The effect of oral contraceptives on current wheezing in young women

BackgroundEmerging evidence suggests that sex steroid hormones may influence respiratory symptoms. The existing literature about the role of oral contraceptive pill (OCP) on respiratory disease is scarce and conflicting especially during the adolescent period. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of OCPs on current wheezing among adolescents and young adults.MethodsA questionnaire was administered face-to-face to adolescents and young women by a physician. The questionnaire included ISAAC survey-comprised questions on ever wheezing, current wheezing, allergic diseases, smoking history (active or passive), and family history of allergic diseases and questions on OCP usage status. The effect of OCPs on wheezing was evaluated by logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 487 subjects aged between 11.3 and 25.6 years participated in the study and 196 (40.2%) reported that they had used OCPs. 7.4% of the participants had physician-diagnosed asthma and 10.3% of them were active smokers. It was detected that OCPs were associated with increased risk for current wheezing (odds ratio, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.25–4.47 adjusted for asthma and current smoker) and this risk was related with the usage during the past year.ConclusionYoung women taking oral contraceptives had a higher rate of current wheezing, suggesting that sex steroids may be of importance for respiratory health.     

Erratum to: Evaluation of cardiac functions in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus with two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography

Clinical Rheumatology -     

Maternal serum thrombospondin-1 is significantly altered in cases with established preeclampsia

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate whether maternal serum TSP-1 level was associated with PE.

Materials and methods: In our case control study, 84 pregnant women in the third trimester were included. Forty-one of them were healthy and 43 of them were with the diagnosis of PE. The diagnosis was based on the definitions of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program working Group on High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy. Preeclamptic patients were divided into two subgroups as mild and severe. Blood pressure (BP) of pregnant women were obtained in left-side lying position using a mercury sphygmomanometer after at least 10 minutes of rest. Ten milliliters of venous blood was taken from every pregnant women and dispensed into lithium heparin and serum was obtained. Samples were stored at ?80?°C until analyzed. Serum TSP-1 level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All tests were two-tailed and p < .05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results: TSP-1 level was significantly lower in PE group than in controls (p?=?.003). Platelet counts were similar in two groups (p = .26). TSP-1 levels were significantly lower in severe PE than in mild PE cases. According to the subgroup analysis, TSP-1 level was found significantly lower in severe preeclampsia group compared to control group (p = .015).

Conclusions: In light of the association between endothelial dysfunction and preeclampsia, we claim that lower levels of TSP-1 which is released mostly from endothelial cells seem to reflect disease severity in PE. Our study reveals that maternal serum TSP-1 levels decrease in pregnant women presenting with PE and TSP-1 may be a new biomarker for the detection of PE and even severity of it. Further studies especially prospective ones with greater numbers of cases are needed.     

Percutaneous treatment of orofacial vascular malformations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous injection of bleomycin as the primary treatment for low-flow vascular malformations. A total of 34 patients (mean (range) age 24 (8–51) years) with orofacial vascular lesions were treated in the Department of Interventional Radiology and Maxillofacial Surgery. There were 20 low-flow venous malformations, 11 lymphatic malformations, and three of mixed type. All patients were treated by fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous injection of a mixture of bleomycin (mean (range) 15 (5–15) mg) and a radio-opaque agent (Ultravist^® (iopromide), Bayer)/session. The number of sessions ranged from one to six. The clinical response was complete in 21 patients, obvious in nine, and of clinical benefit in four. Patients were reviewed within the first week, third week, and at three-month periods until 24 months. There were no serious complications such as pulmonary fibrosis. Fluoroscopy-guided intralesional injection of bleomycin should be considered as the first-line treatment for lymphatic malformations because it is effective and reliable with few complications.     

Associations between Poor Sleep Quality,Obesity, and the Anthropometric Measurements of Women in Turkey

Recent studies have shown that poor sleep quality is significantly associated with obesity. The aim of this study is to examine the association of sleep quality with obesity and specific anthropometric measurements. A total of 105 women aged 20–55 years with no chronic diseases participated in this study. They filled out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), their anthropometric measurements were taken, and their dietary data were collected with a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and BMI, waist circumference, triceps skinfold thicknesses, body fat ratio (%), and body fat mass (p > .05), but high bread consumption was significantly associated with poor sleep quality (p < .05). The women with poor sleep quality consumed significantly more bread, but not other foods, than the women with good sleep quality. Sleep quality can thus be related to eating habits.