Omur Tabak

Sertraline hepatotoxicity: report of a case and review of the literature.

Sertraline is a commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drug. Hepatotoxicity caused by sertraline is rare. Asymptomatic elevations in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels have been rarely reported and shortly normalize after discontinuation of the agent. We present a case of severe drug-induced hepatitis in a patient receiving sertraline. To our knowledge, this is the seventh case in the medical literature as being associated with severe hepatotoxicity. Since it is extremely rare, we do not suggest a strict laboratory monitoring. However, sertraline should be discontinued in cases with symptoms implying hepatotoxicity and the patients should be informed of the potential of this side effect.

Is alanine aminotransferase level a surrogate biomarker of hepatic apoptosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

AIM To evaluate the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) variabilities in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and correlate it with hepatocyte apoptosis and oxidative stress parameters. METHODS 24 patients with NAFLD and normal ALT were compared with 26 subjects with NAFLD and elevated ALT. Liver oxidative stress was estimated on the basis of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Immunohistochemistry was performed for activated caspase 3 and 8, nuclear factor-kappaB, antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein and serum TNF receptor levels were measured. RESULTS The mean caspase 3 and 8 activity scores, oxidative stress parameters, necroinflammatory grade and prevalence of severe fibrosis were comparable across the groups with normal versus elevated ALT. Patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis had significantly higher caspase 3 and 8 activity (percentage of cells with positive staining per high power field), and serum malondialdehyde (mmol/l) levels than those with simple steatosis. ALT elevation was not a risk factor for advanced necroinflammatory grade and fibrosis. A receiver operating characteristic curve did not demonstrate sensitivity and specificity for discriminative power of ALT. CONCLUSION Apoptosis and oxidative stress are the main processes contributing to disease progression in NAFLD. ALT values do not correlate with the parameters of apoptosis and oxidative stress. The disease severity can only be determined by liver biopsy.

Validation of Biochemical Markers for the Prediction of Liver Fibrosis and Necroinflammatory Activity in Hemodialysis Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Background: Liver biopsy is an imperfect gold standard for assessing the disease severity in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C. Our purpose was to compare the accuracy of the FibroTest (FT) and ActiTest (AT) with liver biopsy and the AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) in determining hepatic fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: The FT-AT index combining 6 biochemical markers was assessed in 33 hemodialysis patients with HCV. Liver fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity was staged and graded according to the METAVIR scoring system. Results: The accuracy of FT-AT versus biopsy was 0.46 for significant fibrosis and 0.36 for severe necroinflammatory activity. The FT index had a positive predictive value of 20% for scores greater than 0.6 and a negative predictive value of 45% for scores less than 0.2. Eleven of the 33 patients had scores ≤0.2, 6 had significant fibrosis on biopsy. Four out of 5 patients with FT scores >0.6 had mild fibrosis. APRI correlated well with the biopsy. Conclusion: The FT-AT test does not seem to be a reliable noninvasive marker for the prediction of necroinflammatory activity and fibrosis in hemodialysis patients with HCV and cannot be used as an alternative to either liver biopsy or APRI.

Carbamazepine-induced hypogammaglobulinemia

Carbamazepine is used to control seizures. Its common side effects are sleep disorders, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, polydipsia, irritability, ataxia, and diplopia. Involvement of the immune system is rare, and few cases of decreased immunoglobulin levels have been reported. We describe a patient with low immunoglobulin levels due to carbamazepine use who presented with recurrent urinary tract infection. Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered, and immunoglobulin levels increased to safer levels after discontinuation of carbamazepine. Previous reports describe severe infection after carbamazepine-induced hypogammaglobulinemia. Therefore, in patients using antiepileptics, particularly carbamazepine, serum immunoglobulin levels should be checked in those with recurrent infections.

Anorectal syphilis mimicking Crohn’s disease

Anorectal syphilis, one of the great masqueraders in medicine, can be difficult to diagnose not only because of its variable symptoms but also because it is hard to think of unless a detailed history about sexual preferences and practices, including homosexuality, has been gathered. With increasing acceptance of sexual activity in our culture, despite moral and religious issues, various forms of sex have led to many different clinical conditions of sexually transmitted diseases. In this report, we describe a rare case of primary anorectal syphilis with clinical, endoscopic and histologic features that was misdiagnosed as Crohn’s disease.

Clinical Features and Etiology of Adult Patients with Fever and Rash

Background Patients with fever and rash often pose an urgent diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma for the clinician. The nonspecificity of many fever and rash syndromes mandates a systemic approach to diagnosis. Objective We aimed to determine the etiology of fever and rash in 100 adult patients followed-up as in- or outpatients prospectively. Methods All the patients, who presented with rash and fever, were followed-up prospectively and their clinical and laboratory studies were evaluated. Results The median age was 35 years (14~79 years); 45 were female and 55 were male. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the etiology: infectious (50%), noninfectious (40%) and undiagnosed (10%). The most common type of rash was maculopapular, and the most common 5 causes were measles, cutaneous drug reactions, varicella, adult-onset Stills disease (ASD) and rickettsial disease. Viral diseases among infectious causes and cutaneous drug reactions, among the noninfectious causes, were determined as the main diseases. The mortality rate was 5% and the reasons of mortality were as follows: toxic epidermal necrolysis (2 patients), ASD (1), staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome (1) and graft-versus-host disease (1). Conclusion Adult patients with fever and rash had a wide differential diagnosis. The most common type of rash was determined as maculopapular, and the most frequent five diseases were measles, drug reactions, chickenpox, ASD and rickettsial infection. Viral diseases among infectious causes and drug reactions among noninfectious causes were determined as the leading etiologies.