The association between serum serglycin level and coronary artery disease severity in patients with stable angina pectoris

Background: Serglycin plays a key role in the inflammatory status however the relationship between coronary artery disease (CAD) and serglycin is still unknown. Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate association of serglycin levels with CAD severity in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP). Methods: In total, 100 SAP patients diagnosed by coronary angiography and clinical manifestations, and 100 control subjects matched for age and sex were enrolled in this case-control study. Plasma levels of serglycin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), lipid profiles, and clinical parameters were assayed for all participants. The severity of coronary lesions was evaluated based on the SYNTAX score (SS) assessed by coronary angiography. Results: Positively correlated with the SS (r = 0.564, p < 0.001), the plasma serglycin level in the SAP group was higher than that in the control group (11.17 ± 1.82 vs. 19.28 ± 1.88 ng/mL, p < 0.001). The plasma serglycin level was an inde-pendent predictor for both SAP (odds ratio [OR] 1.037, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.020–1.054, p < 0.001) and a high SS (OR = 1.087, 95% CI 1.051–1.124, p < 0.001) in a multivariate logistic regression model. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the plasma serglycin level was found to have a better predictive value for a high SS (area under the curve [AUC] 0.858, 95% CI 0.788–0.929, p < 0.001) compared with hsCRP (AUC 0.665, 95% CI 0.557–0.773, p = 0.006; Z = 2.94, p < 0.001), with an optimal cut-off value of 17.25 ng/mL (sensitivity 94.3%, specificity 68.2%). Conclusions: Plasma serglycin levels correlate with both the presence and severity of coronary stenosis in patients with SAP, suggesting that it could be a potential predictive marker of severe stenosis in SAP patients

Evaluation of Monocyte/Lymphocyte, Neutrophil/Lymphocyte, and Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratios in Patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Objective:This study aimed to determine the levels of monocyte/lymphocyte, neutrophil/lymphocyte, and platelet/lymphocyte (PLR) ratios in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, which is considered to be a chronic inflammatory brain disease, by comparing with healthy individuals of similar age and gender and to reveal the role of these values in the disease process.Methods:In our retrospective single-center study, 76 patients who were diagnosed with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and 47 healthy volunteers of similar age and gender were included.Results:While neutrophil/lymphocyte and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio values were statistically significantly higher in the patient group, there was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of platelet/lymphocyte ratio. It was found that the presence of mesial temporal sclerosis, febrile convulsion, or trauma, and seizure type and frequency did not cause any changes on neutrophil/lymphocyte, monocyte/lymphocyte, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio values. There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between disease duration and neutrophil/lymphocyte, monocyte/lymphocyte, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio values. It was determined that values above 0.2 for monocyte/lymphocyte ratio and 1.99 for neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio can be used in the diagnosis of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with high sensitivity and specificity.Conclusions:Considering that patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy have higher monocyte/lymphocyte and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio values and neutrophil/lymphocyte and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio values increase as the duration of the disease increases; it can be suggested that patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy have increased inflammatory activity compared to healthy controls, this activity continues to increase as the duration of the disease increases and contributes to the progressive process of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

Adropin and circadian variation of blood pressure

Background: Nocturnal hypertension and non-dipping pattern are often associated with endothelial dysfunction. Previous studies suggested that adropin, a novel secreted energy homeostasis protein, has the unique ability to regulate endothelial cell function. Aim: This study aims to investigate the association between absolute night-time blood pressure (BP) and circadian BP pat-tern with serum adropin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in patients with newly diagnosed untreated arterial hypertension. Methods: Twenty-four-hour ambulatory BP monitoring was recorded in 100 hypertensives (50 dippers, 50 non-dippers) and 50 healthy controls. Serum levels of adropin and hsCRP were measured and recorded. Results: A strong correlation was found between night-time BP levels with adropin and hsCRP levels (p < 0.001). On the other hand, the non-dipper group demonstrated lower adropin levels compared to the dipper and normotensive groups: non dipper group, 2580 ± 457 pg/mL; dipper group, 3298 ± 530 pg/mL; normotensive group, 3681 ± 411 pg/mL; p < 0.001). HsCRP levels were significantly higher in the non-dipper group than in the two other groups (p = 0.017). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, adropin (p = 0.012) and hsCRP (p = 0.039) were independently associated with a non-dipping pattern. Conclusions: Decreased adropin levels were found in the nocturnal hypertensive and non-dipper groups. Adropin and hsCRP were found to be independently associated with a non-dipping pattern. We suggest that decreased levels of adropin in non-dipper hypertensive patients might be associated with a longer duration of exposure to high BP. These results point to a possible future role of adropin in identifying hypertensive patients at higher risk of target organ damage

Gastrostomy in hospitalized patients with acute stroke: "NoroTek" Turkey point prevalence study subgroup analysis

Objective: Nutritional status assessment, dysphagia evaluation and enteral feeding decision are important determinants of prognosis in acute neurovascular diseases. Materials and Methods: NöroTek is a point prevalence study conducted with the participation of 87 hospitals spread across all health sub regions of Turkey conducted on 10-May-2018 (World Stroke Awareness Day). A total of 972 hospitalized neurovascular patients [female: 53%, age: 69±14; acute ischemic stroke in 845; intracerebral hematoma (ICH) in 119 and post-resuscitation encephalopathy (PRE) in 8] with complete data were included in this sub-study. Results: Gastrostomy was inserted in 10.7% of the patients with ischemic stroke, 10.1% of the patients with ICH and in 50% of the patients with PRE. Independent predictors of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) administration were The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at admission [exp (β): 1.09 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.14, per point] in ischemic stroke; and mechanical ventilation in ischemic [exp (β): 6.18 (95% CI: 3.16-12.09)] and hemorrhagic strokes [exp (β): 26.48 (95% CI: 1.36-515.8)]. PEG was found to be a significant negative indicator of favorable (modified Rankin’s scale score 0-2) functional outcome [exp (β): 0.032 (95% CI: 0.004-0.251)] but not of in-hospital mortality [exp (β): 1.731 (95% CI: 0.785-3.829)]. Nutritional and swallowing assessments were performed in approximately two-thirds of patients. Of the nutritional assessments 69% and 76% of dysphagia assessments were completed within the first 2 days. Tube feeding was performed in 39% of the patients. In 83.5% of them, tube was inserted in the first 2 days; 28% of the patients with feeding tube had PEG later. Conclusion: The NöroTek study provided the first reliable and large-scale data on key quality metrics of nutrition practice in acute stroke in Turkey. In terms of being economical and accurate it makes sense to use the point prevalence method.Amaç: Akut nörovasküler hastalıklarda nütrisyonel durum ve disfaji değerlendirmesi ve enteral beslenme kararı önemli prognoz belirleyicilerindendir. Gereç ve Yöntem: NöroTek, 10 Mayıs 2018’de (Dünya İnme Farkındalık Günü) Türkiye’nin tüm sağlık alt bölgelerine yayılmış 87 hastanenin katılımıyla gerçekleştirilen bir nokta prevalans çalışmasıdır. Hastanede yatan ve bu alt çalışma için toplanan verisi tam olan toplam 972 nörovasküler hasta (kadın: %53, yaş: 69±14 yıl; 845’i akut iskemik inme; 119’u intraserebral hematom ve 8’i post-resüsitasyon ensefalopatisi) analiz edildi. Bulgular: Gastrostomi iskemik inmeli hastaların %10,7, intraserebral kanamalıların %10,1 ve post-resusitasyon ensefalopatisi olanların %50’sine uygulanmıştır. Perkütan endoskopik gastrostomi (PEG) gereksiniminin bağımsız belirleyicileri, iskemik inme grubunda kabul NIHSS [exp (β): 1,09, %95 güven aralığı (GA): 1,05-1,14, puan başına] ile hem iskemik hem de hemorajik inmelerde mekanik ventilasyon uygulanmış olmasıdır [iskemik için: exp (β): 6,18, %95 GA: 3,16- 12,09] ve hemorajik inme için: [exp (β): 26,48, 95% GA: 1,36-515,8]. İnme olgularında PEG uygulaması hastane içi mortalite için bağımsız belirleyici değildi [exp (β): 1,731, 95% GA: 0,785-3,829]. Ancak, PEG uygulanmış olması taburculuk esnasında iyi prognoza (modifiye Rankin skoru 0-2) sahip olabilme için anlamlı bir negatif etmen olarak bulundu [exp (β): 0,032, %95 GA: 0,004-0,251]. Hastanede yatan nörovasküler hastaların yaklaşık üçte ikisinde malnütrisyon ve yutma bozukluğu açısından değerlendirme yapılmıştı. Nutrisyonel status değerlendirmesinin %69’u ve disfaji değerlendirmesinin %76’sı ilk 48 saat içinde gerçekleştirilmişti. Tüple enteral nütrisyon uygulama oranı %39’du. Beslenme tüplerinin %83,5’i ilk 2 gün içinde yerleştirilirken beslenme tüpü olan hastaların %28’ine daha sonra PEG açılmıştı. Sonuç: NöroTek çalışması ile Türkiye’de hastanede yatan akut inme hastalarında nutrisyonel uygulamaların temel kalite ölçütlerine ilişkin ilk güvenilir ve büyük ölçekli veri sağlanmıştır. Ekonomik olması ve doğruluğu açısından nokta yaygınlık yönteminin bu tip verilerin temini için daha fazla kullanılması mantıklıdır