Is There any Association Between Celiac Disease and

Objective: It was aimed to determine if there was a correlation between celiac disease (CD) and by comparing the prevalence of in patients with and without CD.

Materials And Methods: The patients who were diagnosed with CD and tested for and the patients who presented for gastroscopy and tested for were evaluated retrospectively and the prevalence of was compared.

Results: Fifteen (48%) of 31 patients who were diagnosed with CD and tested for were males and had a mean age of 33.

Hepatic apoptotic markers are not predictors for the virological response to interferon-based therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Introduction: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem worldwide. The majority of cases involving HCV infection develop into chronic hepatitis because of a failure to develop an effective immune response. Apoptosis of the hepatocytes plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of HCV infection: the interaction between the Fas antigen on hepatocytes and the Fas ligand on T cells corresponds to the main mechanism for hepatocyte damage.

Leptin levels and lipoprotein profiles in patients with cholelithiasis.

Objective: To determine the relationships between serum leptin and levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in patients with cholelithiasis.

Methods: Patients with ultrasound-confirmed cholelithiasis and controls frequency-matched for age, sex, body mass index, fasting blood glucose and haemoglobin A1c levels were recruited. Fasting blood samples from all study participants were assayed for glucose, haemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride.

Safety of peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection: an observational, multicenter, open label, non-interventional study in Turkish patients.

Background/aims: Pegylated alfa interferon is the only immunomodulatory drug licensed for hepatitis B. We evaluated the safety and tolerability of peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Materials And Methods: A total of 113 chronic hepatitis B patients under peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD; 180 μg/week) treatment were included in this multicenter, open label, non-interventional study, and 66 patients completed the follow-up period.

Serum Lipid, Lipoprotein and Oxidatively Modified Low Density Lipoprotein Levels in Active or Inactive Patients with Behçet's Disease.

Aim: To determine serum lipid, lipoproteins and oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) levels in Behçet's disease (BD) and to evaluate the relationship of these parameters with the clinical activity of the disease.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-two patients (25 active, 37 inactive) and -26 healthy controls were included in the study. We measured serum oxLDL levels using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, and serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels by spectrophotometric method.

Prevalence of microscopic colitis in patients with diarrhea of unknown etiology in Turkey.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence and demography of microscopic colitis in patients with diarrhea of unknown etiology and normal colonoscopy in Turkey.

Methods: Between March, 1998 to July, 2005, 129 patients with chronic non-bloody diarrhea of unexplained etiology who had undergone full colonoscopy with no obvious abnormalities were included in the study. Two biopsies were obtained from all colonic segments and terminal ileum for diagnosis of microscopic colitis.

Esomeprazole in acute and maintenance treatment of reflux oesophagitis: a multicentre prospective study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of esomeprazole 40 mg once daily (q.d.) in healing reflux oesophagitis at 4 and 8 weeks, and the efficacy of esomeprazole 20 mg q.

Assessment of bone metabolism and mineral density in chronic viral hepatitis.

Background/aims: The aim of the study was to assess bone metabolism and impact of disease on bone mineral density in patients with non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B or C.

Methods: 105 patients with chronic hepatitis B or C receiving antiviral agents and 60 healthy controls were included. Subgroups (n=15) were defined on the basis of age (males) or menopausal status (females).

Homocysteine: an activity marker in Behçet's disease?

Background: Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic multisystem inflammatory disorder commonly complicated by vascular thrombosis.

Objective: In this study, we investigated whether hyperhomocysteinaemia, being a well known risk factor for atherothrombogenesis, is also a contributive risk factor for the pathogenesis and the activation of Behçet's disease.

Methods: Sixty-four patients fulfilling the criteria of the International Study Group for Behçet's disease (48 males, 16 females, 33+/-8 years) were enrolled.

The efficacy of pegylated interferon alpha 2a or 2b plus ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background/aims: We aimed to compare viral responses to pegylated interferon 2a plus ribavirin with pegylated interferon alpha 2b plus ribavirin.

Methods: Patients with the following characteristics were included: anti HCV(+); normal and/or elevated serum transaminase levels; positive HCV RNA by quantitative PCR; and at least stage 1 fibrosis according to Knodell Scoring System on liver biopsy. Patients were assigned into two groups.

Predictive value of morphologic characteristics in rectosigmoid adenomatous polyps for the probability of synchronous polyps or cancer in the proximal colon.

Background/aims: Sigmoidoscopy is performed more frequently than colonoscopy, especially for screening purposes and searching for colorectal neoplasm. The necessity of colonoscopy in patients with an adenoma of View Article and Find Full Text PDF

HCV prevalence in Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases.

Background/aims: In this study we aimed to investigate the relation between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and B cell lymphoproliferative diseases.

Methods: Eighty-four patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 50 patients with Hodgkin lymphoma were included. Control group consisted of another 100 otherwise healthy blood donors who had no previous history of invasive surgery, blood transfusions, and viral hepatitis.

Interferon-alpha2b induction treatment with or without ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C: a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial.

We aimed to compare the efficacy of interferon-alpha2b (IFN) induction treatment in combination with ribavirin to IFN induction alone in chronic hepatitis C. In total, 125 patients (66 male, 59 female, mean age: 48 +/- 9, range: 21-70) were enrolled and randomized into two arms: In the first, patients received 5 MU/day of IFN for 4 weeks followed by 3 MU/day for the next 4 weeks. Treatment was continued with 3 MU three times a week IFN for an additional 40 weeks.