Diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with myeloproliferative disorders

PMID = 2573045

Apelin, Omentin-1, and Vaspin in patients with essential hypertension: association of adipokines with trace elements, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative damage markers

PMID = 3258331

Midkine in vitamin D deficiency and its association with anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies

PMID = 2656663

Thyroid dysfunctions due to lithium treatment in bipolar disorder: changes in oxidative stress, trace elements, and hemorheological parameters

Lithium is one of the most widely used medications for the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). It also has some side effects on thyroid functions. We aimed to investigate the role of oxidative stress, trace elements, and hemorheological parameters on the pathophysiology of thyroid dysfunctions developed by lithium treatment in patients with BD. Patients with BD were divided into three groups: patients that non-lithium-treated, lithium-treated patients for 4-6 weeks, and lithium-treated patients for 40-68 weeks. Blood samples for analysis were taken before and after the treatment period. After analysis, patients were divided into six groups: non-treatment BD group (Group 1); short-term lithium-treatment group that did not develop thyroid dysfunctions (Group 2); short-term lithium-treatment group that developed hyperthyroidism (Group 3); longterm lithium treatment group that developed hypothyroidism (Group 4), long-term lithium-treatment group that developed hyperthyroidism (Group 5), and long-term lithium-treatment group that did not develop thyroid dysfunctions (Group 6). Plasma and whole blood viscosity levels were significantly increased in Groups 4 and 6 compared to Groups 1, 2, and 3. Hemoglobin levels were lower in Group 4 than in Groups 1, 2, and 5. Fibrinogen values were higher in Groups 4 and 5 than Group 1. Plasma and erythrocyte malondialdehyde levels were higher in Group 4 than In Groups 1, 2, 3, and 5. Also, they were increased in Group 6 in comparison with Groups 2 and 3. Erythrocyte glutathione levels were lower in Groups 4 and 6 than Groups 1, 2, 3 and 5. Plasma protein carbonyls levels were higher in Group 4 than in Group 1, or in Group 5 than in Groups 1, 2, and 3, as well as in Group 6 than Groups 1, and 2. Serum zinc levels were higher in Groups 2, 3 and 6 than in Group1. Serum copper levels increased in Groups 2, 4 and 6 in comparison with Group1. The results of this study indicate that oxidative stress increased with treatment time in lithium-induced thyroid dysfunctions. Also, whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, zinc, and copper levels were affected by lithium treatment and treatment duration induced thyroid dysfunctions

Polymorphism of the Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) Gene Affects the Circulating Oxytocin Receptor Levels in Late-Term Pregnancy in a Turkish Population

PMID = 3253560

Midkine levels and its relationship with atherosclerotic risk factors in essential hypertensive patients

Background and Objectives: Hypertension (HT) is one of the risk factors associated with atherosclerosis. Midkine (MK) plays a role as a growth factor in various biologic and pathologic events. In some reports, MK expression has been shown to be linked with vascular smooth muscle proliferation and neo‑angiogenesis in atherosclerotic vessels. The aim was to research relationship of MK serum levels with some atherosclerotic risk factors in hypertensive patients.Methodology: This study examined 60 patients with essential HT and 30 healthy controls. Serum biochemistry, including lipid profile, MK, Vitamin B12, C‑reactive protein, zinc and copper levels were obtained.Results: MK levels of the HT patients were significantly higher than the control group (24.8 ± 6.8 ng/mL vs. 18.39 ± 5.6 ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.01). Lipid profile parameters such as total cholesterol, triglyceride, low‑density lipoprotein (LDL) were also significantly higher in HT patients (P < 0.021, P < 0.01, and P < 0.01, respectively). Zinc levels were 179.13 ± 34.06 µg/dL and 172.55 ± 45.47µg/dL in the HT and control group, respectively. Serum MK levels were positively correlated with diastolic (r = 0.288, P < 0.05) and systolic blood pressures (r = 0.390, P < 0.002), and also with serum total cholesterol (r = 0.406, P < 0.002) and LDL cholesterol (r = 0.318, P < 0.015) levels. Furthermore MK was also negatively correlated with zinc and Vitamin B12 levels (r = −0.298, P < 0.023, r = −0.334, P < 0.027, respectively).Conclusion: This study has demonstrated an important association between increased serum MK levels and risk factors of atherosclerosis such as HT, increased total and LDL cholesterol.Keywords: Atherosclerosis, cholesterol, hypertension, midkin

Electrocardiographic findings in patients with primary dysmenorrhea

INTRODUCTION: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD), which is characterized by painful menstrual cycles, is one of the common clinical problems in young adult women. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of cardiac arrhythmias in PD patients by using the electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters. METHODS: Forty patients diagnosed with PD and 30 age-matched normal controls were included in this study. ECGs were performed by using 12-leads with 10 mV amplitude and 25 mm/sec velocity. P and QT waves were manually marked along the isoelectric line. P maximum, P minimum, QT maximum and QT minimum were measured on the surface 12-leads ECG, and the P wave and QT dispersions were calculated. RESULTS: There was not any significant correlation of P wave dispersion and QT dispersion between the age, sex, body mass index, hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose or any other laboratory parameters. P wave dispersion was significantly longer in the PD group than the control group (61.4 ± 19 msec versus 57 ± 14 msec, P = 0.01). The P minimum duration was significantly shorter in the PD group compared with the control group (36 ± 16 msec versus 41 ± 9 msec, P = 0.03). QT dispersion was significantly higher in the PD group compared with normal controls (76 ± 23 msec versus 58 ± 16 msec, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: These results show that PD can be associated with cardiac arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation, by increasing P wave dispersion and ventricular arrhythmia risk because of an increased QT interval. © Copyright 2012 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation

Retrospective evaluation of patients at follow‑up with acute poisoning in Intensive Care Unit

Objective: Poisonings are among the major causes of emergency visits and intensive care hospitalizations. The aim of our study is to evaluate intoxicated patients at follow‑up and treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in terms of demographic characteristics, type of poisonings and results of treatment.Materials and Methods: Patients at follow‑up aged 17 or older admitted with intoxication to the ICU between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011 were included in the study. Age, gender, presenting symptoms, duration of hospitalization, type of poisoning, the way of poisoning, medical history, seasons, hospitalization costs, treatment and prognosis of the patients were analyzed.Results: Totally, 153 (8.9%) out of 1375 follow‑up patients in the ICU had acute intoxication. The mean age of intoxicated patients was 29.4 ± 11, 68% of them were female, 78.4% of them were under 35 years old, and intoxication was most common in the 17–25 age group. 114 of them (94.1%) were suicidal. The most common cause of poisoning was drug‑poisoning by 88.2%, and most common presenting symptoms were nausea and vomiting by 71.2%. Mean length of stay was 2.4 ± 1.6 days, and the average cost of hospitalization was 761 ± 884 Turkish Liras or 271 ± 315 USD. 5 patients (3.3%) were intubated because of respiratory failure. There was no mortal case.Conclusion: Suicide attempts are prominent in acute poisoning, and the young female population is at higher risk. It was found that drugs, particularly antidepressants and antipsychotic agents were the most common cause of poisoning. The high cost of treatment of acute intoxication cases is a major cause of economic burden. Clinicians should be more careful when prescribing such drugs.Key words: Cost, intensive care, intoxication, prognosi