Assessment of ST2 and Reg3a levels in patients with acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background/aim: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a crucial complication leading to significant morbidity and mortality allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation which occurs in approximately half of the transplant recipients. Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) and regenerating islet-derived 3-alpha(Reg3a) might be important biomarkers to predict acute GVHD.

Materials And Methods: In the present study, blood samples were collected from 17 patients with acute GVHD and 12 control patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Investigating the effects of a multidimensional exercise program on symptoms and antiinflammatory status in female patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a multidimensional exercise program on symptoms and antiinflammatory status in female patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: The BATH Indexes, Dougados Functional Index (DFI), Health Assessment Questionnaire in Spondyloarthopathies (HAQ-S), Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to evaluate twenty-four female AS patients. ESR, CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 were also analyzed.

Changes in vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietins, and Tie-2 levels with G-CSF stimulation in healthy donors.

The roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Tie-2, and angiopoietins in the mobilization of the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in humans are not yet clearly understood. In order to elucidate mechanisms of HSC mobilization from their niches, we aimed to investigate the effects of mobilization with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor to the levels of VEGF, Tie-2, and angiopoietins 1 and 2 in the allogeneic HSC transplantation donors. Soluble VEGF, Tie-2, angiopoietin 1 and angiopoietin 2 levels were studied in 20 healthy allogeneic HSC transplantation donors before (from peripheral blood) and 5 days after mobilization (from apheresis material).

Evidence for higher red blood cell mass in persons with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia and Gilbert's syndrome.

Background: The genetic polymorphism responsible from Gilbert's syndrome is not sufficient for the clinical phenotype to occur in many persons. Additional factors are believed to contribute in pathogenesis. Red cell mass may be such a factor.