Severe Henoch-Schönlein purpura in a thalassemic patient under deferiprone treatment

Herein we present a 7-year-old beta-thalassemia major patient who developed severe Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura (HSP) with renal, pulmonary involvement and invagination while under iron chelation with deferiprone. DNA analysis for familial Mediterranean fever revealed M696V mutation. Various cellular and humoral immunological impairments have been described in thalassemia major patients and the severe course of HSP in our case may be related to these underlying immunological defects.     

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors among Turkish adults: Trabzon MetS study

Objective In order to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) as defined by NCEP Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria in the Trabzon Region and its associations with demographic factors (age, sex, marital status, reproductive history in women, and level of education), socioeconomic factors (household income and occupation), family history of selected medical conditions (diabetes, hypertension, and obesity), lifestyle factors (smoking habits, physical activity, and alcohol consumption) in the adult population. Research Methods and Procedures In this cross-sectional survey, a sample of households was systematically selected from the central province of Trabzon and its nine towns. A total of 4,809 adult subjects ≥20 years (2,601 women and 2,208 men) were included in the study. Blood pressure levels were measured for all subjects. The persons included in the questionnaire were invited to the local medical centers for blood examination between 08:00 and 10:00 following 12 h of fasting. Fasting serum glucose (FBG) levels and lipid profile were measured with autoanalyzer. MetS was defined according to guidelines from the NCEP ATP III diagnostic criteria. Results The prevalence of MetS was 26.9%: 31.3 in women and 21.7% in men. The prevalence increased with age, being highest in the 60–69-year-old age group (53.4%) but lower again in the ≥70 age group. MetS was associated positively with marital status, parity, cessation of cigarette smoking, and negatively with the level of education, alcohol consumption, current cigarette use, household income, and physical activity. Hypertension was found as the most common MetS component in our study (57.4%). Others in decreasing order were abdominal obesity (40.9%), low high-density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) (31.8%), hypertriglyceridemia (30.7%), and high FBG levels (9.2%). Similarly, in the subjects diagnosed with MetS, HT had the highest prevalence (91.9%). This was followed by abdominal obesity (82.3%), hypertriglyceridemia (74%), low HDL-C (68.6%), and high fasting blood glucose levels (28.6%). Discussion MetS is moderately common and an important health problem in the adult population of Trabzon. In order to control MetS and its components, effective public health education and taking urgent steps are needed. These steps include serious education, providing a well-balanced diet and increasing physical activity.     

Effect of low- and high-dose levothyroxine on thyroid nodule volume: a crossover placebo-controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy and the effective dose of levothyroxine suppressive therapy in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules are controversial. In this study, we aimed to determine the response of solitary thyroid nodules to low- or high-level TSH suppression in a placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial. DESIGN: Forty-nine patients with solitary thyroid nodules on palpation were randomized to high-level and low-level TSH suppression groups. In each group, patients were further randomized to placebo and active levothyroxine subgroups. Patients in each subgroup were crossed over to placebo or active levothyroxine at the end of the first year and were then followed up for an additional year. METHODS: TSH levels were suppressed to 0.4-0.6 mIU/ml and < or = 0.01 mIU/ml in the low-level and high-level TSH suppression groups, respectively. Nodule volumes were measured at baseline and every 6 months after the desired level of TSH was reached if the patients were in the active levothyroxine treatment group or every 6 months if they were in the placebo group. RESULTS: In high-level TSH suppression groups, nodule volume decreased significantly at the end of the active treatment periods (4.99 +/- 2.02 ml vs. 3.20 +/- 1.50 ml, P < 0.01, in Group 1; and 3.72 +/- 1.79 ml to 2.05 +/- 0.64 ml, P < 0.001, in Group 2). In the low-level TSH suppression groups, nodule volume also decreased significantly at the end of the active treatment periods (4.43 +/- 1.76 ml vs. 3.04 +/- 1.32, P < 0.05, in Group 3; and 3.59 +/- 0.89 ml to 2.22 +/- 0.59 ml, P < 0.01, in Group 4). Nodule volumes regained their original volumes during the placebo treatment periods. The percentage decline in clinically relevant nodule volume reduction (> or = 50%) was similar in the low-level and high-level TSH suppression groups. CONCLUSION: Low- and high-level TSH suppression were equally effective in reducing nodule volume and thus, considering the complications of high-level TSH suppression, low-level TSH suppression should be used if one considers levothyroxine suppressive therapy to reduce thyroid nodule size.     

Comparison and evaluation of experimental mediastinitis models: precolonized foreign body implants and bacterial suspension inoculation seems promising

Background  

Post-sternotomy mediastinitis (PSM) is a devastating surgical complication affecting 1–3% of patients that undergo cardiac surgery. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most commonly encountered bacterial pathogen cultured from mediastinal samples obtained from patients with PSM. A component of the membrane of the gram positive bacteria, lipoteichoic acid, stimulates the blood monocytes and macrophages to secrete cytokines, radicals and nitrogen species leading to oxido-inflammatory damage. This seems to be responsible for the high mortality rate in PSM. For the evaluation of the pathogenesis of infection or for the investigation of alternative treatment models in infection, no standard model of mediastinitis seems to be available. In this study, we evaluated four mediastinitis models in rats.     

Iliac crest flap for mandibular reconstruction after advanced stage mandibular ameloblastoma resection

ABSTRACT: Ablative surgeries for neoplastic processes of the oral cavity, traumas, infections/inflammations, osteoradionecrosis, and congenital deformities are the most common causes of large mandibular defects. Ameloblastoma is a locally aggressive tumor that, if not treated, can gain an enormous size and cause severe facial disfigurement and functional impairment. Although the smaller lesions of ameloblastoma in the mandible are treated by conservative approaches such as marsupialization, enucleation, and curettage combined with liquid nitrogen spray cryosurgery, larger lesions require radical surgical ablation procedures resulting in large tissue defects. A large mandibular defect has deleterious effects on a person's life, with a significant loss in the quality of life unless it is reconstructed successfully. The aim of present case series report is to show the results of the multidisciplinary treatment of patients with advanced stage ameloblastoma, including tumor resection, simultaneous reconstruction with iliac crest flap, followed by placement of endosseous dental implants, and finally the prosthodontic rehabilitation.     

Long-term follow-up of patients with atherosclerotic renal artery disease

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is a predictor of increased morbidity and mortality. However, whether ARAS itself accelerates the arteriosclerotic process or whether ARAS is solely the consequence of atherosclerosis is unclear. We imaged renal arteries of 1561 hypertensive patients undergoing coronary angiography and followed this cohort for 9 years (range, 2.4–15.1 years; median, 31.2 months, interquartile range, 13.4/52.9 months). All patients received aspirin, renin-angiotensin system blockade, statins, and beta blockade as indicated. One hundred seventy-one patients had ARAS >50% diameter stenosis and 126 patients an arteriosclerotic plaque (ARAP) without significant stenosis. Blood pressures were not different in ARAS, ARAP, and non-ARAS patients. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors by propensity scores and matched pair analysis, ARAS patients had a lower ejection fraction and more coronary artery disease (CAD) than non-ARAS patients. The same was true for brain natriuretic peptide values, troponin I, and highly sensitive C-reative protein. Over 9 years, more ARAS patients died of any cause (34% vs 23%; P < .05). The prevalence of CAD in ARAP patients was higher than in non-ARAS patients and lower than in ARAS patients. The mortality of the ARAP patients at 9 years was 37%, not different from the ARAS patients. Atherosclerotic renal artery disease appears to be a marker for the severity of atherosclerosis rather than a causative factor for atherosclerosis progression.     

Effectiveness of a multidimensional approach for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in 11 adult intensive care units from 10 cities of Turkey: findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional approach on the reduction of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in adult patients hospitalized in 11 intensive care units (ICUs), from 10 hospitals, members of the INICC, in 10 cities of Turkey.

Methods

A prospective active before-after surveillance study was conducted to determine the effect of the INICC multidimensional approach in the VAP rate. The study was divided into two phases. In phase 1, active prospective surveillance of VAP was conducted using the definitions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Safety Network, and the INICC methods. In phase 2, we implemented the multidimensional approach for VAP. The INICC multidimensional approach included the following measures: (1) bundle of infection control interventions, (2) education, (3) outcome surveillance, (4) process surveillance, (5) feedback of VAP rates, and (6) performance feedback of infection control practices. We compared the rates of VAP obtained in each phase. A time series analysis was performed to assess the impact of our approach.

Results

In phase 1, we recorded 2,376 mechanical ventilator (MV)-days, and in phase 2, after implementing the multidimensional approach, we recorded 28,181 MV-days. The rate of VAP was 31.14 per 1,000 MV-days during phase 1, and 16.82 per 1,000 MV-days during phase 2, amounting to a 46 % VAP rate reduction (RR, 0.54; 95 % CI, 0.42–0.7; P value, 0.0001.)

Conclusions

The INICC multidimensional approach was associated with a significant reduction in the VAP rate in these adult ICUs of Turkey.     

Interferon-alpha2b induction treatment with or without ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C: a multicenter,randomized, controlled trial

We aimed to compare the efficacy of interferon-_2b (IFN) induction treatment in combination with ribavirin to IFN induction alone in chronic hepatitis C. In total, 125 patients (66 male, 59 female, mean age: 48 ± 9, range: 21–70) were enrolled and randomized into two arms: In the first, patients received 5 MU/day of IFN for 4 weeks followed by 3 MU/day for the next 4 weeks. Treatment was continued with 3 MU three times a week IFN for an additional 40 weeks. Ribavirin was administered 1000–1200 mg/day according to the body weight for the entire 48-week period. In the second arm, patients received placebo in addition to IFN. Fifty-nine patients were placed in the ribavirin arm and 66 in placebo arm. All patients were genotype 1. At week 48, 24/66 (36%) from the placebo and 31/59 (52%) from the ribavirin group responded (P < 0.05). However, during the 24-week untreated follow-up period, 13/24 (54%) from the placebo, and 8/31 (26%) from the ribavirin group relapsed (P = 0.002.), resulting in a sustained virologic response (SVR) rate of 17% in the placebo and 39% in the ribavirin group (P = 0.005.) In conclusion, IFN induction treatment in combination with ribavirin is superior to IFN induction treatment alone in genotype 1 patients, and the SVR rate of 39% is encouraging.     

Comparison of intrarenal pelvic pressure during micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy and conventional percutaneous nephrolithotomy

The micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (microperc) is a recently introduced percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) technique that is performed through a 4.8Fr all-seeing needle. We aimed to measure the intrarenal pelvic pressure (IPP) during microperc and compare it with the levels of conventional PNL. A total of 20 patients with 1- to 3-cm renal calculi resistant to shock wave lithotripsy were treated either with microperc (Group-1, n: 10) or conventional PNL (Group-2, n: 10) by the same surgical team. The IPP was measured during different stages (entrance into the collecting system, stone fragmentation, and before termination) of the procedures by an urodynamic machine using the 6Fr ureteral catheter. All the variables were statistically compared between the two groups. The demographic values of the patients were similar. The operation time and duration of hospitalization were significantly prolonged in conventional PNL group (p = 0.034, p = 0.01, respectively). The mean drop in hematocrit levels was significantly lower in microperc group (3.5 ± 1.5 vs. 1.8 ± 0.8; p = 0.004). The IPP was significantly higher in microperc group during all steps of the procedure. The highest level of the IPP was measured as 30.3 ± 3.9 and 20.1 ± 3.1 mmHg in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively (p < 0.0001). However, the complication and success rates were found comparable. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the level of IPP is significantly increased during microperc compared to conventional PNL. Microperc should be used cautiously in cases with impaired drainage of the collecting system.