Ruhuşen Kutlu

The correlation of the total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and paraoxonase activity (PON1) with smoking

OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to assess the total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and paraoxonase activity (PON1) in smokers and nonsmokers. DESIGN AND METHODS This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 100 smokers and 100 nonsmokers. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), TAS, TOS and PON1 levels of the participants were determined in the blood samples. TAS and TOS were determined by using the automated measurement method. Paraoxon was used as a substrate for measuring PON1 activity. RESULTS A statistically significant difference could not be found between smokers and nonsmokers in terms of mean FBG, LDL-c, HDL-c, TC, TG, TAS, TOS, PON1, oxidative stress index (OSI) and body mass index (BMI). Mean TAS and TOS levels were higher in men than women (p=0.001). As age (p=0.022) and age to start smoking (p=0.023) increased, TOS level decreased. As the age to start smoking (p=0.001) increased, TAS level decreased whereas as BMI (p=0.001) increased, TAS level also increased. A statistically significant relationship could not be established between age, age to start smoking, duration and amount of smoking, dependence score and BMI and PON1 (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS In our study, although no significant correlation could be established between smokers and nonsmokers in terms of mean TAS, TOS and PON1, it is a fact that TAS, TOS and PON1 in the organism are affected by many factors and therefore there is a need for more extensive studies in this regard.

Y chromosome microdeletions in Turkish infertile men

AIMS: To detect the frequency and types of both chromosomal abnormalities and Y chromosome microdeletions in infertile men attending to our university intracytoplasmic sperm injection ICSI/IVF centre and fertile control subjects in our patient population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A total of 50 infertile men who were referred to IVF center of Meram medical faculty were selected for the molecular azospermia factor (AZF) screening program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Karyotype analysis and polymerase chain reaction amplification using 15 Y-specific sequence-tagged sites of AZF region were done. RESULTS: The total prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities was found to be 10% (5/50), including 4 patients with numerical and 1 patient with structural abnormalities. Overall, 4 of the 50 patients tested (8%) exhibited deletions of the Y chromosome, 3 of them being azospermic and 1 of them oligospermic men. The frequency of the microdeletions in subgroups with azospermia and oligozoospermia was found to be 10.7% (3/29) and 4.7% (1/21) respectively. Microdeletions of AZFb and AZFc regions were detected in all of the 4 patients. Neither AZFa nor AZFd microdeletions were indicated. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that one must know whether there is a genetic cause for male infertility before patients can be subjected to ISCI or testicular sperm extraction (TESE)/ISCI treatment.

The effects of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and maternal vitamin D levels on neonatal vitamin D levels and birth parameters

Abstract Objective: The current study aimed to measure the levels of vitamin 25(OH)D in pregnant women and in the umbilical cord blood of newborns and to evaluate the association of vitamin D levels with birth parameters. Methods: This cross-sectional analytic investigation was performed in 100 pregnant women at term and in 100 newborns born to these mothers. Plasma vitamin D level was measured and birth parameters of the babies were recorded. Results: Mean vitamin D levels in pregnant women and cord blood were 11.39 ± 6.24 ng/ml and 8.00 ± 4.95 ng/ml, respectively. Vitamin D levels were found to be higher in the women who had received vitamin D support during pregnancy (p < .001). Height (p = .004), head circumference (p = .003), and chest circumference (p = .005) of newborns born to mothers who had received vitamin D support were higher compared to non-receivers. Maternal vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/ml) and insufficiency (10–30 ng/ml) was detected in 53.0% and 47.0% of the cases, respectively. None of the women had sufficient levels of vitamin D. Conclusions: This study established that vitamin D levels were low in maternal and cord blood in spite of the administration program of Ministry of Health in pregnant women. The importance of vitamin D supplementation should be explained to the pregnant women in each visit.

The effects of smoking on vascular endothelial growth factor and inflammation markers: A case-control study

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of obstructive lung disease characterized by long‐term poor airflow. Tobacco smoking is the most common cause of COPD. In this study, we aimed to assess the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inflammation markers on smokers and non‐smoking individuals.

Effects of mandatory salt iodization on breast milk, urinary iodine concentrations, and thyroid hormones: is iodine deficiency still a continuing problem?

PurposeTo investigate whether mandatory use of iodized salt in Turkey, since 1999 has sufficient effects on pregnant women and their newborns’ urinary iodine concentrations (UIC), maternal and newborns’ thyroid function tests and breast milk iodine concentrations (BMIC).MethodsThis cross-sectional analytical-type study was conducted in an obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Konya, Turkey. One hundred and seven pregnant women and their 107 full-term newborns were included into the study. Levels of pregnant women and their newborns’ UIC, thyroid-stimulated hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroglobulin (Tg), and BMIC were studied.ResultsOf 107 women with term pregnancy, mean TSH value and hypothyroidism frequency were found as 2.34 ± 1.33 mIU/L and 18.7%, respectively. Cord blood TSH level was found higher (≥ 10 mIU/L) in five newborns. Accordingly, the incidence of transient congenital hypothyroidism was 4.7% (5/107). Tg levels were observed to be higher in 50.5% of newborns and 22.4% of pregnant women. Frequency of iodized salt use in pregnancies was detected as 96.3% in general population, 97.5% in urban, and 92.9% in rural areas. Of pregnancies and newborns, 57.9 and 53.3% were found to have deficient urinary iodine, respectively, and BMIC deficiency was detected as 52.0%. There was a significant positive correlation between pregnant women’s UIC, and newborns’ UIC and BMIC.ConclusionsDespite the effective struggle with iodine deficiency and salt iodination control program in Konya, we concluded that iodine deficiency still persists as a significant problem in pregnancies.

Relationship between smoking and total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, vit C, vit E

Tobacco smoking contains many toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic chemicals, as well as stable and unstable free radicals. In this study, we aimed to assess the vitamin E, vitamin C and total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) in smoking and non‐smoking men.

Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome and Long-Term Chronic Health Problems in Infertile Women

Infertility is the inability to conceive for at least 1 year despite regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Approximately 10%-15% of couples worldwide have infertility problems. Primary infertility is defined as not being pregnant previously, and secondary infertility is defined as having trouble conceiving again despite unprotected intercourse, even though pregnancy has been previously achieved (1).

Bir Çocuk ve Doğum Hastanesinde Doğan Bebeklerin Özellikleri

Amac: Yenidogan fizyolojik, anatomik ve farmakolojik olarak eriskin bireyden oldukca buyuk farkliliklar gosterir. Hastane bazli bu calismada amacimiz bir cocuk ve dogum hastanesinde dogan bebeklerin ozelliklerini degerlendirmektir. Yontem: Tanimlayici tipteki bu arastirmada, Konya’da Saglik Bakanligina bagli Faruk Sukan Cocuk ve Dogum Hastanesi’nde dogan bebeklerin ozellikleri degerlendirildi. Calismanin evrenini 1-31 Mayis 2007 tarihleri arasinda dogan tum yenidoganlar olusturdu. Ilgili kurumun ve dogum yapan kadinlarin izni alindiktan sonra annelere, dogumdan sonraki ilk gunde gebelik ve dogum ile ilgili bilgileri iceren, onceden hazirlanmis olan ve 42 sorudan olusan bir anket formu uygulandi. Yenidogan bebeklerin cinsiyeti, boy, kilo, bas cevresi, APGAR skoru, dogum sekli, bebeklerin saglik durumu dogum hemsiresi tarafindan standart bir ankete kaydedildi. Bulgular: 956 yenidoganin 494’u (%51.7) erkek, 462’si (%48.3) kiz idi. Annelerin yas ortalamasi 26.6 ± 5.5 (min=16, max=49) olup, evlenme yas ortalamasi 19.9 ± 3.0 yil (min:12, max:37) idi, %71.6’si (n=684) ilkokul egitimi almisti, gebeliklerin 913’u (%95.5) planli olmustu ve %16.3’u esi ile akraba idi. Gebelik sayisi ve yasayan cocuk ortanca degeri 2 idi ve %16.3’unun (n=156) sosyal guvencesi yoktu. Bebeklerin ortalama dogum agirligi 3162 ± 548.38 gr. (min=550, max=4800), ortalama dogum boyu 49.33 ± 2.74cm. (min=20, max=55), ortalama bas cevresi 34.11 ± 2.57cm. (min=12, max=37), APGAR skoru ortalamasi 9.26±1.41, %77.3’u (n=739) vajinal yolla, %22.7’si (n=217) sezaryen ile dogmustu. Bebeklerin 917’si (%95.9) saglikli iken, 39’unda (%4.1) bir patoloji mevcuttu. Saglikli dogmayan bebeklerin 12’si (%1.3) olu dogum, 17’si (%1.8) premature, 7’si (%0.7) mekonyum aspirasyonu, 3’u (%0.3) asfiktik dogmustu. Sonuc: Gebeliklerin planli olmasi, akraba evliliklerinin yuksekligi, erken ve olu doguma bagli bebek olumlerinin az olusu dikkat cekmektedir