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Numerous studies have investigated a probable association between androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) by researching limited and dispersed parameters. We aimed to evaluate both traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors in male patients with early-onset AGA. This case-control study included 68 participants: 51 male patients with early-onset AGA and 17 healthy male controls. Patients with AGA were classified into three groups according to the Hamilton-Norwood scale and the presence of vertex hair loss. Traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors were examined in all study subjects. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 25 patients with AGA and in two control subjects (p

Background The prevalence of Behcet's disease (BD) is much higher in countries along the ancient Silk Route, extending from Japan to Mediterranean countries including Turkey, than in northern Europe and the USA. Objectives The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of BD in Kayseri, a city in Central Anatolia in Turkey. Methods This study investigated cross-sectional prevalences of BD in individuals aged >10 years in Kayseri, Turkey, in two stages. The first stage aimed to identify individuals with recurrent oral ulcers (ROUs) through home visits, and the second stage aimed to further examine those with ROUs for the presence of other BD-related manifestations under hospital conditions. The study was conducted using the criteria defined by the International Study Group for Behcet's Disease. The sample size was determined to be 4697 with an expected sampling error of 5.5 per 10,000, with a 95% confidence interval. A standard questionnaire was administered to a total of 5218 individuals. Results A history of ROU was recorded in 470 (9.0%) of the 5218 residents, and a previous diagnosis of BD was recorded in nine individuals. The prevalence rate of BD was estimated as 17 cases per 10,000 population in Kayseri, Turkey. Conclusions The present study contributes towards estimations of prevalences of BD in Turkey and towards raising public awareness about the disease. It also supports previous studies that have reported the world's highest prevalences of BD in Turkey.

Plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA), ceruloplasmin (Cp), transferrin (TF), thiol (SH), selenium (Se) and copper (Cu) levels were determined in patients with Behçet's disease (BD), in order to investigate whether the plasma antioxidant defense system is impaired in BD. When compared to controls, plasma MDA, Cp, Cu levels and also plasma MPO activity were significantly higher in patients, whereas plasma TF, SH and Se levels, and also plasma GSH-Px activity were lower in BD patients than those in controls. In addition, there were significant and positive correlations between MDA-Cp, MDA-Cu, MDA-MPO, MPO-Cp, GSH-Px-Se, Cp-Cu, and TF-SH parameters, but negative correlations between MPO-TF and Cp-TF parameters in BD patients. Based on these findings, it is concluded that plasma antioxidant defense system is insufficient and impaired in BD.

Behcet's disease (BD) is a relapsing immuno-inflammatory vasculitis of unknown etiology characterized by endothelial dysfunction. Articular symptoms and signs are present in about 75% of cases and characterized by seronegative arthritis and nonspecific synovitis. We demonstrated that both serum and erythrocyte nitric oxide (NO center dot) levels, the most abundant free radical in the body, were elevated in BD and associated with disease activity. This study further investigated NO center dot levels in the synovial fluid and serum from patients with active and inactive BD. A total of 23 BD patients with articular involvement ( 14 men and 9 women) satisfying International Study Group criteria and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects ( 9 men and 6 women) undergoing elective arthroscopy were included in this case-control investigation. The synovial fluid and serum were obtained from BD patients and controls. Clinical and laboratory findings including neutrophil count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were used to classify BD patients as active (n = 11) or inactive (n = 12). Synovial as well as serum NO center dot levels were compared between the groups and correlation analysis was performed. Acute phase reactant levels were significantly higher ( for each, p< 0.01) in BD patients than control subjects in the active period. The mean synovial NO center dot level in active Behcet's patients ( mean +/- SD 76.61 +/- 11.95 mu mol/l) was significantly higher than in inactive patients (46.16 +/- 8.89 mu mol/l, p< 0.001) and healthy control subjects (39.60 +/- 8.03 mu mol/l, p< 0.001). The difference between inactive patients and controls was not significant ( p> 0.05). Active BD patients had significantly higher serum NO center dot levels ( 38.84 +/- 9.15 mu mol/l) than inactive patients (30.91 +/- 5.88 mu mol/ l, p = 0.018) and control subjects (28.86 +/- 5.91 mu mol/ l, p=0.002). In addition, synovial NO center dot levels were positively correlated with serum levels (r(2) = 0.621, p< 0.001). Increased synovial NO center dot levels in active BD patients probably reflect a nonspecific inflammatory process of the synovium and, therefore, arthralgia and arthritis as a common finding of BD.

Objective: Despite unknown etiology, immunologic alterations and neutrophil hyperfunctions may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of Behcet's Disease (BD). The purpose of the study was to investigate whether adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity, accepted as a nonspecific marker of T lymphocyte activation, may have a potential role in ED. and also may be related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils., Objective: Despite unknown etiology, immunologic alterations and neutrophil hyperfunctions may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of Behcet's Disease (BD). The purpose of the study was to investigate whether adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity, accepted as a nonspecific marker of T lymphocyte activation, may have a potential role in ED. and also may be related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils.Design and methods: ADA activities and malondialdehyde (MDA; endproduct of lipid peroxidation induced by ROS) levels in both plasma and erythrocytes were spectrophotometrically measured in 25 patients with BD and also in 25 healthy controls.Results: ADA activity was found to be higher in plasma, but lower in erythrocytes; plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels were higher in ED patients than those of controls. In addition, plasma ADA activity was positively related to MDA levels in both plasma (p < 0.05) and erythrocytes (p < 0.01). There was also positive correlation between MDA levels (p < 0.05), but negative correlations between ADA activities (p < 0.01) and also between ADA and MDA values in erythrocytes (p < 0.01) of ED patients.Conclusion: These findings may provide some evidence for a potential role of T lymphocyte activation in ED as reflected by increased plasma ADA activity, and for the presence of possible interrelationship between activated T cells and neutrophil hyperfunctions. such as ROS generation, as reflected by increased MDA levels.&nbsp

Excessive superoxide radical production and an impaired antioxidant mechanism in both the neutrophils and plasma of patients with Behcet's disease (BD) have been reported. To provide clinical support for the earlier data, erythrocyte membrane integrity was investigated by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA, a marker of lipid peroxidation) levels in the erythrocytes of BD patients. In addition, the antioxidant effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) at 25 and 250 microg/ml concentrations on lipoperoxidation induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in erythrocyte obtained from BD patients was examined in in vitro conditions. When compared to healthy controls, basal erythrocyte MDA levels were found to be higher in BD patients. In the in vitro study, there was also a significant increase in H2O2-induced MDA production in the medium containing no EGb 761 in the patient group, whereas significant decreases in MDA levels were observed in the mediums containing EGb 761 both in the patient and control groups. The decrease in MDA production was found to be related to EGb 761 concentration. These data indicate that an oxidative damage is present in erythrocytes obtained from Behcet's patients, and EGb 761, which may strengthen the antioxidant defense system, may contribute to the treatment of BD.