Evaluation of cut-off values of interferon-gamma-based assays in the diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection.

Setting: A chest disease centre in Istanbul, Turkey.

Objective: The diagnostic accuracy of interferon-gamma-based assays for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection may be improved by using lower cut-off values for the tuberculin skin testing (TST), QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) and T-SPOT.TB (T-SPOT) assays.

The role of surgery and fluoroquinolones in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Setting: Although modern tuberculosis treatment relies on chemotherapy, surgery is accepted as adjuvant treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Objective: To evaluate the effect of resectional surgery and fluoroquinolones on long-term treatment success and survival in a large group of MDR-TB cases.

Design: A total of 252 patients with MDR-TB were included in this retrospective cohort study.

Adjuvant resectional surgery improves cure rates in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Objective: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis still continues to be a major health problem. Adjuvant surgical resection combined with antituberculous drug management is the most favorable treatment modality for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. In this article we report the results of surgical resections we performed during the years 1993 through 2005.

Side effects associated with the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Setting: Süreyyapaşa Centre for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objective: To report the frequency of treatment side effects in cases of multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) tuberculosis.

Design: A retrospective review of the medical records of 263 patients who received individualised treatment for MDR-TB between April 1992 and June 2004.

Diagnostic yield of closed pleural brushing.

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic yield of closed pleural brushing (CPBR) in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. Twenty-one adult patients (20 men and 1 woman); aged 62.9 +/- 8.

Dental technician's pneumoconiosis: mineralogical analysis of two cases.

Pneumoconiosis was diagnosed by open lung biopsy in two dental technicians who had interstitial lung disease. Mineralogical analysis was performed to investigate the origin of the dust that had been inhaled. A marked accumulation of silicon and phosphorus was found in both cases.

Treatment outcome of relapse and defaulter pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Setting: Tuberculosis clinic in a referral hospital.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of risk factors on the outcome of retreatment in relapse and defaulter pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Design: A total of 57 retreatment tuberculosis patients treated and monitored in our centre between January 1997 and June 1999 were evaluated with respect to treatment outcome.

Treatment adherence of 717 patients with tuberculosis in a social security system hospital in Istanbul, Turkey.

Setting: Tuberculosis clinic in a teaching hospital run by the social security system, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objective: To determine risk factors associated with treatment adherence.

Design: Seven hundred and seventeen patients who commenced treatment for tuberculosis in our clinic from May 1991 to May 1997 were evaluated retrospectively with respect to treatment adherence.

[The effect of antibiotic therapy on lung pathology in experimental models of sepsis].

Aims: In this study, the effect of an extra-lung sepsis model on lung histopathology is evaluated.

Methodology: In this study 20 Wistar-Albino rats were used. Following the ether anesthesia laparotomy was done.

The treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Turkey.

Background: We evaluated the results of treatment in 158 consecutive patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis who were treated at our center in Istanbul.

Methods: A total of 21 female patients and 137 male patients (age range, 15 to 68 years) received treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis between March 1992 and October 1999. The patients had previously received a mean of 5.

The management of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity.

Setting: A tuberculosis ward in a chest disease teaching hospital.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of two different retreatment protocols on hepatotoxicity recurrence in tuberculosis treatment.

Design: In a prospective, randomised study, 45 patients with new tuberculosis developed hepatotoxicity after anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Role of surgery in multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis: results of 27 cases.

Objective: To evaluate the results of resectional surgery as an adjuvant therapy in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

Methods: A total of 27 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis underwent resectional surgery between 1993 and 1996. The lesions were bilateral in 16 cases, with a preponderance of cavities on one side.

Alarming drug-resistance rates for tuberculosis in Süreyyapaşa Hospital, Turkey.

The susceptibility patterns to 'classic' tuberculous pleuritis can reflect the circulating strains in a society. The records of patients with 'classic' tuberculous pleuritis were reviewed retrospectively. Eighty-six patients were selected who were hospitalized between January 1990 and April 1994.

Intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenopathy: clinical and bronchoscopic features in 17 adults without parenchymal lesions.

Background: Whilst intrathoracic lymphadenitis is a characteristic sign of primary tuberculosis in children, its presence without parenchymal lesions in adults is unusual and makes the diagnosis using noninvasive techniques difficult. The diagnostic role of bronchoscopy in adults with intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis is reported.

Methods: Seventeen patients with intrathoracic lymphadenopathy seen during 1993 who had all undergone bronchoscopy and had been found to have tuberculosis in the absence of any parenchymal lung lesions were evaluated retrospectively.

High initial and acquired drug resistance in pulmonary tuberculosis in Turkey.

Setting: Süreyyapasa Center for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey between January 1992 and December 1992.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalances of initial and acquired resistance to antituberculosis drugs in our center.

Design: 785 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (both old = 525/785 and new = 260/785 cases) referred to our center were evaluated with respect to their drug resistance patterns.