Assessment of the Correlation between Endoscopic Activity and Histological Activity in Ulcerative Colitis Patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the concordance between the Rachmilewitz endoscopic activity index (EAI) and the Harpaz histopathological activity scoring system (HSS), which are used for evaluating the disease activity of ulcerative colitis (UC).

Subjects And Methods: This study included 109 patients with UC. Based on the disease extent, patients were divided into two groups as left-sided colitis and pancolitis.

Role of chemotherapeutic agents in the management of cystic echinococcosis.

Hydatid disease is caused by infection with the metacestode stage of Echinococcus tapeworms of the family Taeniidae. The primary carriers are dogs and wolves, and humans are accidental hosts that do not contribute to the normal life cycle of this organism. The liver is the most commonly involved organ in the body by cystic echinococcosis (CE) secondary to infection with Echinococcus granulosus .

The relationship between Helicobacter pylori and beta-2 microglobulin in humans.

Unlabelled: H. pylori is related to various gastrointestinal diseases. β₂ Microglobulin (β 2M) is an intrinsic element of major histocompatibility complex (MHC I).

The effect of glycemic control on CEA, CA 19-9, amylase and lipase levels.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is closely related to pancreas cancer. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of hyperglycemia on tumor and inflammation markers, as well as pancreatic exocrine functions.

Methods: A total of 98 consecutive diabetic patients with poor glycemic control, and 50 healthy controls were included in the study.

The association of vitamin D deficiency with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency has been related to diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and peripheral vascular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of vitamin D status in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods: We included 211 consecutive subjects to examine the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Platelet Number and Indexes during Acute Pancreatitis.

Aim: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disorder, the incidence of which has been increasing over recent years. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an index of platelet activation and influenced by inflammation. The objective of the present study is to assess whether MPV would be convenient parameters for predictor factor of patients with AP.

Decreased parasympathetic activity in patients with functional dyspepsia.

Objective: Functional dyspepsia (FD) can be described as the presence of symptoms such as bothersome postprandial fullness, early satiation, epigastric pain, and burning without any evidence of structural disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the autonomic nervous system using heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with postprandial distress syndrome and epigastric pain syndrome.

Patients And Methods: The study population included 64 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of FD and 62 age-matched and sex-matched healthy control individuals with no clinical evidence of gastrointestinal, systemic, or cardiovascular diseases.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is a strong predictor of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background/aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinical term that covers simple fatty liver (SFL) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a marker of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between steatosis and hs-CRP in patients with ultrasonographically verified NAFLD.

Methodology: We examined 296 consecutive patients.

Assessment of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) level in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Objectives: Insulin-like growth factor-1 may serve some regulatory function in the immune system. Rheumatic mitral stenosis is related to autoimmune heart valve damage after streptococcal infection. The aim of this study was to assess the level of insulin-like growth factor-1 and its correlation with the Wilkins score in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Early Gastric Cancer: A Demonstrative Case Report.

With early detection of gastric cancer, mortality from gastric cancer has decreased. Endoscopists should be more suspicious about these lesions because these can be easily neglected. We reported a case which has endoscopic appearance of benign lesion but possessed malignant histological features.

General Properties of Colon Polyps in Central Anatolia.

Aim: Polyp is called formations protruding into the lumen in the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we aimed to determine frequency, anatomic distribution within the large bowel and pathologic types of colon polyps based on the colonoscopy results.

Materials And Methods: The colonoscopy reports between 2010 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively.

Lamivudine treatment failure risks in chronic hepatitis B patients with low viral load.

Aim: To analyze the risk factors of lamivudine treatment failure (LTF) for the long-term use in patients with low viral load (LVL).

Material And Methods: In this multicenter study, 548 antiviral naïve noncirrhotic adult patients with LVL (for HBeAg+ patients HBV DNA <10 9 copies/ml and for HBeAg–patients HBV DNA <10 7 copies/ml) were enrolled. As a control group, 46 lamivudine-initiated patients with high viral load (HVL) were included.

Evaluation of two hemorrhoidectomy techniques: harmonic scalpel and Ferguson's with electrocautery.

Aim: The prevalence of symptomatic hemorrhoidal disease is a common disease that usually needs surgery for treatment. Although conservative treatment is often enough for early stages, late stage disease usually needs surgical treatment. The most common and effective approaches used for conventional surgical treatment are harmonic scalpel (HS) and Ferguson's with electrocautery hemorrhoidectomy (FEH).

Evaluation of early atherosclerosis markers in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objectives: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver cells. It is strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factors for atherosclerosis. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) are noninvasive methods for the evaluation of endothelium.

Long-term efficacy and safety of lamivudine, entecavir, and tenofovir for treatment of hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Data are limited on the efficacy and safety of tenofovir and entecavir when given for more than 1 year to patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis. We investigated the long-term safety and efficacy of these antiviral drugs in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, with compensated or decompensated cirrhosis, and compared results with those from lamivudine.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 227 adult patients with chronic HBV infection who were diagnosed with cirrhosis, beginning in 2005, at 18 centers throughout Turkey.

Benign glycogenic acanthosis lesions of the esophagus.

Background/aims: Glycogenic acanthosis is described as benign thickening of the esophageal squamous epithelium of unknown etiology. Although its etiology is unknown, it has been reported that glycogenic acanthosis may be related to gastroesophageal reflux and hiatal hernia. The aim of the present study was to review the patients who were diagnosed with glycogenic acanthosis on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and to determine whether there is any association between glycogenic acanthosis and gastroesophageal reflux and hiatal hernia.

Elevation of B-type natriuretic peptide level in asymptomatic hepatitis B virus-positive patients is not associated with abnormalities of cardiac function.

Objectives: To compare B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and echocardiographic parameters in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and healthy control subjects.

Subjects And Methods: 52 consecutive patients with HBV and 47 healthy controls were examined. All subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography after a complete medical history and laboratory examination including BNP, C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP).

The metabolic syndrome is associated with complicated gallstone disease.

Background: Gallstone disease (GD) is a common condition worldwide. Several studies demonstrated that the presence of gallstones is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. The metabolic syndrome is a highly prevalent cardiovascular condition.

A novel echocardiographic marker in hypertensive patients: is diastolic dysfunction associated with atrial electromechanical abnormalities in hypertension?

Atrial arrhythmias are common problems in hypertensive patients. Atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) can be used to evaluate development of atrial arrhythmias. The authors aimed to assess inter- and intra-AEMD in hypertensive patients.

Elevation of QT dispersion after obesity drug sibutramine.

Background: QT dispersion (QTd) is an arrhythmia parameter that can be used to assess homogeneity of cardiac repolarization. An antiobesity drug sibutramine is linked with several cardiovascular adverse events, including arrhythmias. Previous studies showed that sibutramine may prolong the QT interval and may be associated with cardiac arrest.

Is psoriasis a pre-atherosclerotic disease? Increased insulin resistance and impaired endothelial function in patients with psoriasis.

Background: Several studies have shown an association between psoriasis and atherosclerotic risk factors. In this study, we aimed to evaluate endothelial function by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and insulin resistance by Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

Methods: We examined 75 consecutive psoriasis patients and 50 healthy controls.