Effect of cervical length on second trimester pregnancy termination

AIM: To evaluate the value of sonographic measurement of cervical length as a predictor of abortion or delivery within 24 h by misoprostol in second trimester termination of pregnancy (TOP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty-three women underwent TOP between 14 and 26 weeks of pregnancy due to various indications. The primary outcome was abortion within 24 h. Cervical length was measured before transvaginal administration of misoprostol. The effects of cervical length, total misoprostol dose, parity, and gestational age at diagnosis on successful TOP were evaluated. Results: One hundred and sixty-three women were eligible who met the inclusion criteria. TOP occurred in 80.5% of patients within 24 h. Parous women had shorter prolonged induction to expulsion period over 24 h (14.1% vs 28.6%, P = 0.061). Total misoprostol dose and history of abortion were parameters that affected induction to delivery period (P = 0.002 and P = 0.041). Using an optimum cutoff of 36 mm, 58.2% sensitivity and 68.2% specificity were obtained. In addition, positive and negative predictive values were 85.36% and 33.3%, respectively. Pregnant women whose preinduction cervical length was shorter than 36 mm had a shorter induction time and needed a lower total misoprostol dose to achieve TOP than women with a cervical length longer than 36 mm (P = 0.027 and P = 0.011, respectively). Conclusion: Transvaginal measurement of cervical length before administration of prostaglandin analogue was not correlated with successful TOP within 24 h. It cannot be used as a predictor in light of our findings.     

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital harlequin ichthyosis with 2D, 3D, and 4D ultrasonography

Harlequin fetus is a rare and mostly fatal form of congenital ichthyosis that can be diagnosed by fetal skin biopsy in patients with a family history of the disease. More recently DNA analysis of amniocentesis and chorion villus sampling materials have also been utilized. We report a case of prenatally diagnosed congenital ichthyosis with no previous family history. Diagnosis was mainly achieved by 3D and 4D ultrasonography findings such as diffuse scaling of the skin, digital contractures, flattened rudimentary external ear, nasal hypoplasia, everted eyelids, typical fish mouth appearance, macroglossia, and persistently open fetal mouth.     

Induced abortion frequency in Ankara, Turkey, before and after the legal regulation of induced abortion.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of the 1983 law that legalized induced abortion on the number and place of abortions, and on the use of family planning (FP) methods before and after abortion, and to determine the demographic characteristics and reproductive health features according to the order of abortion. METHOD: This study included 2455 married, widowed or divorced women presenting at Mother and Child Health-Family Planning Centres in Ankara. A questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULT: Nearly three out of 10 (28.7%) of the women had undergone at least one induced abortion. In the age groups 45-54 and 55-64, 49 and 37.3%, respectively, had had one or more terminations of pregnancy (TOPs). The induced abortion rate increased following the enacting of the law. In the 15-24 and in the 55-64 age group, 55.6 and 89%, respectively, of the women had been aborted by a private physician. Before the index pregnancy, 63.1% were not using contraception compared with 37.3% thereafter. The rate of use of FP increased after the law was passed. CONCLUSION: Although the most common reason for having an abortion was unwanted pregnancy in all age groups and nearly 60.0% of the women aged less than 55 reported that they were not using any FP method at the time of the TOP, the proportion of women having undergone at least one of these procedures increased after the law was passed, indicating that abortion is used as a FP method.     

The CTLA-4 gene region of chromosome 2q33 is linked to, and associated with, type 1 diabetes. Belgian Diabetes Registry

Susceptibility to autoimmune insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus is determined by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, which include variation in MHC genes on chromosome 6p21 (IDDM1) and the insulin gene on chromosome 11p15 (IDDM2). However, linkage to IDDM1 and IDDM2 cannot explain the clustering of type 1 diabetes in families, and a role for other genes is inferred. In the present report we describe linkage and association of type 1 diabetes to the CTLA-4 gene (cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated-4) on chromosome 2q33 (designated IDDM12). CTLA-4 is a strong candidate gene for T cell- mediated autoimmune disease because it encodes a T cell receptor that mediates T cell apoptosis and is a vital negative regulator of T cell activation. In addition, we provide supporting evidence that CTLA-4 is associated with susceptibility to Graves' disease, another organ- specific autoimmune disease.      

Colorectal hemangioma: radiologic findings

The authors correlated radiographs with the clinical and histologic data of 12 patients with colorectal hemangioma. All patients presented with rectal bleeding, which was chronic in seven. Phleboliths were also visible in seven cases, which correlated with chronic bleeding in five. On barium studies, three masses were soft and three produced rigid narrowing. The atypical features of rigid luminal narrowing, which might mimic a carcinoma, and hypovascularity correlated with chronic bleeding or visible phleboliths, which suggest the correct diagnosis of colorectal hemangioma.     

Membrane expression of platelet calpain

Platelet calpain has many platelet substrates, including external membrane proteins. We thus investigated whether platelet calpain II was associated with platelet membranes in unstimulated and thrombin- activated platelets. A monospecific, goat polyclonal antibody was reared to purified platelet calpain II. Sixteen whole platelet lysates were found to contain 4.5 +/- 0.7 micrograms calpain antigen II per 10(8) platelets (mean +/- SEM) as determined by a competitive enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay. Using the dipeptide fluorogenic substrate, Suc-Leu-Tyr-MCA, 17 human platelet lysates contained 3.6 +/- 0.4 micrograms calpain activity per 10(8) platelets. Platelet calpain II was associated with the Triton X-100 insoluble platelet cytoskeletons from both unstimulated and thrombin-activated platelets. When compared with the total cell content of platelet calpain II, calpain antigen (10% to 13%) and calpain activity (24% to 28%) was associated with platelet cytoskeletons in unstimulated and thrombin-activated platelets, respectively. On immunoblot, the heavy chain (80 Kd) of calpain II was detected in platelet cytoskeletons. Subcellular fractionation studies on both unstimulated and thrombin-activated platelets, revealed that half of the total platelet calpain II antigen was associated with cytosol, and the other half was associated with the membrane fraction. Platelet calpain II was not seen on the surface of unstimulated, paraformaldehyde fixed platelets by immunofluorescence. However, on thrombin-activated platelets, rim immunofluorescence was seen, indicating that activated platelets externalize their calpain. This observation was confirmed by the finding that about 2,000 molecules per platelet of an 125I-anti-calpain II Fab' specifically bound to thrombin-activated but not unstimulated platelets. Both dibucaine (1 mmol/L) and platelet activating factor (1.86 mumol/L) in the absence of external Ca++, but not collagen (5 micrograms/mL) or ionophore A23187 (2.5 mumol/L) in the absence of external Ca++, were also able to externalize platelet calpain II antigen, as indicated by a similar level of specific 125I-anti-calpain II Fab'-platelet binding. These combined studies indicate that platelet calpain II is a major protein, comprising 2% of total platelet protein, a substantial portion of which is membrane-associated. When platelets are activated by thrombin and platelet activating factor, calpain II antigen also becomes present on the external platelet surface.     

Male Sexual Function in Patients Receiving Different Types of Renal Replacement Therapy

BackgroundPatients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) experience erectile dysfunction (ED). Although it is a benign disorder, ED is related to physical and psychosocial health, and it has a significant impact on the quality of life (QOL). The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of different renal replacement therapies on ED.MethodsA total of 100 ESRD patients and 50 healthy men were recruited to the present cross-sectional study. The study was consisted of 53 renal transplantation (RT; group I; mean age, 39.01 ± 7.68 years; mean duration of follow-up, 97.72 ± 10.35 months) and 47 hemodialysis (HD) patients (group II; mean age, 38.72 ± 9.12 years; mean duration of follow-up, 89.13 ± 8.65 months). The control group consisted of 50 healthy men (group III; mean age 39.77 ± 8.51 years). Demographic data and laboratory values were obtained. All groups were evaluated with the following scales: International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 and Short Form (SF)-36 questionnaires, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The patients whose IIEF score were ≤21 were accepted as having ED.ResultsThe mean age of these groups were similar (P > .05). Total IIEF-5 scores of men in groups I, II, and III were 19.5 ± 4.5, 16.4 ± 5.9, and 22.5 ± 3.4, respectively. The mean total IIEF-5 score of control group was higher than those of groups I and II (P < .001). Posttransplant group mean total IIEF-5 score was also higher than the HD group (P < .05). Groups I and II significantly differed from control group in terms of presence of ED (IIEF score ≤21: Group I, n = 28 [52.8%]; group II, n = 29 [61.7%]; and group III, n = 12 [%24], respectively [P < .001]), whereas there was no difference between groups I and II. In the logistic regression analysis (variables included age, BDI, and renal replacement therapy [HD and transplantation]), ED was independently associated with age (odds ratio [OR], 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.2), BDI (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.01–1.13). Additionally, ED was not associated with renal replacement therapy (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 0.60–3.57). Physiologic health domain of SF-36 was significantly better in healthy controls (P < .001). Patient groups were similar in terms of BDI score (P > .05). ED score was negatively correlated with BDI (r = ?0.368; P < .001), and positively correlated with SF-36 (r = 0.495; P < .001) in all patient groups.ConclusionPatients with ESRD had significantly lower sexual function and lower QOL scores than the healthy control men. Notably, the mode of renal replacement therapy had no impact on male sexual function.     

Incidence of stress urinary incontinence among women in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of stress urinary incontinence among women at the age of 15 and above who applied to the primary health care centers in Ankara, Turkey. We applied the urinary stress incontinence questionnaire to 2,601 women at the age of 15 or above who consulted to the “mother–child health care and family planning centers” in January 2002. To evaluate the urinary incontinence status with respect to age groups and other risk factors, chi-square test was used. Stress incontinence prevalence was 16.1% in our population. Age was a statistically significant risk factor affecting the incidence of stress incontinence. As the number of gravida increases, the frequency of stress incontinence increases (p<0.05). Presence of a systemic disease was also an important risk factor (p<0.05). Alcohol use and smoking were not found to affect the incidence of urinary stress incontinence (p>0.05). As urinary incontinence greatly influences life quality and social and psychological status of the person, and also creates economic burden, predisposing factors of stress incontinence should be well defined and measures should be taken to encourage women experiencing this problem to visit a doctor and to get an efficient treatment.     

Novel biomarkers for patients with idiopathic acute anterior uveitis: neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio

AIM: To assess the levels of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N/L) and the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (P/L) in patients with idiopathic acute anterior uveitis (AAU) and to compare with healthy controls. METHODS: Thirty-six male patients with idiopathic AAU and 36 male healthy subjects were enrolled in this retrospective study. Complete ophthalmological examination and complete blood count measurements results of all subjects were evaluated. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in N/L and P/L between idiopathic AAU and control groups (P=0.006, P=0.022). Also, correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between C-reactive protein (CRP) and N/L (P=0.002; r=0.461). CONCLUSION: Our study for the first time provides evidence of N/L and P/L may be useful biomarkers in patients with idiopathic AAU. N/L is correlated with CRP, so it can be a useful biomarker to predict the prognosis in idiopathic AAU.