Serum Interleukin-37 Levels in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis and its Relation with Clinical Findings

Aim: This study investigates serum interleukin(IL)-37 levels in patients with systemic sclerosis (SS) and assesses its relationship with clinical findings. Methods: This study included 35 patients with SS and 30 healthy control subjects. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients, such as the presence of Raynaud’s phenomenon, SS subtype, digital ulcers, gastrointestinal and lung involvement, and disease activity, were recorded. The medications used by the patients were recorded, and Serum IL-37 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The United Kingdom Functional Scoring system was used to evaluate the functional status of the patients, while the Valentini criteria were used to evaluate disease activity. Skin involvement was evaluated based on the modified Rodnan skin score. Results: Although serum IL-37 levels were found to be lower in patients with SS than in the control group, the difference was not statistically significant (p= 0.078). A negative correlation was identified between serum IL-37 levels and C3 levels in patients with SS (p= 0.046). No significant relationship was found between IL-37 levels and other clinical and laboratory parameters. Conclusion: Unlike in patients with autoimmune disorders, serum IL-37 levels were found to be lower in patients with SS than in the control subjects, and IL-37 demonstrated a negative correlation with C3 levels

Polymicrobial anaerobic meningitis caused by Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Fusobacterium necrophorum and Slackia exigua in a patient with mastoiditis following otitis media

We have reported a case of mastoiditis which progressed to meningitis in a 16-year old male patient. CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) anaerobic culture revealed four species of isolated anaerobic bacteria. This is the first case in the literature in which a patient survived childhood polymicrobial anaerobic meningitis diagnosed by MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization - Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry). (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Clinical and laboratory awareness for an under recognized pathogen in newborn meningitis: Mycoplasma Hominis: a case report

Background. Mycoplasma hominis is a well-known bacterium colonizing the genito-urinary tract. It may cause pneumonia, bacteremia, abscesses, chronic lung disease, and rarely meningitis during the newborn period. Case. A preterm infant with a birth weight of 885 grams was born at 27 weeks of gestation and had respiratory distress syndrome needing mechanical ventilation. Spontaneous intestinal perforation and grade four intraventricular hemorrhage was diagnosed on day three. Conclusion. M. hominis was accepted as the causative agent of meningitis in this case report

Usability of myocardial work parameters to demonstrate subclinical myocardial involvement in normotensive individuals with exaggerated hypertensive response in treadmill exercise testing

Abstract Early determination of changes in myocardial functions is essential for the protection of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to evaluate myocardial work parameters in healthy individuals who developed an exaggerated hypertensive response during the treadmill exercise test procedure. The study included a total of 64 patients for whom an exercise electrocardiography test was planned for functional capacity evaluation. The study population was divided according to the presence of exaggerated hypertensive response to exercise (EBPRE) (SBP/DBP ≥210/105 mmHg in males ≥190/105 mmHg in females) and normal blood pressure response to exercise (NBPRE). Patients’ echocardiographic evaluations were made at rest, and myocardial work parameters were calculated. There was no statistical difference between the groups (NBPRE vs. EBPRE, respectively) in terms of left ventricular 2,3 and 4 chamber strains and global longitudinal strain (GLS) values (−20.6 ± −2.3, −19.7 ± −1.9, p:.13; −21.3 ± −2.7, −21 ± −2.4, p:.68; −21.2 ± −2.2, −21.2 ± −2.3, p:.93; and −20.8 ± −1.5, −20.4 ± −1.5, p:.23, respectively). Global constrictive work (GCW), global waste work (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE) were not statistically different between the two groups (2374 ± 210, 2465 ± 204, p:.10; 142 ± 64, 127 ± 42, p:.31; 94.3 ± 2.5, 95.1 ± 1.5, p:.18, respectively). In contrast, global work index (GWI) parameters were different between the two groups (2036 ± 149, 2147 ± 150, p < .001). The GWI was independently associated with EBPRE (odds ratio with 95% 3.32 (1.02‐11.24), p = .03). The partial effect plots were used for GWI to predict EBPRE, according to the results, an increase in GWI predicts probability of exaggerated hypertensive response. In conclusion, Myocardial work analyses might be used to identify early signs of myocardial involvement in normotensive patients with EBPRE