Endoscopic topical application of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® in gastrointestinal bleeding.

Aim: This was a prospective study investigating the efficacy of Ankaferd Blood Stopper(®) (ABS), an herbal preparation, in patients with upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding.

Materials And Methods: A total of 30 patients (22 male, 8 female) who had UGI bleeding (with differing causes) were included in the study. ABS was used to stop the bleeding.

Effects of testosterone gel treatment in hypogonadal men with liver cirrhosis.

Introduction: Hypogonadism characterized by low serum testosterone level, loss of libido, small testes, impotence and gynecomastia is a common clinical situation in male patients with advanced chronic liver disease. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of testosterone replacement on muscle strength, bone mineral density (BMD), body composition and gynecomastia in hypogonadal men with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: Sixteen hypogonadal male cirrhotic patients were included and twelve completed the study.

Epinephrine plus argon plasma or heater probe coagulation in ulcer bleeding.

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of argon plasma coagulation (APC) and heater probe coagulation (HPC) in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Methods: Eighty-five (18 female, 67 male) patients admitted for acute gastrointestinal bleeding due to gastric or duodenal ulcer were included in the study. Upper endoscopy was performed and HPC or APC were chosen randomly to stop the bleeding.

Efficacy of different therapeutic regimens on hepatic osteodystrophy in chronic viral liver disease.

Background And Aims: Metabolic bone disease is common in patients with chronic liver disease. Comparative studies on the efficacies of antiosteoporotic agents in hepatic osteodystrophy have not been conducted yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of different therapeutic regimens on hepatic osteodystrophy.

Combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma associated with hepatolithiasis: report of a case.

Combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma is a rare form of primary hepatic carcinoma. We present a case of combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma coexisting with hepatolithiasis in a 53-year-old woman. The tumor was detected during surgery for the treatment of intrahepatic stones.

Primary hepatic carcinosarcoma.

Background: Primary hepatic carcinosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor containing an intimate mixture of carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements. Reports on risk factors, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of the tumor as well as the experience in its treatment are limited.

Method: We present a case of primary carcinosarcoma of the liver in a 69-year-old man who complained of right hypochondrial pain and weight loss for two months.

Assessment of heart rate recovery index in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

Heart rate recovery after exercise is a function of vagal reactivation, and its impairment is an independent prognostic indicator for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. The aim of our study was to evaluate heart rate recovery in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). The study population included 38 patients with FMF (14 men; mean age, 36.

Occult HBV infection in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients.

Aim: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can be defined as the presence of HBV DNA in the liver and/or blood in the absence of detectable serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag). There is a high prevalence of occult HBV infection in dialysis patients. This study investigated the prevalence of occult HBV infection in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients and compared the prevalence of occult HBV infection in dialysis patients either with or without hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Fenofibrate-induced acute renal failure due to massive rhabdomyolysis after coadministration of statin in two patients.

Fibric acid derivatives and statins have been increasingly recognized as causes of rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure. We report severe rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure associated to combination treatment with statin and fenofibrate in two patients with underlying coronary artery disease. Both patients developed rhabdomyolysis-induced acute renal failure after their hyperlipidemia treatment was changed from statin to statin plus fenofibrate.

Is increased colon subepithelial collagen layer thickness in diabetic patients related to collagenous colitis? An immunohistochemical study.

In this study, we evaluated immunohistochemically whether increased thickness of the colon subepithelial collagen layer in diabetic patients relates to collagenous colitis. A total of 100 patients (25 in each group) were included in this study. There were diabetic patients with chronic diarrhea in the first group, diabetic patients without chronic diarrhea in the second group, non-diabetic patients with chronic diarrhea in the third group, and control patients in the fourth group.

Clostridium difficile infection frequency in patients with nosocomial infections or using antibiotics.

Background/aims: Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea. The frequency of colonization in hospitalized patients varies between 10 and 43%.

Methodology: Clostridium difficile common antigen was investigated in stool samples of 50 patients who developed nosocomial diarrhea (group 1), 65 outpatients who attended the clinic after development of diarrhea during antibiotic use (group 2), 18 patients with active chronic inflammatory bowel disease (group 3), and 30 control patients were studied.

Pyoderma gangrenosum and exacerbation of psoriasis resulting from pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

Interferon therapy is the cornerstone of chronic hepatitis C treatment. Side effects of interferon include possible triggering or exacerbation of immune diseases in consequence of immunomodulatory effects. We describe the unique case, in which pyoderma gangrenosum and exacerbation of psoriasis were developed 8 weeks after pegylated interferon alpha 2a and ribavirin therapy in a 45-year-old woman.

Localized gastric amyloidosis: a case report.

Local deposition of amyloid without systemic involvement is rather uncommon and has been found in many organs. A 67-year- old man was admitted to our hospital presenting with weight loss, fatigue and poor appetite. Blood work and bone marrow examination revealed megaloblastic anemia.

Contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging findings of hepatocellular carcinoma and their correlation with histopathologic findings.

Purpose: To investigate the correlations of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of large (> 5 cm) hepatocellular carcinomas with tumor size and histopathologic findings.

Materials And Methods: MR imaging was performed in 30 patients with a histopathologic diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The imaging protocol included non-contrast, hepatic arterial, portal venous and late phases.

An uncommon lesion: gastric xanthelasma.

Although the clinical significance of gastric xanthelasmas is unclear, they are important lesions because they may be confused with malignant lesions. The etiopathogenesis is also unclear, but chronic gastritis, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia have been implicated.

Importance of anticoagulant proteins in chronic liver diseases.

Background/aims: This study was conducted to elucidate the importance of anticoagulant proteins in chronic liver disease and their possible role as markers in determining the severity of the liver disease.

Methods: This study was conducted on 35 patients with cirrhosis, 15 patients with chronic active hepatitis and 10 healthy controls. Coagulation inhibitor proteins such as protein C, protein S and antithrombin, as well as D-dimer level and thrombin time, which reflect fibrin degradation products, were measured.

The prevalence of unrecognized adult celiac disease in Central Anatolia.

Background: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of unrecognized adult celiac disease in Central Anatolia of Turkey and establish if prevalence figures are similar to other reports in the international literature.

Methods: Subjects were randomly selected from patients at the time of blood sampling because of a routine examination or suspicion of some disorder other than celiac diseases and were screened with anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA and serum IgA measurements. Duodenal biopsies were taken from the patients who were found positive for anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA and had low IgA levels.