Serum Basic Fibroblastic Growth Factor Levels in Children with Infantile Hemangioma.

Objectives: To determine serum levels of basic fibroblastic growth factor (b-FGF) in hemangioma patients under 2 y of age.

Methods: The study group consisted of 43 children with infantile hemangioma and b-FGF levels were analyzed using ELISA.

Results: The serum b-FGF levels were higher in hemangioma patients than in healthy control individuals (p 0.

Clinical and laboratory findings of pigmented purpuric dermatoses.

Background: Pigmented purpuric dermatoses (PPD) are chronic, recurrent group of disorders characterized by petechial and pigmentary macules usually localized on the lower limbs. Its etiopathogenesis is unknown. There are very few clinical and etiological studies on PPD in the literature.

Is cystatin-C superior to creatinine in the early diagnosis of contrast-induced nephropathy?: a potential new biomarker for an old complication.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to assess whether changes in Cystatin C (CyC) after 48 h post contrast media exposure was a reliable indicator of acute kidney injury and the validity of a risk scoring tool for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI).

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 121 patients for whom diagnostic coronary angiography were planned. The risk score for CI-AKI was calculated and serum creatinine (sCr) and CyC were measured before and 48 h post coronary angiography.

Comparison of corneal curvature and anterior chamber depth measurements using the manual keratometer, Lenstar LS 900 and the Pentacam.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare keratometry and anterior chamber depth (ACD) measurements from the Lenstar LS 900 (Haag-Streit AG, Switzerland) and the Pentacam (Oculus, Weltzar, Germany), and compare the keratometry readings of these two systems to a manual keratometer (MK), (Haag-Streit, Switzerland).

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study, keratometry and ACD measurements were obtained in 50 eyes of 50 normal subjects with the Lenstar and the Pentacam. Keratometry was also measured using a MK.

B-cell subsets in patients with transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy, partial IgA deficiency, and selective IgM deficiency.

Background: The pathogenesis of some primary humoral immunodeficiencies, such as transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy (THI) and immunoglobulin (Ig) A deficiency, remains unknown and can render diagnosis problematic.

Objective: In the present study, we used flow cytometry to analyze peripheral blood B-cell subsets in patients with THI and unclassified hypogammaglobulinemia (UCH), partial IgA deficiency, and selective IgM deficiency.

Methods: The study population comprised 41 patients with hypogammaglobulinemia (THI, 18; UCH, 23), 16 patients with partial IgA deficiency, and 16 patients with selective IgM deficiency who were admitted to Ankara University Department of Pediatric Immunology-Allergy between January 2010 and April 2011, as well as 29 healthy controls.