Ertugrul Egilmez

Increased carotid artery intima‐media thickness and impaired endothelial function in psoriasis

Background  Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis. This study compared subclinical atherosclerosis of the carotid and brachial arteries in psoriasis vulgaris patients and healthy controls using high‐resolution ultrasonography.

Effects of diffuse fatty infiltration of the liver on portal vein flow hemodynamics

To investigate the effects of various degrees of diffuse fatty infiltration of the liver on portal vein blood flow with Doppler sonography.

Increased amount of visceral fat in patients with psoriasis contributes to metabolic syndrome.

Background: Psoriasis is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is associated with visceral fat accumulation. There is no study on the accumulation of visceral fat in patients with psoriasis. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the visceral fat accumulation in patients with psoriasis and controls. Subjects and Methods: 46 patients with psoriasis and 46 sex- and age-matched control patients were included in this study. The abdominal fat area [visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and total fat area (TFA)] at the level of the umbilicus was evaluated by computed tomography. Results: The mean VFA value and VFA/SFA ratio of the psoriasis patients were significantly higher compared with the control patients (123.4 ± 80.3 vs. 81.2 ± 59.8 cm2 and 0.734 ± 0.593 vs. 0.491 ± 0.336; p = 0.005 and p = 0.017, respectively). Fasting blood sugar levels were also found to be significantly higher in psoriasis patients, compared with the control patients (101.8 ± 43.5 vs. 83.4 ± 9.1 mg/dl; p = 0.005). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that waist-to-hip ratio, age, body weight, the presence of psoriasis and metabolic syndrome were significantly associated with VFA. Conclusion:Psoriasis patients had a higher amount of VFA, compared with the control patients.

Quantitative Brain Diffusion-Tensor MRI Findings in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the microstructure of various regions of the brain using diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and in age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. We also investigated the fiber tractography findings of the corpus callosum (CC) and corticospinal tracts (CSTs). SUBJECTS AND METHODS Sixteen right-handed patients with SCD and 14 age- and sex-matched right-handed healthy control subjects were scanned using conventional MR sequences and DTI. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were calculated and regions of interest were selected in various brain areas (superior and inferior frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal white matter areas), anterior and posterior periventricular areas, centrum semiovale, basal ganglia (lentiform nucleus, head of caudate nucleus), thalamus, cerebral peduncles, pons, cerebellar white matter areas, and CC. Diffusion-tensor tractography of the CC and CSTs was also performed. RESULTS For the patients with SCD, significantly reduced FA values, increased ADC values, or both were seen clustered in several brain areas, including the CC, frontal white matter, centrum semiovale, periventricular areas, head of the caudate nucleus, thalamus, brainstem, and pons (p < 0.05). Statistically significant reductions in fiber counts in the first and fifth segments of the CC and in CSTs bilaterally were also observed in patients with SCD (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION DTI shows microstructural abnormalities of various brain areas in patients with SCD.

Patients with psoriasis have an increased amount of epicardial fat tissue

Psoriasis is associated with coronary artery disease, and ischemic heart disease is associated with increased amounts of epicardial fat tissue (EFT). There has as yet been no study published on the accumulation of EFT in patients with psoriasis.

The prevalence and significance of incidental middle ear and mastoid cavity abnormalities on MRI in a pediatric population

OBJECTIVE The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of abnormalities in the middle ear and mastoid cavity on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children and correlate the results with clinical data, tympanometric findings and paranasal sinus changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 85 consecutive pediatric patients for suspected non-inflammatory intracranial pathologies were prospectively examined. MRI was conducted for the suspected intracranial pathology. All patients were also examined by an otolaryngologist for otologic pathologies. A tympanometry examination was performed in patients prior to MRI scan. RESULTS In 23 (27.1%) of 85 (39 males, 46 females) children, MRI demonstrated middle ear and/or mastoid cavity abnormalities. MRI abnormalities of the middle ear and/or mastoid cavity were correlated with clinical data and tympanometric findings. CONCLUSIONS Incidental abnormal signal intensities in the middle ear and/or mastoid cavity are frequent in children, especially in first years of life. MRI will demonstrate incidental middle ear and mastoid cavity abnormalities seems to have clinical significance.

Thyroid Doppler indices in patients with sickle cell disease

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the intrathyroidal hemodynamic changes and thyroidal volume in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. METHODS Thirty-two patients with homozygous SCD and 32 control subjects were examined with color Doppler ultrasonography. None of the patients and control subjects had clinical or laboratory evidence of thyroid disease. RESULTS SCD patients had significantly higher resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) values and lower thyroid volume compared with control group. CONCLUSION Increased intrathyroidal RI and PI and decreased thyroid volume may be due to impaired thyroidal microcirculation. Further and follow-up studies are needed to explain the relationship between Doppler parameters and thyroid functions.

Newsletter No. 10/2010

– Angelika Stary (Austria) Sexually Transmitted Infection and Global Migration – Christopher Griffi ths (UK) Psoriasis: More Than One Disease? – Jenny Kim (USA) Acne and Acneiform Diseases (Inducer of Follicular Infl ammation) – John Voorhees (USA) Aging Skin – Jürgen Schauber (Germany) Antimicrobial Peptides: More Than Epidermal Antibiotics – Katsuto Tamai (Japan) Regeneration and Repair – Markus Frank (USA) Stem Cells in Skin Cancer – Miroslav Blumenberg (USA) Skinomics: Molecular Profi ling as a Diagnostic Tool – Seung Hun Lee (Korea) Disorders of the Epidermal Barrier – Stephan Wagner (Austria) Melanoma: Do We Need a New Classifi cation?