Efficacy and tolerability of pegylated-interferon alpha-2a in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background and Aim:  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients. These patients experience more side‐effects with antiviral treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of pegylated interferon (PEG‐IFN) α‐2a in chronic hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Tuberculosis of the Thyroid Gland: Review of the Literature

ObjectiveThyroid tuberculosis (TTB) is a very rare condition, even in countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis. The aim of this article is to review and retrieve data about thyroid tuberculosis from the English-language literature in order to gain a better understanding of the clinical characteristics of TTB.Study DesignWe performed Medline, PubMed, and library searches using the key words “thyroid tuberculosis,” “throid disease,” “tuberculosis and thyroid.” Reference lists of the articles obtained and previous reviews were also examined.ResultsWe retrieved 76 cases matching our selection criteria from the search. Review of the cases with TTB revealed a slight female preponderance. The patients reported in the literature ranged in age from 9 to 83 years, with a median age of 40 ± 16 years for men and 44 ± 17 years for women. In the articles surveyed, TTB presented with a broad spectrum of manifestations, ranging from an isolated nodule to thyrotoxicosis. It seems that diagnosis of thyroid tuberculosis has recently been increasing, perhaps because of the growing incidence of tuberculosis and the diagnostic use of fine-needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis. Although, in the past, the diagnosis was genarally made by the examination of the specimens, at present, fine-needle aspiration cytology seems to be a useful method in diagnosis tuberculous thyroiditis.The role of surgery is limited after the diagnosis. The choice of treatment should be medical antituberculous therapy.ConclusiıonsPreoperative diagnosis of thyroid tuberculosis is important because of the availability of medical treatment and the limited role of surgery. This condition should be kept in mind in evaluating patients with a thyroid nodule, in communities where the prevalence of tuberculosis is high.

Clinical and laboratory features of brucellosis in two university hospitals in Southeast Turkey

This prospective study was carried out in two university hospitals between January 2000 and December 2002. The diagnosis of brucellosis was made with compatible clinical findings, positive Brucella agglutination 1/160 titres, and/or the isolation of Brucella species. The patients were followed up without intervention. One hundred and thirty-eight patients with active brucellosis were evaluated. Of the participants, 79 (57.2%) cases were acute, 23 (16.7%) sub-acute and 36 (26.1%) chronic. Brucella melitensis was isolated in the specimens of 24 (26.9%) out of 89 patients. The most frequent symptoms were fever (78.3%), arthralgia (77.5%) and sweating (72.5%). The most common physical findings were fever (40.6%), splenomegaly (36.2%), and hepatomegaly (26.8%). The osteoarticular involvement was found in 64 patients (46.4%). Ten (7.5%) patients had orchiepididymitis. Meningitis, pulmonary involvement, endocarditis, and hepatitis were found in five (3.6%), three (2.1%), two (1.5%) and one (0.7%) patient, respectively. Relative lymphomonocytosis was found in 80 cases (58.8%), anaemia in 46 (33.3%) and leucopoenia in 30 cases (21.7%). Clinical relapse was observed in 14 patients (10.1%).

Effects of Antioxidant Therapy on Leukocyte Myeloperoxidase and Cu/Zn-Superoxide Dismutase and Plasma Malondialdehyde Levels in Experimental Colitis

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and L-carnitine (LCAR) supplementations on polymorphonuclear leukocytes myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) in acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis model. The mean polymorphonuclear leukocyte MPO and Cu/Zn-SOD activity was significantly higher in the colitis group than in the control group. Both NAC and LCAR pretreatment markedly decreased MPO and Cu/Zn-SOD activity compared to colitis group. AA administration significantly increased the levels of plasma MDA in comparison with controls. However, NAC and LCAR administration to the AA-treated rats significantly reduced the MDA levels compared to colitis group. In conclusion NAC and LCAR could be beneficial agents in restoring the circulating proinflammatory mediators.

Levels of Malondialdehyde and Superoxide Dismutase in Subclinical Hyperthyroidism

We aimed to determine whether patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism (SH) are subject to oxidative stress. Twenty-two women and 8 men having endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism for a duration of at least 6 months, and 21 women and 9 men healthy controls were included in this study. We measured the level of plasma malondialdehyde, as one of the lipid peroxidation markers, and the activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, which is an antioxidant enzyme. The activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and plasma malondialdehyde levels were found to be significantly higher in subjects with subclinical hyperthyroidism than the control group (P < .01). The results of this study suggest that oxidative stress and antioxidative response could be increased in patients having subclinical hyperthyroidism.

Leptin levels in obese women with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus

INTRODUCTION The role of leptin has been more clear in the endocrinology area after the discovery of its secretion from the adipose tissue. The aim of the study is to investigate the leptin levels in obese women in whom type 2 diabetes mellitus were present or absent. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-five obese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (group 1) and 34 obese women without type 2 diabetes mellitus (group 2) were enrolled in the study. In both groups the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio were measured. Leptin, HbA1c, creatinine and the lipid profile were assessed. RESULTS Leptin was found to be statistically significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (40.22 +/- 17.77 ng/ml versus 50.12 +/- 15.51 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.019). It was well correlated with BMI in group 1 (r = 0.60, p = 0.0001). In group 1 also, correlation of leptin was moderate with creatinine and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (r = 0.36, p = 0.037 versus r = 0.37, p = 0.027, respectively), whereas triglyceride had a negative correlation (r = -0.34, p = 0.046). In group 2, the only significant correlation with leptin was BMI (r = 0.41, p = 0.02). Leptin was also significantly lower in 17 subjects with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus than in 18 well-controlled diabetics (33.54 +/- 15.82 ng/ml versus 44.61 +/- 17.54 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.038). CONCLUSION Since leptin is lower in obese women with diabetes than without diabetes and additionally it is even lower in the poorly controlled diabetes subgroup, we think that further studies a rerequired to make clear the issue for lower leptin levels, whether it is a reason or an outcome.

Ocular surface disorders and tear function changes in patients with chronic renal failure

BACKGROUND Ocular surface changes, mainly squamous metaplasia of the conjunctival epithelium and corneoconjunctival calcification of unknown etiology, may develop in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. An association between squamous metaplasia and corneoconjunctival calcification has been suggested. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between ocular surface disorders and tear function changes in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS In this prospective case-control study, 42 patients with chronic renal failure and 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects underwent full ophthalmologic examination, tear function tests (including Schirmers test, tear film break-up time [BUT] test and rose bengal staining) and impression cytology to determine the degree of conjunctival squamous metaplasia. They also responded to a questionnaire regarding subjective ocular complaints. Corneoconjunctival calcification was graded on a scale of 0 to 5 according to the system proposed by Porter and Crombie. Impression cytology samples were graded on scale of 0 to 3 according to the Nelson classification. The relation between ocular surface disorders and tear function changes was evaluated. RESULTS Of the 42 patients, 12 (28%) had grade 0 calcification, 10 (24%) had grade 1, 14 (33%) had grade 2, and 6 (14%) had grade 3 or higher. Four patients (10%) had grade 0 squamous metaplasia, 22 (52%) had grade 1, 12 (28%) had grade 2, and 4 (10%) had grade 3. The difference between the patient and control subjects in squamous metaplasia grades and corneoconjunctival calcification grades was statistically significant (p < 0.001 and p = 0.022 respectively). Abnormal tear film BUT (p = 0.002) and abnormal rose bengal staining (p = 0.023) were significantly more frequent in the patient group than in the control group. The grade of conjunctival squamous metaplasia was correlated with abnormal rose bengal staining (tau = 0.79, p < 0.001) and with the existence of subjective ocular complaints (tau = 0.32, p = 0.026). There was no correlation between corneoconjunctival calcification and tear function changes. INTERPRETATION Abnormal rose bengal staining and the presence of subjective ocular complaints may be used as follow-up criteria for ocular surface disorders in patients with chronic renal failure regularly undergoing hemodialysis.

Effects of the sibutramine therapy on pulmonary artery pressure in obese patients

Aim:  Obesity is a major global public health problem. Previous drugs (dexfenfluramine and fenfluramine) used for the treatment of obesity have been withdrawn due to various cardiac side effects. Sibutramine is an anti‐obesity agent. The purpose of this study was to assess cardiac valve disease and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) of the patients who used once daily doses of sibutramine.

Acute liver failure caused by mushroom poisoning: a case report and review of the literature

It is estimated that there are over 5,000 species of mushrooms worldwide. Some of them are edible and some are poisonous due to containing significant toxins. In more than 95% of mushroom toxicity cases, poisoning occurs as a result of misidentification of the mushroom by an amateur mushroom hunter. The severity of mushroom poisoning may vary, depending on the geographic location where the mushroom is grown, growth conditions, the amount of toxin delivered, and the genetic characteristics of the mushroom. Amanita phalloides is the most common and fatal cause of mushroom poisoning. This mushroom contains amanitins, which are powerful hepatotoxins that inhibit RNA polymerase II in liver. Mushroom poisoning is a relatively rare cause of acute liver failure. A 63-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency room with weakness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. He reported ingesting several wild mushrooms about 36 hours earlier. In this article we report a case of lethal Amanita phalloides intoxication from stored mushrooms.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients with metabolic syndrome

,!High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) has been shown to predict cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome has been found to play a critical role in the development of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this report is to assess the relationship between CRP and the metabolic syndrome. A total of 50 patients with metabolic syndrome and 40 healthy persons were included in the study. Plasma concentrations of CRP were measured by means of particle-enhanced immunonephelometry with the Behring nephelometer using N Latex CRP mono reagent. CRP levels were higher in patients with metabolic syndrome than control group (10.6 ±5.4 mg/L vs 3.5 ±0.8 mg/L, p<0.001). In partial correlation, plasma CRP positively correlated with body mass index (p<0.001), waist circumference (p<0.001), waist-to-hip ratio (p<0.01), total cholesterol (p<0.001), LDL-cholesterol (p=0.033), triglyceride (p=0.023), and fasting blood glucose (p=0.043) in patients with metabolic syndrome. HDL-cholesterol did not significantly correlate with CRP (p>0.05). In multiple regression analysis, body mass index (p<0.01), waist circumference (p<0.01), and fasting blood glucose (p<0.01) showed independent correlations with plasma CRP. CRP levels were found higher in patients with metabolic syndrome. These results suggest that abdominal obesity is the critical correlates of elevated plasma CRP levels found in patients with metabolic syndrome. These patients carrying high risk for cardiovascular events must be followed closely.