Comparison of galactomannan, beta-D-glucan, and Aspergillus DNA in sera of high-risk adult patients with hematological malignancies for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis

Bckground/aim: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a fatal infection that is difficult to diagnose in immunocompromised patients. In this study, Aspergillus-specific DNA was searched using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) in serum samples. Galactomannan (GM) and/or beta-D-glucan (BDG) tests were previously performed on these samples for 70 neutropenic patients with hematological malignancy. Materials and methods: The patients were categorized according to the criteria of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG). Among the patient serum samples, the first positive GM or BDG test sample and the median sample of GM or BDG test for negative patients were used to detect DNA levels by RT-PCR method (Light Cycler 480, Roche Molecular Biochemicals, Meylan, France) using a commercial kit (Way2Gene Fungi; Genmar, Izmir, Turkey). Results: When the proven and probable IA group were considered as real patients, sensitivity of Aspergillus-specific DNA test was 90%, specificity was 73.3%, positive predictive value was 81.8%, and negative predictive value was 84.6%. Conclusion: This study found that searching for specific DNA by RT-PCR method has a sensitivity as high as the GM test. Although specificity was rather low, it was concluded that it can be used jointly with GM and BDG tests after decreasing contamination by severe laboratory applications

Association between C-peptide level and microalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Purpose: Latest studies suggest that C-peptide may have a beneficial biological role on diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study is to analyze whether there is an association between serum C-peptide level and microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 184 T2DM patents and 46 healthy subjects in this study. Clinical variables and routine biochemical tests along with serum C peptide levels measured after an overnight fasting. Serum C peptide levels between 1.1 and 4.4 accepted as normal. 24-hour-urine samples were investigated and values between 30-300mgwere recorded as microalbuminuria. Pearson correlation analysis were used to determine associations between continuous variables. Results: C peptide levels were not significantly difference in T2DM patients compared to healthy controls. Serum C peptide levels showed positive correlation with insulin and microalbminuria with the Pearson correlation analysis. However, there was no significant association between other variables and C peptide levels. Conclusion: A correlation was found between microalbuminuria and serum C-peptide in this present study. Findings suggest C-peptide is related with renal complications of T2DM patients

Tip 2 diyabetes mellituslu hastalarda C peptid ile mikroalbuminüri ilişkisi

Purpose: Latest studies suggest that C-peptide may have a beneficial biological role on diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study is to analyze whether there is an association between serum C-peptide level and microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 184 T2DM patents and 46 healthy subjects in this study. Clinical variables and routine biochemical tests along with serum C peptide levels measured after an overnight fasting. Serum C peptide levels between 1.1 and 4.4 accepted as normal. 24hour-urine samples were investigated and values between 30-300mgwere recorded as microalbuminuria. Pearson correlation analysis were used to determine associations between continuous variables. Results: C peptide levels were not significantly difference in T2DM patients compared to healthy controls. Serum C peptide levels showed positive correlation with insülin and microalbminuria with the Pearson correlation analysis. However, there was no significant association between other variables and C peptide levels. Conclusion: A correlation was found between microalbuminuria and serum C-peptide in this present study. Findings suggest C-peptide is related with renal complications of T2DM patients.Amaç: Son dönem çalışmaları C peptitin diyabetik nefropatide yararlı etkileri olduğunu öne sürmektedir. Bu çalışmada tip 2 diyabetes mellitus (T2DM) hastalarında gözlenen mikroalbuminüri ile serum C peptit düzeylerinin ilişkili olup olmadığını analiz etmeyi amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu amaçla 184 tip 2 diyabet hastası ve 46 sağlıklı kontrol çalışmaya alındı. Hastaların klinik özellikleri ve rutin biyokimyasal tetkiklerine ek olarak serum C peptit seviyeleri kaydedildi. Serum C peptit normal aralığı 1.1-4.4 olarak kabul edildi. Hastalardan 24 saatlik idrar toplanarak araştırıldı ve 30-300 mg aralığı mikroalbuminuri olarak kaydedildi. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koymak amacıyla Pearson korelasyon analizi kullanıldı. Bulgular: Tip 2 diyabet hastaları sağlıklı control grubu ile karşılaştırıldığında C peptit düzeyleri arasında anlamlı farklılık saptanmadı. Pearson korelasyon analizinde C peptit düzeyleri, insulin ve mikroalbuminuri arasında pozitif korelasyon olduğu görüldü. Bununla birlikte C -peptit ve diğer değişkenler arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmadı. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada serum C peptit düzeyleri ile mikroalbuminüri varlığının ilişkili olduğunu gösterdik. Bulgular C peptitin T2DM hastalarında renal komplikasyonları ile ilişkili olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır

Tip 2 diyabetes mellituslu hastalarda C peptid ile mikroalbuminüri ilişkisi

Purpose: Latest studies suggest that C-peptide may have a beneficial biological role on diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study is to analyze whether there is an association between serum C-peptide level and microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 184 T2DM patents and 46 healthy subjects in this study. Clinical variables and routine biochemical tests along with serum C peptide levels measured after an overnight fasting. Serum C peptide levels between 1.1 and 4.4 accepted as normal. 24-hour-urine samples were investigated and values between 30-300mgwere recorded as microalbuminuria. Pearson correlation analysis were used to determine associations between continuous variables. Results: C peptide levels were not significantly difference in T2DM patients compared to healthy controls. Serum C peptide levels showed positive correlation with insulin and microalbminuria with the Pearson correlation analysis. However, there was no significant association between other variables and C peptide levels. Conclusion: A correlation was found between microalbuminuria and serum C-peptide in this present study. Findings suggest C-peptide is related with renal complications of T2DM patients

Diagnostic importance of S100A9 and S100A12 in breast cancer

Background: The most frequent cause of cancer deaths throughout the world is breast cancer (BC). Therefore, preventing, diagnosing and treating BC has gained importance. S100 protein probably plays an important role in carcinogenesis, cancer development, and metastasis. In this study, we aimed at diagnostic and clinic-pathological importance of serum levels of S100A9 and S100A12 with known cytokine-like pro-inflammatory effects in BC

Do NSAIDs and ASA cause more upper gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly than adults?

İstanbul Bilim Üniversitesi, Sağlık Hizmetleri Meslek Yüksekokulu.Purpose. NSAIDs and ASA may cause upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) both in adults and in elderly. There is no study that compares this increased bleeding risk between adult and elderly subjects. Methods. A total of 524 patients with UGIB were included in this study. The data of patients were, respectively, analyzed. Results. NSAIDs and ASA-associated UGIB rates were similar between <65 years (345 patients) (group 1) and ≥65 years (179 patients) (group 2) (28.4% versus 23.5%, p = 0.225 and 13% versus 19%, p = 0.071, resp.). Warfarin-associated UGIB was found significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. Elderly patients with NSAID-associated UGIB had significantly higher length of stay (LoS) and CoH than adult patients with NSAID-associated UGIB (p = 0.002 and 0.001, resp.). Elderly patients with ASA-associated UGIB had significantly higher CoH than adult patients with NSAID-associated UGIB. Conclusions. Using NSAIDs without gastroprotective drugs or using ASA with gastroprotective drugs in elderly patients is as safe as in adult patients. Not only should adding gastroprotective drugs to ASA or NSAID be based on their risk of UGIB, but the cost of hospitalization of ASA or NSAID-associated UGIB should be considered

Serum paraoxonase and arylesterase can be useful markers to predict neoadjuvant chemotherapy requirement in patients with breast cancer

Aim: The aims of this study are to evaluate the serum levels of paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) in breast cancer (BC) patients; to determine their relationship with chemotherapy requirements in BC; and to find a cut-off value to assess subjects with a higher risk of BC

Assessment of relationship between serum magnesium and serum glucose levels and HOMA-IR in diabetic and prediabetic patients

Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the serum magnesium (Mg) levels in diabetic and prediabetic patients and its correlation with age, body-mass index, HOMA-IR, serum fasting glucose, HbA1c, and insulin levels.Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 130 patients consisted of newly diagnosed prediabetes (Group PD) (n=63) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Group D) (n=67) were included. Patients' age, body mass index, serum Mg, glucose and insulin, HOMA-IR and HbA1c were recorded. The prediabetes and type 2 diabetes diagnoses had been made according to WHO criteria at the time of diagnosis.Results: In group D, the mean Mg level (1.88 ± 0.17 mg/dl) was significantly lower than group PD (1.96 ± 0.17 mg/dl) (p = 0.007). Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between Mg and glucose (r = -0.390, p = 0.001) and HOMA-IR (r = -0.284; p = 0.022) in the group D. No correlation was found between serum Mg level and serum insulin, HbA1c, age, and body-mass index (p = 0.801, 0.087, 0.611 and 0.691, respectively). In group PD, serum insulin, HbA1c, glucose, HOMA-IR, age, and body-mass index were not corraleted with serum Mg levels (p = 0.801, 0.087, 0.939, 0.998, 0.611 and 0.691, respectively). Conclusıon: We showed that while there was a negative correlation between magnesium levels and HOMA-IR and fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic patients, but this correlation was not present in prediabetic patients. Our results suggest that serum Mg level is associated with metabolic control of type 2 diabetes and thus it can be considered in these patients

SERUM MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-9 LEVELS AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK RATES IN SUBJECTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME

Introduction: The present study aimed to evaluate and to compare Framingham Risk Score (FRS), a prediction tool for 10 year risk of coronary heart disease, and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels (an atherosclerotic proinflammatory marker) in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS)