GERIATRI YAŞ GRUBUNDA GASTROINTESTINAL KANAMA VE TEDAVISI

Approximately 35%-40% of geriatric patients seek medical care for gastrointestinal symptoms at least once a year. At least 1% of the population aged over 80 years is hospitalized each year due to gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage is frequently observed in this population and associated with high mortality and morbidity. Also, gastrointestinal hemorrhage is one of the main causes of hospitalization among geriatric patients. Geriatric patients with GIH constitute a subgroup of patients requiring special care in hospitals. The bleeding may occur in the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract and manifest itself with a variety of symptoms depending on its location. The incidence and natural course of hemorrhage are affected by antiplatelet and anticoagulant medications. The outcome of gastrointestinal hemorrhage in geriatric patients depends largely on the characteristics of bleeding lesion and comorbidities.Geriatri yaş grubundaki hastaların yaklaşık %35-40’lık bir kısmı, yılda en az 1 kez gastrointestinal semptomlar nedeni ile tıbbi yardıma ihtiyaç duymaktadır. Seksen yaş üstü nüfusun en az %1’i, her yıl gastrointestinal kanama nedeni ile hastaneye yatmak zorunda kalmaktadır. Gastrointestinal kanaması olan geriatric olgular, hastanelerde özel bakım gerektiren hasta grubunu oluşturmaktadır. Geriatrik çağda gastrointestinal kanama sık gözlenmektedir ve beraberinde yüksek morbidite ve mortalite riski taşımaktadır. Kanama üst veya alt gastrointestinal sistemden köken alabilir ve kanama lokalizasyonuna göre semptom çeşitliliği gösterebilmektedir. Kanamanın insidansı ve klinik seyri, hastanın kullandığı antiplatellet veya antikoagülan tedaviden etkilenmektedir. Geriatrik olgulardaki kanamanın seyri çoğunlukla kanayan lezyonun karakteristiğine ve eşlik eden hastalık olup olmamasına bağlıdır

Evaluation of the Long-Term Clinical Results of 3 Patients Implanted with the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis

This study presents the long-term clinical results of Argus II retinal prosthesis implantation in eyes with light perception and projection in 3 patients with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa. No conjunctival erosion, hypotony, or implant displacement was observed during postoperative follow-up. The electrical threshold values were lower in the macular region and higher close to the tack fixation region and peripherally. Optical coherence tomography scans showed fibrosis and retinoschisis formation at the retina-implant interface in two cases. This was attributed to mechanical and electrical effects on the tissue due to the active daily use of the system and the electrodes’ proximity to the retina. The patients were able to integrate the system into their daily lives and perform activities that they could not do before. Studies on retinal prostheses for the rehabilitation of hereditary retinal diseases are ongoing, so both social and clinical observations and experiences related to the implant are valuable

Evaluation of the potency of FDA-approved drugs on wild type and mutant SARS-CoV-2 helicase (Nsp13)

SARS-CoV-2 has caused COVID-19 outbreak with nearly 2 M infected people and over 100K death worldwide, until middle of April 2020. There is no confirmed drug for the treatment of COVID-19 yet. As the disease spread fast and threaten human life, repositioning of FDA approved drugs may provide fast options for treatment. In this aspect, structure-based drug design could be applied as a powerful approach in distinguishing the viral drug target regions from the host. Evaluation of variations in SARS-CoV-2 genome may ease finding specific drug targets in the viral genome. In this study, 3458 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences isolated from all around the world were analyzed. Incidence of C17747T and A17858G mutations were observed to be much higher than others and they were on Nsp13, a vital enzyme of SARS-CoV-2. Effect of these mutations was evaluated on protein-drug interactions using in silico methods. The most potent drugs were found to interact with the key and neighbor residues of the active site responsible from ATP hydrolysis. As result, cangrelor, fludarabine, folic acid and polydatin were determined to be the most potent drugs which have potency to inhibit both the wild type and mutant SARS-CoV-2 helicase. Clinical data supporting these findings would be important towards overcoming COVID-19

Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Nsp12/Nsp8 interaction interface with approved and investigational drugs: anin silicostructure-based approach

In this study, the Nsp12-Nsp8 complex of SARS-CoV-2 was targeted with structure-based and computer-aided drug design approach because of its vital role in viral replication. Sequence analysis of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (Nsp12) sequences from 30,366 different isolates were analysed for possible mutations. FDA-approved and investigational drugs were screened for interaction with both mutant and wild-type Nsp12-Nsp8 interfaces. Sequence analysis revealed that 70.42% of Nsp12 sequences showed conserved P323L mutation, located in the Nsp8 binding cleft. Compounds were screened for interface interaction, any with XP GScores lower than -7.0 kcal/mol were considered as possible interface inhibitors. RX-3117 (fluorocyclopentenyl cytosine) and Nebivolol had the highest binding affinities in both mutant and wild-type enzymes, therefore they were selected and resultant protein-ligand complexes were simulated for analysis of stability over 100 ns. Although the selected ligands had partial mobility in the binding cavity, they were not removed from the binding pocket after 100 ns. The ligand RX-3117 remained in the same position in the binding pocket of the mutant and wild-type enzyme after 100 ns MD simulation. However, the ligand Nebivolol folded and embedded in the binding pocket of mutant Nsp12 protein. Overall, FDA-approved and investigational drugs are able to bind to the Nsp12-Nsp8 interaction interface and prevent the formation of the Nsp12-Nsp8 complex. Interruption of viral replication by drugs proposed in this study should be further tested to pave the way forin vivostudies towards the treatment of COVID-19

Sonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characteristics of Testicular Adrenal Rest Tumors

Summary Background: The aim of this study was to describe the gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of testicular adrenal rest tumors (TART) in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Material/Methods Forty-one patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia were evaluated by gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasonography. Totally eighteen adrenal rest tumors in 9 patients were diagnosed TART on US and MR imaging. Gray-scale and color Doppler US and MR findings of the patients were documented. Results: A total of eighteen masses were evaluated in nine patients. The mean age of these patients was 14.3±4.5 (range 10.1–23.3) years. US revealed hypoechoic lesions around the mediastinum testis with hypervascularity dispersing in ten patients and hypovascularity in two patients. In six patients, the lesions were hyperechoic with poor vascularity. Lesions exhibited homogeneous (n=8) and heterogeneous (n=10). Testicular microlithiasis was present in 4 of 9 patients with TART. Doppler ultrasound showed normal testicular vessels passing through the mass which were undisturbed, not displaced and not change in caliber. MRI features were the following: all lesions were hypointense on T2- and hyperintense (n=12) and isointense (n=6) on T1-weighted images. All masses revealed homogeneous contrast enhancement on postcontrast T1-weighted images. Conclusions: Ultrasonography and MRI are good methods for detecting and monitoring TART. US is the first preferable modality because it is quick and cheap than MRI. Bilateral mostly hypoechoic lesions depicted around the mediastinum testis with no mass effect is highly suggestive for the diagnosis of testicular adrenal rest tissues on ultrasonography. Normal testicular vessels coursing through the lesions undisturbed and not change in caliber is described specific for this kind of tumors

EVALUATION OF INCONTINENCE, QUALITY OF LIFE AND SEXUAL FUNCTION IN WOMEN WHO OPERATED SUBURETHRAL SLING

eden bir hastalık olmamasına rağmen, psikolojik, sosyal ve cinsel problemlerle yaşam kalitesi üzerinde olumsuz etkileri olduğu gösterilmiştir. Çalışmamızda orta üretral askı operasyonu sonrası kadınların cinsel fonksiyon, idrar kaçırma ve yaşam kalitesinin araştırılması amaçlandı. Gereç ve yöntem: Ekim 2005 ile Mart 2007 tarihleri arasında stres ve karışık tipte idrar kaçırma nedeniyle orta üretral askı operasyonu yapılan 29 cinsel aktif kadın hasta değerlendirildi. Hastalardan tıbbi ve cinsel öykü alınarak, Kadın Cinsel Fonksiyon İndeksi ve İnkontinans Yaşam Kalitesi Ölçeği dolduruldu. Verilerin değerlendirilmesinde sayı, yüzde dağılımı, McNeamer analizi, ki-kare ve t testleri kullanıldı. Bulgular: Çalışmaya alınan kadınların ortalama yaş ve kadın cinsel fonksiyon indeksi skoru sırasıyla 50,4 ± 8,8 yıl ve 19,3 ± 10,7 olarak saptandı. Kadın cinsel fonksiyon indeksi skoruna göre (<25) çalışmaya alınan %65,5 kadında cinsel fonksiyon bozukluğu saptandı. Operasyon sonrası kadınlar yaşam kalitelerinden memnundu. Operasyon öncesi %69'u cinsel ilişkilerinde idrar kaçırırken, operasyon sonrasında bu oranın %21 olduğu saptandı. Orta üretral askı ameliyatı sonrası hastaların %52'si cinsel yaşamlarından daha memnun olduklarını belirtti. Sonuç: Orta üretral askı operasyonu sonrasında kadınların inkontinans yakınmalarında düzelme olduğu ve yaşam kalitelerinden memnun olduğu görülürken, cinsel fonksiyon bozukluğu prevalansının önemli düzeyde yüksek olduğu görülmektedir. Objective: Although urinary incontinence is not a life threatening disorder, it has been shown to have detrimental effects on quality of life in terms of psychological, social and sexual problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of suburethral sling operation on sexual function, incontinence and quality of life. Material and method: Twenty nine women were evaluated who underwent suburethral sling operation for stress and mixed incontinence from October 2005 to March 2007. All women and their partners were sexually active. We evaluated all the women enrolled in the study by taking incontinence and sexual history, administering the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Incontinence Quality of Life Instrument. Number (I-QOL), percent distribution, McNeamer, chi square and t tests were used for the data analysis. Results: Mean age and FSFI scores of women were 50.4±8.8 years and 19.3 ± 10.7, respectively. According to total FSFI score (<25) there were 65.5% subjects had sexual dysfunction. Quality of life was improved after suburetral sling in female patients. Reported urinary leakage during intercourse was significantly reduced (69% to 21%). Among the patients 52% of them were reported an improvement of their sexual life after suburetral sling surgery. Conclusion: This study showed that suburetral sling procedures as anti-incontinence surgery is associated with reduced complaints of incontinence and improvement of the quality of life. However, prevalence of female sexual dysfunction is significantly high in these patients

Evaluation of patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease: Preliminary results from the Turk-UIP study

OBJECTIVE: Differential diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is important among fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILD). This study aimed to evaluate the rate of IPF in patients with fibrotic ILD and to determine the clinical-laboratory features of patients with and without IPF that would provide the differential diagnosis of IPF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included the patients with the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern or possible UIP pattern on thorax high-resolution computed tomography, and/or UIP pattern, probable UIP or possible UIP pattern at lung biopsy according to the 2011 ATS/ERSARS/ALAT guidelines. Demographics and clinical and radiological data of the patients were recorded. All data recorded by researchers was evaluated by radiology and the clinical decision board. RESULTS: A total of 336 patients (253 men, 83 women, age 65.8 +/- 9.0 years) were evaluated. Of the patients with sufficient data for diag-nosis (n=300), the diagnosis was IPF in 121 (40.3%), unclassified idiopathic interstitial pneumonia in 50 (16.7%), combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) in 40 (13.3%), and lung involvement of connective tissue disease (CTD) in 16 (5.3%). When 29 patients with definite IPF features were added to the patients with CPFE, the total number of IPF patients reached 150 (50%). Rate of male sex (p<0.001), smoking history (p<0.001), and the presence of clubbing (p=0.001) were significantly high in patients with IPE None of the women <50 years and none of the men <50 years of age without a smoking history were diagnosed with IPE Presence of at least 1 of the symptoms suggestive of CTD, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and antinuclear antibody (FANA) positivity rates were significantly higher in the non-IPF group (p<0.001, p=0.029, p=0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: The rate of IPF among patients with fibrotic ILD was 50%. In the differential diagnosis of IPF, sex, smoking habits, and the presence of clubbing are important. The presence of symptoms related to CTD, ESR elevation, and EANA positivity reduce the likelihood of IPF