Interferon and ribavirin treatment results of patients with HBV-HCV co-infection cured of childhood malignancies.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the virological and clinical characteristics and the results of combination therapy in six oncology patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection. METHOD: Six patients (five male and one female; age range 8-14 years), diagnosed with HBV-HCV infections during follow-up at the oncology outpatient clinic during 2000-2001 were included in the study. They had received an average of 25.8 units of blood by transfusion per patient during their treatment for malignancies. Positive serological HBV indicators were determined 20-40 months after the end of chemotherapy. HCV RNA positivity was determined together with HBV at an average of 3.3 months after hepatitis B infection. Patients received interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin for 12 months. RESULTS: Both HBV DNA and HCV RNA became negative, and anti-HBe became positive in one patient. One patient had decreased HBV DNA levels and negative HCV RNA and HBeAg, but HBeAg became positive again at 18-months following treatment. Another patient had decreased serum HBV DNA and HCV RNA levels with normal ALT levels at the end of treatment; however, two months after therapy was ceased these values returned to pretreatment levels. CONCLUSION: We observed that combined treatment is effective in HBV-HCV infection. The effectiveness of combined treatment should be researched with larger groups of co-infected patients.     

Congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities in adults detected by gated cardiac multidetector computed tomography: Clefts, aneurysms, diverticula and terminology problems

Objectives

Our aim was to evaluate congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities (clefts, aneurysms and diverticula), describe and illustrate imaging features, discuss terminology problems and determine their prevalence detected by cardiac CT in a single center.

Materials and methods

Coronary CT angiography images of 2093 adult patients were evaluated retrospectively in order to determine congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities.

Results

The incidence of left ventricular clefts (LVC) was 6.7% (141 patients) and statistically signi?cant difference was not detected between the sexes regarding LVC (P = 0.5). LVCs were single in 65.2% and multiple in 34.8% of patients. They were located at the basal to mid inferoseptal segment of the left ventricle in 55.4%, the basal to mid anteroseptal segment in 24.1%, basal to mid inferior segment in 17% and septal–apical septal segment in 3.5% of cases. The cleft length ranged from 5 to 22 mm (mean 10.5 mm) and they had a narrow connection with the left ventricle (mean 2.5 mm). They were contractile with the left ventricle and obliterated during systole. Congenital left ventricular septal aneurysm that was located just under the aortic valve was detected in two patients (0.1%). No case of congenital left ventricular diverticulum was detected.

Conclusion

Cardiac CT allows us to recognize congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities which have been previously overlooked in adults. LVC is a congenital structural variant of the myocardium, is seen more frequently than previously reported and should be differentiated from aneurysm and diverticulum for possible catastrophic complications of the latter two.     

Investigation of ocular neovascularization-related genes and oxidative stress in diabetic rat eye tissues after resveratrol treatment

Changes in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA expression profiles and oxidative stress in the eye tissue microenviroment may have important roles in ocular neovascularization and permeability in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The present study investigated the effects of resveratrol (RSV) treatment on the mRNA expression profile of VEGF, ACE, MMP-9, and eNOS, which are associated with vascular neovascularization, and glutathione, protein carbonyl, and nitrite-nitrate levels, which are markers of oxidative stress in eyes of diabetic rats. Twenty-four Wistar albino male rats were divided into four groups. After diabetes induction with streptozotocin (10?mg/kg/day) RSV was administered to the RSV and diabetes mellitus (DM)?+?RSV groups for 4 weeks. The mRNA levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, and biochemical estimations were determined with spectrophotometric assays in eye homogenates. The mRNA expression levels of VEGF, ACE, and MMP-9 were increased in the DM group compared with the control group, and RSV treatment decreased their mRNA levels. Expression of eNOS mRNA was increased in the RSV and DM groups and decreased in the DM?+?RSV group. Nitrite-nitrate levels and protein carbonyl content were increased and glutathione levels were decreased in the DM group compared with controls. Consequently, these data suggest that RSV suppressed the expression of eNOS, which is actively involved in the inflammation and healing process in chronic diabetes. Although oxidative stress was increased in eye tissue from diabetic rats, mRNA levels of VEGF, MMP-9, and ACE genes associated with vascular remodeling did not change in diabetic eyes.     

An unusual case of chylothorax complicating childhood tuberculosis

Endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB) and chylothorax are rare clinical disorders. The concurrence of these two disorders as manifestations of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis has not been reported. We report a 4-month-old boy presenting with chylothorax as the initial presentation of tuberculosis that has been successfully treated with octreotide, antituberculosis drugs and steroid therapy.     

Effect of I-deprenyl and gliclazide on oxidant stress/antioxidant status and dna damage in a diabetic rat model

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the possible effect of monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), selegyline (l-deprenyl), in combination with oral antidiabetic-gliclazide (OAD), in preventing oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetes model in male Swiss Albino rats by measuring oxidant stress/ DNA damage and antioxidant levels. METHODS: Diabetic rats were divided into four groups (n = 10) as (1) diabetic untreated (DM), (2) deprenyl treated (DM + D), (3) gliclazide treated (DM + O), and (4) gliclazide and deprenyl treated (DM + O + D). Controls were divided into two groups (n = 8) (1) untreated (C), and (2) deprenyl treated (C + D). Gliclazide 5 mg/kg and/or MAOI 0.25 mg/kg daily were given orally by gavage for 4 weeks. At the end of the 12th week, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in erythrocyte lysates (EL); total antioxidant status (TAS), 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and vitamin A and E levels in plasma, MDA, and MAO in liver homogenates were determined. RESULTS: Diabetic rats showed a decrease in EL-SOD, plasma TAS, and vitamin E, and an increase in plasma 8-OHdG, plasma, and liver MDA levels (p < 0.05). Gliclazide and/or deprenyl decreased 8OHdG levels and increased antioxidant levels and survival when compared with untreated diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The lowest 8-OHdG levels were determined in the DM +O + D group. CONCLUSIONS: The combined treatment of deprenyl and gliclazide may contribute to the control of the physiopathological mechanisms underlying both the process of aging and type 2 diabetes by reducing oxidant stress and DNA damage, improving antioxidant status, and increasing survival, and may have implications for further clinical studies.     

Role of vagal activity on bradicardic and hypotensive effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE)

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a phenolic active component of propolis of honeybee hives and reduces heart rate and blood pressure in rats. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of vagal activity and atropine blockage on the bradycardic and hypotensive effects of CAPE in rats. The rats were divided into five groups (n=8). Saline and vehicle (10% ethanol) of CAPE were given to the first and second groups, respectively. Group 3 was treated with 5 mg/kg CAPE. Group 4 bivagotomized and treated with 5 mg/kg CAPE. Group 5 treated with atropine (5 μg/μL/min) continuously and treated with CAPE. The electrophysiological monitoring was done for each experiment under urethane anaesthetize. As a result, CAPE caused intense and transient bradycardia and hypotension. Vagotomy completely abolished bradycardia occurred via CAPE injection; however atropine attenuated bradycardic effects of CAPE. On the other hand, hypotensive effect of CAPE was affected from neither bilateral vagotomy nor atropine treatment. It was thought that CAPE may exert its effects on heart rate via a central parasympathetic control mechanism, but not on central parasympathetic blood pressure control system. This study was partly presented in The Experimental Biology 2005 Annual Meeting and the XXXV International Congress of Physiological Sciences in San Diego, CA, March 31–April 6, 2005.