Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; drug therapy ; Gastric Fundus ; drug effects ; Hemorrhage ; drug therapy ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Ultrasonography ; methods

Aged ; Colitis ; diagnosis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Psoriasis ; diagnosis

No abstract available.
Cystic Duct ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Diseases

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic techniques have gained wide clinical acceptance in surgical practice today. The laparoscopic approach has been established as the technique of choice for elective splenectomies performed on normal sized spleens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients undergoing laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) at the TOBB University of Economics and Technology (ETU) Hospital and Kecioren Training and Research Hospital. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-five patients underwent splenectomy between January 2000 and July 2010. For comparison, the records of 130 patients undergoing splenectomy were evaluated for age, gender, hospital stay, time to start of diet, conversion rate, operation time and wound infection. RESULTS: Mean operation time means the time interval between surgeon commencing operation to end of operation. Mean operation time in patients treated by LS was 132 minutes and 121 minutes in open splenectomy (OS). Mean hospital stay was 5.65 days in patients undergoing LS and starting of diet was 1.21 days. In patients treated by OS, mean hospital stay was 9.17 days, starting of diet was 2.37 days. Four patients were converted to open surgery. Conversion rate was 6.4 percent. In the early post operative period (within 10 days of surgery) 9.2%, LS group had lower incidences of wound infection rate after surgery than OS group (4.8%, 7.4%, respectively; P = 0.06). CONCLUSION: LS is a safe and effective alternative to OS for treatment of splenic diseases in patients of all ages.
Diet ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Spleen ; Splenectomy ; Splenic Diseases ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Biochemical parameters and acute-phase proteins (APPs) may provide complementary data in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). We aimed to evaluate the predictive role of APPs in the response to antiviral therapy. METHODS: Forty-five patients underwent antiviral therapy. Serum ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), transferrin, albumin, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (A1AG), and alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2MG) levels were examined at the initial evaluation and at the 4th, 12th, and 48th weeks. HCV RNA levels were examined at the initial evaluation and at the 12th and 48th weeks. RESULTS: Ferritin, transferrin, A1AG, and A2MG levels were significantly higher in the patient group (p<0.05). CRP, ferritin, A1AG, and A2MG levels were significantly increased from baseline to the 4th week (p<0.05). The responders and nonresponders to antiviral therapy had insignificantly but remarkably different levels of CRP, ferritin, transferrin, A1AG, A2MG, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) both at the initial evaluation and at the 12th week. CONCLUSIONS: Variations in ferritin, A1AG, A2MG, albumin, CRP, and transferrin levels are not alternatives to virological and biochemical parameters for predicting an early response to therapy in patients with CHC. However, the investigation of ALT levels and hepatitis C virus RNA in combination with acute-phase reactants may provide supplementary data for evaluating responses to antiviral therapy.
Acute-Phase Proteins ; Alanine Transaminase ; C-Reactive Protein ; Ferritins ; Glycoproteins ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; RNA ; Transferrin

No abstract available.
Endometriosis ; Female ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Most important cause of mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is known to be cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the echocardiographic parameters in COPD patients with or without pre-diagnosed CVD and to investigate the relationship between echocardiographic parameters and systemic inflammation markers. METHODS: A total of 60 stable COPD patients (23 patients with CVD, group 1; 37 patients without CVD, group 2) and 21 healthy controls (group 3) were included in the study. Six-minute walking test (6MWT), COPD assessment test (CAT), and Body mass index, airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise (BODE) index results were recorded. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP), interleukin 8 (IL-8), fetuin-A, Clara cell protein (CCL-16), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels were studied in serum. Parameters of left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic function were measured by echocardiography. RESULTS: Patients with COPD had higher levels of systemic inflammation markers and lower level of inflammation inhibitor fetuin-A. When three groups were compared, group 1 had lower 6MWT result. HsCRP was highest in group 2 while other inflammatory markers were similar in groups 1 and 2. Regarding echocardiographic parameters, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was lower and left ventricle end-diastolic diameter (LVED), left ventricle end-systolic diameter (LVES) diameters were higher in group 1. The aortic diameter was higher in COPD patients. Fetuin-A was correlated with diameter of aorta and LVES. LVEF, LVED, and LVES were found to be correlated with functional parameters of COPD cases. CONCLUSIONS In COPD, left ventricular functions are affected as well as right ventricle before prominent clinical findings of cardiac disease and these echocardiographic parameters correlate with functional parameters of COPD patients.

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have focused on the relationship between halitosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and Helicobacter pylori. In this study we aimed to investigate the interaction between halitosis and upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings.

METHODSPatients who previously had dyspepsia and had undergone endoscopic examination were included in the study. Symptoms of dyspepsia were investigated by means of a questionnaire that investigated halitosis. Patients who suffered from objective halitosis (confirmed by questions both to the patient and their relatives) were further investigated. Patients with known local or systemic causes of halitosis or structural disorders at endoscopy were excluded.

RESULTSThe study included 358 patients (121 men and 237 women) with dyspeptic symptoms. The patients with and without halitosis had mean ages of (39.4 ± 13.5) and (43.1 ± 14.9) years, respectively. Patients without halitosis were significantly older than those in the halitosis group (P < 0.05). Patients in the halitosis group had significantly higher frequencies of regurgitation, bloating and nausea (P < 0.05) when compared to patients without halitosis. Endoscopic findings, including esophagitis, open cardia, hiatal hernia, gastritis and duodenitis, were comparable in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe frequency of halitosis was high in patients with dyspepsia who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Halitosis had a close relationship with several upper gastrointestinal symptoms, including regurgitation, nausea and bloating. There was no significant association between upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings and halitosis.

Adult ; Dyspepsia ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Endoscopes, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Halitosis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Laryngopharyngeal Reflux ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prospective Studies