Metin Basaranoglu

Chemotherapy-induced Hepatitis B virus reactivation in HbsAg positive cancer patients: a single center experience

Hepatitis B reactivation due to chemotherapy is a cause of serious morbidity and mortality in some of the patients with cancer. In this study, we retrospectively assessed the prevalence of hepatitis B reactivation among the patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy. We investigated efficacy of lamivudine prophylaxis against hepatitis B reactivation as well.

Prevalence and Consultation Behavior of Self-Reported Rectal Bleeding by Face-to-Face Interview in an Asian Community

Background and Aim: Although rectal bleeding is a common gastrointestinal symptom, there are very few community-based studies, and all of these studies were conducted in the West. So far the epidemiologic characteristics of rectal bleeding have not been defined in an Asian country. We aimed to characterize self-reported rectal bleeding and its association with functional bowel disorders in Turkey. Factors affecting healthcare-seeking behavior were reviewed as well. Subjects and Methods: In this study, 760 subjects were chosen randomly. Questionnaires were completed by nurses during face-to-face interviews with each participant. Results: Of the 707 (93%) subjects included in this study, 9.5% had functional dyspepsia, 8.6% had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 24.5% had functional constipation, and 13.8% had functional abdominal bloating. The prevalence of rectal bleeding in the previous year was 14.7%. The recent onset of rectal bleeding was 2.7%. Rectal bleeding was more common among subjects younger than 45 years. Subjects who had functional constipation or constipation-dominant IBS reported rectal bleeding more frequently than others. The rate of consultation was only 41.3% among the subjects with rectal bleeding. Subjects aged ≧45 years and who had marked bleeding or bleeding more than twice a day or fear of cancer sought healthcare more frequently than others. Conclusion: Rectal bleeding is as common a symptom in Turkey as in Western countries. Advanced age and fear of cancer were independent predictors of consultation behavior in this group.

Seasonal variation of the onset of presentations in stage 1 sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a chronic disease with an unknown aetiology. Our aim was to evaluate the pattern of seasonality of stage 1 sarcoidosis subjects who had symptoms by all cases, by age and by both genders. In this study, we used Rogers test for cyclic variation to prove that this seasonal variation was more than chance.

Seasonality of the onset of symptoms, tuberculin test anergy and Kveim positive reaction in a large cohort of patients with sarcoidosis.

Background and objectives:u2003 Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology and pathogenesis. This study evaluated the seasonal variation in the onset of symptoms, Tuberculin anergy and Kveim positive reaction in a cohort of 492 patients with sarcoidosis and in a subgroup of 248 patients with known Kveim test responses.

Analysis of 87 patients with Löfgren’s syndrome and the pattern of seasonality of subacute sarcoidosis

Background and objective:u2003 Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of unknown aetiology. The seasonality of sarcoidosis in symptomatic, recently diagnosed patients with Löfgren’s syndrome was evaluated to help better understand the possible causative factor(s) in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Case study on drug-related adverse effects of hepatitis C therapy

The case of a 46-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis C who was prescribed subcutaneous pegylated interferon once a week and oral ribavirin once a day is presented. Within 24 h after the first injection to her left arm, the patient developed pruritus and erythematous papules at the injection site and painful papules on her hands. After immediate administration of antihistamines, the pruritus and papules remitted. One wk later, after injection in the right arm, skin lesions and pruritus were seen. After the third injection to the abdomen, the patient developed a rash, and after the fourth and fifth injections to other areas of the abdomen, injection-site papules were seen. The patient had no skin reactions for the next 12 mo, with the exception of injection-site papules. Hepatitis C virus RNA was negative after 12 mo of treatment. Clearly, patience is important during hepatitis C therapy in order to avoid unnecessary examinations and to promote successful outcomes.