The epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, radiology, microbiology, treatment, and prognosis of echinococcosis: Results of NENEHATUN study

Aim: Echinococcosis, caused by Echinococcus species, is an important zoonotic disease causing major health problems in humans and animals. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical and laboratory parameters, radiological, serological, pathological, and treatment protocols of followed-up cases of hydatidosis. Methods: A total of 550 patients diagnosed with hydatid cyst disease were included in this study. Patients who were positive for one or more of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or indirect hemagglutination test, pathological results, or radiological findings were examined. The data analyzed were collected from nine centers between 2008 and 2020. Records were examined retrospectively. Results: Among the patients, 292 (53.1%) were women and 258 (46.9%) were men. The patients' mean age was 44.4 +/- 17.4 years. A history of living in rural areas was recorded in 57.4% of the patients. A total of 435 (79.1%) patients were symptomatic. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain in 277 (50.4%), listlessness in 244 (44.4%), and cough in 140 (25.5%) patients. Hepatomegaly was found in 147 (26.7%), and decreased breath sounds were observed in 124 (22.5%) patients. Radiological examination was performed in all cases and serological methods were also applied to 428 (77.8%) patients. The most frequently applied serological test was IHA (37.8%). A single cyst has been found in 66% patients. Hepatic involvement occurred in 327 (59.4%), pulmonary involvement was found in 128 (23.3%), whereas both of them were recorded in 43 (7.8%) patients. Splenic involvement was only detected in nine (1.6%) patients. Echinococcus granulosus (72.5%) was most frequently detected. Cyst diameters of 56.9% of the patients were in the range of 5-10 cm. A total of 414 (75.2%) patients received albendazole as an antiparasitic. Mortality was noted in nine (1.6%) patients. Conclusion: Echinococcosis is an important public health problem in Turkey. It can affect the social, economic, and political structures of the community. Public education and awareness are extremely important

Comprehensive Evaluation of Three Important Herbs for Kombucha Fermentation

Research background. Kombucha is consumed worldwide for its beneficial health effects. Kombucha teas fermented with various herbal infusions have become very important nowadays. Although black tea is used for kombucha fermentation, kombucha teas fermented with different herbal infusions have gained great importance. In this study, three different traditional medicinal plants, namely hop (Humulus lupulus L.), madimak (Polygonum cognatum) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) were used for the fermentation of kombucha beverages, and the bioactivity of these beverages was investigated extensively. Experimental approach. The microbiological profile, bacterial cellulose formation, antibacterial, antiproliferative and antioxidant activities, sensory properties, total phenolic content and flavonoid content of kombucha beverages were investigated. Liquid chromatography-coupled mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify and quantify specific polyphenolic compounds in the samples. Results and conclusions. According to the results, the hawthorn-flavoured kombucha, which has lower free radical scavenging activity than the other samples, came into prominence in terms of sensory properties. All examined kombucha beverages showed a strong cytotoxic effect on Mahlavu and HCT116 cell lines, but only the madimak-flavoured kombucha sample, which had a higher total phenolic/flavonoid content, had antibacterial activity against all microorganisms used in the study. Novelty and scientific contribution. Considering the results of this study, madimak could be an effective herb for the development of new kombucha beverages, although its sensory properties still need to be improved. This study contributes to science in terms of producing new fermented beverages with improved beneficial health effects

Comprehensive evaluation of three important herbs for kombucha fermentation

WOS:000975665500002PubMed ID37200785Research background. Kombucha is consumed worldwide for its beneficial health effects. Kombucha teas fermented with various herbal infusions have become very important nowadays. Although black tea is used for kombucha fermentation, kombucha teas fermented with different herbal infusions have gained great importance. In this study, three different traditional medicinal plants, namely hop (Humulus lupulus L.), madimak (Polygonum cognatum) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) were used for the fermentation of kombucha beverages, and the bioactivity of these beverages was investigated extensively. Experimental approach. The microbiological profile, bacterial cellulose formation, antibacterial, antiproliferative and antioxidant activities, sensory properties, total phenolic content and flavonoid content of kombucha beverages were investigated. Liquid chromatography-coupled mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify and quantify specific polyphenolic compounds in the samples. Results and conclusions. According to the results, the hawthorn-flavoured kombucha, which has lower free radical scavenging activity than the other samples, came into prominence in terms of sensory properties. All examined kombucha beverages showed a strong cytotoxic effect on Mahlavu and HCT116 cell lines, but only the madimak-flavoured kombucha sample, which had a higher total phenolic/flavonoid content, had antibacterial activity against all microorganisms used in the study. Novelty and scientific contribution. Considering the results of this study, madimak could be an effective herb for the development of new kombucha beverages, although its sensory properties still need to be improved. This study contributes to science in terms of producing new fermented beverages with improved beneficial health effects

Neonatal Kolestaz Olgularının Geriye Dönük Değerlendirilmesi

Amaç: Neonatal kolestaz, hayatın ilk aylarında başlayan, safra yapımı veya ekskresyonunda bozulma sonucu direkt bilirubin artışı ve sarılıkla seyreden bir durumdur. Hastalara erken ve doğru tanı konulması tedavi başarısı ve prognoz açısından önemlidir. Bu çalışmada, neonatal kolestaz nedeniyle izlenmiş hastaların; demografik özellikleri, etiyolojik faktörleri, klinik bulguları, tedavi ve son durumlarını incelemeyi ve karaciğer nakli yapılan olguların etiyolojik faktörlerini belirlemeyi amaçladık. Yöntemler: Çalışmaya, Ocak 2005-Ocak 2018 yılları arasında neonatal dönemde (<6 ay) kolestaz tanısı alıp kliniğimizde en az altı ay süreyle takip edilen hastalar dahil edildi. Hastaların klinik seyirleri ve son durumları dosya kayıtlarından geriye dönük olarak incelenerek kaydedildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya alınan 131 hastada (%61,1 erkek) sarılığın başlangıç yaşı ortanca 6 gündü (aralık: 1-180 gün). Hastaların 99’u (%75,6) intrahepatik kolestaz, 32’si (%24,4) ekstrahepatik kolestaz grubundaydı. İntrahepatik kolestaz grubunda; en sık total parenteral nütrisyon ilişkili kolestaz (%27,3), ekstrahepatik kolestaz grubunda en sık biliyer atrezi (%71,9) tespit edildi. Başlıca diğer nedenler; sistemik (%19,1), metabolik (%12,2), herediter kolestatik hastalıklar (%9,9) ve enfeksiyöz (%7,6) nedenlerdi. Biliyer atrezi hastalarında Kasai portoenterostomi zamanı ortanca 64 gündü (aralık: 28- 180 gün). En yüksek (%44) mortalite oranı sistemik hastalık ilişkili kolestaz olgularındaydı. Karaciğer nakli (n=21, %16) en sık biliyer atrezili hastalara uygulandı. Sonuç: Neonatal kolestazda erken tanı ve zamanında tedavi; mortalite, morbidite ve optimal prognoz için çok önemlidir. Akolik dışkı varlığı, matürite, sarılığın erken başlangıcı ve yüksek gama-glutamil transferaz seviyeleri biliyer atreziyi düşündürmelidir. Erken cerrahi gerektiren biliyer atrezi ve tedavisi mümkün olan metabolik hastalıkların tanısı önemli olup karaciğer nakli bu hasta gruplarında sağkalım oranını artıran bir tedavi yöntemidir

Clinical characteristics and predictors for recurrence in chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis: a retrospective multicenter analysis

Background/aim: Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is a rare disease of unknown etiology and most commonly occurs during childhood or adolescence. The purpose of this study is to collect data on the clinical features, outcomes, and management of the disease and to identify the factors affecting recurrence. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective multicenter cross-sectional study of pediatric patients diagnosed with CNO. A total of 87 patients with a diagnosis of CNO followed for at least 6 months in 8 pediatric rheumatology centers across the country between January 2010 and December 2021 were included in this study. Results: The study included 87 patients (38 girls, 49 boys; median age: 12.5 years). The median follow-up time was 20 months (IQR: 8.5–40). The median time of diagnostic delay was 9.9 months (IQR: 3–24). Arthralgia and bone pain were the most common presenting symptoms. Multifocal involvement was detected in 86.2% of the cases and a recurrent course was reported in one-third of those included in the study. The most commonly involved bones were the femur and tibia. Vertebrae and clavicles were affected in 19.5% and 20.6% of cases, respectively. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) values of 60.9% of the patients were above 20 mm/h and the C-reactive protein values of 44.8% were above 5 mg/L. The remission rate was 13.3% in patients using nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and 75.0% in those using biological drugs. Vertebral and mandibular involvement and high ESR values at the time of diagnosis were associated with recurrence. Conclusion: In this multicenter study, CNO with vertebral and mandibular involvement and high ESR at diagnosis were associated with recurrence

The safety of canakinumab in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and autoinflammatory diseases in pediatric patients: a multicenter study

Objective: To evaluate the safety of canakinumab using real-world data in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and autoinflammatory diseases (AID). Research design and methods: This was a cross-sectional observational, multicenter study. Patients diagnosed with AID and sJIA treated with canakinumab were included in the study. The participating 13 centers retrospectively collected their patients’ data. Results: A total of 335 patients were involved in the study. Among these patients, 280 were in the AID group and 55 were in the sJIA group. Canakinumab was administered at a median dose of 3 (2.5–4) mg/kg. The median total exposure time to canakinumab was 1.9 (0.8–3.2) years, corresponding to 759.5 patient-years. Seven hundred and seventy-nine total adverse events (AE) were identified. The total incidence of AE, and serious adverse events (SAE) throughout the study period was 1.02 per patient-years. The upper respiratory tract infection rate was 0.7 per patient-years, while the other infection rate was 0.13 per patient-years. While no death was observed in any patient, SAE were observed in 8 patients. Interstitial lung disease, anaphylaxis, or anaphylactoid reactions were not observed in any patient. Conclusions: Real-life data from a large cohort of patients suggests that canakinumab is as safe as claimed in clinical trials

Inflammatory comorbidities ın the largest pediatric Familial Mediterranean fever cohort: a multicenter retrospective study of Pediatric Rheumatology Academy (PeRA)-Research Group (RG)

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of FMF-associated inflammatory diseases in a large FMF pediatric patients and to compare them to those FMF patients without concomitant inflammatory diseases. Materials and methods: Familial Mediterranean fever patients enrolled in the Pediatric Rheumatology Academy (PeRA)-Research Group (RG) were included. The patients were divided into two groups according to concomitant inflammatory disease as FMF patients who had a concomitant inflammatory disease (group 1) and FMF patients who did not have a concomitant inflammatory disease (group 1). The clinical findings and treatments were compared between the two groups. Results: The study group comprised 3475 patients with FMF. There were 294 patients (8.5%) in group 1 and 3181 patients (91.5%) in group 2. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (n = 136) was the most common accompanying inflammatory disease. Arthritis, M694V homozygosity, and the need for biological therapy were more frequently observed in Group 1 (p < 0.05). Fever and abdominal pain were more frequently detected in Group 2 (p < 0.05). FMF patients with concomitant inflammatory diseas more frequently demonstrated colchicine resistance. There were no significant differences in the median attack frequency, chest pain, amyloidosis, erysipelas-like erythema, or family history of FMF between the two patient groups. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest pediatric cohort reviewed to date. FMF patients may have different clinical profiles and colchicine responses if they have with concomitant inflammatory diseases. Key points • FMF is associated with some inflammatory comorbidities diseases. • To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest cohort evlauated pediatric FMF associated inflammatory comorbidities diseases reviewed to dat