Thorax computed tomography findings and anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G levels in polymerase chain reaction-negative probable COVID-19 cases.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels after 6 months of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negative but assumed to be COVID-19 positive cases to investigate the relationship between IgG levels and thoracic computed tomography (CT) findings.

Methods: This was a single-center study that included patients whose PCR test results were negative at least three times using nasopharyngeal swabs but had clinical findings of COVID-19 and thoracic CT findings compatible with viral pneumonia. Six months after discharge, the IgG antibodies were analyzed.

Evaluation of the relationship between vitamin D level and adropin, IL-1β, IL-6, and oxidative status in women.

Background: Vitamin D, adropin, proinflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress closely related with metabolic homeostasis and endothelial dysfunction. The aim of the present study is to investigate how vitamin D levels affect serum adropin, IL-1ß, IL-6, and oxidative stress.

Methods: A total of 77 female subjects were divided into 3 groups according to vitamin D levels.

Assessment of serum endocan levels in patients with beta-thalassemia minor.

Objective: Beta-thalassemia minor is a blood disease caused by a hereditary decrease in beta-globin synthesis, frequently leading to hypochromic microcytic anemia. Formerly called endothelial cell-specific molecule 1, endocan is a proteoglycan released by vascular endothelial cells in many organs. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between the beta-thalassemia minor patients and the healthy control group in terms of serum endocan level.

An evaluation of the relationship between vitamin D level and CTRP-9, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, thiol-disulfide hemostasis in women.

Objective: Many chronic diseases such as malignancy, cardiovascular diseases, endothelial dysfunction, and autoimmune diseases, which have been shown to be related to vitamin D in various studies; have similar relations with CTRP-9, TNFα, and thiol-disulfide hemostasis. We aimed to contribute to the literature by evaluating the relationship between CTRP-9, TNFα, and thiol-disulfide hemostasis and vitamin D levels, which we thought may have some effects on the pathogenesis of vitamin D deficiency.

Methods: In our study, 78 female volunteers older than 18 years were included.

Impacts of Demographic and Clinical Characteristics on Disease Severity and Mortality in Patients with Confirmed COVID-19.

Background: We investigated potential predictive factors for mortality and disease severity from demographic and clinical data, comorbidities, and laboratory findings in patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were consecutively admitted to our tertiary hospital.

Methods: In this retrospective, single-center, observational study, we enrolled consecutive 540 adult patients who had COVID-19 confirmed by a molecular method. Patients were categorized into three groups based on disease severity.

CD40 ligand and P-selectin in heterozygous Beta-thalassemia.

Objective: To investigate platelet functions and measure soluble CD40 ligand, soluble P-selectin, beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 levels in the blood of heterozygous beta thalassemia patients.

Methods: The cross-sectional case-control study was conducted at Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey, between September 2013 and April 2014, and comprised heterozygous beta thalassemia patients who were compared with 41 gender-, age- and body mass index-matched controls for platelet function markers. The two groups were also compared for co-morbidities, smoking, and regular medications.

Reduced bone resorption and increased bone mineral density in women with restless legs syndrome.

Objective: To investigate bone resorption and formation markers as well as bone mineral density in women with restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional case-control study involving drug-naive women with RLS and age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched female controls. Routine blood analyses, markers of bone formation, procollagen 1 n-terminal peptide, bone resorption, c-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX), sclerostin, and bone mineral density (BMD) were compared between the 2 groups.

Serum endocan levels in women with restless legs syndrome.

Background: Endocan is a recently introduced marker of endothelial dysfunction. The objective of this study was to compare serum endocan levels in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and control subjects in order to elucidate whether RLS is associated with endothelial dysfunction.

Methods: A total of 31 drug naïve female patients with RLS and 31 age- and BMI-matched women were included in the study.

GAS6 intron 8 c.834 + 7G > A gene polymorphism in diabetic nephropathy.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND - AIM: In animal experiments, growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6) protein plays a key role in the development of mesangial cell and glomerular hypertrophy in the early phase of diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic nephropathy is prevented by warfarin-induced inhibition of GAS6 protein. It was shown that GAS6 intron 8 c.834 + 7G > A polymorphism is protective against type 2 diabetes mellitus, and AA genotype is associated with higher blood levels of GAS6 protein.

Parvovirus B19 infection as a cause of acute myositis in an adult.

Parvovirus B19 infection is often asymptomatic, but clinical expressions may include transient aplastic crisis, erythema infectiosum, non-immune hydrops fetalis, and chronic red cell aplasia. This virus has also been associated with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune connective tissue diseases; however, we could not identify any acute adult myositis case developed after a Parvovirus B19 infection in the literature. For this reason, we would like to present a rare case of acute myositis developed after Parvovirus B19 infection.

Evaluation of the relationship between serum apelin levels and vitamin D and mean platelet volume in diabetic patients.

Objectives: It was reported that Vitamin D deficiency was associated with a greater risk of cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus type 2, arterial hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Apelin is an adipocytokine suspected to have a role in skeletal muscle glucose utilization and glycemic regulation which may be a promising treatment modality for diabetes. It was recently reported that increased mean platelet volume (MPV) was emerging as an independent risk factor for thromboembolism, stroke, and myocardial infarction.

Vaspin and lipocalin-2 levels in severe obsructive sleep apnea.

Background: Vaspin and lipocalin-2 are less-known recent members of adipocytokine family. There are ongoing studies investigating the role of vaspin ve lipocalin-2 in metabolic syndrome (MS). Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is independently associated with an increased prevalence of MS.

Effect of vildagliptin add-on treatment to metformin on plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Aims: A close association has been demonstrated between increased cardiovascular risk and high asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. We planned to measure serum ADMA levels in type 2 DM patients using vildagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor.

Materials And Methods: A total of 68 type 2 DM patients who were on metformin were enrolled in the study.

Assessment of serum apelin and lipocalin-2 levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Objectives: Subclinical hypothyroidism is the precursor to hypothyroidism because it has a tendency to transform into hypothyroidism. Subclinical hypothyroidism is considered one of the risk factors causing metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome can be characterized by plasma levels of apelin and lipocalin-2, both released from adipocytes.

Pott's disease and hypercalcemia in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis receiving methotrexate monotherapy.

Methotrexate (MTX) may have adverse effects on multiple organs and system. A few cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in-patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) while receiving MTX monotherapy has been reported in the literature. We submit a case of vertebral tuberculosis with hypercalcemia in a patient receiving MTX monotherapy.

Gastroenterology cases of cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis.

Rarely, leukocytoclastic vasculitis can result from ischemic colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cryoglobulinemia. There is no established standard for the treatment of leukocytoclastic vasculitis associated with gastroenterologic diseases. This paper presents three cases of leukoytoclastic vasculitis, each of which is associated with a different gastroenterologic condition: ischemic colitis, Crohn's disease, and chronic hepatitis C.

A case of rhabdomyolysis complicated with acute renal failure after resumption of fenofibrate therapy: a first report.

Adverse effects due to use of fibrates often relate to the skeletal muscle, kidneys, or liver. Rhabdomyolysis is a most serious potential adverse effect. We present a case of resumed fenofibrate induced rhabdomyolysis complicated with acute renal failure.

Does Cholecystectomy Increase the Esophageal Alkaline Reflux? Evaluation by Impedance-pH Technique.

Background/aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the reflux patterns in patients with galbladder stone and the change of reflux patterns after cholecystectomy in such patients.

Methods: Fourteen patients with cholecystolithiasis and a control group including 10 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this prospective study. Demographical findings, reflux symptom score scale and 24-hour impedance pH values of the 14 cholecystolithiasis cases and the control group were evaluated.

Prevalence of gluten sensitive enteropathy antibodies in restless legs syndrome.

The prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is increased in gluten sensitive enteropathy (GSE); but prevalence of GSE is not known in RLS. 96 RLS patients and 97 healthy controls, both with or without iron deficiency were enrolled. All secondary RLS patients except iron deficiency were excluded.

Urotensin II levels in patients with chronic kidney disease and kidney transplants.

Objective: Urotensin II is a potent vasoactive peptide that has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many diseases. There is no study reporting the role and level of this peptide in recipients of kidney transplant. So we aimed to study the plasma levels of urotensin II in this group of patients.

Absolute blood eosinophil count and 1-year mortality risk following hospitalization with acute heart failure.

Objective: In acute heart failure (AHF), hemoglobin, red cell distribution width, mean platelet volume, leukocytes, and relative lymphocyte count have been associated with mortality. It is not known whether absolute blood neutrophil, eosinophil, and monocyte counts are mortality predictors.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-six patients hospitalized due to AHF were enrolled.

Splenomegaly in primary antiphospholipid syndrome without accompanying portal hypertension or comorbidity.

Objective: To demonstrate the presence of splenomegaly in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) patients without accompanying portal hypertension or comorbidity.

Methods: Twelve patients (7 women) aged 23-65 years followed upon the diagnosis of PAPS were enrolled in the study. We documented the identified causes of splenomegaly in patients with PAPS, and searched for the potential causes of splenomegaly in patients with spleen enlargement.

Oxidative stress and autonomic nervous system functions in restless legs syndrome.

Background: Oxidative stress has been implicated in over 100 disorders in recent years; however, the situation in restless legs syndrome (RLS) has not been studied yet.

Methods: Fifty patients with RLS not medicated for RLS and 50 sex- and age-matched, healthy controls and controls with no pathology except mild iron deficiency or iron deficiency anaemia were enrolled. Patients with secondary RLS other than iron deficiency were excluded.