Predictive value of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio in acute pancreatitis.

Background: Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) increases and albumin decreases in patients with inflammation and infection. However, their role in patients with acute pancreatitis is not clear. The present study was to investigate the predictive significance of the CRP/albumin ratio for the prognosis and mortality in acute pancreatitis patients.

Endoscopic Management of the Difficult Bile Duct Stones: A Single Tertiary Center Experience.

. Most common bile duct (CBD) stones can be removed with standard techniques using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), but in some cases additional methods are needed. In this study we aimed to investigate the management of patients with difficult stones and the factors that affect the outcome of patients that have undergone periodic endobiliary stenting.

Double balloon enteroscopy: A 7-year experience at a tertiary care Centre.

Background: Double Balloon Enteroscopy (DBE) provides the opportunity not only to investigate but also apply endoscopic therapeutic interventions for small intestinal disturbances. The aim of this study is to assess the indications, diagnosis, therapeutic interventions, complications and safety in clinical practise of DBE procedures that have been performed in our clinic.

Material-methods: The data of patients who had undergone DBE procedure in our clinic between October 2007 and December 2014 were retrospectively investigated.

Is Gastric Xanthelasma an Alarming Endoscopic Marker for Advanced Atrophic Gastritis and Intestinal Metaplasia?

Background/aim: The clinical significance of gastric xanthelasmas is unknown. We conducted a case-control study in order to evaluate whether gastric xanthelasma is an indicator of advanced atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.

Material And Method: The study was conducted among 1400 patients who underwent elective upper endoscopy.

The Prevalence of Barrett Esophagus Diagnosed in the Second Endoscopy: A Retrospective, Observational Study at a Tertiary Center.

At present, we do not know the exact prevalence of Barrett esophagus (BE) developing later in patients without BE in their first endoscopic screening. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of BE on the second endoscopic examination of patients who had no BE in their first endoscopic examination.The data of the patients older than 18 years who had undergone upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy more than once at the endoscopy unit of our clinic during the last 6 years were retrospectively analyzed.

The predictive value of noninvasive serum markers of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: This study aims to show the predictive value of noninvasive serum markers on the hepatic fibrosis level.

Materials And Methods: This cross sectional study involves 120 patients with chronic hepatitis C. The noninvasive markers used were as follows: age-platelet index (AP index), cirrhosis discriminant score (CDS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (AAR), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, AST-platelet ratio index (APRI), Goteborg University Cirrhosis Index (GUCI), FibroQ, King's score, platelet count.

Is ischemia modified albumin a disease activity marker for inflammatory bowel diseases?

Background And Aim: We aimed to identify ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and IBD subgroups, and to examine its relation with disease activity index.

Methods: Sixty-eight patients with IBD (35 ulcerative colitis [UC] and 33 crohn disease [CD]) and 65 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Rachmilewitz scoring system (endoscopic activity index [EAI]) was used to determine UC activity, and as for CD activity, CD activity index (CDAI) scoring was used.

Can Serum ST2 Levels Be Used as a Marker of Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection?

Interleukin 33 (IL-33) is a cytokine belonging to the IL-1 superfamily. Soluble ST2 (sST2) binds to IL-33 and by functioning as trap receptor inhibits signal sending to Th2 via transmembrane ST2. Because Th2-type cytokines play an important role in fibrosis, the aim of this study is to determine whether sST2 can be used as a marker of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients or not.

The Detection of Cholangiocarcinoma in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Patients: Single Center Experience.

Purpose: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the feared complications of PSC. In our study, we aim to establish the success of brush cytology and CA 19-9 in putting the diagnosis of CCA.

Clinical and histological features of idiosyncratic liver injury: Dilemma in diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis.

Aim: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is becoming a worldwide problem with its still unexplained properties.

Methods: The data of patients who were diagnosed with DILI between January 2008 and December 2013 were assessed.

Results: Five patients had been diagnosed with intrinsic and 82 patients with idiosyncratic DILI.

The diagnostic value of brush cytology alone and in combination with tumor markers in pancreaticobiliary strictures.

Aim. Differentiation of malignant and benign strictures constitutes a problem despite the increasing experience of the endoscopists, radiologists, and pathologists. The aim of our study is to determine the factors that affect the efficacy of the ERCP guided brush cytology in PBS and to evaluate its diagnostic success when used alone and together with tumor markers.

Treatment of Crohn's disease and familial Mediterranean fever by leukopheresis: single shot for two targets.

Coexistence of Crohn's disease (CD) and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a rare condition and knowledge about this clinical situation is limited with a few case reports in the literature. The treatment of both diseases depends on their individual therapies. However, it is very hard to deal with this coexistence when CD is refractory to standard therapies.