Neonatal Kidney Dimensions and Medullary Pyramid Thicknesses According to the Weight, Length and Body Mass Index of Newborns

Aim:The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between neonatal kidney dimensions and medullary pyramid thicknesses (MPTs) according to the weight, length and body mass index (BMI) of newborns.Materials and Methods:A total of 237 [128 (54%) boys and 109 (46%) girls] consecutive term newborns in the first month of life were evaluated. Infants with an underlying renal disease, urinary symptoms, chromosomal abnormalities or low birth weight were excluded from the study. Greyscale ultrasound of neonatal kidneys was performed in standard transverse and longitudinal planes. Renal dimensions, parenchymal thickness and MPT were also evaluated and compared with neonatal age, height, weight, BMI and abdominal circumference (AC) and head circumferences (HC). Regression analyses were performed and graphs were plotted to determine the independent factors for renal parameters.Results:Statistically significant associations were noted in the renal dimensional measurements among neonatal weight (NW), neonatal length, BMI, HC and AC in the infants (p<0.0001). However, no statistically significant difference was observed between right kidney MPT and NW, HC, AC and BMI. In contrast, a statistically significant association was detected between left kidney MPT and NW, HC, AC and BMI.Conclusion:Neonatal kidney length, neonatal kidney width and renal parenchymal thickness measurements could be a useful method as an indicator of neonatal growth

Measurement of Tracheobronchial Angles of COVID-19 Patients on Computed Tomography and Correlation with Pneumonia Severity in Turkish Population

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the values of tracheobronchial angles on computed tomography (CT) and to investigate the relationship between angles and CT severity scores (CT-SS) of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. There is no available literature measuring tracheobronchial angles of adult COVID-19 patients and investigating the relationship of angles with pneumonia severity.Material and Methods: This study was a single-center retrospective analysis of 92 RT-PCR positive patients, aged between 18-40 years, who underwent CT between May and October 2020. The right bronchial angles (RBA), left bronchial angles (LBA), subcarinal angles (SCA), and interbronchial angles (IBA) were measured by a radiologist on coronal CT images with the measurement model used in past. CT-SS was calculated by using a visual scoring system with a global score of 0-25.Results: Thirty-seven (40.2%) patients had normal CT imaging and 55 (59.8%) patients had pulmonary involvement. The CT-SS were ranged from 0 to 24, with a median value of 2.5. The mean IBA was calculated as 81.67±15.20°, mean SCA 77.65±15.78°, mean RBA 39.26±7.51°, and mean LBA 43.35±8.43°. No statistically significant difference was found in SCA, IBA, RBA, and LBA between the groups with and without COVID-19 pneumonia (p=0.277, p=0.389, p=0.218, and p=0.227, respectively). Also, no significant correlation was found between tracheobronchial angles and pneumonia CT-SS of the patients.Conclusion: We calculated the distribution range of tracheobronchial angle values in the adult Turkish COVID-19 patients. According to our study, tracheobronchial angles don’t affect the disease severity and clinical outcome of COVID-19 patients

Radyoterapinin Karotis Arterleri Üzerindeki Etkisi – Gözlemsel Bir Çalışma: Araştırma Makalesi

Intoduction: Survival rates of patients with head and neck cancer have recently increased with the introduction of new technologies and developments in comprehensive treatment modalities in RT. Observing late side effects, too, has become inevitable. Vascular damages and their clinicalresults are the prevalent effects of RT. Objective: Carotid artery lesions and stenosis could develop after radiotherapy and can be detected viaintima-media thickness. Within the scope of this research, we aimed to elucidate the planning technique to minimize the radiation dose to be exposed to the carotid arteries. Methods: This study included42 patients with stage T1-2 N0 M0 glottic cancer who applied to our institution. CA diameters of the patients were measured before and after RT. The measurements were performed 2 cm above the CA bifurcation level, and the largest diameter (cm) was recorded. All measurements were performed on CT scans. Actual treatment images (slice thickness, 2.5 cm) acquired using a computerized tomography (CT) simulator were transferred into the Hi-Art Tomotherapy treatment system. Dose-volume histograms were used for dose comparisons. Results: A comparison of doses administered to the RCAs and LCAs revealed that the Dmean, V35-Gy, V40-Gy, and V50-Gy values of RCA were significantly higher than those of LCA. Examination of the correlation between the RCA diameters after treatment and RT doses revealed a statistically significant correlation only for the V60-Gy dose (r = 0.299, p = 0.054). The RCA diameter was reportedly significantly narrower in smokers than nonsmokers (p = 0.039).A statistically significant significance was observed between smokers' RCA diameter and V60-Gy dose (r = 0.458, p = 0.013).A statistically significant correlation was also observed between age and only the RCA diameter in smokers (p = 0.038). Conclusion: RT performed on the head and neck region is an important risk factor for arterial stenosis and the resulting CVEs. Smoking is one of the most important factors that increase this risk. Carotid artery doses should be considered while planning RT.Giriş: Son yıllarda, radyoterapide (RT) yeni teknolojiler ve kapsamlı tedavi modalitelerindeki gelişmeler ile baş-boyun kanserleri hastaların sağkalım oranları artmaktadır. Geç yan etkileri de gözlemlemek kaçınılmaz olmuştur. Vasküler hasarlar ve klinik yansımları da RT nin bu etkilerinden biridir ve artık çok sık görünür olmuştur. Amaç: Radyoterapi sonrası karotis arter lezyonları ve darlıkları gelişebilmekte ve intima-media kalınlığı ile tespit edilebilmektedir. Bu araştırma kapsamında karotis arterlerin maruz kalacağı radyasyon dozunu en aza indirecek planlama tekniğinin aydınlatılmasını amaçladık. Yöntem: Bu çalışmaya kurumumuza başvuran evre T1-2 N0 M0 glottik kanserli 42 hasta dahil edildi. Hastaların KA çapları RT öncesi ve sonrası ölçüldü. Ölçümler KA çatallanma seviyesinin 2 cm üzerinden yapıldı ve en büyük çap (cm) kaydedildi. Tüm ölçümler CT taramalarında yapıldı. Bilgisayarlı tomografi (BT) simülatörü kullanılarak elde edilen gerçek tedavi görüntüleri (kesit kalınlığı, 2.5 cm)Hi-Art Tomoterapi tedavi sistemine aktarıldı. Doz karşılaştırmaları için doz-hacim histogramları kullanıldı. Bulgular: Sağ KA ve sol KA'lara uygulanan dozlar karşılaştırıldığında, sağ KA'nın Dmean, V35-Gy, V40-Gy ve V50-Gy değerlerinin Sol KA'e göre anlamlı derecede yüksek olduğu görüldü. Tedavi sonrası RCA çapları ile RT dozları arasındaki korelasyon incelendiğinde sadece V60-Gy dozu için istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir korelasyon olduğu ortaya çıktı (r=0,299, p=0,054). RCA çapının sigara içenlerde içmeyenlere göre anlamlı derecede daha dar olduğu bildirildi (p = 0,039). Sigara içenlerin RCA çapı ile V60-Gy dozu arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark gözlendi (r=0,458, p=0,013). Sigara içenlerde yaş ile sadece RCA çapı arasında da istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir korelasyon gözlendi (p=0,038). Sonuç: Baş-boyun bölgesine yapılan RT, arteriyel stenoz ve bunun sonucunda ortaya çıkan serebro-vasküler olaylar açısından önemli bir risk faktörüdür. Sigara içmek bu riski artıran en önemli faktörlerden biridir. RT planlanırken karotis arter dozları dikkate alınmalıdır

Aşikar kardiyovasküler hastalığı olmayanlarda koroner arter kalsifikasyonu ile ortalama trombosit hacmi arasındaki ilişki: Gözlemsel bir çalışma

dolaylı bir parametredir. Koroner arter kalsifikasyonunun (KAK) aterosklerotik proçesin bir parçası olduğu uzun zamandır bilinmektedir. Bu çalışmamızda aşikar kardiyovasküler hastalığı olmayan hastalarda KAK ile OTH arasındaki ilişkiyi inceledik. Yöntemler: Bu gözlemsel çalışmada, bilinen kardiyovasküler hastalığı olmayan ve en az bir kardiyovasküler riski olan 259 hasta çalışmaya alındı. KAK çok kesitli tomografi ile değerlendirildi. OTH ise etilen diamin tetra asetik asit (EDTA)’li tüplere alınan kanda ölçüldü. İstatistiksel analiz Kruskal-Wallis, Ki-kare, korelasyon testleri ve çoklu regresyon analiz ile yapıldı. Bulgular: Kalsiyum skoru 0 ile 735 arasında idi. Tek yönlü analizde KAK ile OTH (r0.24, p0.02), yaş (r0.32, p0.001), hipertansiyon (r0.19, p0.03), diyabet (r0.16, p0.005) ve sigara içimi (r0.17, p0.001) arasında anlamlı bir ilişki vardı. Çok yönlü analizde ise OTH (?0.4, %95GA 19.8- 31.1, p0.001), yaş (?0.13, %95GA 0.23-2.4 p0.01) ve sigara içimi (?0.12, %95GA 3.2-15.1, p0.02) KAK’ın bağımsız belirleyicileri idi. Ayrıca anlamlı KAK’ı olanlarda minimal ya da KAK’ı olmayan hastalara göre OTH anlamlı olarak yüksek idi (10.22.4 karşı 8.10.9 ve 7.61.3; R252.7, p0.001). Sonuç: Çalışmamızda OTH ile KAK arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulduk. Her ne kadar çalışmamız bir korelasyon çalışması olduğu için neden- sonuç ilişkisi açısından bir sonuç çıkarmak zor olsa da yüksek OTH’nin artmış aterosklerotik yükü ve kardiyovasküler riski gösterebileceği söylenebilir. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2012; 12: 35-9)Objective: Platelets have an important role in the pathogenesis of atherothrombosis. It has been shown that platelet size measured by mean platelet volume (MPV), correlates with their reactivity and is still regarded as an easy, useful tool for indirect monitoring of platelet activity in different situations. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) has long been known to occur as a part of the atherosclerotic process. The aim of this study was to determine whether an association exists between MPV and CAC. Methods: In this observational study, we enrolled 259 participants with at least one cardiac risk factor but with unknown cardiovascular disease. Coronary calcification was assessed by multislice computerized tomography and MPV was measured in a blood sample collected in EDTA tubes. Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-square, correlation tests and multiple regression analysis. Results: Calcium scores ranged from 0 to 735. There was a significant relation between CAC and MPV (r0.24, p0.02), age (r0.32, p&lt;0.001), hypertension (r0.19, p0.03), diabetes (r0.16, p0.005), smoking (r0.17, p0.001). In linear regression analysis, MPV (&amp;#946;0.4, 95%CI 19.8- 31.1, p&lt;0.001), age (&amp;#946;0.13, 95%CI 0.23-2.4, p0.01) and smoking (&amp;#946;0.12, 95%CI 3.2-15.1, p0.02) independently associated with CAC. In addition, there were significant differences in MPV between significant CAC group compared to the minimal and none (10.2&plusmn;2.4 versus 8.1&plusmn;0.9 and 7.6&plusmn;1.3; p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: We have found significant association between MPV and CAC. Although this study is purely correlative and no causative conclusions can be drawn, it may suggest that higher MPV may reflect increased atherosclerotic burden and cardiovascular risk. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2012; 12: 35-9