Effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate on cerebrospinal fluid lactate and glucose levels after spinal cord trauma.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) after spinal cord trauma (SCT). Twenty rabbits were divided equally into four groups: group I was the sham-operated group, group II suffered from SCT but received no treatment, group III was given a dose of 400 mg/kg of GHB intravenously before SCT and group IV received the same dose after SCT. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained 30 min before SCT (T(0)), at 60 (T(1)) and 120 min (T(2)) after SCT. There was a threefold increase in lactate levels from baseline value at T(2) in group II, while statistically significant elevation of the lactate levels were not observed in groups III and IV. Glucose levels at T(1) and T(2) were significantly lower in groups III and IV compared with the control group. The findings of this study demonstrate that GHB can control the increase of CSF lactate and glucose levels following SCT and that this metabolic effect may be associated with neuroprotective physiological changes.     

The Role of Serum Procalcitonin Levels in Predicting Ascitic Fluid Infection in Hospitalized Cirrhotic and Non-cirrhotic Patients

Objective: To determine the role of serum procalcitonin levels in predicting ascites infection in hospitalized cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients.Methods: A total of 101 patients (mean age: 63.4±1.3, 66.3% were males) hospitalized due to cirrhosis (n=88) or malignancy related (n=13) ascites were included in this study. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP, 19.8%), culture-negative SBP (38.6%), bacterascites (4.9%), sterile ascites (23.8%) and malign ascites (12.9%) groups were compared in terms of procalcitonin levels in predicting ascites infection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of procalcitonin levels and predicting outcome of procalcitonin levels was compared with C-reactive protein (CRP).Results: Culture positivity was determined in 26.7% of overall population. Serum procalcitonin levels were determined to be significantly higher in patients with positive bacterial culture in ascitic fluid compared to patients without culture positivity (median (min-max): 4.1 (0.2-36.4) vs. 0.4 (0.04-15.8), p<0.001). Using ROC analysis, a serum procalcitonin level of <0.61 ng/mL in SBP (area under curve (AUC): 0.981, CI 95%: 0.000-1.000, p<0.001), <0.225 ng/mL in culture-negative SBP (AUC: 0.743, CI 95%: 0.619-0.867, p<0.001), <0.42 ng/mL in SBP and culture-negative SBP patients (AUC: 0.824, CI 95%: 0.732-0.916, p<0.001), and <1.12 ng/mL in bacterascites (AUC: 0.837, CI 95%: 0.000-1.000, p=0.019) were determined to accurately rule out the diagnosis of bacterial peritonitis. Predictive power of serum procalcitonin levels in SBP + culture-negative SBP group (AUCs: 0.824 vs 0.622, p=0.004, Fig 4), culture-positive SBP (AUCs: 0.981 vs 0.777, p=0.006, Fig 5) and (although less powerfull) in culture-negative SBP (AUCs: 0.743 vs 0.543, p=0.02, Fig 6) were found significantly higher than CRP.Conclusion: According to our findings determination of serum procalcitonin levels seems to provide satisfactory diagnostic accuracy in differentiating bacterial infections in hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis related ascites.     

High-dose thiotepa,melphalan and carboplatin (TMCb) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with advanced breast cancer: a retrospective evaluation

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of high-dose thiotepa, melphalan and carboplatin (TMCb) regimen in 27 patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for metastatic breast cancer. A total of 27 patients with stage IV breast cancer underwent ASCT following thiotepa (500 mg/m(2)), melphalan (100 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (1200-1350 mg/m(2)). Of 27 patients, 17 had refractory relapse, eight had responding relapse, and two had no evidence of disease (NED) at the time of transplant. In all, 11 patients had only bone disease, nine had bone plus visceral disease, three had only visceral disease, and two had locoregional recurrent disease. The median time from diagnosis to transplant was 1081 days (range 180-2341). Staging for evaluation of response was performed 4-6 months after transplantation. Five patients were not evaluable (NE) for response because of NED at transplant (n=2) or early death due to transplant-related complications (n=3) (two of viral pneumonia and one of regimen-related toxicity) occurring at a median of 4 days (range 11-46) post-transplant. One of the two patients who was NED at the time of transplant is still NED on day 760 post-transplant. Seven of 15 refractory (47%) and 5/7 (71%) responsive patients with evaluable disease achieved a complete response of all measurable disease or all soft-tissue disease with at least improvement in bone lesions. Of 27 patients (37%),(10) are alive and progression-free, a median of 582 days (range 410-1380) after treatment, 6/17 (35%) with refractory disease and 4/10 (40%) with responsive disease. The probability of progression-free survival (PFS) for all patients was 0.50. The probabilities of PFS at 2 years for patients with refractory (n=17) and responsive (n=10) disease were 0.42 and 0.60, respectively. PFS at 2 years for the 14 patients who were NED or achieved CR/PR(*) following-HDC was 0.67. PFS at 2 years for patients who did not achieve CR/PR(*) following-DHC was 0.33. These preliminary data suggest that high-dose TMCb followed by autologous stem cell transplantation is an effective regimen for patients with advanced breast cancer and may be comparable to some previously used regimens.     

Human herpesvirus 6 is associated with status epilepticus and hyponatremia after umbilical cord blood transplantation

Status epilepticus after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) is rare. The authors report a case involving a 65-year-old man with nonconvulsive status epilepticus 34 days after umbilical cord blood transplantion for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum were positive for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6). Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed symmetric T2 hyper-intensity bilaterally in the mesial temporal lobes, and T2 hyperintensi-ties and restricted diffusion of bilateral putamina. Despite aggressive anticonvulsive therapy, his seizures only abated with initiation of ganciclovir therapy. The patient completed six weeks of combination antiviral therapy (ganciclovir and foscarnet). His cognitive function gradually improved and, after prolonged rehabilitation, the patient was discharged home with residual intermittent memory loss but otherwise functional. HHV6 should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nonconvulsive status epilepticus after alloHCT, especially in patients with hyponatremia. Empirical antiviral therapy targeting HHV6 should be administered to these patients.     

Using two-holed needles for both arterial and venous accesses to the arteriovenous fistula to improve flow during hemodialysis

This prospective study compared methods using both arterial and venous needles with back eyes with those using only arterial needle with back eye for arteriovenous fistula cannulation. Sixty-one patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) via an arteriovenous fistula were evaluated. All patients underwent arteriovenous fistula puncture using only arterial needle with back eye in first 3 months and both arterial and venous needles with back eyes in following 3 months. Arterial and venous pressures, blood flow velocities, total blood volume cleared, and Kt/V values were compared. Mean blood flow velocity, arterial pressure, Kt/V, and cleared total blood volume values were higher and venous pressure was lower in patients who underwent cannulation using both needles with back eyes than in those with only the arterial needle with back eye. For arteriovenous fistula cannulation, using both arterial and venous needles with back eyes provides adequate HD more successfully.     

Concept Analysis of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) and the International Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health (ICF)

Purpose

The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ^® ) is a US National Institutes of Health initiative that has produced self-report outcome measures, using a framework of physical, mental, and social health defined by the World Health Organization in 1948 (WHO, in Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 1948). The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a comprehensive classification system of health and health-related domains that was put forward in 2001. The purpose of this report is to compare and contrast PROMIS and ICF conceptual frameworks to support mapping of PROMIS instruments to the ICF classification system .

Methods

We assessed the objectives and the classification schema of the PROMIS and ICF frameworks, followed by content analysis to determine whether PROMIS domain and sub-domain level health concepts can be linked to the ICF classification.

Results

Both PROMIS and ICF are relevant to all individuals, irrespective of the presence of health conditions, person characteristics, or environmental factors in which persons live. PROMIS measures are intended to assess a person’s experiences of his or her health, functional status, and well-being in multiple domains across physical, mental, and social dimensions. The ICF comprehensively describes human functioning from a biological, individual, and social perspective. The ICF supports classification of health and health-related states such as functioning, but is not a specific measure or assessment of health, per se. PROMIS domains and sub-domain concepts can be meaningfully mapped to ICF concepts.

Conclusions

Theoretical and conceptual similarities support the use of PROMIS instruments to operationalize self-reported measurement for many body function, activity and participation ICF concepts, as well as several environmental factor concepts. Differences observed in PROMIS and ICF conceptual frameworks provide a stimulus for future research and development.     

National prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in Turkey: cross sectional study of a representative adult population

The aim of this study was to determine underweight, overweight, and obesity prevalence in representative sample of adult (≥ 18 years old) Turkish population living in urban and rural area of Turkey. Turkish citizens aged ≥ 18 who can represent adult population and permanently resident in Turkey were taken to this study in 1999–2000. The nationally representative sample population was selected from the target population using the census which was performed by national institute of statistics at 1997. Target population was 13.570 individuals living in these houses and 8674 people who aged ≥ 18 are chosen for the study. BMI was used as widely accepted diagnostic criteria of obesity. This study demonstrated that the prevalence of underweight was 10.7% in men, 5.9% in women and 8.1% for overall. The prevalence of overweight was 17.4% in men, 20.4% in women and 19% for overall. The prevalence of obesity was 7.8% in men, 22.1% in women and 15.6% for overall. The prevalence of overweight is higher (19.6%) in urban areas but prevalence of obesity is higher (17%) in rural areas of Turkey. Age, educational level and marital status seem to have association with obesity prevalence. The data we obtained showed us that while the underweight is still an issue for men, the overweight and obesity prevalence is high and needs to take early prevention steps for Turkish population.