[Coronary artery ectasia: its frequency and relationship with atherosclerotic risk factors in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization].

Objective: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as local or generalized aneurysmal dilatation of the coronary arteries. We aimed to determine the frequency of CAE at our center and to compare clinical and angiographic characteristics between patients with isolated CAE and CAE with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: From February 2004 to December 2005, 12.

[Acute results of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty].

Objectives: We aimed to analyze acute clinical, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic results and long-term event-free survival of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) in the treatment of hemodynamically significant mitral stenosis (MS).

Study Design: We retrospectively reviewed 577 patients (454 females, 123 males; mean age 38±11 years) who underwent PMBV for moderate or severe MS. Acute procedural success was defined as the achievement of mitral valve area (MVA) >1.

[Percutaneous treatment of aortic stenosis].

Aortic stenosis has emerged as a global pandemic with the ageing population and has become the third leading cause of structural heart disease after hypertension and coronary artery disease in industrialized countries. Older age and presence of serious comorbid conditions make surgery prohibitively risky in a large group of patients. The long-term results of balloon aortic valvuloplasty have been unsatisfactory, limiting the use of this procedure to only palliation or as a bridge to surgery.

CYP17 and CYP2C19 gene polymorphisms in patients with endometriosis.

Endometriosis seems to be the result of a complex interaction between environmental factors and various genes. In this regard, the cytochrome subfamily 17 (CYP17) may play an important role by altering the biosynthesis of sex steroids. CYP2C19 is also an important member of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) family, and related mutations may result in an inability to fully metabolize environmental chemicals and cytokines, leading to several diseases.

[Elevated serum uric acid levels in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia].

Objectives: It has been shown that serum uric acid (SUA) constitutes an important independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We investigated SUA levels in patients with coronary artery ectasia (CAE).

Study Design: Serum uric acid levels were measured in three groups of patients who underwent coronary angiography.

Single intramural leiomyoma with normal hysteroscopic findings does not affect ICSI-embryo transfer outcome.

Where there is no distortion of the endo-myometrial junction, the effect of an intramural leiomyoma on reproductive performance is controversial. The current study compared the performance of patients having a single leiomyoma and intact endometrium confirmed by hysteroscopy (study group) with that of controls having intact endometrium alone in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. A total of 61 consecutive infertile patients were retrospectively enrolled into the study group from a computerized IVF database.

Relationship of admission hematological indexes with myocardial reperfusion abnormalities in acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary interventions.

Background: Elevated values of mean platelet volume (MPV) and elevated white blood cell (WBC) count are predictors of an unfavourable outcome among survivors of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, their relationship with reperfusion abnormalities is less clear.

Objective: To evaluate the value of admission MPV and WBC count in predicting impaired reperfusion in patients with acute STEMI who are treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Comparison of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass and off-pump coronary artery bypass in single-vessel disease.

Background: Off-pump coronary surgery is an established method of less invasive cardiac surgery. We compared our early results in patents with I-vessel disease who underwent surgery with full sternotomy with off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) or a left anterior minithoracotomy with minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCAB) without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: From July 2003 to June 2006, 54 patients with single-vessel disease of the left anterior descending artery who underwent surgery performed by the same surgical team were included in this prospective study.

Role of leukotrienes in the pathogenesis of dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls.

Although dysmenorrhea is a leading cause of gynecologic complaints among adolescents, its pathogenesis is incompletely understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of prostaglandins and leukotrienes in the pathogenesis of dysmenorrhea. Twenty patients with dysmenorrhea aged 16.

[Thrombi in the right atrium and inferior vena cava mimicking myxoma in a patient with recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism].

A 26-year-old male patient presented with complaints of pain, dyspnea, and hemoptysis of one-week history, while on oral anticoagulation treatment that had been started two years before upon the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism. Transthoracic echocardiography showed two mass lesions in the right atrium and inferior vena cava, measuring 3.5x3 cm and 1.

Sulphasalazine treatment in protracted familial Mediterranean fever arthritis.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by self-limited attacks of fever and polyserositis. Articular involvement in early-onset FMF is a common finding characterized by non-erosive, generally asymmetric monoarthritis in large joints. Protracted FMF arthritis was reported in 2.

[Cardiac resynchronization therapy: Is the ECG criterion satisfying? What are the alternative modalities?].

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces morbidity and mortality markedly in patients with heart failure and prolonged QRS duration. Although QRS duration seems to be the main inclusion criterion for CRT in major randomized studies, nonresponders account for nearly 30% to 40% of the patients. We reviewed information on and measurement of electrical and mechanical dyssynchrony, difficulties and weaknesses of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic indices of dyssynchrony, new and alternative diagnostic modalities, and controversial issues on predicting response to treatment.

A case with bilateral radio-ulnar synostosis.

Congenital radio-ulnar synostosis may be an isolated abnormality or additional abnormalities may accompany it. It may also be found as a part of well-known syndromes. We present a case with bilateral congenital radio-ulnar synostosis, speech delay, dimple on shoulders, café au lait spot and characteristic facial appearance.

Radiographic and pathological stages of the changes at the bone-cement interface: an in-vivo experimental study.

Introduction: Chemical and physical effects of cementation cause radiographic and histological changes at bone-cement interface. These changes can be of interest in the assessment of the residual lesions and subsequent recurrences after local resection and cementation of local aggressive tumours.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the evolution and determine the stages of the changes that occur at the bone-cement interface after cementation of cavitary lesions.

The effect of percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty on N-terminal- pro B- type natriuretic peptide plasma levels in mitral stenosis.

The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PBMV) on the plasma levels of N-terminal-pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and to investigate the relationship between the changes in hemodynamic variables and NT-proBNP levels after PBMV. Plasma NT-proBNP concentrations were obtained from 60 symptomatic patients with rheumatic MS who underwent PBMV, and in 35 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Patients with MS were found to have significantly higher levels of plasma NT-proBNP compared to the control group (293 [77-1093] pg/mL versus 24 [12-67] pg/mL, respectively; [P < 0.

Relationship between inflammation and atrial fibrillation in patients with isolated rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS), with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity. Although recent data have suggested that the inflammatory process is associated with non-valvular AF, the relationship between inflammation and AF occurrence in MS patients remains unknown. The study aim was to determine whether plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), as a marker of inflammation, are elevated in patients with isolated rheumatic MS and AF compared to patients with MS but without AF.

Relation of admission QRS duration with development of angiographic no-reflow in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous interventions.

Background: Although QRS-complex changes during ischemia have been described previously, their relation with no-reflow is not clear.

Purpose: To evaluate relation of admission QRS duration with angiographic no-reflow, we studied 162 patients who underwent primary angioplasty.

Methods: Twelve-lead electrocardiogram with a paper speed of 50 mm/s was recorded on admission and repeated after angioplasty.

[Hot saline irrigation as an alternative local adjuvant therapy in local aggressive bone tumors].

Objectives: This study aimed to develop an alternative thermoinactivation method for biological inactivation of microscopic contamination on the cavity wall following curettage of local aggressive tumors. Hot saline irrigation was applied at various temperatures to bone cavity, with or without tourniquet on the extremity and temperature changes and local effects were investigated in vivo.

Methods: Bone cavities 12 cm3 in size were created in the condylar regions of the hind legs in nine female adult sheep.

Elevated second trimester serum homocysteine levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the association between total serum homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate levels in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), glucose intolerance and compare them with those of glucose tolerant pregnant women.

Materials And Methods: Serum homocysteine, vitamin B12 and serum folate levels were prospectively measured in a total of 223 pregnant women who were grouped according to their status of glucose tolerance as gestational diabetes (abnormal 1-h and 3-h glucose tolerance test; n = 30), glucose intolerant (abnormal 1-h, but normal 3-h glucose tolerance test; n = 46) or normal controls (normal 1-h glucose test; n = 147).

Results: Mean serum homocysteine concentration of women in gestational diabetes, glucose intolerants and normal controls at 24-28 weeks of gestation was 9.

Perinatal outcomes of spontaneous twins compared with twins conceived through intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Objective: To compare perinatal outcomes in spontaneous twins compared with those conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Patients: Cases consisted of 274 intracytoplasmic sperm injection twins, controls were 348 naturally conceived twins delivered between 1999 and 2003 in a tertiary hospital.

Biochemical and cytochemical evaluation of heterozygote individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

The aim of this study was to diagnose heterozygous glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient females by an inexpensive cytochemical G6PD staining method that is easy to perform, allowing diagnosis of G6PD deficiency without cumbersome genetic analysis. Three subject groups were included in the study. The first group consisted of 15 hemizygous deficient males.

Quantitative telomerase activity in malignant, benign and normal gynecological tissues.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate quantitative telomerase activity in malignant, benign and normal gynecological tissue samples by using the Telomerase-PCR ELISA kit, and to determine a cut-off level for malignancy by this quantitative method.

Materials And Methods: Fifty gynecological tumors, 27 benign gynecological disorders and 29 normal tissues were analyzed by the Telomerase-PCR ELISA kit. All tissues were confirmed by a pathologist.