Code Blue evaluation in children's hospital

BACKGROUND: True alarm rate of the Code Blue cases is at a low level in the Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital in İzmir. This study aims to analyse the use of the Code Blue alarm cases in the children's hospital.METHODS: This retrospective clinical study evaluated the age and the gender of the cases, the arriving time of the Code Blue team, the date and time of the Code Blue Call, the reasons of the Code Blue Call, and the verification which were all obtained from the Code Blue forms of the hospital dated between January 2014 and January 2015. The data of 139 Code Blue cases' forms were investigated and was divided into two groups: before and after the education containing 88 and 51 cases, respectively.RESULTS: Conversive disorder (26% to 13%, P<0.01), syncope (21.5% to 19.6%, P<0.01), convulsion (17% to 13.7%, P<0.01), hypoglycemia (4.5% to 3.9%, P<0.01), anxiety (4.5% to 1.9%, P<0.01), head trauma due to syncope (4.5% to 0%), cardiac arrest (1.1% to 0%), respiratory difficulties (2.2% to 1.9%, P<0.01), suspicion of myocardial infarction (2.2% to 1.9%, P<0.01), fall from stairs (2.2% to 0%) and agitation cases (1.1% to 0%) were reduced, however, the hypertension cases were dramatically increased (3.4% to 29.4%, P<0.01) owing to the hospital staff's education. The Pearson's correlation coefficient before and after education was 0.837. About 97.8% of the Code Blue cases were false calls with female greater than male (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that more education is required for the hospital's staff and a new color code that is to say pre-diagnosis team should be formed.     

An investigation of the relation between catalase C262T gene polymorphism and catalase enzyme activity in leukemia patients

IntroductionCatalase (CAT), an antioxidant enzyme, catalyzes conversion of hydrogen peroxide to water and molecular oxygen, protecting cells against oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between CAT C262T polymorphism in the promoter region of the CAT gene and leukemia risk and to determine the relationship between CAT genotypes and CAT enzyme activities.Material and methodsGenotypes of 102 cases and 112 healthy controls’ genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. Catalase activity was measured with the method of Aebi.ResultsThe frequencies of the T allele among the cases and controls were 28.4% and 25.9%, respectively (p = 0.75). The frequencies of CC, CT, and TT among cases were 57.8%, 27.4%, and 14.7%, respectively, while in controls, the frequencies of CC, CT, and TT were 54.4%, 39.3%, and 6.3%, respectively, which were not significantly different. Although CAT enzyme activity was lower in leukemia patients with TT genotypes than in controls, this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.37).ConclusionsThis is the first report showing that CAT C262T polymorphism is not a genetic predisposing factor for the risk of leukemia in the Turkish population. However, additional research is needed to confirm these findings.     

Comparison of autogenous mucosal grafts and collagen-based, solvent-preserved allografts for vestibuloplasty.

This study was designed to determine whether solvent-preserved dura mater and fascia lata grafts would be as effective as palatal mucosal grafts for vestibuloplasty. All graft systems succeeded in covering the alveolar ridge with firmly attached tissue, which is needed to ensure prosthetic stability. There was no remarkable reduction in area until the stents were removed. However, after 6 months of vestibuloplasty, there was a significant reduction in gained vestibular area in the fascia lata group, whereas no significant difference between dura mater and palatal grafts was observed. These findings suggest that dura mater could serve as a biologic oral dressing for mucosal defects as effectively as palatal grafts in vestibuloplasty.     

Lack of Association between PTPN22 Gene +1858 C>T Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Generalized Vitiligo in a Turkish Population

Background

Vitiligo is an autoimmune polygenic disorder characterized by loss of pigmentation due to melanocyte destruction. The PTPN22 gene +1858 C>T single nucleotide polymorphism (rs2476601) has been shown to be associated with various autoimmune disorders.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the PTPN22 gene +1858 C>T single nucleotide polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to generalized vitiligo in a Turkish population.

Methods

One hundred and seven patients with generalized vitiligo, and one hundred and twelve gender-, age-, and ethnic-matched controls were enrolled in the study. Genotyping was done by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results

The PTPN22 +1858 C>T genotype and allele frequencies of the generalized vitiligo patients did not differ significantly from those of healthy controls.

Conclusion

We found no association between the PTPN22 +1858 C>T gene polymorphism and vitiligo susceptibility in Turkish generalized-vitiligo patients.     

A study on the relationship between homocysteine and diabetic nephropathy in rats.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is known to be associated with many of the occlusive vascular diseases including ischemic heart disease. Elevated plasma total homocysteine (t-Hcy) is also remarkably common among patients with moderate to severe renal failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of homocysteine (Hcy) in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in the rat. Additionally, any effect of aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation, on the onset of nephropathic symptoms and on the concentrations of Hcy was searched for. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar albino rats (6 months old) by a single injection of 50 mg x kg (-1)streptozotocin (STZ) into the penile vein. Animals with blood glucose levels higher than 350 mg x dl (-1)72 h after STZ injection were included in the study. Age-matched rats receiving a single dose of citrate buffer served as controls. One half of the control and diabetic groups received AG via drinking water (1 g l (-1)). The experimental period lasted for ten weeks. Animals were killed by cardiac venipuncture after 24 hour urine samples were collected. Serum t-Hcy was quantified using HPLC, and urinary GAGs using the spectrophotometric 1,9-dimethyl methylene blue dye method. Serum glucose, protein, creatinine and total sulfydryl (t-SH) measurements, and urinary protein determinations were carried out spectrophotometrically. In diabetic rats, serum t-Hcy levels were significantly decreased (P< 0.001), and were negatively correlated with the urinary protein concentration (r= -0.67, P< 0.05). Urinary GAG levels were also increased in diabetic rats (P< 0.001). AG neither affected the t-Hcy levels, nor ameliorated the nephropathic symptoms. These results indicate that diabetic nephropathy is not linked to homocysteinemia in the rat.