Prediction of Low Factor V Levels in Patients with Herbal Medicine Related Acute Liver Injury

  Background: Prior epidemiologic studies predicted a rapid rise in herbal medicine-related acute liver injury (HILI) and liver transplantation (LT) as trading of traditional herbal medicine drugs is expanded. HILI is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the world. The indication for LT was defined as acute liver failure (ALF) with the factor V (FV) level below 35%. Objective: To explore the possible impact of herbal medicine-related to the liver failure on the laboratory parameters and to determine if simple laboratory values play a role in determining lower FV levels. Materials and methods: Totally, 38 HILI cases who were admitted to a tertiary care hospital between May 2016 and May 2018 were scanned, retrospectively. Need for LT was assessed by the determination of FV levels. Results: The mean age of participants was 37±13 years where 27 (71%) were female while the rest were male and 81% of the total population were farmers. Total 78% patients were reportedly consuming herbal medicine pills, and 22% reported consuming traditional Turkish herbs. Among 38 cases with HILI in critical care, 2 (5.2%) have died, 3 (7.8%) underwent LT and 33 (87%) were recovered and discharged. Results of 38 patients with available data also showed that factor V levels were positively correlated with the hemoglobin and platelet levels (p<0.05) and negatively correlated with prothrombin time (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that detecting anemia and thrombocytopenia could be an important, economically feasible strategy for improving outcomes in HILI

SCREENING FOR HEPATITIS B AND C SEROPREVALENCE AND PREVALENCE OF HIV INFECTION AMONG AFGHAN REFUGEES NEWLY ARRIVED IN COASTAL REGION TURKEY IN 2018: A SYSTEMATIC SINGLE-CENTRE ANALYSIS

Introduction: Previous studies showed that refugee status have been associated with various deteriorated effects on human health including higher prevalence of hepatitis B, C and HIV infections. In this study we aim to bridge the gap between Afghan immigrants and naive Turkish population by identifying HBV, HCV and HIV profiles. In addition, a large number of laboratory parameters was collected for all participants, including hematologic and biochemical test results. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of laboratory records at a tertiary center in Northern Turkey from January 1, 2018, to April 15, 2018. Our population based study comprising hospital data of 403 Afghan refugees and 400 naive Turkish citizens. Results: Afghan refugees had higher anti-HIV seropositivity than Turkish citizens.(p<0.05).There were no difference between the two groups according to HbsAg and anti-HCV seropositivity. Also Afghan refugees had statistically lower ALT levels, higher hemoglobin levels and higher mean TSH level (p<0.05). Mean T4 level did not show significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: We need further investigations to find out the risk of infections that originated from immigration

Effects of evening primrose oil and 5-fluorouracil on the healing of colonic anastomoses in rats

Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of evening primrose oil (EPO) on colonic anastomosis. Methods: Sixty rats with colonic anastomosis were randomly divided into six groups. EPO and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) were administered at doses of 5 g/kg/day and 20 mg/kg/day, respectively.&nbsp; Group 1 served as sham control. The rats in Group 2 (EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively), in Group 3 (Extended EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively and 7 days postoperatively), in Group 4 (5-FU) received intraperitoneally 5-FU (5 days preoperatively), in Group 5 (5-FU+EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively), and 5-FU (5 days preoperatively), in Group 6 (5-FU+ extended EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively and 7 days postoperatively)&nbsp; and 5-FU (5 days preoperatively). Histopathological examination, bursting pressure, and hydroxyproline content were used for evaluation. Results: Significant differences were found between the Groups 1, 2, and 3 and Groups 4, 5, and 6 in bursting pressures. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) and lymphocyte infiltration was significantly less in group 3, compared to the control and group 2. The least PMNL infiltration was in group 6 compared to groups 4 and 5.&nbsp; The hydroxyproline level was different in group 3 compared to the control and group 2. Furthermore, groups 5 and 6 were different compared to group 4. Conclusion: EPO had favorable effects on colonic anastomosis even in groups where 5-FU was used

Preliminary outcomes of five-year survival for ovarian malignancies in profiled Serbian Oncology Centre

Objective: The present study purposed to determine characteristics of ovarian carcinoma and to analyze predictors of survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including the patients with diagnosed ovarian carcinoma treated at the Clinic for Operative Oncology, Oncology Institute of Vojvodina in the period from January&nbsp;2012 to December&nbsp;2016. Seventy-two women with ovarian carcinoma were included in the analysis. The data about the histological type of tumor, disease stage, treatment, lymphatic infiltration, and surgical procedure were collected retrospectively, using the database of the institution where the research was conducted (BirPis&nbsp;21 SRC Infonet DOO ‒ Information System Oncology Institute of Vojvodina). Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards model were performed. Results: The univariate Cox regression analysis identified histology, tumor grade, FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage, NACT (Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy), number of therapy cycles, type of surgery, and chemotherapy response as independent predictors of mortality. Finally, the type of tumor and chemotherapy response had an increased hazard ratio for mortality in the multivariate Cox regression model. Herewith, the percentage of high-grade, advanced-stage ovarian cancer patients with complete response to chemotherapy, absence of recurrent disease, and lymphovascular space invasion were significant predictors of survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Conclusions: Herein, emerging data regarding precision medicine and molecular-based personalized treatments are promising and will likely modify the way the authors provide multiple lines of treatments in the near future

Early results of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison with the conventional: Does it have any impact on quality of life?

Tarim, ismail Alper/0000-0002-6203-2644WOS: 000438981600001PubMed: 29928499Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard treatment for gallbladder diseases. In recent times, single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy(SILC) has developed as a less invasive alternative technique to conventional laparoscopy. In the literature, many studies have compared SILC and conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) procedures but a limited number of studies have compared the two techniques with regard to quality of life (QOL). The choice of surgical procedure was effected by QOL of the patients. The effects of SILC on QOL remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) and single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) procedures on the clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients by short-term follow-up evaluation. Material and methods: In this study, 142 patients who underwent cholecystectomy operations with either technique underwent SILC and CLC were evaluated. The quality of life index in the patients was measured with short form 36 (SF 36) test. Results: The results of mean operative time, length of stay and complication rate for SILC and CLC were similar. The postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores were not significantly different between the SILC and CLC patients but only physical functioning score were higher in SILC patients. Conclusions: SILC is a safe and effective alternative to CLC. To detect the effects of SILC on HRQOL, we need long-term prospective comparative studies

Effect of infliximab on acute hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

WOS: 000371013200179PubMed: 26885068This study aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of infliximab (IFX) against liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. A total of 30 male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: sham, I/R, and I/R+IFX. IFX was given at a dose of 3 mg/kg for three days before I/R. Rat livers were subjected to 60 min of ischemia followed by 90 h of reperfusion. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), TNF-alpha, malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were measured in the serum. the liver was removed to evaluate the histopathologic changes. the I/R group had a significant increase in AST, ALT, MDA, and TNF-alpha levels, and a decrease in GSH-Px activity compared with the sham group. the use of IFX significantly reduced the ALT, AST, MDA and TNF-alpha levels and significantly increased GSH-Px activity. IFX attenuated the histopathologic changes. IFX has a protective effect on liver I/R injury. This liver protective effect may be related to antioxidant and anti-TNF-alpha effects. We propose that, for the relief of liver injury subsequent to transplantation, liver resection, trauma, and shock, tentative treatments can be incorporated with IFX, which is already approved for clinical use