Background: This study aimed to determine the risk factors of infectious diarrhea in patients undergoing chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, observational study. Patients in whom the infectious agent was determined by laboratory examination were considered to have infectious diarrhea. Patients with diarrhea were categorized as infectious or unidentified and compared in terms of demographic data, treatments, risk factors, laboratory findings, and prognosis. Results: A total of 838 patients were hospitalized, among which 105 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included (12.5%). The patients were divided into two groups: 67 (63.8%) with unidentified diarrhea and 38 (36.2%) with infectious diarrhea. There were no differences between these groups in terms of age, sex, types of hematological malignancies, and presence of comorbidities. The most commonly isolated microorganism was Clostridioides difficile (12.4%). The rate of corticosteroid use was higher in the group with infectious diarrhea (39.5%) than in the group with unidentified diarrhea (7.5%) (P <0.001). The rate of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) use was higher in patients with unidentified diarrhea than in patients with infectious diarrhea (67.2% vs. 42.1%, P=0.022). The median duration of diarrhea was 9 (4–10) days in the group with infectious diarrhea and 5 (3–8) days in the group with unidentified diarrhea (P=0.012). According to the multivariate logistic regression model, corticosteroid treatment increased the risk of infectious diarrhea by a 4.75-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–17.02) times. Moreover, the duration of diarrhea may result in a 1.15 (95% CI, 1.02–1.31) fold increase in the risk of infectious diarrhea, while GCSF treatment had a 2.84 (1/0.35) (95% CI, 0.12–0.96) fold risk-reducing effect against infectious diarrhea. Conclusion Infectious diarrhea lasts longer than unidentified diarrhea in patients with hematological malignancies. Although corticosteroid use is a risk factor for developing infectious diarrhea, GCSF use has a protective effect.

Splenic infarction is a relatively uncommon diagnosis and this clinical presentation can mimic other causes of acute abdominal pain. Cardiologic and hematologic disorders are common reasons for this entity. There have been a few series and single case reports of splenic infarction published in peer-reviewed medical journals. We report a 53-year-old patient who had splenic infarction caused by celiac artery thromboembolism. The importance of this case, without any etiological predisposing factors, is that this kind of clinical situation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain.
Abdominal Pain ; Celiac Artery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Embolism ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Middle Aged ; Splenic Infarction ; Thromboembolism

Splenic infarction is a relatively uncommon diagnosis and this clinical presentation can mimic other causes of acute abdominal pain. Cardiologic and hematologic disorders are common reasons for this entity. There have been a few series and single case reports of splenic infarction published in peer-reviewed medical journals. We report a 53-year-old patient who had splenic infarction caused by celiac artery thromboembolism. The importance of this case, without any etiological predisposing factors, is that this kind of clinical situation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain.
Abdominal Pain ; Celiac Artery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Embolism ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Middle Aged ; Splenic Infarction ; Thromboembolism

Brucellosis is a disease involving the lymphoproliferative system, which may lead to changes in the hematological parameters; however, pancytopenia is a rare finding. However, malignant diseases in association with brucellosis are rarely the cause of pancytopenia. Herein, two cases with fever and pancytopenia, diagnosed as simultaneous acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brucellosis are presented. Anti-leukemic therapy and brucellosis treatment were administered simultaneously, and normal blood parameters obtained. The first patient is in complete remission; the other recovered from the brucellosis, but later died due to a leukemic relapse.
Pancytopenia/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute/*complications/pathology/therapy ; Humans ; Fever ; Female ; Brucellosis/*complications/diagnosis/therapy ; Adult

Aged ; Colonic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Male ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnosis ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; diagnosis

Primary gastrointestinal lymphoma is a common presentation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The main controversy arises when many aspects of its classification and management are under discussion, particularly regarding roles for surgical resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinicopathologic characteristics and the therapeutic outcome of primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We carried out a retrospective analysis of 74 patients who were presented to our center with histopathological diagnosis of primary gastro-intestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma between 1990 and 2001. All patients have been staged according to Lugano Staging System. For histopathological classification, International Working Formulation was applied. The treatment choice concerning the surgical or non-surgical management was decided by the initially acting physician. Treatment modalities were compared using the parameters of age, sex, histopathological results, stage, and the site of disease. Of the 74 patients, 31 were female and 43 were male, with a median age of 49 years (range 15-80). The stomach was the most common primary site and was seen in 51 of 74 patients (68.9%). The intermediate and high grade lymphomas constituted 91.9% of the all cases. In a median follow-up of 29 months (range 2-128), 20 out of 74 patients died. There was a three year overall survival rate in 65.4% of all patients. The three year overall survival rate was better in stage I and II1 patients who were treated with surgery plus chemotherapy (+/-RT) than those treated with chemotherapy alone (93.7% vs. 55.6%, p<0.05). The stage and presence of B symptoms affected the disease free survival and overall survival significantly, but the histopathologic grade only affected the overall survival. On the basis of these results, we suggest that surgical resection is necessary before chemotherapy in early stage (stage I and II1) patients with gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas because of the significant survival advantage it would bring to the patient.
Turkey/epidemiology ; Treatment Outcome ; Survival Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Neoplasm Staging ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/mortality/*pathology/*therapy ; Humans ; Gastrointestinal Diseases/mortality/*pathology/*therapy ; Female ; Combined Modality Therapy/adverse effects ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged ; Adult ; Adolescent

PURPOSE: Alteration in oxygen saturation is a side effect of the dye used in sentinel lymph node biopsy. The object of this study was to determine the possible effects of methylene blue on the oxygen saturation in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy. METHODS: The complete peroperative records of 148 patients who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy with intraparenchymal injection of methylene blue were reviewed. The data reviewed included the preinjection pulse oximeter saturation readings and the postinjection values until the readings returned to the preoperative levels in the postanesthesia care unit. RESULTS: The pulse oximetry values were recorded preoperatively, after intubation and, at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes of the operation. The results showed that methylene blue did not cause any significant changes in oxygen saturation levels. CONCLUSION: We suggest that methylene blue might be preferable for the patients with concomitant disease, and for whom close monitoring of their oxygen saturation is required.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Intubation ; Lymph Nodes ; Methylene Blue ; Nitriles ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; Pyrethrins ; Reading ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

Fractures of the distal radius are common among elderly patients. Although the indications for surgical treatment are clearly defined, there are patients who will not consent to an operation, even when it is indicated. Inevitably, these cases will require conservative treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between the functional and anatomic stati of these patients. One hundred and eight patients, with intra-articular distal radial fractures, who had been treated non-surgically, were investigated in this study. Functional and anatomic assessments were also performed. The mean follow up period was 39.5 months. The mean age of the subjects was 73.9 years. Although 25.9% of the patients had fair and poor anatomic scores, 88.9% were considered to have good and excellent functional results.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthritis/etiology ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radius Fractures/complications/*therapy

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies show that immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were higher in subjects with acute coronary events. However, it is unknown if the increased IgE level is a marker of future coronary incidents and whether it may be regarded as a risk factor of an ischemic heart disease. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the relationship between IgE levels and some atherosclerotic markers in patients without known atherosclerotic disease. METHODS: Fifty patients (mean age, 40.96 ± 10.8 years) with high serum IgE levels due to various conditions who did not display evidence of an atherosclerotic disease and 30 healthy control subjects (mean age, 47 ± 8.27 years) were included in the study. Atherosclerotic disease markers including adhesion molecules like vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6, endothelin-1, and systemic inflammatory markers such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Endothelial functions of the coronary arteries were determined by coronary flow reserve (CFR) measurements and carotid intima media thickness using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.
Atherosclerosis ; C-Reactive Protein ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Coronary Vessels ; Cytokines ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Endothelin-1 ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Interleukin-6 ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pathology ; Risk Factors ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1