Could viral load combined with indirect serum markers be an option for predicting the degree of liver fibrosis in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients?

In a recent issue of the Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas, we read with interest the article by Coskun et al. "The diagnostic value of a globulin/platelet model for evaluating liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients". However, we wanted to emphasize some points about the article.

Histologic Evidence of New Collagen Formulation Using Platelet Rich Plasma in Skin Rejuvenation: A Prospective Controlled Clinical Study.

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous concentration of human platelets contained in a small volume of plasma and has recently been shown to accelerate rejuvenate aging skin by various growth factors and cell adhesion molecules.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intradermal injection of PRP in the human facial rejuvenation.

Methods: This study was a prospective, single-center, single-dose, open-label, non-randomized controlled clinical study.

Erythrocyte zinc level in patients with atopic dermatitis and its relation to SCORAD index.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, pruritic inflammatory disease, characterized by a relapsing-remitting course. The pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis is not completely understood, although the disorder appears to result from the complex interaction between immune abnormalities, genetic and environmental factors. Trace elements are essential for normal functioning of the immune system.

Poorly designed research does not help clarify the role of hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are one of the most common indications for hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT). The role of HBOT in DFUs is often debated. Recent evidence based guidelines, while recommending its use, urge further studies to identify the patient subgroups most likely to benefit from HBOT.

Non-coronary abnormalities of the left heart: CT angiography findings.

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) is most commonly performed for the evaluation of the coronary arteries; however, non-coronary cardiac pathologies are frequently detected on these scans. In cases where magnetic resonance imaging cannot be used, cardiac CT can serve as the first-line imaging modality to evaluate many non-coronary cardiac pathologies. In this article, we discuss congenital non-coronary abnormalities of the left heart and their cardiac CT imaging features.

Does an asymmetric lobe in digital rectal examination include any risk for prostate cancer? results of 1495 biopsies.

Introduction: Despite the well-known findings related to malignity in DRE such as nodule and induration, asymmetry of prostatic lobes, seen relatively, were investigated in a few studies as a predictor of prostate cancer so that there is no universally expected conclusion about asymmetry. We aimed to compare cancer detection rate of normal, asymmetric or suspicious findings in DRE by using biopsy results.

Materials And Methods: Data of 1495 patients underwent prostate biopsy between 2006-2014 were searched retrospectively.

The role of coronary CT angiography in diagnosis of patent foramen ovale.

Purpose: We aimed to examine the incidence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal aneurysms (ASA) in the Turkish population using coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA); assess the feasibility of coronary CTA for PFO diagnosis by conducting a comparison with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE); and determine the diagnostic role and characteristics of the interatrial tunnel, free flap valve (FFV), and shunts.

Methods: The present study was conducted retrospectively and included a sample of 782 patients. Coronary CTA results for all patients were evaluated for the following parameters: the presence of PFO, the degree of contrast jet (if present due to PFO), ASA existence, free flap valve (FFV) length, and PFO tunnel diameters (1 and 2).