Relationship of Serum Trimethylamine N-Oxide Levels With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Disease Activity in Psoriasis Patients

Introduction:  Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease that can cause cardiovascular comorbidities. Some recent studies have indicated that impaired gut microbiota and metabolites may be associated with inflammatory diseases. Objectives: In this study, the relationship between serum trimethylamine n-oxide (TMAO, a gut bacterial metabolite) level and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and disease severity in psoriasis patients was investigated. Methods: Age- and gender-matched 73 patients and 72 healthy controls were included in the study. In both groups serum trimethylamine n-oxide(TMAO), oxidized low- density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) levels were recorded and the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured by B-mode ultrasonography by a cardiologist.   Results: TMAO, hs-CRP, oxidized-LDL, triglyceride and CIMT levels were statistically higher in the patient group. HDL levels were statistically higher in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of total cholesterol and LDL-C levels. In partial correlation analyzes in the patient group, positive correlations were observed between TMAO and CIMT, LDL-C and total cholesterol levels. Linear regression analysis showed that TMAO levels positively predicted CIMT levels. Conclusions: This study confirmed that psoriasis is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and that elevated serum TMAO levels in these patients indicate the presence of intestinal dysbiosis. Furthermore, TMAO levels were found to be a predictor of the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in psoriasis patients

Evaluation of total oxidant status, total antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress levels in humor aqueous of diabetic cataract patients

Purpose: Diabetic retinopathy (DRP) is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus and various studies have demonstrated the role of increased oxidative stress due to hyperglycemia in its pathophysiology. There are few studies in the literature examining total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) in humor aqueous, and we were unable to find any, which measured oxidative stress index (OSI). The aim of this study was to investigate whether TAC, TOS, and OSI in the aqueous humor changed according to DRP stage. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included a total of 86 cataract patients: 31 healthy patients with senile cataract (Group 1), 19 diabetic patients without DRP (Group 2), 17 patients with nonproliferative DRP (Group 3), and 19 patients with proliferative DRP (Group 4). Aqueous humor samples were obtained prior to cataract surgery. TAC, TOS, and OSI levels were measured spectrophotometrically and compared between the groups. Results: The analysis of TAC levels revealed that TAC levels were significantly higher in the control group (Group 1) compared to DRP patients (Group 3 and 4, p=0.042 and p=0.02, respectively), while TOS and OSI levels were lower in Group 1 compared to all diabetic groups (Group 2, 3, and 4) (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings of increased TOS and OSI and decreased TAC levels in diabetic patients support the belief that oxidative stress might be an important etiologic factor in DRP. Increased oxidative stress may be a potential therapeutic target in the prevention and management of DRP. © 2020 Gazi Eye Foundation. All rights reserved

Evaluation of Zinc and Copper Levels in Superficial Fungal Infections

Objective: Superficial fungal infections are one of the common skin diseases. Zinc and copper are essential elements for humans, and concentrations of these trace elements may vary in various inflammatory conditions. Our aim in this study is to measure serum zinc and copper levels in patients with superficial fungal infection and to evaluate its relationship with clinical types of the disease. Materials and Methods: This study included 81 patients diagnosed with superficial fungal infection (tinea capitis, faciei, pedis, unguim, corporis, and versicolor) who applied to the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University. Serum zinc and copper levels were measured in all patients. Results: The mean age of the patients was 36.68 ± 17.12, and 54 (66.6%) of patients were male and 27 (33.3%) were female. There were tinea versicolor in 32 (39.5%) of the patients and other dermatophytosis infections (tinea capitis, faciei, pedis, unguium and corporis) in 49 (60.5%) of the patients. The mean serum zinc levels of the patients were determined close to the lower limit of the normal reference range with 11.41 ± 2.07 µmol / L, but zinc and copper levels were within the normal reference range (normal reference values of zinc and copper; 11-19.5 µmol / L, 80-155 µg / dL, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in zinc and copper levels between patients with tinea versicolor and patients with other dermatophyte infections (p = 0.348, p = 0.173, respectively). In addition, there was a negative correlation between serum zinc levels and age, serum copper levels showed a statistically significant negative relationship with male sex and smoking (r = -0.359, p = 0.001; r = -0.343, p = 0.002, r = -0.283 , p = 0.033, respectively). Discussion: In our study, the majority of patients with superficial fungal infections were men. It was determined that the frequency of dermatophyte infections increased as the mean age of the patients increased. Although serum zinc and copper levels measured in patients were within the normal reference range, especially zinc levels were close to the lower limit of reference values. In addition, it was observed that various factors such as age, gender and smoking affect zinc and copper levels. As a result of these data, we think that irregularities in serum zinc and copper levels may predispose to the development of fungal infections

Plasmacytoma Masquerading as Meningioma

Solitary bone plasmacytoma is a rare disease in the skull. We present a 70-year-old patient who presented with a skull deformity due to the left parietooccipital tumor. Neurological examination found no deficit. The systemic scanning revealed no additional lesion. The surgery was planned, and the tumor was removed totally with the marginal bone around it. Histopathological examination confirmed solitary bone plasmacytoma. The patient is being followed-up without recurrence or progression to multiple myeloma. As the calvarial solitary bone plasmacytomas can be easily misdiagnosed preoperatively, the detailed examination of the CT features may be helpful for the planning and course of the surgery

Determination of Melatonin Differences between Day and Night Milk in Dairy Cattle

The aim of this study was to determine the difference between melatonin hormone in night milk and melatonin concentration in day milk of Holstein cows. In this study, daytime milk obtained from 40 heads Holstein cows in the first lactation raised in a private dairy cattle farm in Karapınar district of Konya state province in Turkey and night milk samples taken from the same cows that were kept in darkness for one week were used. The milk samples were collected from day and night milking in order to determine the melatonin concentration with the help of Bovine Melatonin (MLT) Elisa Kit. In this study, melatonin concentration in day time and night time milk were determined as respectively 103.70 ± 6.61 pg mL-1 and 163.13 ± 8.96 pg mL-1. The difference between melatonin levels of day and night milk was statistically significant (P&lt;0.01). Since significant difference occurred between melatonin concentration between day and night milk at the end of the study, it can be stated that night milk can be used for medical purposes that is used cure of some illnesses and producers can be provided with a new production source

The Prognostic Utility of Plasma NGAL Levels in ST Segment Elevation in Myocardial Infarction Patients

Introduction. Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients are markedly higher. In addition, plasma NGAL levels were increased in patients with acute and chronic heart failure as a complication of myocardial infarction. In this study, we investigated whether there is a difference between the prognostic use of plasma NGAL levels in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods. 235 consecutive STEMI patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into groups according to LVEF. Plasma NGAL, troponin I, creatine kinase MB (CKMB), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Finally, the study population examined with 34 reduced LVEF and 34 preserved LVEF consisted of a total of 68 patients (12 females; mean age, 61.5 ± 14.7). All patients were followed up prospectively for 6 months. This study group was divided into two subgroups as the patients who died (n = 14) and survived (n = 34), and plasma NGAL levels of the groups were compared. Results. The median of NGAL was 190.08 ng/ml. Age, troponin I, CKMB, CRP, glomerular filtration rate, and creatinine were higher in reduced LVEF groups. Plasma NGAL levels were also higher in reduced LVEF than in preserved LVEF, but statistically not significant (p=0.07). Plasma NGAL levels were significantly higher in death patients than in survived patients (p<0.001). In ROC curve analysis, the level to detect isolated cardiovascular mortality with a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 77% was 190 ng/mL for NGAL. Conclusion. Plasma NGAL levels can be used to predict cardiovascular mortality in STEMI patients

Systemic inflammatory response markers in preeclampsia

PURPOSE: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), platelet distribution width (PDW), red cell distribution width (RDW), mean platelet volume (MPV), and plateletcrit (PCT) are known as systemic inflammatory response markers. In this study, we aimed to evaluate changes in NLR, PLR, PDW, RDW, MPV, and PCT in preeclampsia (PE) and their use in predicting its severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective case–control study. The study comprised 64 control group (healthy pregnant females), 51 females with mild PE, and 13 with severe PE. These three groups were compared with demographic data and inflammation markers. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between healthy pregnant females and preeclaptic females in terms of median age, hemoglobin, lymphocyte, neutrophil, platelet, NLR, PLR, PDV, RDW, MPV, PCT (P > 0.05). The control group has a higher number of gravity and parity than the PE group (P < 0.001). MPV value is a lower PE group than the control group (P < 0.001). Both gravity and parity were significantly higher in the patients with mild PE than in the control group (P < 0.001). MPV value was statistically higher in the control group compared both mild and severe PE (P < 0.001), however, no statistical difference between mild and severe PE (P = 0.305). CONCLUSIONS: MPV may be clinically useful markers in the prediction of PE. Further, prospective multicenter studies are needed to reveal the association between these markers and PE