Pregnancy and tuberculosis: to assess tuberculosis cases in pregnancy in a developing region retrospectively and two case reports

Pregnancy and tuberculosis (TB)  To assess TB cases during pregnancy in a developing region retrospectively and to present two case reports. Objectives  Since TB cases activated by HIV infection during pregnancy are well reported in the literature, we aimed to investigate the aggressiveness of pulmonary TB among pregnant women and to assess the effects of TB on the fetus in Kutahya, an area where HIV positive cases are not seen. Materials and methods  The medical records between 2000 and 2005 of the Provincial Health Directorate and Dispensary Against Tuberculosis in Kutahya were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results  Between 2000 and 2005, 667 pulmonary TB cases were examined in the Kutahya region. Of these, 106 occurred in women at reproductive ages between 20 and 44. All were HIV negative cases. In this area, five TB cases were found during pregnancy. There were three cases seen in the first trimester, but pregnancy was ended by curettage. Two women had pulmonary TB and gave birth. Five cases were evaluated as class 1 TB. During and after pregnancy, isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide (INH + RFP + ETB + PRZ) were used for the treatment. Resistance to anti-TB drugs was not seen during the treatment. Neither congenial nor neonatal TB was seen. Conclusion  Generally, TB is expected to be more aggressive during pregnancy. Since our cases were HIV negative, it can be thought that TB did not progress aggressively. Less aggressiveness and non-resistance to TB treatment in HIV-negative pregnant women compared with HIV-positive women were observed. Therefore, HIV infection results in greater mortality than the triple combination of human immunodeficiency virus, mycobacterium TB, and pregnancy. Besides, the advance of TB in pregnant women was not different from that in non-pregnant women in Kutahya. The fetus and the newborn were not affected. INH, RFP, ETB, and PRZ were used for therapy.     

The correlation of plasma homocysteine with insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome

AIM: This study aims to investigate the existence of any relationship between homocysteine levels and insulin resistance in Turkish women with polycystic ovary syndrome. METHODS: A case-controlled, cross-sectional, observational study was undertaken in a total of 94 infertile Turkish women who required professional help in the Department of Infertility of Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital. The correlation between serum homocysteine with age, body mass index, hormone profile, fasting insulin and glucose concentrations and insulin resistance were examined in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and the results were compared to those of women with normal ovaries, who served as a control group. RESULTS: The mean serum fasting glucose and insulin levels, thus insulin resistance index of women with polycystic ovary syndrome, were significantly higher than those of the control subjects. The mean serum homocysteine levels were significantly higher in women with polycystic ovary syndrome than those in the control group. A positive correlation was detected between the mean homocysteine, the insulin resistance index determined by homeostasis model assessment and the fasting insulin levels in polycystic ovary syndrome patients. CONCLUSIONS: Serum homocysteine levels are elevated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, and this elevation is associated with the serum insulin level rather than androgen excess. The intense treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome might improve reproductive outcome and contribute to protection from cardiovascular risks.     

Comparison of human amniotic membrane and hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose membrane for prevention of adhesion formation in rats

Objectives To investigate the effectiveness of human amniotic membrane (HAM) in the prevention of postoperative adhesion formation and to compare it with the efficacy of hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose (HA/CMC) membrane in a rat model. Methods Following pilot studies and computer-generated randomization, 23 female Wistar albino rats were operated on in the full study. One of the uterine horns with standard lesions was treated with either HAM (n = 13) or HA/CMC (n = 10) and the other uterine horn served as the control. Second look laparotomies were performed 2 weeks after the operations. Main outcome measures were extent, severity, degree, total adhesion scores and histopathologic characteristics of adhesions. Results Uterine horns treated with HAM had significantly lower total adhesion scores than the controls (5.15 ± 2.67 vs. 7.92 ± 1.50, P < 0.05). Total adhesion scores of uterine horns treated with HA/CMC membrane were significantly lower than those of the controls (4.30 ± 1.95 vs. 7.50 ± 1.84, P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the HAM and HA/CMC groups regarding any adhesion scores. Conclusions HAM and HA/CMC membrane are both effective for prevention of adhesion formation in a rat uterine horn model; however, one does not seem to be more effective than the other.     

Corneal densitometry in patients with arcus senilis and its correlation with serum lipid levels

Purpose:To evaluate corneal densitometry (CD) of patients with arcus senilis (AS) and its association with the serum lipid markers.Methods:This is a cross-sectional, case-control study. The AS diagnosis was made clinically. Forty-five eyes of 45 patients with AS and 38 eyes of 38 age-matched control subjects with no noticeable AS were enrolled in the study. All participants underwent detailed ophthalmologic examination along with corneal Scheimpflug imaging with CD measurement. The evaluated serum lipid markers of the participants included total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). The Spearman correlation analysis was used to correlate the serum lipid values and the CD. P < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant.Results:The male to female ratio was 26/19 and 14/24 in the study and control groups, respectively (P = 0.057). The mean age was 59.56 ± 8.7 and 56.47 ± 8.6 years in the study and control groups, respectively (P = 0.117). The mean total CD values in the zones extending from 2 to 12 mm were higher in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.001). The serum HDL level was found to be significantly decreased in the study group compared to the control group (P = 0.048 and Z = −1.976). There was a significant positive correlation between the serum triglyceride level and the CD value of the outermost zone (10–12 mm) (r = 0.334 and P = 0.025).Conclusion:The CD of patients with AS was found to increase not only in the peripheral zone but also in the cornea’s paracentral zone compared to the healthy controls. The serum triglyceride level should give an insight into the intensity of arcus senilis. The serum HDL levels were decreased in patients with AS.     

Anatomie des Felsenbeins

The petrous portion of the temporal bone is an important location of traumatic injuries as well as inflammatory and neoplastic diseases in the clinical daily routine. In addition to the articles in this issue that focus on these diseases, this article provides a short overview of the clinically relevant anatomy of the petrous portion of the temporal bone.