YKL-40 is a local marker for inflammation in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome

Purpose: To investigate the YKL-40, as a marker of inflammation, in aqueous humor and serum of cataract patients with and without pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX). Methods: Aqueous humor and serum samples were obtained from 44 patients who underwent phacoemulsification surgery. All patients were divided into two groups: PEX (n = 24) and control (n = 20). YKL-40 levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The differences between the groups were assessed by using Chi-square and independent sample t-tests. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation between variables. Results: There was a significant difference between the mean YKL-40 levels in the aqueous humor of PEX group (112.0 ± 35.8 ng/mL) and control subjects (88.2 ± 30.6 ng/mL) (P = 0.025). However, the difference between the mean YKL-40 levels in the serum of PEX group (53.5 ± 29.1 ng/mL) and control subjects (44.6 ± 30.2 ng/mL) was non-significant (P = 0.326). The correlation between aqueous humor and serum YKL-40 concentrations was significant in both the groups (r = 0.833, P < 0.001; r = 0.840, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Increased aqueous humor levels of YKL-40 demonstrate that it is local, but not a systemic marker for inflammation in patients with PEX. © 2018, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists

Cardiovascular disease risk prediction in scleroderma

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease risk prediction in scleroderma is important. In this study of scleroderma patients, the aim was to investigate the relationship between cardiac myosin-binding protein-C, sensitive troponin T, and trimethylamine N-oxide and cardiovascular disease risk with the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 model of the European Society of Cardiology.METHODS: Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 risk groups of 38 healthy controls and 52 women with scleroderma were evaluated. Cardiac myosin-binding protein-C, sensitive troponin T, and trimethylamine N-oxide levels were analyzed with commercial ELISA kits.RESULTS: In scleroderma patients, cardiac myosin-binding protein-C and trimethylamine N-oxide levels were higher than healthy controls but sensitive troponin T was not (p= 10.28 ng/mL) could predict high -moderate-Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 risk 15 times higher than those with low trimethylamine N-oxide (= 8.29 ng/mL) levels could predict significantly higher Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 risk than low cardiac myosin-binding protein-C (<8.29 ng/mL) levels (OR: 11.00, 95%CI 2.786-43.430).CONCLUSION: Noninvasive cardiovascular disease risk prediction indicators in scleroderma, cardiac myosin-binding protein-C, and trimethylamine N-oxide could be recommended to distinguish between high-moderate risk and low risk with the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 model

C-reactive protein (CRP)/mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio as a new biomarker for community-acquired pneumonia in children

Purpose: Our aim is to evaluate the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP)/mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio and white blood cell (WBC)/mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio and diagnosis and disease severity in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Material and Methods: 60 patients with CAP including 33 mild-moderate (Group 1) and 27 severe pneumonia (Group 2) and 30 healthy children were examined for routine blood test. WBC, MPV, neuotrophile/lymhocyte ratio (NLR), CRP, WBC/MPV, CRP/MPV values were recorded on each patient and healthy groups. Result: CRP/MPV, WBC/MPV, NLR and plateletcrit values were significantly higher in patients group than controls, while MPV value is not correlated between patient and control groups. WBC, NLR, WBC/MPV, CRP/MPV and CRP values were higher in the Group 2 compared to Group 1. CRP/MPV and WBC/MPV were positively correlated with duration of symptoms in the CAP. The area under ROC curve of CRP, WBC and WBC/MPV in diagnosing CAP was significant (0.801, 0.761 and 0.731). Also the area under ROC curve of Group 2 in CRP/MPV and CRP in diagnosing CAP was significant (0.733, 0.708). Conclusion: CRP/MPV and WBC/MPV ratio may be used a marker in the evaluation of CAP diagnosis and CRP/MPV ratio can be good marker prediction of disease activity

C-reactive protein (CRP)/mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio as a new biomarker for community-acquired pneumonia in children

Amaç: Son yıllarda inflamasyon göstergesi olarak değerlendirilen C-reaktif proteinin (CRP)/ortalama trombosit hacmi (OTH) oranı ve beyaz küre sayısı (BKS)/ortalama trombosit hacmi (OTH) oranının toplum kökenli pnömonili (TKP) çocuklarda tanı ve hastalık şiddeti ile ilişkisini araştırmaktır.Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışma TKP tanısı alan 3 ay ile 18 yaş arasında 60 hasta ve 30 sağlıklı çocuktan oluşturuldu. Hasta ve kontrol grubunda CRP, BKS, OTH, nötrofil/lenfosit oranı (NLO) değerleri ile birlikte CRP/OTH ve BKS/OTH değerleri incelendi.Bulgular: Hasta ve kontrol grubu arasında OTH düzeyleri açısından anlamlı fark saptanmazken, CRP/OTH, BKS/OTH, NLO ve plateletkrit düzeyleri hasta grubunda anlamlı olarak yüksek bulundu. Ciddi pnömonili hasta grubunda (n=27) BKS, NLO, BKS/OTH, CRP/OTH ve CRP düzeyleri hafif-ılımlı pnömonili gruba (n=33) göre anlamlı olarak yüksek saptandı. CRP/OTH ve BKS/OTH oranlarının hastalık belirtilerinin süresiyle arasında pozitif korelasyon gösterildi. Receiver Operating Characteric (ROC) analizinde CRP (Eğri altındaki alan (EAA)=0.801), BKS (EAA=0.761) ve BKS/OTH (EAA=0.731) düzeylerinin TKP’nin tanısında yeterliliği anlamlı bulundu. Ciddi TKP’li hastaların ayrımında ise CRP/OTH (EAA=0.733) ve CRP (EAA=0.708) düzeyleri anlamlı bulundu.Sonuç: CRP/OTH ve BKS/OTH oranları TKP tanısının değerlendirilmesinde ve CRP/OTH oranı hastalık aktivitesinin belirlenmesinde iyi bir belirteç olabileceğini göstermektedir.Purpose: Our aim is to evaluate the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP)/mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio and white blood cell (WBC)/mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio and diagnosis and disease severity in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Material and Methods: 60 patients with CAP including 33 mild-moderate (Group 1) and 27 severe pneumonia (Group 2) and 30 healthy children were examined for routine blood test. WBC, MPV, neuotrophile/lymhocyte ratio (NLR), CRP, WBC/MPV, CRP/MPV values were recorded on each patient and healthy groups. Result: CRP/MPV, WBC/MPV, NLR and plateletcrit values were significantly higher in patients group than controls, while MPV value is not correlated between patient and control groups. WBC, NLR, WBC/MPV, CRP/MPV and CRP values were higher in the Group 2 compared to Group 1. CRP/MPV and WBC/MPV were positively correlated with duration of symptoms in the CAP. The area under ROC curve of CRP, WBC and WBC/MPV in diagnosing CAP was significant (0.801, 0.761 and 0.731). Also the area under ROC curve of Group 2 in CRP/MPV and CRP in diagnosing CAP was significant (0.733, 0.708). Conclusion: CRP/MPV and WBC/MPV ratio may be used a marker in the evaluation of CAP diagnosis and CRP/MPV ratio can be good marker prediction of disease activity

Calprotectin levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis to assess and association with exercise treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, and autoimmune disease that can cause permanent joint damage. In our study, we aim to analyze the change in calprotectin levels following the low-density exercise levels applied to the patients with RA. Twenty-eight patients with RA and 30 healthy controls were included in this study. To evaluate the activity of disease in RA, scores of disease activity that has increased (DAS-28) are figured. Calprotectin, nitric oxide (NO), white blood cell (WBC) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and rheumatoid factor (RF) levels are tested as the laboratory evaluation. Calprotectin, NO, CRP, ESR, WBC, and RF levels were significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p < 0.01, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively). In correlation analysis applied to the patient group with RA, there has been determined a positive relation with calprotectin, and DAS-28, CRP, NO, RF, and WBC (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively). In result of the low-density exercise treatment applied to patients with RA for 8 weeks, there has been determined a significant decrease in calprotectin, DAS-28, NO, CRP, ESR, and RF levels (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively). As a result, a significant relation is found between RA disease activity and calprotectin levels and other inflammatory parameters. At the same time, it shows that calprotectin which is a significant indicator of local inflammation can be used as a good identifier in following up exercise treatment

Red Cell Distribution Width and Acute Complications of Diabetes

Context. Red cell distribution width (RDW) has been associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), however data in relation to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar non-ketotic acidosis (HONK) remains unclear. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between RDW, MCV, and RDW/MVC values and acute complications in T2DM. Patients and Methods. RDW was measured in 90 T2DM patients (30 DKA, 30 HONK and 30 T2DM without acute complications). Clinical variables were analyzed by One -Way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and Pearson analysis with SPSS software. Diagnostic screening tests and ROC curve analysis determined the cut-off point of MCV,RDW and RDW/MCV values. Results. DKA patients had higher levels of plasma glucose (524.20 +/- 201.43mg/dL, p<0.001), HbA1c (10.73 +/- 2.29%, p<0.001), osmotic pressure (310.32 mosm/L, p<0.001), RDW (14.61 +/- 1.75g/L, p<0.01), and the RDW/MCV ratio (0.17 +/- 0.04%, p<0.01), compared to HONK patients. RDW/MCV cut-off value was 0.15 with 90% sensitivity 50% specifity these values for only MCV were 76.67%-70%, for only RDW were 76.67%-63.33% respectively. The area under curve values for the ability to reflect DKA for RDW and the RDW/MCV ratio were 0.708 and 0.766, respectively (p<0.001). Conclusions. RDW and RDW/MCV ratio were found associated with DKA and valuable in predicting DKA. However these parameters were not valuable in predicting HONK

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

Morbid Obez ve Metabolik Sendromlu Çocuklarda Yeni Nesil Enflamatuvar Belirteçlerin Değerlendirilmesi

Aim: Technological advancements, unbalanced nutrition, sedentary life style, are important factors in obesity. Obesity-inflammation relationis beingexamined. In this study, the relationships among new generation inflammatory markers in children with normal body mass index (C) as well as obese (OB), morbid obese (MO) children and those with metabolic syndrome (MetS) were investigated.Materials and Methods: A total of 172 children participated in the study.Group 1 comprised children with normal body-mass index (control group) (C). Obese (OB) children were in Group 2, MO children constituted Group 3 and Group 4 included MO children with MetS. The number of cases were 37, 34, 51 and 50 in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Anthropometric measurements were recorded. Serum spexin, adropin, adipolipin, fibroblast growth factor-21 and fetuin-A levels were determined. Statistical analyses were performed.Result: Spexin and adipolin levels were significantly lower in obese groups than C group (p<0.05). Although adropin and FGF-21 levels did not differ significantly between groups, levels were lower in OB, MO, and MetS groups than C group.There were no significant differences among fetuin- A levels of the groups. Correlations between spexin and adipolin were the highest. These cytokines werenegatively correlated with obesity parameters. The correlations between these cytokines were weakened from C group to MetS group.Conclusion: Decreasing spexin and adipolin levels in accordance with increasing obesity degrees and weakening of the correlation between these cytokines in MO group compared to C group may be helpful during the further investigation of obesity.Amaç: Teknolojideki gelişmeler, dengesiz beslenme, sedanter hayat tarzı gibi yaşam değişiklikleri obezitenin gelişmesi için önemli faktörlerdir. Enflamasyon-obezite ilişkisi güncel bir konu olarak halen incelenmektedir. Bu çalışmada obez (OB), morbid obez (MO), metabolik sendromlu morbid obez (MetS) çocuklar ile sağlıklı, normal vücut kitle indeksi (K) olan çocuklarda yeni nesil enflamatuar belirteçler arasındaki ilişkiler araştırılmıştır. Materyal ve Metot: Toplam 172 çocuk çalışma kapsamına alındı. Normal vücut kitle indeksine sahip çocuklar birinci grubu (kontrol grubu) (K) oluşturdu. Grup 2’de OB, Grup 3’te MO, Grup 4’te MetS’lu (MetS) çocuklar yer aldı. Olgu sayıları Grup 1,2, 3 ve 4 için sırasıyla 37, 34, 51 ve 50 olarak belirlendi. Antropometrik ölçümler alındı. Serum speksin, adropin, adipolin, fibroblast büyüme faktörü-21 ve fetuin-A düzeyleri ölçüldü. İstatistiksel analizler gerçekleştirildi. Bulgular: Speksin ve adipolin düzeyleri obez gruplardaK grubuna göre anlamlı düzeyde düşük bulundu (p<0.05). Adropin ve FGF-21değerlerindegruplar arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunmamasına rağmendüzeylerin, K grubuna göre OB, MO and MetS gruplarında azalmış olduğu saptandı. Fetuin-A düzeylerinde gruplar arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunamadı.En yüksek korelasyonlar speksin ve adipolin düzeyleri arasında bulundu. Bu sitokinler obezite parametreleri ile negatif bir ilişki içindeydi. Aynı sitokinler arasındaki ilişki K grubundan MetS grubuna doğru zayıflamakta idi. Sonuç: Artan obezite derecelerine paralel olarak speksin ve adipolin seviyelerindeki azalma ve bu iki parametre arasındaki korelasyonun K grubuna göre MO grupta zayıflaması, obezitenin ileri düzeyde araştırılmasında yardımcı olabileceği düşüncesini ortaya koymaktadır

Can Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio be Used as a New Biomarker in the Evaluation of Disease Activity in Children with Bronchiolitis?

Aim:Acute bronchiolitis is an inflammatory disease. The aim of this study was to examine the neutrophil / lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in pediatric patients with bronchiolitis and to evaluate their relationship with disease severity.Materials and Methods:The study consisted of 77 patients aged between 3 months and 5 years and 34 healthy children diagnosed as acute bronchiolitis. In the patient and control groups, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), mean platelet volume (MPV), neutrophil and lymphocyte numbers and NLR values were examined.Results:CRP, WBC, NLR and neutrophil counts were significantly higher in patients with bronchiolitis (p<0.01, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). MPV levels were significantly lower in the patients (p<0.05). Patients were divided into three groups according to the severity of the disease. In the severe bronchiolitis patient group (n=21), neutrophil and NLR levels were significantly higher than the mild bronchiolitis group (n=25) (respectively p<0.05). In the correlation analysis; There was a positive correlation between NLR and MPV, BKS and CRP (r=0.262–p<0.05; r=0.454–p<0.001; r=0.706–p<0.001 respectively). Among the parameters examined in hospital admissions for bronchiolitis patients, only the field results under the curve in the Receiveroperating characteristic (ROC) analysis for the CRP were found to be diagnostic enough (0.812), but no qualification was found with WBC and NLR (0.692, 0.583, respectively).Conclusions:Increased CRP levels can be used as a good predictor of bronchiolitis in children patients and increased NLR ratio can be used as a good biomarker in determining severity of disease

Role of sympathetic cotransmitter galanin on autonomic balance in heart failure: an active player or a bystander?

Objective: Galanin, a cotransmitter similar to neuropeptide Y (NPY), aggravates autonomic imbalance in systolic heart failure (HF) by attenuating vagal tonus after burst sympathetic activity. In animal HF models, galanin antagonists have improved cardiac function. To determine whether galanin is a promising therapeutic target in HF, we studied its concentrations in HF patients and evaluated its correlation with NPY, markers of humoral activity such as pro-BNP and copeptin, and echocardiographic parameters of HF severity. Methods: After recording demographic and echocardiographic characteristics of 87 individuals (57 HF patients and 30 control subjects), fasting serum concentrations of galanin, NPY, copeptin, and pro-BNP were determined. Results: Unlike pro-BNP, copeptin, and NPY, which were significantly elevated in HF patients (p<0.001, p<0.001, and p=0.001, respectively), galanin was similar in HF patients and control subjects (p=0.9). NPY correlated with the echocardiographic parameters of HF severity (r=-0.22, p=0.03 for EF; r=0.3, p=0.005 for Tei index of RV; r=-0.23, p=0.03 for TAPSE; and r=0.24, p=0.024 for E/e') and pro-BNP (r=0.22, p=0.046). NPY levels were also associated with beta blocker (BB) use, wherein BB significantly decreased NPY in both HF patients and control subjects. Galanin correlated with humoral biomarkers, pro-BNP and copeptin (r=0.39, p<0.001 and r=0.41, p<0.001, respectively). Although current smoking, BB therapy, pro-BNP, copeptin, and body mass index were associated with galanin in univariate analyses, the multiple linear regression model revealed that pro-BNP was the only significant determinant of galanin levels in HF patients. Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the role of NPY in autonomic balance and suggest that galanin is associated with the proadrenergic state, but its role in HF in humans remains unclear.Scientific Research Projects Fund of Namik Kemal University [NKUBAP.02.YL.16.046]This research was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Fund of Namik Kemal University (NKUBAP.02.YL.16.046)