Relationship between Colonic Polyp Type and the Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio as a Biomarker

Aim: We designed this study to investigate the neutrophil lymphocyte ratio as a biomarker in distinguishing colonic polyps which are neoplastic or non-neoplastic. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients with colonic polyps were enrolled into the study. The following data were obtained from a computerized patient registry database: mean platelet volume (MPV), uric acid (UA), platelet count (PC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Exclusion criteria were active infectious disease, hematological disorders, and malignancies. Colonic polyps divided into two groups as neoplastic polyps (tubular adenoma, villous adenoma, tubulovillous adenoma) and non-neoplastic polyps (hyperplastic polyps, inflammatory pseudopolyps etc). The relationship between colonic polyp type and NLR was evaluated with statistical analysis. Results: There were 67 patients (53.6%) with neoplastic and 58 (46.4%) patients with non-neoplastic polyps. Mean NLRs of neoplastic and non-neoplastic groups were respectively 3.32+/-2.54 and 2.98+/-3.16 (P<0.05). Conclusion: Although sensitivity and specificity are not high, NLR may be used as a biomarker of neoplastic condition of colonic polyps

Portal Hypertension Due to Echinococcus Alveolaris: A Case Report

Infection of the liver with Echinococcus alveolaris (EA) contemplates with a fatal course though it is a rare condition. We present herein a patient with upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to portal hypertension caused by the involvement of the liver with EA

Mean platelet volume as a fibrosis marker in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Aim: We designed this study to evaluate the role of mean platelet volume (MPV) as a fibrosis marker in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC)

A Neglected Issue in Ulcerative Colitis: Mesenteric Lymph Nodes

Data evaluating the presence and characteristics of mesenteric lymph nodes (LNs) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are scarce. The aim of this study is to determine the presence and characteristics of LNs in UC. The LN characteristics in computed tomography (CT), including LN dimension and attenuation, were evaluated retrospectively in 100 patients with UC (61 active and 39 inactive cases). Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters, including CBC, biochemical analysis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C reactive protein (CRP) were also compared. Mesenteric LNs were evident in all patients with UC. The attenuation and dimension of mesenteric LNs did not differ between active and inactive patients with UC. No correlation was found among patients with UC in terms of LN dimension, attenuation, ESR, CRP, leucocyte, and albumin (all with p &gt; 0.05). The current study suggested that inflammation results in the development of mesenteric LN in UC, similar to Crohn&rsquo;s disease and other inflammatory disorders

Lamivudine Treatment Failure Risks in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Low Viral Load

Aim: To analyze the risk factors of lamivudine treatment failure (LTF) for the long-term use in patients with low viral load (LVL). Material and Methods: In this multicenter study, 548 antiviral nave noncirrhotic adult patients with LVL (for HBeAg+ patients HBV DNA = 100,000 copies/ml had 54.8 and 67.3% LTF rates at the end of the 5th year, respectively. Logistic regression analysis of risk factors showed HBeAg+, hepatic activity index, HBV DNA, virological response at 6 months and duration of follow-up were independent predictors for LTF (p values were 0.001, 0.008, 0.003, 0.020 and 0.003, respectively). Conclusion: Similar to patients with HVL, first-line lamivudine therapy is not efficient for long-term use in patients with LVL. LTF risk is so high even in the absence of worse predictive factors. (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Base

Lamivudine Treatment Failure Risks in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Low Viral Load

Aim: To analyze the risk factors of lamivudine treatment failure (LTF) for the long-term use in patients with low viral load (LVL). Material and Methods: In this multicenter study, 548 antiviral nave noncirrhotic adult patients with LVL (for HBeAg+ patients HBV DNA = 100,000 copies/ml had 54.8 and 67.3% LTF rates at the end of the 5th year, respectively. Logistic regression analysis of risk factors showed HBeAg+, hepatic activity index, HBV DNA, virological response at 6 months and duration of follow-up were independent predictors for LTF (p values were 0.001, 0.008, 0.003, 0.020 and 0.003, respectively). Conclusion: Similar to patients with HVL, first-line lamivudine therapy is not efficient for long-term use in patients with LVL. LTF risk is so high even in the absence of worse predictive factors. (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Base