The Impact of Systemic Inflammation on Recurrence in Patients with Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction.

/ Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) is commonly treated by probing, but recurrence remains a clinical issue. This study investigates the potential role of inflammatory biomarkers, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), in predicting recurrence after probing in children with CNLDO. This retrospective cohort study included 172 patients who underwent initial probing for unilateral CNLDO.

Aggregate index of systemic inflammation: A novel systemic inflammatory index for prediction of neonatal outcomes and chorioamnionitis in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Objective: To determine the value of the Aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI) in predicting admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and chorioamnionitis.

Methods: The present retrospective cohort study with pregnant women who were diagnosed with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) in the Department of Perinatology, Ministry of Health Ankara City Hospital between January 1, 2021, and June 1, 2023 (n = 357). The patients were categorized into subgroups: (1) cases with (n = 27) or without (n = 330) chorioamnionitis, (2) admission (n = 182) or no admission (n = 175) to NICU; (3) gestational age at birth <28 weeks or 28 weeks or longer; and (4) gestational age at birth <34 weeks or 34 weeks or longer.

Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness and Retinal Vessel Density with Serum HIF-1α and TNF-α Level in Patients with OSAS.

Purpose: To reveal changes in choroidal thickness, retinal vessel density, and serum HIF-1α and TNF-α levels in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and their correlation.

Methods: This prospective case-control study included 118 patients divided into mild-to-moderate OSAS ( = 40), severe OSAS ( = 39), and a control group ( = 39). Choroidal thickness was evaluated with OCT, vessel density with OCTA, AHI index with polysomnography, and serum HIF-1α and TNF-α levels were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Assessment of the fetal thymic-thoracic ratio in pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis: a prospective case-control study.

Objectives: To examine the fetal thymic-thoracic ratio (TTR) in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

Methods: This prospective case-control study was conducted in a single tertiary center. The sample consisted of 86 pregnant women at 28-37 weeks of gestation, including 43 women with ICP and 43 healthy controls.

Assessment of fetal cardiac function in pregnant women with anemia: prospective case-control study.

Objective: To compare fetal cardiac function in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) vs healthy pregnant controls.

Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, case-control study conducted in a tertiary hospital between November 2022 and September 2023. Women diagnosed with IDA who attended as outpatients at the pregnancy follow-up clinic at 30-34 weeks' gestation or who were hospitalized for intravenous iron treatment owing to profound anemia were included.

Can System Inflammation Response Index or Systemic Immune Inflammation Index predict gestational diabetes mellitus in the first trimester? A prospective observational study.

Objective: To evaluate System Inflammation Response Index (SIRI) and Systemic Immune Inflammation Index (SII), which are the inflammatory indices, for the prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the first trimester.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in a tertiary center from April 2023 to September 2023. Ninety-four pregnant women with gestational diabetes and 107 healthy pregnant women were included.

Do Maternal Heart Diseases Affect Fetal Cardiac Functions?

Objectives: To investigate whether fetal cardiac function is affected by underlying heart disease in pregnant women.

Methods: A total of 100 pregnant women who were ≥34 gestational weeks were included in the study, 40 in the maternal heart disease (MHD) group diagnosed with heart disease and 60 in the control group. All cardiac diseases in pregnant women were diagnosed preconceptionally and categorized according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification system.

Clinical outcomes of fetuses with cardiac rhabdomyoma: A case series from a tertiary center.

Aims: The study aims to evaluate the genetic and clinical outcomes of fetal cardiac rhabdomyoma in our tertiary center.

Methods: Data of cases with cardiac rhabdomyoma detected by fetal echocardiography during antenatal follow-up were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: Nine cases were included in the study.

An Approach to Non-left Main Bifurcation Lesions: A Contemporary Review.

Bifurcated anatomical locations in the arterial tree, such as coronary artery bifurcations, are prone to develop obstructive atherosclerotic lesions due to the pro-atherogenic low wall shear stress. The percutaneous treatment of bifurcation lesions is among the most challenging complex coronary interventions, including different multistep stenting strategies. Even though provisional side branch (SB) stenting is recommended as the primary approach in most cases, the debate continues between provisional SB and upfront two-stent strategies, particularly in complex bifurcations consisting of a significantly diseased SB that supplies a crucial myocardial territory.

Protective Effect of Vaccinium myrtillus Extract on X-Ray Irradiation-Induced Retinal Toxicity via eNOS and 8-OHdG expression.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of cancer patients receive radiotherapy treatment. Oxidative stress is observed in healthy tissues due to irradiation exposure. The present study is the first to address the effects of Vaccinium myrtillus (whortleberry, WB) against the effects of X-ray irradiation on retinal tissue.

Cognitive Functions in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Its Relationship with Oxidative Metabolism.

Introduction: While data on oxidative stress in psychiatric disorders are increasing, studies on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are limited. Although many studies report neurocognitive deficits in OCD, to our knowledge, no study exists examining the relationship between neurocognitive functions and oxidative stress in OCD. This study investigated the neurocognitive functions in OCD and its relationship with OCD severity and oxidative metabolism.

Evaluation of serum semaphorin 3A and interleukin 6 levels in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Purpose: To evaluate serum semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) patients to determine whether these mediators play a role in the systemic manifestations of PXS.

Methods: This prospective case-control study included 70 patients divided into PXS (n = 30) and a control group (n = 40). Serum Sema3A and IL-6 levels were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Evaluation of definitive histopathological results of patients diagnosed with endometrial polyps: a tertiary care center experience.

Background: Although endometrial polyps are generally benign, there are also risks of malignancy.

Objectives: To determine the premalignancy and malignancy prevalence in patients diagnosed with endometrial polyps and to investigate factors affecting premalignancy and malignancy.

Methods: In our retrospective study, patients who were diagnosed with endometrial polyp with endometrial samples and who underwent polypectomy by hysteroscopy or hysterectomy within one year were included.

Is there a relationship between heart rate recovery and blood pressure in white coat hypertension?

Aim    Increasing evidence suggests that autonomic dysfunction may be involved in the etiology of white coat hypertension (WCH). The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic function by using heart rate recovery (HRR) indices in patients with WCH classified according to their circadian rhythm type of blood pressure (BP).Material and methods    This cross-sectional study included 120 participants over the age of 18 yrs, including 50 patients diagnosed with WCH and 70 healthy controls with normal in- and out-of-office BP and without any known disease.

Could urinary nerve growth factor and bladder wall thickness predict the treatment outcome of children with overactive bladder?

Objective: Bladder wall thickness (BWTh) measurements and Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) /creatinine (Cr) values, as noninvasive tools, were found to predict daytime voiding problems in children with overactive bladder (OAB). The goal of this research was to examine if bladder wall thickness together with urine NGF/Cr could be a clinical utility in treatment outcome of OAB in children.

Patients And Methods: A total of 60 children with OAB, (Group 1; n=40) and healthy normal controls (Group 2; n=20), aged 6-14 years old were involved in this prospective study.

Higher levels of TWEAK and matrix metalloproteinase-3 during the acute phase of myocardial infarction are associated with adverse left ventricular remodeling.

Introduction: It is known that the levels of tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK/TNFSF12) increase after myocardial infarction (MI) and that it interacts with sCD163. It has also been argued that TWEAK can induce matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in macrophages.

Aim: To investigate the roles of TWEAK, sCD163, and MMPs in left ventricular (LV) adverse remodeling (AR) in the early post-MI period.

Noninvasive Investigation of the Presence and Extent of Coronary Artery Disease by the Evaluation of Fingertip-Reactive Hyperemia.

Objective: Fingertip-reactive hyperemia-peripheral artery tonometry (RH-PAT) is an emerging novel noninvasive method for evaluating endothelial function. We aimed to evaluate endothelial function with fingertip-reactive hyperemia by RH-PAT in symptomatic patients undergoing elective coronary angiography and to assess the relationship between the degree of endothelial dysfunction (ED) and the presence and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Subjects And Methods: We assessed 92 patients.

The impact of percutaneous left atrial appendage closure on left ventricular diastolic function and natriuretic peptide levels.

Objective: Although the efficacy and safety of left atrial (LA) appendage (LAA) closure in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have been well documented in randomized controlled trials and real-world experience, there are limited data in the literature about the impact of LAA closure on diastolic functions. The study aimed to examine the impact of LAA closure on diastolic function and natriuretic peptide levels in patients with AF.

Patients And Methods: Twelve non-valvular AF patients with high risk for developing cardioembolic stroke and contraindications to warfarin underwent LAA occlusion with the WATCHMAN device (Atritech Inc.

Association of changes in the infarct and remote zone myocardial tissue with cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction: a T1 and T2 mapping study.

Tissue structure in the infarct and remote zone myocardium post-acute myocardial infarction (MI) may offer prognostic information concerning left ventricular remodeling. We aimed to identify or establish a relationship between adverse remodeling (AR) and changes (Δ) in T1, T2 mapping and extracellular volume (ECV) in post MI periods. Fifty-four MI patients underwent 3 Tesla CMR performed 2 weeks (acute phase) and 6 months post-MI.

Vascular Complications in TAVR: Incidence, Clinical Impact, and Management.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has replaced surgical aortic valve replacement as the new gold standard in elderly patients with severe aortic valve stenosis. However, alongside this novel approach, new complications emerged that require swift diagnosis and adequate management. Vascular access marks the first step in a TAVR procedure.

Current Recommendations on Atrial Fibrillation: A Comparison of the Recent European and Canadian Guidelines.

Background: Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation (AF) are frequently published and updated, reflecting the rapid evolution in AF pathogenesis and treatment modalities.

Summary: Recently, 2 important guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial AF have been published by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS). Although the evidence-based recommendations and statements are quite similar, there are some important differences between the ESC and CCS guidelines for AF.

Hysterosalpingography: a potential alternative to laparoscopy in the evaluation of tubal obstruction in infertile patients?

Background: Evaluation of the fallopian tubes are important for infertile patients. The two most important diagnostic procedures used to evaluate tubal patency are hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy.

Objectives: To asses the hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy results of patients diagnosed with infertility and investigate the diagnostic value of hysterosalpingography in patients with tubal factor infertility.