Yavuz Simsek

Maternal and fetal adropin levels in gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract Aim: To evaluate maternal and cord blood serum adropin concentrations in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Study design: Twenty pregnant women with GDM and 20 gestational age-matched healthy pregnant women participated in the study. Maternal serum and cord blood adropin levels were assessed using an enzyme immunosorbent assay, at the time of birth. The relation of maternal serum and cord blood adropin levels with metabolic parameters were also assessed. Results: The mean maternal and cord serum adropin in the GDM group were significantly lower than those of the control women (P=0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Maternal serum adropin levels did not correlate with either fetal serum adropin levels or maternal metabolic values. Conclusion: The data suggest that low adropin levels may contribute to the underlying pathogenesis of GDM.

Serum levels of apelin, salusin-alpha, and salusin-beta in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the serum apelin, salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels and preeclampsia. Method: Twenty-one healthy pregnant women (control group) and 48 patients with preeclampsia (study group) were included in the study between August 2010 and February 2011. Serum apelin, salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels of the groups were compared. Results: The patients in the study group were divided into two categories: mild preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia. The mild preeclampsia group consisted of 31 patients, and the severe preeclampsia group consisted of 17 patients. Serum salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels of the control and study groups were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Apelin levels were statistically significantly higher in the study group. No statistically significant difference was detected between the mild and severe preeclampsia groups in terms of the mean serum apelin levels. Conclusion: The serum levels of apelin were higher in the pregnant women with preeclampsia; however, there was no positive relationship between serum salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels and the disease. Larger prospective studies are needed to validate our findings.

Frequency of hereditary thrombophilia, anticoagulant activity, and homocysteine levels in patients with hemolysis, elevated liver functions and low thrombocyte count (HELLP) syndrome

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlations between thrombophilic mutations, anticoagulant activity and hemolysis, elevated liver functions and low thrombocyte count (HELLP) syndrome.

Surgical Removal of Endometrioma Decreases the NF-kB1 (p50/105) and NF-kB p65 (Rel A) Expression in the Eutopic Endometrium During the Implantation Window

We aimed to investigate whether the surgical removal of endometrioma alters the nuclear factor-kappa B1 (NF-kB1; p50/105) and NF-kB p65 (Rel A) expression in the eutopic endometrium of infertile women with endometrioma before and after laparoscopic removal of the ovarian endometrioma during the mid-secretory phase. Infertile women with endometrioma (n = 15) were enrolled. Infertile patients with nonendometriotic ovarian cyst (n = 10) and healthy fertile women (n = 10) were recruited as controls. Endometrial samples were obtained before and 3 months after the laparoscopic cystectomy. The NF-kB1 (p50/105) levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the endometrium of all groups before and after laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy during implantation window. Expression of NF-kB1 (p50/105) in eutopic endometrium was significantly higher in infertile women with endometrioma compared to nonendometriotic cyst and fertile controls (P < .05). Laparoscopic cystectomy resulted in a significant decrease in NF-kB1 expression in women with endometrioma. The NF-kB p65 (Rel A) immunoreactivity of eutopic endometrium decreased significantly subsequent to the surgical removal of the endometrioma. In conclusion, increased endometrial NF-kB expression may contribute to endometriosis-associated infertility.

Maternal and fetal serum orexin-A levels in gestational diabetes mellitus.

Aim:  Evidence suggests that orexin regulates food consumption, glucose metabolism and insulin secretion. Orexin may have a role in the pathogenesis of type II diabetes mellitus, however its role in gestational diabetes mellitus is not known. We aimed to assess maternal serum and cord blood orexin‐A (OXA) concentrations in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Ameliorative Effects of Resveratrol on Acute Ovarian Toxicity Induced by Total Body Irradiation in Young Adult Rats

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the ovarian protective effects of resveratrol in rats exposed to total body irradiation. DESIGN Experimental study. SETTINGS University hospital. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS Thirty female rats were randomized into four groups: (1) control group (n = 7); (2) low-dose (10 mg/kg) resveratrol group (n = 8); (3) high-dose (100 mg/kg) resveratrol group (n =7); and (4) sham irradiation group (n = 8). The drugs were administered intraperitoneally as single doses, and the rats were exposed to total body radiation 24 h after the treatment. The animals were sacrificed the following day, and their ovaries were excised for histopathological and biochemical analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The ovarian follicle counts were calculated, and irradiation-dependent ovarian damage and tissue levels of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. RESULTS Group 2 and Group 3 showed significantly higher numbers of total follicle counts compared with Group 1 (P < 0.01). The low-dose resveratrol treatment was associated with significantly higher numbers of primary follicles than the high-dose group. The tissue activities of glutathione peroxidase (GsH-Px) and catalase (CAT) were significantly elevated in the resveratrol-treated animals. Evaluation of ovarian histology revealed no remarkable changes in fibrosis and leucocyte infiltration among the resveratrol-treated and control rats; however, vascularity was significantly reduced in the high-dose group (P = 0.014). CONCLUSION Resveratrol attenuated irradiation-dependent ovarian damage, suggesting that this natural antioxidant is effective in reducing the follicle loss induced by ionizing radiation.

c-Kit proto-oncogene expression in endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer

PurposeTo evaluate the expression of c-kit (CD117) in endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer.MethodsExpression of c-kit in 10 normal endometrium, 18 simple endometrial hyperplasia, 16 complex endometrial hyperplasia (10 cases with atypia and 6 cases without atypia), and 6 endometrial cancer were investigated by immunohistochemistry.Resultsc-Kit expression decreased as the lesion progressed to endometrial cancer. Immunostaining was mostly focal and weak in the normal endometrium and was mostly diffuse and strong in the simple and complex endometrial hyperplasia.ConclusionsSimple and complex hyperplastic endometrial tissues express diffuse cytoplasmic staining for c-kit and the expression decreases with the progression of the lesion.

Assessment of anxiety and depression levels of pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum in a case-control study

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the depression and anxiety levels of pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum by using the Beck depression and anxiety inventory scoring system in a Turkish population. MATERIAL AND METHODS To ascertain this relationship, a case-control study was conducted involving 86 pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy. Forty-one subjects had hyperemesis gravidarum, and 45 were healthy pregnant women who served as control subjects. The groups were adjusted for age, parity, and body mass index. All included women were subjected to baseline laboratory investigations including serum TSH and total hCG levels. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with respect to the demographic and obstetric parameters and baseline laboratory investigations except the mean serum potassium level, which was significantly lower in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum than in the control group (p=0.039). Patients with hyperemesis gravidarum had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores than control cases (p=0.0001 and p=0.049, respectively). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that increased anxiety and depression levels may be involved in the pathogenesis of hyperemesis gravidarum and extra psychological support may be necessary during the treatment and follow-up of these patients.

Fulminant hepatitis A infection in second trimester of pregnancy requiring living-donor liver transplantation.

We present an 18‐year‐old pregnant woman who was referred to our emergency clinic as a case of acute hepatic failure and hepatic encephalopathy. Laboratory tests showed abnormal liver function tests and serological workup was consistent with acute hepatitis A infection. Ultrasonography revealed a single live fetus with fetal biometry compatible with 18 gestational weeks. The patient underwent a highly urgent liver transplantation using a right lobe graft from her husband. Histological examination of the explanted liver showed acute, lymphocyte‐rich, diffuse necrotizing hepatitis, consistent with acute necrotizing hepatitis A. After the operation her allograft function gradually recovered. Her follow‐up obstetrics ultrasound revealed a male fetus with severely decreased amniotic fluid. The patient was informed about the poor prognosis of her pregnancy and the pregnancy was terminated by vaginal misoprostol induction. She has maintained a good general condition and liver function for 4 months postoperatively, up to the present time.

Serum orexin-A (OXA) level decreases in polycystic ovarian syndrome

Abstract Aim: In the current study, we aimed to investigate whether serum orexin-A (OXA) levels are different in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) subjects. Materials and methods: Thirty-six women with PCOS and 40 healthy, age and body mass index-matched controls were included in the prospective cross-sectional study. All subjects underwent venous blood draws during the early follicular phase after overnight fasting. Serum OXA levels were measured with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The relationships between the serum OXA levels and the anthropometric and metabolic parameters were also assessed. Results: The serum OXA levels were lower in the women with PCOS compared to the control group. The serum OXA levels were correlated negatively with systolic blood pressure, the Ferriman-Gallway score and LH and free testosterone levels. Conclusion: Our results indicate that serum OXA levels decrease in the serum of women with PCOS.