Menengitis and some cytokines [Menenjit ve bazi sitokinler]

In the last 30 years, some evidence about the release of some factors other than immunoglobulins from the immune system cells which play an important role between cell interactions are found. The factors that release proteinous substances from immun system cells are called "cytokines" and cytokines are effective in each step of inflammation and immunity including differentiation of bone marrow, antigen presenting, cell maturation, expression of adhesion molecules and response of acute phase reactants cytokines are grouped as for cell origin such as; monokines if originated from mononuclear phagocytes, lymphokines if originated from T cells or grouped functionally as humoral, cellular, allergic or immunosupressive cytokines

Procalcitonin [Prokalsitonin]

In recent years, there are many studies on serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels, a characteristic test in systemic inflammatory response. There are many studies not only suggesting the usefulness of procalcitonin measurement in diagnosis of severe bacterial infections, but also reporting increase of procalcitonin in systemic inflammation such as severe injuries. Studies suggesting the procalcitonin as the best marker in differentiating the bacteriel and viral infections in children and adults, are predominating

Bacterial menengitis in childhood [Çocukluk çaginda bakteriyel menenjitler]

Bacterial menengitis is described as occurence of bacteria in cerebrospinal fluid. Prognosis of bacterial meningitis in dependent on many factors such as the age of patient, period of illness before start of therapy, dansity of bacterial products or number of colony is cerebrospinal fluid at the time of diagnosis, inflamatory response of the patient and the time for sterilization of cerebrospinal fluid cultures. The infection may appear with symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting, irritability, convulsions, stupor, neck sthiffness and fontanel bulging meninks in infant

Viral menengitis in childhood [Çocukluk çaginda viral menenjitler]

Aseptic menengitis occur due to many aetiologies, mostly viruses. Enteroviruses are responsible more than 80% of the cases. The other frequent aetiologies are arboviruses and mumps viruses. Aseptic menengitis may be the only sign of mumps. Leptospirosis, mycobacterium and cryptococcosus may be enumerated among other aetiologies of aseptic menengitis besides viral factors. Echoviruses, coxackie viruses, herpes simplex viruses and human immundeficiency viruses are the main causes of aseptic menengitis in developed countries while polioviruses, mumps, lympocytic coriomenegitis virus are more frequently seen in developing countries

Diagnosis and treatment of RSV infections [RSV'nin yaptigi hastaliklar; tani ve tedavisi]

The most common form of RSV infections in lower respiratory tract is pneumonia and then bronchiolitis. Children under 1 years are more susceptible for RSV infections. Clinical symptoms are atypical under 3 weeks of age and symptoms of upper respiratory tract, lethargy, irritability and feeding intolerance are predominant. After 2-8 days of incubation period, symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection develop in susceptible cases. Diagnosis of RSV infection is difficult, due to similar symptoms caused by some other viruses. Main important point in sick infants is supportive treatment

Indomethacin prevents neuronal apoptosis in newborn rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury [İndometazin hipoksik-İskemik beyin hasarlı yenidogan ratlardaki nöronal apopitozisi önler]

Objective: Cyclooxygenase pathway and prostaglandins play an important role in the pathogenesis and delayed mechanisms of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different doses of indomethacin, a nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitor, on neuronal apoptosis in rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Material and Methods: Seven-day-old rat pups with the Rice model of hypoxic-ischemic cerebral injury were randomly divided into five groups. Group 1 (n= 15) pups were given physiologic saline, neither ligation nor hypoxia were performed. Group 2 (n= 15) pups were treated with physiologic saline after hypo- xic-ischemia. Group 3 (n= 15) pups were treated with indomethacin at a dose of 2 mg/kg before hypoxic ischemia. Group 4 (n= 15) pups were treated with three doses of indomethacin at a dose of 2 mg/kg every 12 h after hypoxic-ischemia. Group 5 (n= 15) pups were treated with three doses of indomethacin, at a dose of 4mg/kg every 12 h after hypoxic ischemia. After 72 hours, the rats were decapitated and brain hemispheres were evaluated by the TUNEL (Terminal deoxynu- cleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling) staining method. Results: Indomethacin treatment, either before or after hypoxia, resulted in a significant reduction in the numbers of apop- totic cells in the rat brain when compared to those who were treated with physiologic saline after hypoxic-ischemia (P< 0.001). Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that indomethacin administration, either before or after hypoxic-ischemia, reduces neuronal apoptosis; and we propose that indomethacin may be a potential choice of treatment for hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. © 2011 by Türkiye Klinikleri

Homosistein metabolism and hyperhomosisteinemia [Homosistein metabolizmasi ve hiperhomosisteinemi]

Homocysteine is an aminoacid which contains sulfur but not included in protein structure and can not be taken by diet. It's an intermediate product in methionine metabolism. Eighty-ninety percent of them are bound to albumin in plasma and remainder is free. The free part is not stable and quickly converted to oxidased forms. Plasma homocysteine levels are regulated by genetic and nutritional mechanisms. Partial or complete deficiencies of folic acid, vit B6 and vit B12 which are cofactors in metabolism of homocysteine, are the main nutritional causes of hyperhomocysteinemia. Genetic causes of elevated plasma homocysteine levels are deficiency of enzymes playing role in homocysteine metabolism

Down syndrome [Down sendromu]

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder with an excess genetic material on 21th chromosome, mild mental retardation and anomalies of multiple organ systems. Physical and neurophysicological findings such as mental retardation, linguistic and memory problems accompany this syndrome. Neuroanatomical origins of this cognitive dysfunctions are not clear yet. The risk of Down syndrome differs with respect to races, and ethnic groups, maternal age distribution, prenatal diagnosis and cytogenetic analysis