This study was designed to examine the relationship between pericardial fluid and plasma CRP levels, and to alterations in other biochemical parameters in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). The study group consisted of 96 Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) patients who were referred to our clinic for a CABG procedure and from whom sufficient amount of pericardial fluid could be collected. The patients were classified into 3 groups: Stable Angina Pectoris (SAP) (n=27), Unstable Angina Pectoris (USAP) (n=36), and Post-Myocardial Infarction (PMI) (n=33). Levels of CRP, glucose, albumin, total protein, Creatine Kinase (CK), Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB), and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined in pericardial fluid samples and in simultaneously collected blood samples from radial artery. The pericardial CRP and LDH levels in the PMI group were higher than in the SAP (p=0.015 and p=0.000, respectively) and USAP (p=0.011, p=0.047) groups. Serum CRP levels in USAP (p=0.014) and PMI (p= 0.000) groups were higher than those in the SAP group. Pericardial albumin levels in the PMI group were higher than in the USAP group (p=0.038). In all groups, the pericardial fluid/serum protein ratio was > 0.5, the LDL ratio was > 0.6, and pericardial fluid LDH concentrations were > 300mg/dl. CRP level of pericardial fluid was significantly higher in the PMI group than in other groups. However, pericardial fluid LDH levels were higher than blood LDH levels in this group and were also higher than pericardial fluid LDH levels of other groups.
Pericardial Effusion/*metabolism ; Myocardial Infarction/*metabolism/surgery ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; C-Reactive Protein/*metabolism ; Biological Markers ; Angina, Unstable/*metabolism/surgery ; Aged

This study was designed to examine the relationship between pericardial fluid and plasma CRP levels, and to alterations in other biochemical parameters in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). The study group consisted of 96 Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) patients who were referred to our clinic for a CABG procedure and from whom sufficient amount of pericardial fluid could be collected. The patients were classified into 3 groups: Stable Angina Pectoris (SAP) (n=27), Unstable Angina Pectoris (USAP) (n=36), and Post-Myocardial Infarction (PMI) (n=33). Levels of CRP, glucose, albumin, total protein, Creatine Kinase (CK), Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB), and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined in pericardial fluid samples and in simultaneously collected blood samples from radial artery. The pericardial CRP and LDH levels in the PMI group were higher than in the SAP (p=0.015 and p=0.000, respectively) and USAP (p=0.011, p=0.047) groups. Serum CRP levels in USAP (p=0.014) and PMI (p= 0.000) groups were higher than those in the SAP group. Pericardial albumin levels in the PMI group were higher than in the USAP group (p=0.038). In all groups, the pericardial fluid/serum protein ratio was > 0.5, the LDL ratio was > 0.6, and pericardial fluid LDH concentrations were > 300mg/dl. CRP level of pericardial fluid was significantly higher in the PMI group than in other groups. However, pericardial fluid LDH levels were higher than blood LDH levels in this group and were also higher than pericardial fluid LDH levels of other groups.
Pericardial Effusion/*metabolism ; Myocardial Infarction/*metabolism/surgery ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; C-Reactive Protein/*metabolism ; Biological Markers ; Angina, Unstable/*metabolism/surgery ; Aged

No abstract available.
Echocardiography ; Mitral Valve

Objective: To investigate Blastocystis' etiologic role and association with gastrointestinal symptomatology in acute and chronic urticaria patients and to identify Blastocystis subtypes responsible for urticaria. Methods: The study included urticaria patients and healthy individuals that presented to our polyclinic between June 2015 and May 2017. The participants were assigned into Group I (137 patients), subdivided into acute (72) and chronic urticaria patients (65), and Group ? (129 control individuals). Blastocystis presence was investigated by native-Lugol examination, trichrome staining, PCR using sequence tagged site primers, and DNA sequencing analysis. The phylogenetic tree was constructed. Results: The native-Lugol and trichrome staining methods revealed that 16 patients (16/133, 12.0%) had Blastocystis-positive stool samples, of which seven samples (7/133, 5.3%) belonged acute and nine (9/133, 6.8%) to chronic urticaria patients. Concerning Blastocystis subtypes, of the acute urticaria patients, three had subtype 1 (ST1), one had ST2, and three had ST3. Of the chronic urticaria patients, one had ST1 and eight had ST3. Blastocystis positivity was detected in two control individuals (2/123, 1.6%), both being ST3. All subtypes identified by PCR were confirmed by the sequencing analysis. The acute and chronic urticaria groups showed no statistically significant differences for Blastocystis positivity (P=0.60) and subtype distribution (P=0.15). A statistically significant difference was found between the urticaria patients and the controls for Blastocystis positivity (P<0.01), but not for subtype distribution (P=0.67) or for Blastocystis presence and gastrointestinal complaints. Conclusions: This study on Blastocystis subtype distribution among Turkish urticaria patients showed results consistent with the literature. It was concluded that Blastocystis should be kept in mind in patients with urticaria.