Ultrasonographic Assessment of the Distal Femoral Cartilage Thickness in Patients with Homozygous Sickle Cell Disease.

Objective: To compare the distal femoral cartilage thickness of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) with those of healthy subjects using ultrasonography.

Methods: The study comprised 30 patients with SCD (16 male, 14 female; mean age, 30.1 years) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects.

Mortal quintet of sickle cell diseases.

Background: Sickle cell diseases (SCDs) are chronic inflammatory processes on capillary level. We tried to understand some possible correlations between stroke and severity of SCDs.

Methods: All patients with SCDs were taken into the study.

Tonsilectomy in sickle cell diseases.

Background: We tried to understand whether or not there are lowered prevalences of terminal consequences of sickle cell diseases (SCDs) with tonsilectomy.

Methods: All cases with SCDs were taken into the study.

Results: The study included 334 patients (164 females).

Changes in the cornea related to sickle cell disease: a pilot investigation.

Purpose: To investigate corneal structural changes (central corneal thickness, endothelial cell count, and cellular morphology) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD).

Methods: This prospective study included 56 patients with SCD and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects without any eye disease aside from refractive errors. Endothelial cell density (ECD), percentage of hexagonality, and the coefficient of variation in cell size (CV) were measured using noncontact specular microscopy, and central corneal thickness (CCT) was measured by pachymetry.

Acute chest syndrome in severity of sickle cell diseases.

Background: Sickle cell diseases (SCDs) are chronic inflammatory processes on capillary level. We tried to understand whether or not there are some positive correlations between acute chest syndrome (ACS) and severity of SCDs.

Methods: All patients with the SCDs were taken into the study.

Sickle cell diseases and ileus.

Background: We tried to understand whether or not there is an increased incidence of ileus in patients with sickle cell diseases (SCDs).

Methods: All cases with SCDs were taken into the study.

Results: The study included 325 patients (160 females).

Left renal atrophy.

Background: We tried to understand whether or not there is a higher risk of left renal atrophy in human being.

Methods: All patients applying to the Hematology Service with any underlying complaint were studied.

Results: The study included 2,417 cases (1,248 females).

Autosplenectomy in severity of sickle cell diseases.

Background: We tried to understand whether or not there is an association between prevalence of autosplenectomy and severity of sickle cell diseases (SCDs).

Methods: All SCDs patients with red blood cell (RBC) transfusions of less than 50 units in their lives were put into the first group and 50 units or higher were put into the second group.

Results: The study included 316 patients (155 females).

The significance of serum transferrin receptor levels in the diagnosis of the coexistence of anemia of chronic disease and iron deficiency anemia.

Objective: Iron deficiency anemia is the most common cause of microcytic anemia throughout the world. Ferritin levels are good indicators of iron stores; however, levels may increase irrespective of iron stores in cases of chronic disease. Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose iron deficiency anemia coexisting with anemia of chronic disease.

Irritable bowel syndrome and chronic gastritis, hemorrhoid, urolithiasis.

Objective: Approximately 10-20% of the general population has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and IBS patients usually suffer from chronic gastritis (CG), hemorrhoids (H), and urolithiasis (U).

Material And Methods: We randomly chose consecutive patients with upper abdominal discomfort. All possible causes of IBS including celiac sprue, giardiasis, lactose intolerance, and cholelithiasis were investigated.

Hereditary behavior of varicocele.

The inheritance of varicoceles and the potential transmission to first-degree relatives has rarely been investigated. In the present study, we examined the first-degree relatives of men with known varicocele to reveal the familial risk for varicocele. Of the patients with clinical varicocele who presented with infertility, testicular pain, or asymmetrical swelling of the scrotum between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009, 49 agreed to have their available first-degree relatives contacted for screening of varicoceles (n = 66).

[Hepatitis E virus seropositivity in hemodialysis patients in Hatay province, Turkey].

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) which is mainly transmitted through faecal-oral route, can also be transmitted via parenteral and vertical route. Recent studies suggest zoonotic nature of the virus. The last studies done in Turkey indicate increasing frequency of HEV infection.

Treatment of white coat hypertension with metformin.

White coat hypertension (WCH) is most likely a disorder associated with metabolic syndrome. The study was performed at the Internal Medicine Polyclinic of Dumlupinar University on routine check-up patients. WCH cases who were overweight or obese and desiring weight loss were divided into two subgroups according to whether they preferred to achieve weight loss by medication or diet therapy.

White coat hypertension in definition of metabolic syndrome.

Although white coat hypertension (WCH) is believed to have an effect on health, there is no term defining WCH in metabolic syndrome. Consecutive patients 20 years old or older who underwent a check-up were included. The study included 1068 cases.

Protective effects of N-acetylcysteine on cyclosporine-A-induced nephrotoxicity.

Objectives: Cyclosporine A (CsA) is used for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. However, CsA-induced nephrotoxicity remains an important clinical problem, and oxidative stress has been implicated as a possible responsible mechanism. We assessed the protective ability of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, against CsA-induced nephrotoxicity.

What is the relationship between white coat hypertension and dyslipidemia?

The prognostic significance of white coat hypertension (WCH) remains controversial. Consecutive patients (955 cases, 566 females) aged between 15 and 70 years were divided into 3 groups, those with sustained normotension (NT), WCH, and hypertension (HT), and the prevalences of obesity, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary heart disease (CHD), and dyslipidemia were compared among the groups. Although the prevalences of all of the disorders showed significant progression from the sustained NT group towards the WCH and HT groups, the prevalence of dyslipidemia was significantly higher in the WCH group (P < 0.

Clinical presentation and laboratory findings of organic phosphorus poisoning.

This study was conducted to evaluate the demographic, causative, and biologic characteristics of patients with organophosphate (OP) poisoning who were admitted to tertiary teaching and research hospitals at 2 different universities. All patients admitted to the emergency departments of Cukurova University Hospital in Adana, Turkey, between 2001 and 2003 and the Hospital of Mustafa Kemal University in Hatay, Turkey, between 2004 and 2006 were included. The study group consisted of subjects with a mean age of 28.

Prevalence of white coat hypertension in underweight and overweight subjects.

The aim of the present study was to determine if there is any association between white coat hypertension (WCH) and body mass index. The study was performed in two phases. In the first phase, we studied consecutive underweight patients, while in the second phase, age-matched consecutive normal weight, overweight, and obese cases were studied.

Ocular surface disease index for the diagnosis of dry eye syndrome.

Purpose: Evaluation of ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire for the diagnosis of dry eye syndrome.

Methods: Sixty-eight patients admitted to the Ophthalmology Polyclinic of the Dumlupinar University between December 2005 and April 2006 were randomly studied. The OSDI questionnaire was performed before, and the Schirmer and tear film breakup time (TBUT) tests were performed after the routine ophthalmologic examination.

Funduscopic examination has limited benefit for management of hypertension.

Hypertension (HT) increases the risks of major cardiovascular events and affects a majority of elderly populations. Thus, blood pressure control is the mainstay for prevention of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is only a limited number of parameters for management of HT.

What a high prevalence of white coat hypertension in society!

Background: There are many patients in society using antihypertensive medication, which has been initiated just after a single office measurement but actually they are normotensive and in contrast, there are many patients not using any antihypertensive medication because of a normal blood pressure (BP) at the doctor's office but they are actually hypertensive.

Materials And Methods: We randomly took 438 consecutive patients. Clinical BP was measured by the same physician, and a 10-day twice daily home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) were obtained.

Effects of terlipressin on systolic pulmonary artery pressure of patients with liver cirrhosis: an echocardiographic assessment.

Aim: Portopulmonary hypertension is a serious complication of chronic liver disease. Our aim was to search into the effect of terlipressin on systolic pulmonary artery pressure among cirrhotic patients.

Methods: Twelve patients (6 males and 6 females) with liver cirrhosis were recruited in the study.