CD38 expression and variation as a prognostic factor chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Background: In this study, we aimed to determine a cutoff level for CD38 that would aid us in identifying chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients in need of early therapy and predicting patients at sufficiently low risk who would likely exhibit a rapid improvement; we also aimed to find out if CD38 expression would show variability during disease course and determine the extent of CD38 expression. Methods: 124 patients were diagnosed with CLL. CD38 and ZAP-70 expression levels were measured with four color flowcytometry. Time from diagnosis to initial therapy was calculated for all patients. CD38 expression was studied for a second time during follow-up in 50 patients. Results: For cutoff levels of 7%, 20%, and 30%, CD38 expressions were 61.3%, 25%, and 24.2%, respectively. At all three cutoff levels there were significant correlations with all parameters except age between CD38+ vs. CD38- groups (p < 0.001). The comparative rates of starting therapy for cutoff levels of 7%, 20%, and 30% in CD38+ and CD38- groups were 77.5% vs. 6.25%; 100% vs. 30.7%, and 100% vs. 31.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Multiple Cox Proportional Hazards Regression analysis: for a cutoff level of 7%, survival was affected by STAGE, ZAP70, and CD38. Conclusions: A CD38 cutoff level of 7% determined by standardized laboratory techniques is an important prognostic marker. However, the number and frequency of repeat measurements of CD38 expression, and cutoff level of CD38 expression that significantly predict disease prognosis should be further determined by future cohort studies

Primary Effusion Lymphoma: An Untrivial Differential Diagnosis for Ascites

A primary effusion lymphoma is a rare type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma where serous cavities are involved. That-cause peritoneal, pleural and pericardial effusions without any lymphadenopathy. They affect immunosuppressive patients with human herpes virus-8 being the suspected etiological agent. The prognosis is usually poor despite treatment. Herein, the case of an immunocompetent patient with ascites and pleural effusion diagnosed as primary effusion lymphoma is presented and discuss the case in the light of the current literature

The relationship of the Functional Rating Index with disability, pain, and quality of life in patients with low back pain

Background: The study was planned to determine the relationship of the Functional Rating Index (FRI) with disability, pain, and quality of life in patients with low back pain

Retrospective evaluation of the autoacoustic emission test and auditory brainstem response in risky newborns

Introduction: The early development of the sense of hearing in the baby affects both language and language development considerably, as well as emotional, social and mental development. Hearing loss, which higher in newborns with risk factors, is 1-2% incidence in 1000 live births. Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (EOAE) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) methods are used in neonatal hearing screenings. We aimed to evaluate the EOAE and ABR results of the newborns in this study and the comparison of the two tests. Methods: Between January 2011 and July 2011, 104 newborns with a high-risk factor in our hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Results: The risk factors for the congenital anomaly, be in intensive care and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, were found to be statistically significantly higher in the Hearing Loss group (+) than in the Hearing Loss group (-). In logistic regression analysis, it was determined that neonatal hyperbilirubinemia was a significant risk factor for hearing loss. Discussion and Conclusion: Our findings contributed to the national data and our findings suggest that neonatal hyperbilirubinemia increases the risk of hearing loss

APOBEC3 Hypermutations in HIV-1 Infected Cases in Turkey

Host genetic factors may play an effective role on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pathogenesis. APOBEC3 (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide like-3) proteins are cellular antiviral proteins which inhibits HIV replication in the absence of vif (virion infectivity factor). In this study, we aimed to determine the APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations in HIV-1 strains isolated in Turkey. A total of 515 HIV-1 infected patients between June 2009 - February 2012 were included in the study. Three hundred ninety four cases were newly diagnosed antiretroviral-naive patients [349 male, 45 female; medain age (range): 37.1 (2-69) years; median CD4(+) T-cell count (range): 340 (1-1660) mm(3); median HIV-RNA load (range): 5.76 + E5 (8.7 + E2-9.4 + E6) IU/ml] and 121 were under HAART therapy [99 male, 22 female; median age (range): 40.7 (20-70) years; median CD4(+) T-cell count (range): 195 (6-720) mm3; median HIV-RNA load (range): 5.4 + E5 (1.37 + E3-1.07 + E7) IU/ml]. APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations in HIV-1 pol sequences (reverse transcriptase; codons 41-238 and protease; codons 1-99) analysed by nested RT-PCR and direct sequencing techniques. APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations have been determined by using of HIVdb-Stanford algorithm. The prevalence of overall APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations was 2.5% (13/515) in HIV-1 pol gene sequences in study group, and the rates were 2% (8/394) and 4.1% (5/121) in antiretroviral naive and treatment groups, respectively. However, the location and marker hypermutations of determined APOBEC in the HIV-1 pol gene sequences were RT and 3G in the Turkish patients. The hypermutated HIV-1 strains identified in HIV-1 infected patients may facilitate our understanding the nature and the consequences of HIV-1 infections. Moreover, investigations of the motif and frequency of APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations in HIV-1 proviral DNA samples and understanding their relationships with HIV-1 subtypes in Turkish patients would be beneficial

APOBEC3 Hypermutations in HIV-1 Infected Cases in Turkey

Host genetic factors may play an effective role on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pathogenesis. APOBEC3 (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide like-3) proteins are cellular antiviral proteins which inhibits HIV replication in the absence of vif (virion infectivity factor). In this study, we aimed to determine the APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations in HIV-1 strains isolated in Turkey. A total of 515 HIV-1 infected patients between June 2009 - February 2012 were included in the study. Three hundred ninety four cases were newly diagnosed antiretroviral-naive patients [349 male, 45 female; medain age (range): 37.1 (2-69) years; median CD4(+) T-cell count (range): 340 (1-1660) mm(3); median HIV-RNA load (range): 5.76 + E5 (8.7 + E2-9.4 + E6) IU/ml] and 121 were under HAART therapy [99 male, 22 female; median age (range): 40.7 (20-70) years; median CD4(+) T-cell count (range): 195 (6-720) mm3; median HIV-RNA load (range): 5.4 + E5 (1.37 + E3-1.07 + E7) IU/ml]. APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations in HIV-1 pol sequences (reverse transcriptase; codons 41-238 and protease; codons 1-99) analysed by nested RT-PCR and direct sequencing techniques. APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations have been determined by using of HIVdb-Stanford algorithm. The prevalence of overall APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations was 2.5% (13/515) in HIV-1 pol gene sequences in study group, and the rates were 2% (8/394) and 4.1% (5/121) in antiretroviral naive and treatment groups, respectively. However, the location and marker hypermutations of determined APOBEC in the HIV-1 pol gene sequences were RT and 3G in the Turkish patients. The hypermutated HIV-1 strains identified in HIV-1 infected patients may facilitate our understanding the nature and the consequences of HIV-1 infections. Moreover, investigations of the motif and frequency of APOBEC 3G/F hypermutations in HIV-1 proviral DNA samples and understanding their relationships with HIV-1 subtypes in Turkish patients would be beneficial