PRAME mRNA levels in cases with chronic leukemia: Clinical importance and review of the literature.

Preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) is a tumor antigen expressed in various malignant tumors including solid tumors and hemopoietic neoplasias but no or weak expression in normal tissues. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency and the clinical importance of PRAME expression in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)/chronic myeloproliferative disorders (CMPD) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). PRAME mRNA was measured by real time RT-PCR in 88 cases with chronic leukemia (CL) and 42 controls.

Neurologic manifestations in Sagliker syndrome: uglifying human face appearance in severe and late secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic renal failure patients.

Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) often have signs and symptoms related to fluid and electrolyte disturbances, anemia, malnutrition, bone disease, and gastrointestinal problems. Vascular and neurologic impairment in particular remain an important source of morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable patient population. Sagliker syndrome is a novel syndrome that was recently described in 2004 in patients with CRF and severe and late secondary hyperparathyroidism who suffered from severe skull and facial bone changes, particularly from uglifying human face appearances and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Cephalometric evaluation of patients with Sagliker syndrome: uglifying human face appearance in severe and late secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic renal failure patients.

It is well known that secondary hyperparathyroidism may be an extremely severe condition in chronic renal failure, and almost all patients with chronic kidney disease, even in the well-developed countries, encounter every kind of bone abnormalities if they are not treated properly. Although some sporadic cases have been reported of unique facial bone changes, the largest collection of this phenomenon has been reported by Sagliker et al. We also have found 6 of 9 patients who have these changes (Sagliker syndrome) to manifest class II malocclusion of the upper and lower jaws according to dental universally accepted criteria by performing cephalometric studies, x-ray plain films, tomographic procedures, and drawing technology.

Efficacy and safety of vardenafil in renal transplant recipients with erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) profoundly affects the quality of life. The prevalence of ED in renal transplant recipients is reported by high as 50% to 60%. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of vardenafil in these patients with ED as well as its effects on graft function and on cylosporine or tacrolimus concentrations.

Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease.

Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) is a relatively rare and interesting entity. Despite a range of pathophysiological and therapeutic approaches, it has a high mortality. It is possible to prevent the disease by prophylaxis only.

Renal function in patients with orthotopic liver transplantation.

Due to multiple reasons, acute renal failure (ARF) commonly develops in the early postoperative period of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) recipients. The records of OLT recipients between 1999 and 2004 were evaluated. Age, gender, primary disease, history of diabetes, immunosuppressive drugs, pre- and postoperative renal function tests, serum electrolytes, dialysis, liver functions tests, and renal function tests in follow-up period were noted.

VEGF-C expression in breast cancer: clinical importance.

It is well known that angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis play important roles in tumor occurrence and progression. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family is the most important family of proteins involved in angiogenesis, and VEGF-C is the most important molecule in lymphangiogenesis. Lymphangiogenesis plays an important role in lymphovascular invasion, metastasis to regional lymph nodes, and distant organ metastasis.

Dyslipidemia and weight gain secondary to lifestyle changes in living renal transplant donors.

We evaluated renal function, lipid profile, body weight, and physical activity of living donors in long-term follow-up after nephrectomy. A total of 121 living donors were compared with 81 healthy subjects with normal renal function and no history of any surgery or disease. Before and after donor nephrectomies, we recorded age, body weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, lipids, and serum glucose levels of the donors.

Risk of developing fibroadenoma with the use of cyclosporine A in renal transplant recipients.

To investigate the effect of cyclosporine A (Cyc A) on the development of fibroadenomas, 30 renal transplant patients and 20 chronic renal failure patients on dialysis were breast examined with ultrasonography and/or mammography. Of the renal transplant patients, 17 were receiving Cyc A-based combination therapy for immunosuppression. All patients were female with the age range of 29.

Is there any relationship between serum levels of interleukin-10 and atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients?

Objective: Cardiovascular complications due to atherosclerosis (AS) are the major cause of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Inflammation may play an important role in the development of AS. Several studies have demonstrated an association between AS and acute-phase proteins and cytokines in the general population and in HD patients.

Severe acute renal failure due to tubulointerstitial nephritis, pancreatitis, and hyperthyroidism in a patient during rifampicin therapy.

It is well known that rifampicin can cause nephrotoxicity. Rifampicin-related pancreatitis and hyperthyroidism are rarely reported in the same patient in the presence of tubulointerstitial nephritis. Reported herein is the medical management of a patient with hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure, pancreatitis, and hyperthyroidism during with rifampicin therapy.

Uncommon side effect of MMF in renal transplant recipients.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a potent immunosuppressive agent used in renal transplantation. Gastrointestinal and hematological side effects are commonly observed, but hepatotoxicity has not been reported. In this study, we assessed MMF-related hepatotoxicity in renal transplant recipients.

Tissue Doppler is a more reliable method in early detection of cardiac dysfunction in patients with AA amyloidosis.

Objective: Cardiac deposition of AA amyloidosis may result in increasing left ventricular mass and systolic and diastolic dysfunction (DD). The aim of this study was to investigate the left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions by both tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography (PWD) in patients with AA amyloidosis without congestive heart failure symptoms or arrthymia.

Methods And Results: Twenty-four patients with AA amyloidosis without congestive heart failure symptoms or arrthymia (15 men and nine women; mean age 44.

Long-term comparative results of C0 and C2 monitoring of CyA in renal transplanted patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of CyA monitoring using C0 monitoring (fasting level after 12 h from last dose), and C2 monitoring (2 h after morning dose) on renal functions, lipid levels, CyA levels, and daily dosages of CyA in renal transplanted patients in the posttransplant period from the first month to the 36th month. In our center between 1992-2003, 37 of the 54 renal transplanted patients were treated with CyA, prednisolone, and mycophenolate mofetil or azathioprine. The mean age was 32.

PRAME mRNA levels in cases with acute leukemia: clinical importance and future prospects.

The PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma) gene has been shown to be expressed in high levels in some solid tumors and hemopoietic neoplasias but not or only weakly expressed in normal tissues. It encodes an antigen recognized by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes. PRAME is a good candidate for tumor immunotherapy and is a useful marker gene for detection of minimal residual disease (MRD).

Different glomerulopathies accompanying non-small-cell lung cancer.

The coexistence of lung cancer and glomerular lesion is not commonly reported. Malignancy-related glomerulopathy is commonly membranous glomerulonephritis. Other glomerulopathies are seldom reported.

Granulocytic sarcoma of the heart: extramedullary relapse of acute myeloblastic leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation successfully treated by chemotherapy alone.

We present a case of granulocytic sarcoma (GS) of the heart. A 28-year-old man with relapsed acute myelogenous leukemia (AML-M2) had undergone a non-myeloablative allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplantation. Three years following transplantation, masses were evidenced in his heart by echocardiography but had completely disappeared following a common chemotherapy etoposide, mitoxantrone, ara-C (EMA) regimen for relapsed AML.

Bilateral choroidal infiltration from indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a rapid course with poor prognosis.

A 42-year-old-woman, with a 2 year history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma suffered sudden bilateral visual loss. This unusual patient presented with an unifocal choroidal tumor in the superionasal quadrant in both eyes. Fluorescein angiography revealed early and late intense subretinal fluorescence.

Loss of vision and renal function in a patient with miliary tuberculosis.

Introduction: Visual loss is a rare complication of tuberculosis; it can be related to anti-tuberculous drugs or to the infection itself. For the treatment of visual loss, differential diagnosis is important between infection and adverse effect of anti-tuberculous drugs.

Case: A 48-year-old male patient with a history of tuberculosis and visual loss during anti-tuberculous drug therapy was admitted to our hospital.

Dipyridamole for renal phosphate leak in successfully renal transplanted hypophosphatemic patients.

Aim And Background: Hyphosphatemia can be seen in renal transplant recipients. Hyperparathyroidism, glucocorticoid treatment, renal denervation and impairment of renal tubular phosphate reabsorption are the most common causes of hyphosphatemia in these patients. It is well-known that dipyridamole enhances renal tubular phosphate reabsorption in some clinical conditions.