Can Mean Platelet Volume Value Be Used as Inflammation Marker in Children with Familial Mediterranean Fever?

Aim:Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is disrupted response to inflammation by the organism as a result of mutations in the MEFV gene. It has been shown that the mean platelet volume could be used as a marker in many inflammatory diseases. In this study, it was aimed to determine inflammation by observing the changes in the mean platelet volume in the complete blood count.Materials and Methods:The study included 570 children diagnosed with the FMF based on the Tel-Hashomer Criteria. We also included 73 healthy children as a control group. Demographic features, results of genetic analyses, complete blood count parameters, mean platelet volume levels, and C-reactive protein results were evaluated retrospectively. Data of the patients were recorded separately based on the acute attack and attack-free periods under treatment.Results:The mean platelet volume was found to be 8.4±2.4 fL in the attack period and 9.5±1.9 fL in the attack-free period. The mean platelet volume was significantly lower in patients with an attack period compared to the patients at an attack-free period. Leukocyte count and C-reactive protein were statistically significantly higher in the attack period compared to the attack-free period.Conclusion:The mean platelet volume decreases in patients with FMF with the effect of inflammation during the attack period. We think that it is important to consider mean platelet volume while evaluating the blood count

The Distribution of Exon 3-Deleted/Full-Length Growth Hormone Receptor Polymorphism in the Turkish Population

Objective: The exon 3-deleted/full-length (d3/fl) growth hormone receptor (d3/fl-GHR) polymorphism has been associated with responsiveness to GH therapy in some children and also with adult height variation in the general population. We aimed to evaluate the distribution of d3/fl-GHR polymorphism in a Turkish population

Stabil Koroner Arter Hastalığı ile Akut Koroner Sendrom Arasındaki Ayrımda Yeni Bir Biyobelirteç: Tiyoller

Amaç: Tiyoller, oksidasyon reaksiyonları ve oksidatif stresdurumlarında önemli elementlerdendir. Bu çalışmanın amacı,stabil koroner arter hastalığı hastalarında ve akut koronersendromlu (AKS) hastalarda bir antioksidan belirteç olan tiyoldüzeylerini belirlemektir.Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya 210'u AKS, 205'i ise stabil anginapektoris (SAP) tanısı alan hasta dahil edildi. Tiyol gruplarınınseviyeleri ve tiyol/disülfid homeostazı spektrofotometrik olarakölçüldü.Bulgular: SAP gruplarına kıyasla AKS gruplarında nativ tiyoldüzeyleri (332,03±59,84’ e karşı 404,71±67,64, p&lt;0001, toplamtiyol düzeyleri (367,07±64,62’ e karşı 454,28±78,49, p&lt;0001),disulfid (17,52±8,56’ e karşı 24,79±11,17, p&lt;0001, nativ tiyol/disulfid (5,3±2,6’ e karşı 6,1±2,5, p&lt;005) ve toplam tiyol/disulfid(4,77±2,08’ e karşı 5,36±2, p&lt;003) oranları azalmış olarak tespitedildi.Sonuç: Tiyol düzeyleri ve tiyol/disülfid oranları AKS’ yideğerlendirmede belirteç olarak kullanılabilir.Aims: Thiols are important elements for oxidation reactionsand under oxidative stress. The aim of this study was todetermine thiole levels, an antioxidative marker in coronaryartery disease patients with stable and acute coronarysyndrome.Material and Method: 210 of the patients included in thestudy were diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS),205 consisted of patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP).Thiol groups levels and thiol/disulphide homeostasis wasmeasured by spectrophotometrically.Results: Native thiol (332.03±59.84 to 404.71±67.64,p&lt;0001 and total thiol levels (367.07±64.62 to 454.28±78.49,p&lt;0001), disulfide (17.52±8.56 to 24.79±11.17, p&lt;0001,native thiol/disulfide (5.3±2.6 to 6.1±2.5, p&lt;005) and totalthiol /disulfide (4.77±2.08 to 5.36±2, p&lt;003) ratios weredecreased in the ACS groups compared to the SAP groupsConclusions: Thiol levels and thiol / disulfide ratios can beused as markers to evaluate ACS.</p

Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli Urinary Isolates from Two Teaching Hospitals in Turkey: Coexistence of TEM, SHV, CTX-M and VEB-1 Type β-lactamases

Purpose: To evaluate the occurrence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes and the prevalence of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) types in Escherichia coli clinical isolates. Methods: Sixty-one ESBL-producing urinary E. coli isolates were studied. An antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion method. ESBL production was determined using a double-disc synergy test for all isolates; E-test and Vitek 2 were used for plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR)-positive isolates and their transconjugants. The presence of PMQR and β-lactamase genes was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The strains displayed high rates of resistance to norfloxacin (80 %). The most frequent PMQR gene was aac(6’)-Ib-cr (45.9 %). In all, one qnrA1 (1.6 %), one qnrS1 (1.6 %), and two qepA1-positive isolates (5.7 %) were identified. The genes, qnrS1+aac(6’)-Ib-cr and qepA1, were co-expressed with blaCTX-M-15 gene, while qnrA1 occurred with blaTEM-1, blaSHV, and blaVEB-1 genes. The most frequent β-lactamase type was cefotaximase (CTX-M), which generally hydrolyzes cefotaxime (92 %) more than it does ceftazidime; followed by temoneira (TEM, 39 %); sulfhydryl variable (SHV, 5 %), and Vietnamese extended-spectrum beta– lactamase (VEB, 1.6 %). Conclusion: A high prevalence of aac(6’)-Ib-cr and CTX-M type β-lactamase was detected in ESBLproducing E. coli strains. This study also identified the co-expression of qnrA1 and blaVEB-1 genes and of qnrS1+aac(6’)-Ib-cr in E. coli isolates. The co-existence of PMQR genes with ESBLs may lead to a serious public health problem