Neopterin production in posttraumatic stress disorder before and after pharmacotherapy

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with decreased neopterin levels. In the present study, we evaluated whether this low neopterin levels would normalize following pharmacotherapy with sertraline in PTSD. Fourteen patients with PTSD and 14 controls were enrolled in the study. A clinical evaluation and measurements of neopterin levels before and after sertraline treatment were performed. In addition, all patients were assessed with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). The mean neopterin levels were significantly lower in the patient group than control group at baseline and were negatively correlated with the duration of illness, or severity of illness. Sertraline treatment decreased the symptoms of PTSD; however this was not accompanied by a significant increase in neopterin production. In conclusion, our results reveal that the failure for neopterin to normalize through symptom alleviation suggests that either neopterin may be a trait marker of the illness, or that more sustained treatment is necessary to elevate the neopterin production. Received: 30 September 2002 / Accepted: 12 December 2002 Correspondence to Dr. Murad Atmaca     

Weekly topotecan for recurrent small cell lung cancer - a retrospective anatolian medical oncology group study

Aim: To evaluate efficacy and tolerability of topotecan treatment for recurrent small cell lung carcinoma.Patients and Methods: A total of 62 patients were evaluated retrospectively. Statistical analysis was performedusing GraphPad Instat (version 3.05). Results: DFifty five of patients (89%) were male and 7 (11%) were female.Median age was 56.7±9.3 (34-75). Forty eight of patients (80%) were extensive stage (ES) at the time of diagnosis.Fifty of the patients (80.6 Medical Oncology Clinic) were given median 5.36 cycles of cisplatin-etoposide (2-8 cycles).Time to recurrence was 15.6±6.13 weeks in patients with limited stage (LS) and 6.3±3.82 weeks in extensivestage (ES) (p<0.0001). Overall survival was 14.0±6.08 months in ES and 17.9±6.88 months in LS. The differencebetween two groups was statistically meaningful (p=0.0447). The overall survival of the patients was 14.8±6.43months (4.5-40 months). In terms of survival, there was no difference between males and females (p=0.1171).In 17 (27%) patients who were refractory to topotecan or in whom progression occurred other chemotherapieswere used. Conclusion: Small cell lung cancer is chemosensitive, but recurrences occur in short time. Otherchemotherapy regimens are used in progression. Topotecan is one of them. Patients who were young and in whomrecurrences occur late had given better response to topotecan. Because of the retrospective nature of the study,we couldn’t reach the records exactly and consequently, rate and duration of response couldn’t be calculated.In recurrent SCLC topotecan is one of the treatment choices. But both hematological and non hematologicalside effects should be taken into consideration.     

Survivin expression and its potential clinical significance in gastrointestinal stromal sarcoma

This study was designed to determine the level of survivin expression and its clinical significance as a prognostic factor in gastrointestinal stromal sarcoma (GIST). Twenty patients (12 males and 8 females) ranging in age from 25 to 72, with a median age of 53 were evaluated. Failure of TKI treatment was higher in the survivin-positive group (p = 0.06). The rate of metastasis was significantly higher in the survivin positive group vs. the negative group (80% vs. 30%, p = 0.18). The median overall survival (OS) time was 114 (range 29–199) months, and the median disease-free survival (DFS) time was 88 (range 40–135) months. The median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 40 (range 24–55) months. Further, a comparison of patients with survivin positive versus negative tumors, revealed no significant difference for OS, DFS, and PFS (p = 0.45, p = 0.19, p = 0.55, respectively), number of mitoses in 50 HPF (p = 0.14), and tumor size (p = 0.94).In conclusion, survivin was highly expressed in GISTs, although we found no correlation between survivin expression and PFS, DFS and OS, survivin may be a predictive marker in GISTs for disease progression. We believe that additional studies are warranted to determine the clinical significance of survivin expression as a prognostic or predictive marker in patients with GIST.     

Comparison of the morphokinetic parameters of embryos according to ovarian reserve in IVF cycles

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of ovarian reserve and age of women on early morphokinetic parameters of embryos with a time-lapse monitoring system. In total, 197 infertile couples with poor ovarian reserve (Group 1, n?=?41), normal ovarian reserve (Group 2, n?=?59), or polycystic ovaries (Group 3, n?=?97) were included. The time from insemination to the following events were analyzed: pronuclear fading (Pnf) and cleavage to 2, 3, 4 and 5 cells. The optimal ranges for morphokinetic parameters of t5, s2 and cc2 in each group were also evaluated. In total, 1144 embryos were evaluated. Morphokinetic parameters did not differ statistically between the groups. Data were analyzed according to different age groups (20–30, 30–40,?>40). The morphokinetic parameters did not differ statistically in Group 1 and 3. In Group 2, the times from insemination to tPnf, t2, t3, t4 were significantly shorter in the younger age group than the older age group (p?相似文献   

Bladder and bowel control in children with cerebral palsy: case-control study

Aim

To determine the age of development of bladder and bowel control and the frequency of enuresis, encopresis, and urinary infections in children with cerebral palsy.

Methods

The study included 45 children with cerebral palsy who regularly attended a rehabilitation center in Isparta, Turkey, and two groups of age- and sex-matched children, 37 siblings of the children with cerebral palsy and 37 healthy children. Demographic data and information on the age of development of total bladder and bowel control and presence of possible urinary symptoms in children were collected from their caregivers by use of a questionnaire. Frequency of enuresis and encopresis was estimated among the children aged ≥5 years. A mid-way urinary sample was obtained from 40, 22, and 21 children in the cerebral palsy, siblings, and healthy children, respectively.

Results

The mean age of nighttime bladder and bowel control development was 47 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 35-58) and 45 (36-55) months, respectively, for the children with cerebral palsy, 35 months (95% CI, 24-46) and 26 months (95% CI, 24-28), respectively, for their siblings, and 27 months (95% CI, 22-33) and 25 months (95% CI, 23-27) months, respectively, for the healthy children. Among the children aged ≥5 years, enuresis was present in 11 of 34 children with cerebral palsy, 7 of 30 siblings, and 4 of 30 healthy children (P = 0.200), whereas encopresis was present in 5 children with cerebral palsy, one sibling, and one healthy child. Constipation was significantly more present in chidlren with cerebral palsy than in other two groups (P<0.001). Urine culture was positive in 13 children with cerebral palsy, 1 sibling, and 2 healthy chidlren (P = 0.024). There were no significant differences in other urinary symptoms and laboratory findings among the three groups.

Conclusion

The children with cerebral palsy gained bladder and bowel control at older age in comparison with their siblings and healthy children. They also had more frequent enuresis and urinary infections.Cerebral palsy represents a group of chronic, non-progressive motor disorders characterized by impaired voluntary movement resulting from prenatal developmental abnormalities or perinatal or postnatal central nervous system damage. Some people with cerebral palsy are also affected by other medical disorders, such as seizures, mental retardation, hearing and vision problems, and communication problems (1,2). The prevalence of cerebral palsy is approximately 2-3 per 1000 live births (1-3).The involuntary voiding of urine beyond the age of anticipated bladder control is defined as enuresis. The ability to void or inhibit voiding voluntarily at any degree of bladder filling commonly develops during the second and third year of life, and most children acquire an adult pattern of urinary control by the age of 4 (4,5). The fourth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) defines enuresis and encopresis as involuntary or unintentional repeated voiding of urine or feces, respectively, into bed or clothes, which occurs twice a week for at least 3 consecutive months, and the child must be at least 4 years old (5). The bladder and bowel control typically develops in the following sequence: nocturnal bowel control, daytime bowel control, daytime control of voiding, and nocturnal control of voiding (5).Urinary incontinence or enuresis, fecal incontinence or encopresis, and constipation are common bowel and bladder problems among adults or children with cerebral palsy (6-11). Furthermore, age of achieving bladder and bowel control in the children with cerebral palsy are higher than in their healthy peers (9,12). The development of bladder and bowel control may be influenced by neurological impairment in the children with cerebral palsy. Additionally, the frequency of urinary tract infections in these children may be higher than in healthy ones (6,7). Thus it is important to think about the possibility of a bladder problem in any child with cerebral palsy who would be expected to be dry, particularly if there is a history of urinary tract infections (13).The healthy siblings of disabled children, including children with cerebral palsy, are exposed to emotional distress more often than other healthy children without disabled siblings (14), but they do not differ in health, nutritional, or growth status (15). Moreover, the siblings of children with cerebral palsy encourage their brother or sister to be more independent and thus may contribute to improvement of the functional status of children with cerebral palsy (16).Our aim was to determine the age of achieving bladder and bowel control and frequencies of enuresis, encopresis, and urinary infections in children with cerebral palsy in comparison with their healthy siblings and other healthy children.     

Does pinealectomy affect the recovery rate after spinal cord injury?

Previous reports documented demonstrated that melatonin, a free radical scavenger, is important in protecting against oxidative stress-induced tissue damage after spinal cord injury (SCI). This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of pinealectomy (PX) and administration of exogenous melatonin after SCI in rats. These animals were randomized into six groups, each having 12 rats. Group 1 underwent laminectomy alone. Group 2 underwent laminectomy followed by SCI and received no medication. Group 3 underwent laminectomy followed by SCI and received melatonin. Group 4 underwent PX and laminectomy alone. Group 5 underwent PX and laminectomy followed by SCI and received no medication. Group 6 underwent PX and laminectomy followed by SCI and received melatonin. Melatonin (100 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally immediately after trauma to the rats in the groups 3 and 6. PX caused a significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite oxide (NO), glutathione (GSH), xanthine oxidase (XO) levels and decrease in GSH levels as compared with the control group. Trauma to the spinal cord results in significantly higher oxidative stress. Melatonin administration significantly reduced MDA, XO and NO levels, and increased GSH levels in the spinal cord after trauma. Exogenous melatonin treatment after trauma attenuated tissue lesion area and accelerated motor recovery rate. These findings suggest that reduction in endogenous melatonin after PX makes the rats more vulnerable to trauma and exogenous melatonin administration has an important neuroprotective effect on the level of the spinal cord.     

Recurrent headache and MRI findings in systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND: Headache in patients with systemic lupus eryhtematosus (SLE) is considered a common neurological finding, although the relationship is unclear. Another obscure point is the relationship between headache and neuroradiologic findings in these patients. AIM: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between headache characteristics and intracranial lesions in SLE patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-eight SLE patients were chosen from those referred to our clinic depending on the American Collage of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria at the same time or after the diagnosis of SLE. Headache classification was done regarding the ICD-II criteria in the patients. Headache severity was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS), and subjects with VAS > or = 4 were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings: abnormal MRI (lesion positive) and normal MRI (lesion negative). On MRI, intracranial lesions were detected in 37.5% (n = 18) of the patients, and no lesion was found in 62.5% (n = 30). Headache characteristics were as tension type in 54.1% (n = 26) and migraine like in 39.6% (n = 19) of all patients. Imaging findings were mostly as periventricular and subcortical focal lesions, ranging from 3-22 mm in diameter. A significant correlation was found between abnormal MRI findings with advanced age and prolonged disease duration (p = 0.018, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: As a conclusion, a detailed neurologic evaluation and radiologic investigation, if necessary, should be performed in SLE patients with prolonged disease and advanced age, regardless of headache characteristics.     

Anxiolytic-like profile of propofol, a general anesthetic, in the plus-maze test in mice

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of propofol on anxiety using the elevated plus-maze test. Groups of mice received propofol (20, 40, 60 mg/kg) or diazepam (2 mg/kg), caffeine (30 mg/kg), L-arginine (100 mg/kg), m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP, 2.5 mg/kg) and then were placed in an elevated plus-maze that was composed of two opposite closed arms and two opposite open arms. Propofol (20, 40, 60 mg/kg) and diazepam (2 mg/kg) significantly increased the percentage of time spent in the open arms compared to control. Caffeine (30 mg/kg) and m-CPP (2.5 mg/kg) decreased the percentage of time spent in the open arms and these effects were antagonized when propofol (40 mg/kg) was administered before the test. L-arginine (100 mg/kg) has also produced anxiogenic effect and this effect was not prevented by propofol. All drugs used in this study did not significantly change locomotor activity. These results suggest that propofol has anxiolytic effect in plus-maze test.