Apoptosis biomarkers (Apaf-1, sFa s, sFa s-L, and caspase-9), albumin, and fetuin-A levels in pulmonary thromboembolic patients

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) is the third most common medical emergency with mortality due to ischemia and reperfusion lung injury. Lung ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Lung reperfusion damage is believed to cause cellular damage and apoptosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the levels of fetuin-A, albumin, and apoptosis biomarkers (Apaf-1, sFas, and sFasL) among pulmonary thromboembolic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 45 volunteer patients and 40 healthy control volunteers. Human apoptosis biomarkers (Apaf-1, sFas, sFasL, and caspase-9) and fetuin-A values were measured by ELISA device. Student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test were used for continuous variables, and categorical variables were compared with the chi-square test to assess the significance of intergroup differences. The mean values of apoptosis biomarkers and acute phase reactants between dead and survival patients were also compared. RESULTS: While the apoptosis mean values of Apaf-1, sFas, sFasL, and caspase-9 for the control group were 0.12 ± 0.01, 332.1 ± 28.0, 130.4 ± 34.6, and 74.3 ± 2.6, for the patient group they were 0.14 ± 0.02, 509.1 ± 67.6, 139.9 ± 23.7, and 79.4 ± 2.8, respectively. The group differences were significant for all the biomarkers (p = 0.01, p = 0.001, p = 0.19, and p = 0.01, respectively). The negative acute phase fetuin- A and albumin levels decreased significantly in the patient groups (p = 0.01 and p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSİONS: Intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways are stimulated during pulmonary embolism, and negative acute phase reactants are decreased. There was a correlation with the mortality and Apaf-1, sFas, caspase-9, fetuin, and albumin levels

Serum Paraoxonase, Arylesterase, and GlutathioneS-Transferase Activities and Oxidative Stress Levels in Patients with Mushroom Poisoning

OBJECTIVES: Consumption of toxic species of mushrooms may have detrimental effects and increase oxidative stress. Paraoxonase, arylesterase and glutathione-S-transferase are antioxidants that resist oxidative stress. In this study, we analyzed the changes in these enzymes during intoxication due to mushrooms. METHODS: The study enrolled 49 adult patients with a diagnosis of mushroom poisoning according to clinical findings and 49 healthy volunteers as the control group. The patients with mild clinical findings were hospitalized due to the possibility that the patient had also eaten the mushrooms and due to clinical findings in the late period, which could be fatal. Paraoxonase, arylesterase, and glutathione-S-transferase concentrations, as well as total antioxidant and oxidant status, were determined in the 49 patients and 49 healthy volunteers by taking blood samples in the emergency department. RESULTS: While paraoxonase, arylesterase, and total antioxidant status were significantly decreased in the patient group (po0.05), glutathione-S-transferase, total oxidant status and the oxidative stress index were significantly higher (po0.05). There was a positive correlation between the hospitalization time and the oxidative stress index (r=0.752, po0.001), whereas a negative correlation was found with glutathione-S-transferase (r=-0.420, p=0.003). CONCLUSION: We observed a significant decrease in paraoxonase and arylesterase and an increase in glutathione-S-transferase and oxidative stress indexes in patients with mushroom poisoning, indicating that these patients had an oxidative status. In particular, a low total antioxidant status and high oxidative stress index may gain importance in terms of the assessment of hospitalization duration

Eosinophil Cell Count Predicts Mortality in the Intensive Care Unit after Return of Spontaneous Circulation

Background: Eosinophils constitute 1%-5% of peripheral blood leukocytes, less in the presence of acute infections (referred to as eosinopenia). Studies indicate that eosinopenia can be used as a prognostic predictor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation, sepsis, or acute myocardial infarction disease. There are only a few studies about predicting mortality in emergency departments and intensive care units (ICUs). Prognostic studies about patients in ICUs are generally carried out using different scoring systems. We aimed to analyze if the eosinophil count can estimate the prognosis among non-traumatic patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation and were hospitalized in ICU thereafter