BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate serum paraoxanase-1 (PON) activity, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and the oxidative stress index (OSI) in tinnitus; and to compare the results with data from healthy subjects. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 114 subjects-54 patients with tinnitus and 60 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Serum PON activity, TOS, TAS, and OSI levels were measured. RESULTS: In the tinnitus group, TAS, and PON were significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.001). However, the TOS, and OSI levels were significantly higher in the tinnitus group than in the control group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the data obtained from the present study, patients with tinnitus were exposed to potent oxidative stress. Oxidative stress may be the key contributing factor to the pathogenesis of tinnitus.
Aryldialkylphosphatase* ; Humans ; Oxidative Stress ; Tinnitus*

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the predictive value of volume of the specimen/body mass index (VS/BMI) ratio for recurrence after surgical therapy of pilonidal disease. METHODS: Ninety-eight patients with primary pilonidal disease were enrolled in this study. The VS/BMI ratio was calculated for each patient. This ratio was defined as the specimen index (SI). VS, BMI and SI were evaluated to determine whether there is a relationship between these parameters and recurrence of pilonidal disease. In addition, the predictive ability of SI for recurrence was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: VS and SI were found to be higher in patients with recurrence. ROC curve analysis showed that VS and SI are predictive factors for recurrence in patients treated with primary closure, nevertheless our new index had higher sensitivity and specificity than VS (sensitivity 85.7% vs 71.4% and specificity 90.7% vs 85.1%, respectively). The cut-off level for the greatest sensitivity and specificity for SI was 1.29. CONCLUSION: Recurrence is higher in patients with high VS regardless of the operation method. SI may be a predictive value in patients treated with primary closure.
Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Recurrence ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been found to be associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine whether the RDW measures are associated with the coronary artery calcification score (CACS) in patients who did not present with obvious coronary heart disease (CHD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 527 consecutive patients with a low to intermediate risk for CHD but without obvious disease were enrolled in this study. The study subjects underwent coronary computerized tomography angiography and CACS was calculated. The patients were divided into two groups based on CACS: Group I (CACS< or =100) and Group II (CACS>100). The two groups were compared in terms of classic CHD risk factors and haematological parameters, particularly the RDW. RESULTS: Group I patients were younger than Group II patients. The Framingham risk score (FRS) in patients of Group II was significantly higher than that in patients of Group I. Group II patients had significantly elevated levels of haemoglobin, RDW, neutrophil count, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio compared with Group I patients. CACS was correlated with age, RDW, and ejection fraction. In the multivariate analysis, age, RDW, and FRS were independent predictors of CACS. Using the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, a RDW value of 13.05% was identified as the best cut-off for predicting the severity of CACS (>100) (area under the curve=0.706). CONCLUSION: We found that the RDW is an independent predictor of the CACS, suggesting that it might be a useful marker for predicting CAD.
Angiography ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Erythrocytes* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neutrophils ; Risk Factors