Chilling-Like Attacks Terminated by Slow Pathway Ablation.

Symptoms of patients or the way of presenting complaints by the patients may be indefinite, obscure or misleading for the diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia. The content of the history shows variability depending on the present symptoms, patient concerns and priority. Herein, an unusual case of a young woman suffering from chilling-like attacks for one and half years and treated by slow pathway ablation has been presented.

Dendritic cell activation is blunted in patients with coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus.

Background: It has been shown that functional status of dendritic cells (DCs) in diabetic patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) are more mature and activated than diabetic patients without coronary artery disease (CAD) and none diabetic patients with UAP. Accordingly we aimed to assess the activation of DCs in patients with CAD with/and without Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and compare to those in subjects with normal coronary arteries (NCA).

Materials And Methods: Twenty three patients with severe CAD who were scheduled to coronary artery by-pass grafting surgery and 6 patients with angiographycally NCAs were included in the study.

Inflammation in Coronary Artery Ectasia Compared to Atherosclerosis.

We have read with great enthusiasm the article recently published by Boles et al. [..

Evaluation of microemulsion and liposomes as carriers for oral delivery of transforming growth factor alpha in rats.

The aim of the present study is to develop microemulsion and liposome carrier systems for oral administration of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) and to investigate the effects of these carrier systems on the gastrointestinal efficiency in rats. Microemulsion (w/o) and liposomes (MLV) were developed and characterised. The carrier systems were administered intragastrically by gastric cannula to male Wistar rats.

[A pneumonia case caused by Cedecea lapagei].

Cedecea spp. which are the members of Enterobacteriaceae family, are mostly isolated from sputum and their clinical importance is not yet demonstrated. This report presents a pneumonia case caused by Cedecea lapagei.

Short-term effect of tibolone on C-reactive protein in hypertensive postmenopausal women.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of tibolone on the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in hypertensive postmenopausal women.

Methods: We enrolled 45 postmenopausal patients with hypertension and 17 normotensive postmenopausal women. Inclusion criteria were surgical menopause, the presence of vasomotor symptoms, and normal mammogram within 1 year, the absence of documented coronary artery disease, and normal electrocardiography.

Comparison of the antibacterial activity of lidocaine 1% versus alkalinized lidocaine in vitro.

Background: Infections after epidural and spinal blocks are rare. The topical anesthetic liclocaine used in these procedures has been found to have antibacterial effects on various microorganisms.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial effects of alkalinized liclocaine on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

[Distribution of bacteria isolated from urine cultures in Malatya University Hospital laboratory (letter)].

The aim of this letter was to report the distribution of bacterial species isolated from the urine samples of patients in Malatya, which is located in Estern Anatolia part of Turkey. A total of 3.774 urine cultures were performed in the period of April-June 2006, and 792 (21%) of them yielded bacterial growth.

Chlamydia pneumoniae and coronary artery disease: controversial results of serological studies.

I have read with great interest the article published by Carratelli et al. Briefly they have reported increased levels of inflammatory markers and elevated titers of IgG and IgA of C. pneumoniae by using both ELISA and MIF method.

Are polycystic ovaries associated with cardiovascular disease risk as polycystic ovary syndrome?

Aim: Our aim was to assess C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or polycystic ovaries (PCO).

Methods: The study population included 30 women with PCOS, 30 with PCO and 30 healthy controls. CRP and insulin resistance index (IRI) (fasting glucose/insulin) were measured.

Clinical, microbiologic, and epidemiologic characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in a University Hospital, Malatya, Turkey.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains are generally resistant to many antibiotics, and nosocomial infections because of this species are one of the major problems in many hospitals. Molecular typing provides very useful information about origin and transmission of the strains. The aims of the present study were to investigate clinical and microbiologic characteristics of the nosocomial infections caused by P aeruginosa strains in a medical center and to bring up the cross-transmission level of this opportunistic pathogen in a university hospital by analyzing the clonal relationship among the isolates.

Plasma soluble adhesion molecules; intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and E-selectin levels in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia.

Unlabelled: Plasma soluble adhesion molecules, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin leves of patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia (CAE), patients with obstructive coronary artery disease without CAE and subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries were evaluated. Patients with isolated CAE were detected to have significantly higher levels of plasma soluble ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin in comparison with patients with obstructive coronary artery disease without CAE (ICAM, 673 +/- 153 versus 381 +/- 106, respectively, P < 0.001; VCAM-1, 2366 +/- 925 versus 1136 +/- 208, respectively, P < 0.

The role of transforming growth factor alpha formulation on aspirin-induced ulcer healing and oxidant stress in the gastric mucosa.

Purpose: Transforming growth factor (TGF) alpha accelerates wound healing, especially in gastric ulcers. Transforming growth factor alpha can be affected by acid and pepsin in the gastric juice. Oxidative stress also plays a role in the formation of gastric lesions.

Changes in antibody titers against Chlamydia pneumoniae after coronary angioplasty.

Objectives: The potential role of common infectious agents in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis has been studied increasingly over the last decade. The evidence for Chlamydia pneumoniae as a potential causative agent is strong and is based on the findings of numerous sero-epidemiological studies, examination of atheromatous plaque specimens, in vitro animal models. We performed a prospective study in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) patients to investigate whether the angioplasty procedure influenced the specific humoral immune response reaction against C.

Changes in plasma levels of adhesion molecules after percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty.

Background: Adhesion molecules are expressed on vascular endothelium and on immune and inflammatory cells. Recently increased levels of adhesion molecules have been shown in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. This study examined the serum levels of the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and the effects of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) on these adhesion molecules.