Can ratio of neutrophil-tolymphocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in diabetic foot infection predict osteomyelitis and/or amputation?

The aim of this study was to search for any relations between the neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the development of osteomyelitis and the need for amputation in patients with diabetic foot infection (DFI). All data included DFI patients who were hospitalized in our Infectious Diseases Clinic between 2012 and 2015 and who were classified according to International Classification Disease Code System. 75 patients were analyzed in the study. The DFI patients were stratified into 3 groups of whom had amputation procedure, whom had only debridement/drainage procedure and whom had any surgery procedure. Sidac post hoc analysis was used to perform the effects of NLR, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and glycosylated hemoglobin on the surgery procedure status. The DFI patients were also stratified into two another separate group for another analysis to search for the effect of NLR values on the development of osteomyelitis. The mean value of NLR in the amputated patients’ group (15.7±10.3 was significantly higher than those with debridement procedure (9.9±5.6) and those without any surgery (6.0±2.8) (P=0.001). NLR values were also found significantly higher in patients with osteomyelitis in the second analysis (P=0.004). In this study, the NLR was found to have a predictive value on the development of osteomyelitis and on the progression to amputation in patients with DFI

Naiv hepatit C enfeksiyonlu hastaların on-altı yıllık prognozu

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical course of treatment-naive patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who were followed up in various centers in Turkey. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study performed with the participation of 15 centers. Patients aged 18 years and older with HCV infection were included. Results: A total of 391 treatment-naive patients infected with HCV were included in this study. During the follow-up period, the final values of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, and total protein were significantly decreased when compared to the initial values (p<0.001, p<0.001, and p=0.005, respectively). In the study group, 19.2% of the patients underwent liver biopsy and 4.1% underwent transient elastography (FibroScan). An increased histological activity index (HAI) score and fibrosis in the second biopsy were observed in one patient, only increased HAI in two patients and increased fibrosis in one patient, as shown on the FibroScan. In the 16 years of the study period, cirrhosis was radiologically detected in only one patient. Conclusion: Even if rapid progression is not observed, close monitoring of the clinical findings related to liver failure and fibrosis with invasive or non-invasive methods may be useful.Amaç: Bu çalışmada ülkemizin çeşitli merkezlerinde takip edilen naiv hepatit C virüs (HCV) ile enfekte hastaların klinik seyrini değerlendirmeyi amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu çalışma retrospektif olarak 15 merkezin katılımıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmaya 18 yaş üstü, HCV enfeksiyonu olan hastalar dahil edilmiştir. Bulgular: Çalışmada 391 tedavi-naiv HCV enfeksiyonlu hasta yer almıştır. Hastaların takip süresinde son alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase ve total protein değerleri ilk düzeyine göre önemli düzeyde azalmıştır (sırasıyla p<0,001, p<0,001, p=0,005). Çalışma grubunda hastaların %19,2’sine karaciğer biyopsisi, %4,1’ine elastografi (FibroScan) uygulanmıştır. Takip esnasında bir hastada ikinci biyopside histolojik aktivite indeksi (HAI) ve fibroziste artma, iki hastada sadece HAI’da artma, birinde FibroScan ile fibrozis değerinde artma olduğu gözlenmiştir. Bir hastada 16 yıl içinde radyolojik olarak siroz saptanmıştır. Sonuç: Hızlı progresyon gözlenmemekle birlikte hastaların izleminde karaciğer yetmezliği ile ilgili klinik bulguların ve invaziv veya noninvaziv yöntemlerle fibrozisin yakın takibi yararlı olabilir

Interview with Marjorie Harkins Buchanan Kiewit

In this interview with Julia Stringfellow, Marjorie Harkins Buchanan Kiewit, LU class of 1943, discusses her time as a student as well as her time on the Board of Trustees.https://lux.lawrence.edu/oralhistories/1036/thumbnail.jp

In a real-life setting, direct-acting antivirals to people who inject drugs with chronic hepatitis c in Turkey

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) should be treated in order to eliminate hepatitis C virus in the world. The aim of this study was to compare direct-acting antivirals treatment of hepatitis C virus for PWID and non-PWID in a real-life setting. Methods: We performed a prospective, non-randomized, observational multicenter cohort study in 37 centers. All patients treated with direct-acting antivirals between April 1, 2017, and February 28, 2019, were included. In total, 2713 patients were included in the study among which 250 were PWID and 2463 were non-PWID. Besides patient characteristics, treatment response, follow-up, and side effects of treatment were also analyzed. Results: Genotype 1a and 3 were more prevalent in PWID-infected patients (20.4% vs 9.9% and 46.8% vs 5.3%). The number of naïve patients was higher in PWID (90.7% vs 60.0%), while the number of patients with cirrhosis was higher in non-PWID (14.1% vs 3.7%). The loss of follow-up was higher in PWID (29.6% vs 13.6%). There was no difference in the sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after treatment (98.3% vs 98.4%), but the end of treatment response was lower in PWID (96.2% vs 99.0%). In addition, the rate of treatment completion was lower in PWID (74% vs 94.4%). Conclusion: Direct-acting antivirals were safe and effective in PWID. Primary measures should be taken to prevent the loss of follow-up and poor adherence in PWID patients in order to achieve World Health Organization’s objective of eliminating viral hepatitis

Military tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis occuring following cuboidal osteomyelitis due to tuberculosis: Case report

Tüberküloz (tbc) dünyada en yaygın infeksiyonlardan biridir. Akciğer dışı organ ve doku tüberkülozlarına ekstrapulmoner tbc adı verilir. Ekstrapulmoner tutulum tüm tbc olgularının yaklaşık % 20'sinde görülmektedir. Bu yazıda, küboid kemikteki tüberküloza sekonder olarak tbc meninjit ve miliyer tbc gelişen 25 yaşında bir erkek olgu sunulmuştur. Literatürde tüberküloza bağlı meninjit.ve kraniyal kemik osteomyeliti birlikteliği bildirilmiştir, ancak ekstrakraniyal kemik ostemyeliti ve tbc meninjit ile miliyer tbc birlikteliğine rastlanmamıştır. Bu olgu; aynı anda tüberküloza bağlı birden çok organ tutulumu görülmesi nedeniyle yayınlanmaya değer bulunmuştur.Tuberculosis is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. Tuberculosis that involves organs and tissues other than lungs is named as extrapulmoner tuberculosis. Extrapulmonary involvement is seen in about 20% of all tuberculosis cases. In this report, a 25-year-old male with miliary tbc and tbc meningitis occuring following cuboidal osteomyelitis due to tuberculosis is presented. In the literature some cases are presented with tbc meningitis and cranial osteomyelitis that occur together, but there has been no case with concurrent extracranial tbc osteomyelitis and tbc meningitis. This case is presented because of tuberculous multiorgan involvement

Nosocomial meningitis with dual agents and treatment with intraventricular gentamicin

Nozokomiyal santral sinir sistemi enfeksiyonları, tüm nozokomiyal enfeksiyonların %0.4'ünden sorumludur. Nozokomiyal menenjit etkenleri toplum kökenli menenjit etkenlerinden farklı olup, morbidite ve mortalite oranları oldukça yüksektir. Prognozu etkileyen en önemli faktör ise etkene yönelik doğru antibakteriyel tedavi seçimidir. Bu raporda, lomber disk hernisi operasyonu sonrasında, Klebsiella pneumoniae ve Acinetobacter spp.'nin birlikte etken olduğu nozokomiyal menenjit gelişen 64 yaşında bir kadın hasta sunulmaktadır. Olgunun üç kez nöroşirürjik operasyon geçirmesi ve uzun süreli (29 gün) eksternal ventriküler drenaj (EVD) kateteri olması, risk faktörleri olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Olguya, postoperatif beşinci günde klinik ve laboratuvar bulgularına dayanılarak nozokomiyal menenjit tanısı konulmuş ve ampirik olarak meropenem (3 x 2 g, IV) ve vankomisin (2 x 1 g, IV) tedavisi verilmiştir. Aynı gün alınan beyin omurilik sıvısı (BOS) ve kan kültürlerinde, genişlemiş spektrumlu beta-laktamaz (GSBL) üreten K. pneumoniae (amikasin, imipenem, meropenem, sefoksitin, siprofloksasin, piperasilin-tazobaktam ve trimetoprim/sülfametoksazole duyarlı) üremiştir. Meropenem tedavisinin sekizinci gününde hastanın kliniğinde bir değişiklik olmamış; BOS incelemesinde yüksek lökosit (1300/mm3) ve gram-negatif basil varlığı saptanmış, BOS kültüründe de GSBL pozitif K. pneumoniae (antibiyotik duyarlılığı bir önceki suş ile aynı) üremesi devam etmiştir. Buruın üzerine tedaviye siprofloksasin (3 x 400 mg, IV) eklenmiş ve EVD kateteri değiştirilmiştir. Meropenem tedavisinin on üçüncü, siprofloksasin tedavisinin beşinci gününde, BOS ve kan kültüründe GSBL pozitif K. pneumoniae (antibiyotik duyarlılığı bir önceki suş ile aynı) ve Acinetobacter spp. (gentamisin, tobramisin, netilmisin, siprofloksasin, levofloksasin ve sefepime duyarlı) üremesi nedeniyle tedaviye intraventriküler gentamisin (15 mg/gün) ve IV gentamisin (3 x 120 mg) eklenmiştir. Olgu üç haftalık intraventriküler antibiyotik tedavisi sonunda primer hastalığının sekelleri dışında yeni bir sekel gelişmeksizin iyileşmiştir. Bu olgu, GSBL pozitif K. pneumoniae ve Acinetobacter spp.'nin birlikte etken olduğu, yerli ve yabancı literatür taramalarında ulaşabildiğimiz kadarıyla ilk nozokomiyal menenjit olgusu olması nedeniyle sunulmuştur.Nosocomial central nervous system infections constitute 0.4% of all nosocomial infections. The responsible pathogens of nosocomial meningitis are quite different from community-acquired meningitis with high rates of morbidity and mortality. The most important prognostic factor is the appropriate choice of pathogen-specific antibacterial therapy. In this report, a 64 years old woman with nosocomial meningitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter spp. after lumbar disc hernia operation, has been presented. The risk factors were detected as recent history of neurosurgical operation for three times and long term (29 days) use of external ventricular drainaige (EVD) catheter. Empirical meropenem (3 x 2 g, IV) and vancomycin (2x1 g, IV) therapy was initiated upon the diagnosis of nosocomial meningitis based on the clinical and laboratory findings on the postoperative fifth day. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing K. pneumoniae (susceptible to amikacin, imipenem, meropenem, cefoxitine, ciprofloxacin, piperasillin-tazobactam and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) was recovered from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples obtained on the same day. There was no change in the status of the patient on the eighth day of meropenem therapy, with high leukocyte number (1300/mm3) and presence of gram-negative bacilli in CSF, and ESBL positive K. pneumoniae (antibiotic susceptibility pattern same with the previous isolate) growth in CSF culture. Thereupon intravenous ciprofloxacin (3 x 400 mg) was added to the therapy and her EVD has been changed. However, ESBL positive K. pneumoniae (antibiotic susceptibility pattern same with the previous isolate) together with Acinetobacter spp. (susceptible to gentamycin, tobramycin, netilmicin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and cefepime) were isolated from CSF and blood cultures obtained on the 13th day of meropenem and fifth day of ciprofloxacin therapy. Therefore intraventricular and intravenous gentamicin (15 mg/days and 3 x 120 mg, respectively) were added to the therapy. The patient recovered at the end of three weeks treatment without any additional sequela other than her primary illness. This case was the first case of nosocomial meningitis due to ESBL positive K. pneumoniae together with Acinetobacter spp. in the available literature

Posttraumatic tibial osteomyelitis caused by Pseudomonas putida

Pseudomonas putida, toprakta yaşayan, metabolik özellikleri değişken olan, Gram-negatif nonfermentatif bir basildir. Bu yazıda trafik kazası sonrasında P. putida’nın etken olduğu tibial osteomiyelit gelişen 18 yaşında bir erkek hasta sunuldu. Hastada sağ fibula ve tibiada açık parçalı kırık vardı ve kırık alanı toz, toprak gibi maddelerle kontamine olmuştu. Tedavide, açık kırık alanına cerrahi debridman uygulandı, irigasyonla yara alanındaki yabancı maddeler temizlendi. Sağ tibiaya kırık redüksiyonu yapıldı ve eksternal fiksatör uygulandı. Ampirik antibiyotik tedavisine rağmen ameliyat sonrası beşinci günde hastanın çivi dibinden akıntısı vardı. Tekrarlanan debridman ve irigasyon sırasında yumuşak dokudan ve kemikten alınan kültür örneklerinde P. putida üredi. Hasta dört hafta süreyle uygulanan parenteral antibiyotik tedavisi sonrasında sekel kalmaksızın iyileşti. Literatürde bu mikroorganizmanın etken olduğu osteomiyelit bildirimine rastlanmamıştır.Pseudomonas putida is a Gram-negative, nonfermentative, saprophytic soil bacterium with versatile metabolical features. We presented an 18-year-old male patient who developed tibial osteomyelitis due to P. putida after a traffic accident. He had open comminuted fractures in the right fibula and tibia and the site of open fracture was contaminated with dust and soil. He underwent surgical debridement and irrigation of the fracture site followed by fracture reduction and application of an external fixator. Despite empirical antibiotic treatment, there was a discharge from the pin tract on the postoperative fifth day. Cultures obtained from soft tissue and bone during repeat debridement and irrigation yielded P. putida. The patient recovered after four weeks of parenteral antibiotic treatment without any sequela. A case of posttraumatic tibial osteomyelitis caused by P. putida has hitherto not been reported in the literature

Okuloglanduler ve orofaringeal tularemi: Olgu sunumu ve literatür derlemesi

Tularemi hastalığı küçük, Gram-negatif, pleomorfik kokobasil olan Francisella tularensis bakterisi ile oluşur. Okuloglanduler tularemi nadir görülen bir formdur. Okologlanduler tularemi ile ilgili az sayıda yayın vardır, PubMed taramasında günümüze kadar 20'den az yayın bulunmaktadır. Bu yazıda okuloglanduler ve orofaringeal tularemi tanısı konulan, 31 yaşında bir bayan olgu sunuldu ve okuloglanduler tularemi ile ilgili yayınlar derlendi. Olgu hastanemize üç haftadır devam eden ani başlangıçlı ateş, halsizlik, baş ağrısı, boğaz ağrısı, sol gözde kızarıklık, üst göz kapağında şişlik, göz yaşında artma ve sol preaurikuler bölgede ağrısız şişlik ve genel vücut ağrısı ile başvurdu, göz travması öyküsü yoktu. Tulareminin endemik olduğu bir köyde oturuyordu, hayvan teması öyküsü yoktu. Klinik bulgularla okuloglanduler ve orofaringeal tularemi tanısı konuldu, tanı mikroaglütinasyon testi ve PCR ile konfirme edildi. Olgu siprofloksasin tedavisinin sekizinci gününde tamamen iyileşti. Tularemi, ateş, boğaz ağrısı, konjunktivit ve servikal kitlesi olan ve özellikle penisilin veya sefalosporin tedavisine yanıt vermeyen ve tulareminin endemik olduğu bölgeden gelen olgularda akla gelmelidir.Tularemia is caused by a small, Gram-negative, pleomorphic coccobacillus, Francisella tularensis. Oculoglandular tularemia is a rare clinical form. There are few reports about oculoglandular tularemia, and less than 20 cases with oculaglandular tularemia have been reported in PubMed up to date. We reviewed the literature about oculoglandular tularemia, and reported a 31-year-old woman with oculoglandular and oropharyngeal tularemia. She admitted to our hospital with a three-week history of sudden onset of fever, fatigue, headache, sore throat, swollen left upper lid, injected and erythematous left eye, epiphora, preauricular nontender lump on the left and generalized aches, but there was no history of eye injury. She was living in a village where tularemia is endemic, but no history of encountering with an animal. The clinical diagnosis of oculoglandular and orophayngeal tularemia was confirmed by microagglutination test and PCR. She was fully improved on the eighth day of the ciprofloxacine treatment. Tularemia should come to mind in patients with fever, severe throat, conjunctivitis and cervical masses especially unresponsive to penicillin or cephalosporine therapy, coming from a tularemia endemic area