Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Dialysis Patients and Symptom Check List Revised (SCL 90-R) Screening.

Objective: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a frequently seen functional bowel disease. Although not lifethreatening, it impairs quality of life and leads to economic losses. IBS symptoms are widespread in dialysis patients.

Association Between the Severity of Nocturnal Hypoxia in Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Damage.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major disease that can cause significant mortality and morbidity. Chronic intermittent hypoxia is a potential causal factor in the progression from fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Objectives: This study evaluated the association between the degree of liver steatosis and severity of nocturnal hypoxia.

The relationship between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Preliminary evidence suggests that a higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be an indicator of active ulcerative colitis (UC). However, it is not clear whether the NLR is a useful and simple indicator of clinical activity in UC after adjusting for the other inflammatory markers. We designed a retrospective study to evaluate the role of the NLR in estimating disease severity in UC patients.

Effects of the Chemokine Receptor 5 (CCR5)-Delta32 Mutation on Hepatitis C Virus-Specific Immune Responses and Liver Tissue Pathology in HCV Infected Patients.

Background: The specific antiviral T cells provide CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) for the immune response during the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Heterogenous and/or homozygous 32 base pair deletion in CCR5 gene (CCR5Δ32 bpdel) leads to reduced protein expression.

Objectives: In the current case control study, we aimed to compare the histopathological findings of liver to the CCR5Δ32 bpdel mutation profiles, expression and some other clinical findings in patients with chronic HCV infection.

A rare cause of pericardial effusion: giant cell arteritis.

Giant cell arteritis is a granulomatous vasculitis characterized by medium or large sized vessel involvement. Although extracranial branches of the carotid artery are typically involved, involvement of aorta and its major branches can also be seen. Cardiac involvement has been encountered less frequently and pericardial effusion is rarely encountered.

Oxidative stress in the adult and pediatric patients with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.

Background & Objectives: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) can be fatal with bleeding, shock and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). Although similar genetic strains have been defined, the causes of the clinical differences between the cases are yet to be found. We aimed to demonstrate the balance between oxidant and antioxidant system in CCHF.

Prevelance of common YMDD motif mutations in long term treated chronic HBV infections in a Turkish population.

In the current study we aimed to show the common YMDD motif mutations in viral polymerase gene in chronic hepatitis B patients during lamivudine and adefovir therapy. Forty-one serum samples obtained from chronic hepatitis B patients (24 male, 17 female; age range: 34-68 years) were included in the study. HBV-DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of the patients using an extraction kit (Invisorb, Instant Spin DNA/ RNA Virus Mini Kit, Germany).

Evaluation of oxidative status with exhaled breath 8-isoprostane levels in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Introduction: Studies conducted so far on the effect of hyperthyroidism on oxidative stress (OS) have employed blood and urine samples. Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC) is a non-invasive technique used to take sample from lungs to determine many biological indications. The aim of the present study was determine the possibility of using 8- isoprostane levels in EBC as an indicator of OS in hyperthyroid patients.

Changes in metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors before and after treatment in overt hypothyroidism.

Aim: Overt hypothyroidism is associated with an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease. We aimed to assess the changes in renal function, serum lipids, vitamin B12, folic acid and homocysteine levels before and after treatment in hypothyroid patients.

Methods: The study included 54 patients (F/M=47/7) with overt hypothyroidism.

Ischemic skin necrosis following terlipressin therapy: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Terlipressin is a synthetic vasopressin analogue that is used in the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices and hepatorenal syndrome in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatorenal syndrome is a form of renal failure seen in patients with cirrhosis, with fatal outcomes. Ischemic adverse effects related to terlipressin are rarely observed.

Evaluation of association between atherogenic index of plasma and intima-media thickness of the carotid artery for subclinic atherosclerosis in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Incidence of cardiovascular diseases in the patients having chronic kidney disease (CKD) is between 25% and 60%. This increased rate is proposed to be associated with "accelerated atherosclerosis." Increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a subclinical atherosclerosis marker.

Insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors in women with PCOS who have normal glucose tolerance test.

Introduction: We aimed to determine the insulin resistance in women with PCOS patients who have normal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and to evaluate cardiovascular risk by measuring C-reactive protein (CRP) and carotid intimae-media thickness (CIMT).

Methods: A total of 34 patients and age and body mass matched 20 healthy control subjects were included to this prospective study. Both of patients and control groups were consisted of normal oral glucose tolerance test.

Relationship between homocysteine and non-dipper pattern in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: The rate of reduction of nocturnal blood pressure (NBP) is lesser than normal in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM). Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHC) disrupts vascular structure and function, no matter the underlying causes. The risk of development of vascular disease is greater in diabetic patients with hyperhomocysteinemia than in patients with normal homocystein levels.

Leptin and bone mineral density in haemodialysis patients.

Introduction: There are very few data about relations between leptin and bone mineral density (BMD) in regular haemodialysed patients. We aimed to examine the relationship of serum leptin levels with BMD values in dialysed patients. We also assessed whether leptin is a significant predictor of BMD in haemodialysed patients.

Prevalence of hypertension among high school students in a middle Anatolian province of Turkey.

Hypertension may lead to irreversible damages in vital organs, such as heart, brain, and kidney, and may cause death in children if treatments are not given despite early diagnosis. This cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted during 1 January-31 March 2004 to investigate the prevalence of hypertension among high school students. The study cohort included 1,041 students of six high schools, who were selected from among 14,789 students of 26 high schools in Sivas province of Turkey, using the cluster-sampling method.

Investigation of relaxant effects of propofol on sheep sphincter of Oddi.

Background/aims: Intravenous anesthetics are often used for conscious sedation in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincter of Oddi (SO) manometry. This study was designed to investigate the effects of propofol on sheep SO.

Methods: SO rings were mounted in a tissue bath and tested for changes in isometric tension in response to propofol (10(-8)-10(-4)M) in the presence or absence of L-NAME (3 x 10(-5)M), a non-specific inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase; indomethacin (10(-5)M), an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase; glibenclamide (10(-5)M), an inhibitor of ATP-sensitive potassium channels; tetraethylammonium (3 x 10(-4)M), inhibitors of calcium-activated potassium channels; 4-aminopyridine (10(-3)M), a voltage-dependent potassium channel blocker.

A ligneous periodontitis and conjunctival lesions in a patient with plasminogen deficiency.

Destructive membranous periodontal disease is a rare and poorly defined entity that is a part of a systemic disease due to accumulation of fibrin material. The disease is characterized by gingival enlargement and periodontal tissue destruction that leads to rapid bone loss despite treatment efforts. We present a case with ligneous periodontitis and conjunctivitis.

Emergency room cases of mushroom poisoning.

Objective: To describe the pattern of mushroom poisoning in adults.

Methods: We investigated patients presenting at the Emergency Room, Medical School Hospital, Cumhuriyet University, Turkey between 1999 and 2003 with complaints of mushroom poisoning. They were kept under observation in the emergency unit and Anesthesia Department intensive care unit.

Serum leptin levels and malnutrition in patients with chronic renal failure.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between serum leptin levels, body mass index, and triceps skin fold thickness, which are anthropometric measurements, as well as serum albumin levels in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis.

Methods: We studied 75 patients (48 males, 27 females; ages between 18-82) at the Hemodialysis Unit, Cumhuriyet University Medical School; Private Sivas Dialysis Center; Hemodialysis Unit, Sultan Izzettin Keykavus Hospital; and the Hemodialysis Unit, SSK Sivas Hospital between January 2003 and February 2004. Patients were excluded if they had been on dialysis for less than one year, if they were anuric, or if they had been on dialysis with jugular or subclavian catheter and long-term permanent port catheter.

Relationship between serum leptin levels and body composition and markers of malnutrition in nondiabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis.

Background: Leptin is a protein hormone secreted by adipocytes, regulating body fat and food intake. It has been reported that serum leptin levels are high in patients with chronic renal failure, and this fact has been associated with malnutrition and body composition changes in patients on hemodialysis. This present study investigated the relationship between plasma leptin concentrations and body composition and markers of malnutrition in nondiabetic patients diagnosed with end-stage chronic renal failure, treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) or hemodialysis (HD).