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In this study, we aim to evaluate the presence of endothelial dysfunction in Gilbert syndrome patients with left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and endocan levels. The study included 60 patients who diagnosed with Gilbert syndrome and 60 healthy controls who did not have any known diseases. Human endocan levels were measured using a sandwich ELISA method. The endocan and LVMI levels were lower in the Gilbert syndrome group than in the healthy controls. In the Gilbert syndrome group, total bilirubin level was negatively correlated with LVMI (r = −0246; P = .007) and endocan levels (r = −.270; P = .046). In the Gilbert syndrome group, increasing age (β ± SE = 20.78 ± 7.47; P = .006), was a positive independent predictor of LVMI, and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (β ± SE = −.27 ± .09; P = .007), and total bilirubin levels (β ± SE = −6.09 ± 3.02; P = .046) were found to be a negative independent predictor. These results support that endothelial dysfunction is decreased in Gilbert Syndrome patients with mild hyperbilirubinemia compared with the healthy control group.

Introduction: There is insufficient data on the role of the medium cutoff (MCO) membranes in the clearance of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidant radicals in patients with sepsis requiring hemodialysis. Methods: The study consisted of 38 septic patients who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) and who were scheduled to undergo 2 sessions of hemodialysis. Nineteen patients underwent their first dialysis session with the MCO membrane and 19 patients with the high-flux (HF) membrane. In the second session, the membranes were switched. Pro-inflammatory cytokine and oxidative marker levels were measured in blood samples obtained before and after both dialysis sessions. Reduction ratios were compared for the 2 types of hemodialysis membranes. Results: After the first session, there was a greater reduction in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α with the MCO membrane (28.2 ± 21.1 vs. 8.0 ± 6.6, p = 0.001). After the second session, there was a greater reduction in interleukin (IL)-6 (27.8 ± 26.5 vs. 5.9 ± 13.3, p = 0.003) and IL-1β (20.5 ± 21.1 vs. 4.0 ± 6.5, p = 0.004) with the MCO membrane. When the first and second sessions of all 38 patients were compared, the reductions in TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β were consistently greater for MCO than HF (p = 0.001, p = 0.006, p < 0.001, respectively). The reductions in total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, and myeloperoxidase were not statistically different for the 2 types of dialysis membranes. Conclusions: MCO membrane was superior to HF membrane in the removal of cytokines in septic patients with AKI. However, a similar effect was not observed for oxidative stress markers.

Background A low-grade inflammation is presumed to be related to the etiopathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily members have roles in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders because of the relationship with inflammation and neurogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) levels in patients with bipolar depression (BD), MDD and a healthy control (HC) group to determine any differences between MDD and BD in terms of inflammation biomarkers. Subjects and methods After a 12-hour overnight fast, 5 milliliter (mL) samples of fasting blood were obtained from the participants. The TWEAK and TRAIL plasma levels were calculated using ELISA kits. Results The TWEAK levels were found to be higher in the BD group than in the HC group (p=0.03). No statistically significant differences were determined between the BD vs MDD and MDD vs HC groups (p=0.17, p=0.37, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between the three groups (BD vs HC; BD vs MDD; MDD vs HC) in terms of TRAIL levels (p=0.21). Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to have explored TWEAK levels in patients with BD. The higher TWEAK levels in BD than in the control group is compatible with the inflammation hypothesis of BD. Limitations of the study were the differences in medications of the patient groups and that it was a cross-sectional study. There is a need for further longitudinal studies with larger sample size and medication-free patients.

The pneumatic tube transport system (PTS) is used frequently for the transport of samples in hospitals. Effects of PTS on urine components are unknown. In our study, we aim to examine the influence of PTS on the quality of routine urine microscopic parameters. Urine samples were divided into two groups: group 1 were transported to the laboratory manually and group 2 were transported to the laboratory

Resumo Fundamento: Sugere-se que a serglicina tenha funções importantes na estabilização da fibrina e inflamação, mas há informações limitadas sobre seu valor clínico para a doença cardíaca aterosclerótica. Objetivo: O objetivo do presente estudo é descobrir os níveis séricos de serglicina em pacientes com infarto agudo do miocárdio e nos indivíduos do grupo controle; e investigar a associação entre os níveis de serglicina com marcadores de inflamação e marcadores de tamanho do infarto. Métodos: A população do estudo consistiu em 75 pacientes com infarto do miocárdio com supradesnivelamento do segmento ST (IAMCSST) e 57 pacientes com artérias coronárias normais (NCA) (grupo controle). As características dos pacientes, os níveis séricos de serglicina, os níveis de proteína C-reativa ultrassensível (PCR-us), os níveis máximos de troponina T e outros parâmetros bioquímicos foram registrados. O valor de p

Background: Six sigma is a quality indicator used in biochemistry laboratories to evaluate analytical performance. We aimed to evaluate our analytical performance by calculating the six sigma values of some tests in our own laboratory.Materials and Methods: In this study, we used the five-month internal quality control values of 49 biochemistry and immunoassay tests analyzed on Beckman Coulter AU 5800 and DXI 800 analyzers. We calculated six sigma data using 2 different allowed total error values (% TEa)[(Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and Ricos biyological variation]. We accepted three and above six sigma values as an indicator of good performance.Results: When we evaluated according to CLIA criteria, the analytical performance of ALP, CK and amylase was 6 and above, while according to Ricos, only the analytical performance of the prolactin test was 6 and above at both control levels.Conclusions: Six sigma is important in quality control evaluation. When performing the sigma calculation, it should be kept in mind that the permissible total error values used may cause different performance data.

Objective: Bipolar disorder and unipolar depressive disorder are complex phenotypes. There appear to be phenotypical, mechanistic, and therapeutic differences between bipolar depression (BD) and unipolar depression (UD). There is a need for understanding the underlying biological variation between these clinical entities. The role of oxidative processes underlying bipolar disorder and depression has been demonstrated. Thiol-disulfide homeostasis (TDH) is a recent oxidative stress marker. In this study, we aimed to inspect patients with bipolar depression and unipolar depression in terms of thiol-disulfide balance and to compare them with healthy controls.Methods: Patients admitted to the outpatient clinic of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital and diagnosed either as a depressive episode with bipolar disorder (n = 37) or unipolar depression (n = 24) according to DSM-5 criteria, along with healthy controls (HC) (n = 50), were included in the study. Native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels were compared across the groups.Results: In comparison to HC, both BD and UD groups had higher disulfide levels, disulfide/native thiol ratio, and disulfide/total thiol ratio. No significant differences between BD and UD were detected in terms of disulfide level, disulfide/native thiol ratio, and disulfide/total thiol ratio.Conclusion: Increased levels of disulfide, native thiol, and disulfide/total thiol ratios compared to healthy controls in both UD and BD groups may be indicative of the presence of oxidative damage in these two clinical conditions. To clarify the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders and investigate TDH, longitudinal studies in patients with medication-free UD and BD are required.

Objective Blood collection tubes (BCTs) related interferences in test results can adversely influence on patient outcomes. We compared test results of samples in BD (Becton-Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) Vacutainer Serum Separator Tubes (SST), BD Vacutainer® Barricor™ Plasma BCTs (Barricor™) and BD Vacutainer® Rapid Serum Tube (RST). Materials and methods Thirty-two samples were obtained from patients after the hemodialysis were included in this study. Eight routine clinical chemistry parameters (AST, creatinin, urea, PTH, glucose, LDH, K, calcium) were measured on Roche Cobas Analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, North America). The results of samples obtained from RST and Barricor™ were compared with SST as reference tubes. Results Results of Glucose, K, Urea, PTH from the SST and Barricor™ were statistically significantly different (p = 0.017, p Conclusion Working with Barricor™ may provide not just a fast, clean, high-quality plasma samples, safety results, but also time and cost-effectivity. Therefore, these types of tubes, which are less costly than other BCTs, may be preferred to obtain plasma.

OBJECTIVE: Schizophrenia is a neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorder. For this reason, it is important to determine the level of markers that are neuroprotective and have been altered in other neurodegenerative diseases in inspecting the etiology of schizophrenia. Secretagogin (SCGN), is a member of Calcium (Ca) binding proteins and thought to have a neuroprotective effect. In this study, we aimed to compare the level of secretagogin (SCGN) between age and gender-matched schizophrenia and control group. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with schizophrenia who applied to outpatient clinics of our hospital and 37 healthy controls included in the study. Schizophrenia diagnoses of the patients were verified using the DSM-5 criteria. Serum secretagogin levels were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The Body Mass Index (BMI) of the patient group was measured. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the controls and patients in terms of fasting blood glucose and insulin levels. We did not find any difference in terms of the levels of serum secretagogin between patients with schizophrenia and controls. Negative correlations were found between the level of secretagogin and PANSS positive score, PANSS negative score, PANSS general psychopathology score. CONCLUSION: There is increasing evidence that SCGN may play a role in central nervous system (CNS) activity. Future studies might help to explicitly present the relationship between secretagogin and schizophrenia.

Objectives Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) can protect cardiomyocytes from oxidative stress-mediated cell damage and prevent cardiac hypertrophy development. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a relationship existed between left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and serum SIRT3 levels in patients with hypertension. Patients and methods This study was conducted as a cross-sectional study of 83 patients between April 2018 and October 2018. The LVMI of all patients was calculated using the formula of the American Echocardiography Association and patients were divided into two groups according to results (increased LVMI and normal LVMI). Results Increased LVMI was determined in 37.3% of patients, whereas 62.7% had normal LVMI. There was no significant difference between serum SIRT3 levels between those with increased LVMI and normal LVMI (5.8 versus 5.4 ng/ml; P = 0.914). Serum pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels (69 versus 41 ng/ml; P = 0.019) were found to be higher in patients with increased LVMI than in those with normal LVMI. A positive correlation between SIRT3 levels and Sm (myocardial systolic) velocity was also determined (r = 0.338; P = 0.002). Conclusion The serum levels of SIRT3, a molecule which has been proposed to have protective properties against myocardial hypertrophy, were not found to be correlated with LVMI values; however, SIRT3 levels were found to be correlated with Sm velocity, which is accepted to be an indicator of myocardial early diastolic dysfunction.

BackgroundAs vitamin D has recently been implicated in various diseases, vitamin D testing has gained a lot more significance. Vitamin D deficiency is quite prevalent, and detection of this condition is important. Several manufacturers have developed new automated immunoassays for this purpose. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of the Access Total 25(OH) Vitamin D immunoassay on the Beckman Coulter Unicel DXI 800 analyzer, through comparison with the reference method, liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).MethodsThe study was conducted with 148 patient samples which were sent to Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital for routine vitamin D testing. Every sample was analyzed with both Unicel DXI 800 immunoassay analyzer and LC-MS/MS. The concordance of the results was evaluated with Passing-Bablok regression analysis and Bland-Altman plot. Additionally, imprecision, interference, limit of blank (LOB), recovery, linearity and carry-over studies were performed for the Beckman Coulter Unicel DXI 800 analyzer.ResultsWhen compared to LC-MS/MS, the Access Total 25(OH) Vitamin D immunoassay on the Beckman Coulter Unicel DXI 800 analyzer had an R-value of 0.957 (intercept: −3.938, slope: 1.185) and a mean bias of 9.5%. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) between the two methods was 0.916. The intra-assay, inter-assay and total coefficient of variation (CV%) for the Unicel DXI 800 vitamin D immunoassay were 3.3%, 5.3% and 8.3%, respectively, at 31.7 ng/mL concentration, and 2.1%, 3.2% and 7%, respectively, at 66.8 ng/mL concentration.ConclusionsThe Access Total 25(OH) Vitamin D immunoassay method has acceptable analytical performance, and the results are in concordance with the LC-MS/MS results.

Objective The pathophysiologic features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) seem to be a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. However, data regarding the exact effect of oxidative stress on PCOS is conflicting. This cross sectional and case-control study was designed to compare the serum ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels in adolescent and young girls with and without PCOS. Methods A total of 41 non-obese adolescents and young girls (15–21 years) diagnosed as PCOS and 41 age and body mass index (BMI) matched controls were enrolled to study. The main features of PCOS and markers of chronic inflammation were determined together with serum IMA levels at the time of study enrollment. Results The C-reactive protein and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were within the normal ranges and also there were no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). Serum levels of IMA were significantly increased in adolescents with PCOS respect to healthy controls (0.44±0.12 versus 0.35±0.10 absorbance units, p Conclusion Serum IMA levels were higher in PCOS patients than in the healthy controls. This elevation may contribute to the increased cardiovascular diseases risk in PCOS patients.

Adrenal incidentalomas (AIs), particularly subclinical hypercortisolism (SH), are related to an increased risk of atherosclerosis. The anti-oxidative enzyme paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and the acute phase reactant serum amyloid A (SAA) are transported by highdensity lipoprotein and reciprocally regulated in acute inflammatory response. Our aim was to investigate serum SAA, PON1, and apolipoprotein levels as indicators of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with nonfunctioning AI (NFAI) and SH.The study group consisted of 60 controls, 14 SH, and 86 NFAI subjects. Serum amyloid A (SAA), PON1 activity, lipid profiles, apoA and B, lipoprotein A (LpA), hsCRP, and HOMA-IR levels were compared in all groups.Serum insulin, triglyceride, SAA, SAA/PON1 ratio, LpA, apoB, hsCRP, and morning cortisol levels were found to be higher while PON1 and apoAI levels were lower in the SH and NFAI groups compared with the controls, and these parameters were found to be more impaired in SH group than NFAI group (p0.001). HOMA-IR was higher and DHEAS was lower in the SH group than in the other groups. The SAA/PON1 ratio was positively correlated with LpA (r = 0.460; p0.001), apoB (r = 0.515; p0.001), insulin (r = 0.275; p = 0.026), triglyceride (r = 0.248; p = 0.002), morning cortisol (r = 0.259; p = 0.045), and UFC (r = 0.274; p0.001) and negatively correlated with apoAI (r = 0.329; p0.001), ACTH (r = -0.384; p0.001), and DHEAS (r = -0.521, p0.001) levels. The cut-off value of the SAA/PON1 ratio for NFAI was0.23, and for SH it was1.33.The serum SAA/PON1 ratio was high in both the NFAI and SH groups and also exhibited higher levels in SH group. An increased SAA/PON1 ratio and low DHEAS could be attributable to subclinical atherosclerosis risk in SH patients.

Glucometers are widely used in the diagnosis of blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus. EN ISO 15197 suggests that glucometer comparison studies should have 100 capillary blood samples be worked on at least twice. In this study, we planned on comparing the glucose results measured in a routine biochemistry analyzer from two different glucometers, capillary and venous blood samples, and aimed to discuss the effects of blood taking systems on the glucometer validation studies. Capillary and venous blood samples were taken from 101 individuals and their glucose concentrations measured simultaneously using two different glucometers (Accu-chek and GlucoMax). Capillary and venous blood samples were centrifuged after clotting and analyzed in the Roche P modular system. In the fasting condition, the equations for regression analysis that were found y=0,873x+24,32 (r=0,857) in between Accu-chek and venous blood glucose, y=0,9x+16,15 (r=0,920) in between Accu-chek and capillary blood glucose, y=0,811x+20,94 (r=0,776) in between GlucoMax and venous blood glucose, and y=0,851x+12,28 (r=0,863) in between GlucoMax and capillary blood glucose.In the postprandial state, the equations were y=0,713x+48,46 (r=0,258) in between Accu-chek and venous blood glucose, y=0,981x+11,77 (r=0,718) in between Accu-chek and capillary blood glucose, y=0,706x+39,12 (r=0,453) in between GlucoMax and venous blood glucose, and y=0,790+22,35 (r=0,787) in between GlucoMax and capillary blood glucose. In the fasting and postprandial state, the capillary glucose levels showed better correlation with glucometer measurements than venous blood glucose levels. In glucometer verification studies, capillary blood obtained with capillary blood sampling systems and used instead of venous blood should be the preferred sample. [Med-Science 2018; 7(1.000): 218-221]

OBJECTIVES Elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis in coronary collateral formation is necessary for new therapies. Pleiotrophin is a secreted multifunctional cytokine and associated with the formation of functional cardiovascular neovascularization in a series of experimental animal models. We aimed to evaluate the serum levels of pleiotrophin in patients with chronic total coronary artery occlusion and poor or good collateral development. METHODS We included 88 consecutive patients (mean age of the entire population: 63.7±12.1 years, 68 male patients) with stable angina pectoris who underwent coronary angiography and had chronic total occlusion in at least one major coronary artery. Collateral grading was performed according to the Rentrop classification. After grading, patients were divided into poor collateral circulation (Rentrop grade 0 and 1) and good collateral circulation (Rentrop grades 2 and 3) groups. Serum pleiotrophin levels were measured using a commercial human ELISA kit. RESULTS Fifty-eight patients had good and 30 patients had poor coronary collaterals. The good collateral group had higher serum pleiotrophin levels than the poor collateral group (690.1±187.9 vs. 415.3±165.9 ng/ml, P

OBJECTIVE: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), being a protective of dopaminergic neurons, is reported to modulate addictive behaviours and have a role as a negative regulator for biochemical and behavioural adaptations to drug abuse. We aimed to reveal impulsivity and serum GDNF levels in patients with heroin addiction and investigate their relationships in order to contribute to the understanding of behavioural aspects and biological mechanisms in heroin addiction via this study. METHODS: This study was performed at the Department of Psychiatry of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey. We recruited 129 heroin-dependent patients and 90 age, sex, and smoking-matched healthy controls with no major psychopathology. Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and sociodemographic data form were applied to all participants. Laboratory analysis for serum GDNF levels was performed for each participant's blood sample. RESULTS: Total impulsivity scores and scores of Attentional Impulsivity, Motor Impulsivity, and Unplanned Impulsivity subscales were all higher in heroin addicts compared to the controls. Heroin addicts had also lower serum GDNF levels and lower GDNF levels were associated with high impulsivity and high HADS scores in heroin addicts. CONCLUSION: Decrement in GDNF levels in heroin addiction seems as to be an important data which could be associated with impulsivity, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. GDNF could find a prominent place among the target molecules in the treatment of heroin addiction.

Introduction: Inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Parameters derived from exercise electrocardiography (ECG) test, such as Duke treadmill score and heart rate recovery (HRR), have prognostic importance and can be used to predict cardiovascular risk. Endocan and thiol/disulfide homeostasis are emerging biomarkers that reflect the inflammatory and oxidative status. The aim of this study was to investigate serum thiol/disulfide homeostasis and endocan levels in an exercise ECG testing patient cohort and to evaluate the association of these markers with Duke treadmill score and HRR. Patients and Methods: Patients who underwent diagnostic exercise ECG test were divided into two groups according to Duke treadmill score and HRR. Serum endocan levels and thiol/disulfide homeostasis were compared between high and low/intermediate Duke treadmill score groups and blunted and normal HRR groups. Results: Serum endocan levels were similar between the groups according to Duke treadmill score and HRR. Thiol/disulfide ratio was significantly lower in patients with blunted HRR than in those with normal HRR. Serum native thiol levels, total thiol levels, and total thiol/disulfide ratio were significantly elevated in patients with a high Duke treadmill score than in those with low/intermediate Duke treadmill score. Native thiol levels and total thiol levels were significantly correlated with Duke treadmill score. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that hypertension and diabetes were independent predictors of blunted HRR, whereas hypertension and low endocan levels were those of low/intermediate Duke treadmill score. Conclusion: Serum thiol levels are correlated with Duke treadmill score, and low endocan levels are associated with low/intermediate Duke treadmill score.

We investigated the relationship of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels with direct (endocan) and indirect (carotid intima–media thickness [cIMT] and 24 hours urine protein excretion) endothelial dysfunction indicators in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients with T2DM (n = 88) and 88 healthy individuals were included in the study. The median endocan (475.15 vs 216.37 pg/mL; P < .001, respectively) and hsCRP (10.74 vs 3.11 mg/L; P < .001, respectively) and the mean IMA (0.64 ± 0.12 vs 0.51 ± 0.12 absorbance units; P < .001, respectively) levels were higher in participants with endothelial dysfunction compared to those without endothelial dysfunction in T2DM. The 24-hour urine protein excretion and cIMT levels had a positive correlation with hsCRP ( r = .357; P = .001 and r = .592; P < .001, respectively), IMA ( r = .519; P < .001 and r = .495; P < .001, respectively) and endocan ( r = .347; P = .001 and r = .583; P < .001, respectively) levels in the T2DM group. Stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis, which included laboratory findings found to be associated with endothelial dysfunction, showed that endocan (odds ratio [OR] = 1.456; P = .004), hsCRP (OR = 1.298; P = .008), and IMA (OR = 2.270, P = .003) were independent risk factors. It was found that none of these markers were superior in terms of diagnostic discrimination for endothelial dysfunction. Endocan, IMA, and hsCRP levels were found to be associated with endothelial dysfunction in patients with T2DM.

Background: Serglycin plays an important role in the inflammatory status, but the relationship between coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and serglycin is still unknown. Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of serglycin level with isolated CAE. Methods: Fifty-two patients with isolated CAE and 35 individuals with normal coronary angiography were included into the study. The Markis classification and number of ectatic coronary arteries were recorded. Plasma serglycin levels were measured. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that serglycin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were indepen­dently associated with the presence of CAE. In receiver operating characteristics curve analysis the cut of serglycin level for the prediction of isolated CAE was 13.5, with a sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 84.8%. However, there was no association between serglycin levels and Markis classification. Conclusions: Serglycin levels are significantly and independently higher in patients with CAE.

The objective here is to examine the role of overall oxidative stress in the etiopathogenesis of gluten-sensitive enteropathy disease and its relationship with gluten free diet and autoantibodies.Eighty gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients and 80 control group participants were included in the study. As oxidative stress parameters, we researched total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), paraoxonase-1 and arylesterase parameters in the serum samples of gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients.In comparison to the control group, gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients had lower TAS, paraoxonase-1 and arylesterase levels and gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients had considerable TOS and OSI levels. In contrast, patients who agreed to the gluten free eating routine had a higher OSI proportion and patients who did not conform to the gluten free eating regimen had a lower paraoxonase-1 level. An affirming reciprocation was de tected amidst TOS and OSI proportion and gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibodies and C-reactive protein levels and a negative correlation was found between arylesterase level and gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibodies.We observed oxidative stress levels to be higher in gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients contrasted with the control group. Oxidative stress level showed differences in gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients depending on gluten diet content and autoantibody positivity. In point of fact, C-reactive protein and gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibodies are identified with oxidative anxiety parameters resulting in the possibility that oxidative stress might be successful in the gluten-sensitive enteropathy pathogenesis.Cilj je ovde bio da se ispita uloga ukupnog oksidativnog stresa u etiopatogenezi glutenske enteropatije i njegov odnos sa bezglutenskom ishranom i autoantitelima.Osamdeset pacijenata sa glutenskom enteropatijom i 80 članova kontrolne grupe je uključeno u studiju. Kao parametri oksidativnog stresa, istraživani su ukupni antioksidantni status (UAS), ukupni oksidantni status (UOS), indeks oksidativnog stresa (IOS), paraoksonaza 1 i arilesteraza u uzorcima seruma pacijenata sa glutenskom enteropatijom.U poređenju s kontrolnom grupom, pacijenti sa glutenskom enteropatijom imali su niže nivoe UAS-a, paraoksonaze-1 i arilesteraze a pacijenti sa glutenskom enteropatijom imali su znatne nivoe UOS-a i IOS-a. Za razliku od toga, pacijenti koji su pristali na bezglutenski režim ishrane imali su višu proporciju IOS-a a pacijenti koji nisu pristali na bezglutenski režim imali su niži nivo paraoksonaze 1. Afirmativan reciprocitet utvrđen je između UOS-a i proporcije IOS-a i autoantitela za glutensku enteropatiju i nivoa C-reaktivnog proteina, a negativna korelacija je pronađena između nivoa arilesteraze i auto antitela za glutensku enteropatiju.Uočili smo da je nivo oksidativnog stresa bio viši kod pacijenata sa glutenskom enteropatijom u poređenju s kontrolnom grupom. Nivo oksidativnog stresa pokazao je razlike među pacijentima s glutenskom enteropatijom zavisno od sadržaja glutena u ishrani i pozitivnih autoanti tela. Zapravo,C-reaktivni protein i autoantitela za glutensku entero patiju identifikuju se sa parametrima oksidativne anksioznosti, {to rezultira mogućnošću da oksidativni stres uspešno učestvuje u patogenezi glutenske enteropatije.

We aimed to determine the levels of total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and paraoxonase1/arylesterase levels in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and the relation be - tween these molecules and the activity index of the disease.Eighty IBD patients (ulcerative colitis (UC)/Crohn disease (CD) 40/40) and 80 control group participants were included in the study. Oxidative stress parameters were measured using the colorimetric method. As disease activity indexes, the endoscopic activity index (EAI) was used for UC and the CD activity index (CDAI) was used for CD.In IBD patients, mean TAS (1.3±0.2 vs 1.9±0.2, respectively; p0.001) and arylesterase (963.9±232.2 vs 1252.9±275, respectively; p0.001) levels were found to be lower and TOS level (5.6±1.6 vs 4.0±1.0, respectively; p0.001) and OSI rate (4.5±1.6 vs 2.2±0.8, respectively; p0.001) were found to be higher compared to the control group. A strong positive correlation was found between EAI and TOS levels (r=0.948, p0.001) and OSI rate (r=0.894, p0.001) for UC patients. A very strong positive correlation was found between EAI and TOS levels (r=0.964, p0.001) and OSI rate (r=0.917, p0.001) for CD patients. It was found in a stepwise regression model that C-reactive protein, OSI and arylesterase risk factors were predictors of IBD compared to the control group. Conclusion: Increased oxidative stress level in IBD patients and the detection of OSI rate as an independent predictor for disease activity indexes lead to the idea that oxidative stress might be related to the pathogenesis of IBD.Na{ cilj bio je da odredimo nivoe ukupnog antioksidativnog statusa (TAS), ukupnog oksidativnog statusa (TOS), indeks oksidativnog stresa (OSI) i nivoe paraoksonaze 1/arilesteraze u zapaljenskoj bolesti creva (IBD), kao i odnos između ovih molekula i indeksa aktivnosti bolesti.U studiju je uključeno 80 pacijenata sa IBD (ulcerozni kolitis (UC) / Kronova bolest (CD) 40/40) i 80 subjekata kao kontrolna grupa. Parametri oksidativnog stresa mereni su kolorimetrijskom metodom. Kao indeksi aktivnosti bolesti, indeks endoskopske aktivnosti (EAI) koriščen je za UC, dok je za CD korišćen indeks aktivnosti CD (CDAI).Kod obolelih od IBD, nađeno je da su srednji TAS (1,3±0,2 vs 1,9±0,2; p0,001) i nivoi arilesteraze (963,9±232,2 vs 1252,9±275; p0,001) bili niži, a nivo TOS (5,6±1,6 vs 4,0±1,0; p0,001) i stopa OSI 4,5±1,6 vs 2,2±0,8; p0,001) viši u poređenju s kontrolnom grupom. Otkrivena je snažna pozitivna korelacija između nivoa EAI i TOS (r=0,948, p0,001) i stope OSI (r=0,894, p0,001) za obolele od UC. Veoma jaka pozitivna korelacija nađena je između nivoa EAI i TOS (r=0,964, p0,001) i stope OSI (r=0,917, p0,001) za obolele od CD. U modelu stepwise regresije uočeno je da su C-reaktivni protein, OSI i faktori rizika za arilesterazu bili prediktori za IBD u poređenju s kontrolnom grupom.Povišen nivo oksidativnog stresa kod pacijenata sa IBD i detekcija stope OSI kao nezavisnog prediktora za indekse aktivnosti bolesti navode na ideju da oksidativni stres može biti povezan sa patogenezom IBD.

Introduction: We aimed to investigate the role of sTWEAK in the pathogenesis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. Material and methods: A total of 80 patients were included in the study, 60 of whom were newly diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (20 patients in each of the euthyroid, subclinical hypothyroid, and overt hypothyroid subgroups), and 20 of whom were healthy volunteers. Thyroid function tests and autoantibodies were measured using the electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay method, and sTWEAK, IL-17A, IL-12, and TGF-beta1 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results: The Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis group had lower levels of sTWEAK and TGF-beta1, but had higher levels of IL-12 and IL-17A as compared to the control group. Of these, only the difference between IL-17A levels reached statistical significance (2.1 pg/mL vs. 1.8 pg/mL, respectively; p l 0.001). While the levels of sTWEAK were similar in the control, euthyroid, and subclinical groups, the overt hypothyroidism group had lower level of sTWEAK than that of subclinical hypothyroidism (687.6 ± 153.3 pg/mL vs. 888.2 ± 374.4 pg/mL, respectively; p = 0.03). A negative correlation was determined between sTWEAK level and anti-TPO (r = –0.533, p = 0.028) and IL-17A (r = –0.600, p = 0.005) levels in the overt hypothyroidism group. Conclusions: The reduced levels of sTWEAK with progression of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and the significant correlation between the sTWEAK levels and anti-TPO found in this study suggest that sTWEAK plays an active role in chronic inflammation in the pathogenesis of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and in the progression of autoimmunity. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (6): 562–566)

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic disabling inflammatory disease of the follicular unit especially affecting apocrine gland-bearing skin areas. Little is known about systemic inflammatory complications of the disease. This study aimed to evaluate systemic inflammation in patients with HS by assessing serum amyloid A protein (SAA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and to identify potential risk factors for HS. Forty-four patients (M/F: 28/16) and 44 age- and sex-matched controls (M/F: 28/16) were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and therapeutic data, including smoking status, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), serum fasting lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, SAA, and CRP levels, and ESR were assessed. Associations were investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Patients with HS showed significantly higher levels of pack-years of cigarette smoking, weight, BMI, and WC (P = 0.01, P

BACKGROUND Blood from patients who are receiving anticoagulant therapy may take longer to clot. Anticoagulation is an important component of the dialysis prescription. We compared BD Vacutainer® Barricor™ Plasma Blood Collection Tubes (BD BarrricorTM), BD Vacutainer® PST™ Lithium Heparin Tubes (BD PST™), and BD (Becton-Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) Vacutainer Serum Separator Tubes (BD SST), as reference tube in dialysis patients to examine whether they had an effect on routine biochemical tests. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 29 chronic hemodialysis patients were included in this study. Samples were collected into BD BarrricorTM, BD PST™, and BD SST tubes after the dialysis. All the tubes were centrifuged by NF 1200R rotor (1,300 g for 10 minutes at 22°C, 1,200 g for 10 minutes at 4°C, 2,400 g for 10 minutes at 22°C, respectively) after the incubation period. Eleven routine clinical chemistry parameters (Creatinine, Urea, Na, K, Cl, AST, ALT, Total Bilirubin, Direct Bilirubin, Calcium, Cholesterol) were analyzed on a Beckman Coulter AU 5800. RESULTS Results of creatinine, K and cholesterol were statistically significantly different between the SST and LiH (p = 0.014, p = 0.009, and p < 0.001, respectively). In terms of other biochemical parameters we tested for all three tubes there was no clinically significance inspite of the statistically significance. CONCLUSIONS BD Barricor™ tubes provide fast, clean, high-quality plasma samples, safe results, and may lower times and costs.

We assessed the prognostic role of serum endocan level in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and compared the results with a normal coronary angiography group. A total of 133 patients were included in the study (88 patients with STEMI and 45 patients with normal coronary arteries). The SYNTAX score was determined based on the baseline coronary angiogram. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that endocan independently correlated with the presence of STEMI. Moreover, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), peak troponin I, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were found to be independently associated with STEMI. Endocan level correlated significantly with hsCRP and SYNTAX score. We analyzed the discriminatory capability of endocan level for the presence of STEMI using a receiver–operating characteristics curve. A cutoff endocan level of 1.7 (ng/mL) predicted the presence of STEMI with a sensitivity of 76.1% and specificity of 73.6%. In conclusion, a high endocan level on hospital admission is an independent predictor of a worse cardiovascular outcome and a high SYNTAX score in patients with STEMI.

The aim of this study was to investigate dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis in autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism.Forty-eight patients with a new diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto thyroiditis who were not yet under medical therapy, and 48 healthy control subjects were enrolled. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis [native thiol-disulfide exchanges] was measured in both groups using the automated method developed by Erel and Neselioglu. An absolute difference of 0.5 between the total thiol and native thiol concentrations revealed the disulfide bond amount.The native thiol level (p = 0.014) and native thiol/total thiol ratio (p = 0.001) were lower in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism than in the control group. Meanwhile, the disulfide level (p = 0.004), disulfide/native thiol ratio (p = 0.001), and disulfide/total thiol (p = 0.001) ratio were higher in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism than in the control group. The antithyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin levels were positively correlated with the disulfide/native thiol ratio (r = 0.339, p = 0.019; r = 0.243, p = 0.023, respectively) and the disulfide/total thiol ratio (r = 0.133, p = 0.019; r = 0.238, p = 0.026, respectively) and negatively correlated with the native thiol/total thiol ratio (r = -0.292, p = 0.004; r = -0.233, p = 0.022, respectively).We found that thiol/disulfide homeostasis shifted to disulfide formation in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and that thyroid autoantibodies were positively correlated with thiol oxidation. It is not clear whether abnormal thiol/disulfide homeostasis is a cause or a consequence in Hashimoto thyroiditis. Further studies are required.

Objective Our objective in this study was to determine the relationship between irisin hormone, which has a similar effect with thyroid hormones on adipose tissue and the metabolism, and the thyroid functions and the obesity secondary to thyroid disease. Subjects and methods Seventy-four patients were included in the study, of the patients, 37 were newly diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis related hypothyroidism but not started on a treatment yet, and the remaining 37 were healthy volunteers without a known disease. Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (fT4), anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase were measured and thyroid ultrasonography was performed in both groups. Serum irisin levels were measured using the commercially available ELISA kit. The hypothyroidism group had higher levels of irisin compared to the control group (2.77 ng/mL vs. 2.15 ng/mL respectively; p = 0.017). Results The hypothyroidism group had higher median levels of irisin in the obese patients than those in the control group (3.10 ng/mL vs. 2.10 ng/mL respectively; p = 0.013). Irisin level was negatively correlated with age in the whole population and patients with hypothyroidism (r = -0.255, p = 0.028; r = -0.346, p = 0.036 respectively). Irisin level was positively correlated with TSH (r = 0.247, p = 0.034) but negatively correlated with the fT4 (r = -0.316, p = 0.006) in the whole population. Obesity, fT4 and irisin levels were identified to be independent predictors in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first in literature to identify that obesity, irisin level and fT4 level are independent risk factors for hypothyroidism.

In this study, our aim was to determine total oxidative stress and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels in patients with masked hypertension (MHT) and to examine their association with blood pressure.Fifty patients diagnosed with MHT and 48 healthy volunteers without any known chronic diseases have been included in this study.When compared to the control group, patients with MHT had higher levels of mean ADMA (p0.001), total oxidant status (TOS) (p0.001), and oxidative stress index (OSI) (p0.001), and a lower mean total antioxidant status (TAS) (p0.001) level. While a positive correlation was determined between the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels with ADMA, TOS, and OSI levels, a negative correlation was determined with the TAS level. During the stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis, age (OR = 1.221; p = 0.003), body mass index (OR = 1.512; p = 0.005), low density lipoprotein (OR = 0.925; p = 0.016), ADMA (OR = 1.200; p = 0.002), and OSI (OR = 3.750; p = 0.002) levels were determined to be the predictors of MHT. During the linear regression analysis, it was determined that the independent risk factors of SBP and DBP are ADMA and OSI, and the independent risk factor of TOS, OSI, and ADMA is SBP. Our study found out that oxidative stress and ADMA levels of patients with MHT are higher than those of the control group. ADMA and OSI were determined to be predictors of MHT.Based on these results, it could be said that oxidative stress, and therefore the ADMA level, could have an effect on the etiopathogenesis of MHT.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the role of thiol disulfide homeostasis in the presence of slow coronary flow. Material and methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 110 patients who admitted to our hospital between March 2014 and December 2015 were included in the study. There were 65 patients in the slow coronary flow, and 45 patients in the normal flow groups. Results We found significant differences between slow coronary flow and the normal flow groups for thiol disulfide homeostasis, and the results of our study indicated that hsCRP, and thiol disulfide ratio were independently associated with slow coronary flow. Conclusion Our study showed that thiol disulfide homeostasis was significantly and independently related to the presence of slow coronary flow.

The aims of this study were to measure the levels of interleukin-33 (IL-33) and soluble Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) in patients with newly diagnosed primary hypertension (HT) and to determine the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and IL-33/sST2. Eighty-two patients with newly diagnosed primary HT and ninety healthy volunteers were included in the study. CIMT ⩾0.9 mm was considered as significant for subclinical atherosclerosis. The sST2 levels of patients with primary HT were higher than those of the control group, whereas the IL-33 levels of these patients were much lower than those of the control group. The sST2 levels were higher in patients with subclinical atherosclerosis than in control subjects or patients with primary HT but not with subclinical atherosclerosis. In the primary HT group, sST2 had a positive correlation with CIMT, 24-h systolic-diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein and C-reactive protein, whereas sST2 had a negative correlation with the IL-33 level. A stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that sST2 is an independent risk factor for subclinical atherosclerosis. Although the diagnostic predictive value of HT risk was determined as51.8 pg l(-1) in the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in respect of the sST2 level, the diagnostic predictive value for subclinical atherosclerosis risk was determined to be107.2 pg l(-1). The sST2 level displays a positive correlation with atherosclerotic changes, and is an independent risk factor for subclinical atherosclerosis expressed as increased CIMT.

Amac : Urik asit, purin metabolizmasinin son urunu ve gut icin iyi bilinen bir risk faktorudur. Bununla birlikte, yuksek serum urik asit duzeyleri insulin rezistansi, obezite , hipertansiyon, renal disfonksiyon, hipotiroidi gibi bircok hastalikla iliskili bulunmustur. Ote yandan, urik asidin kardiyovaskuler morbiditede nedensel bir rol oynayip oynamadigi tartisilmaktadir. Calismamizda serum urik asit (UA) ve kalp yetmezligi prognostik belirteci olan N terminal pro B - tipi Natriuretik P eptit ( NT-proBNP ) duzeyleri ile sol ventrikul f onksiyon bozuklugu arasinda iliski olup olmadigini arastirmayi amacladik. Materyal ve Metot : Calisma retrospektif olarak planlandi. Mart 2016 ile Subat 2017 tarihleri arasinda Ankara Numune Egitim ve Arastirma Hastanesi Kardiyoloji Servisi ve Koroner Yogun Bakimda yatan 326 hasta calismaya dahil edildi. Bu hastalarin serum UA, NT-proBNP duzeyleri ile ejeksiyon fraksiyonu (EF) bulgulari hastane enformasyon sisteminden alindi. Hastalar serum UA duzeylerine gore 4 gruba ayrildi (1. grup UA; 2 , 7-4 , 9 mg/dL, 2. g rup UA; 5-6 mg/dL, 3. grup UA; 6 , 1-7 , 4 mg/dL, 4. grup UA; 7 , 5-15 , 6 mg/dL). Gruplar arasinda parametreler ANOVA testi kullanilarak karsilastirildi. Ayrica, sol ventrikul disfonksiyon bulgularinda urat duzeylerine gore degisimler incelenirken, cinsiyet, yas ve eGFR ‘nin bu parametreler uzerindeki etkileri degerlendirildi. Degiskenler arasinda iliski icin Pearson korelasyon testi kullanildi. Bulgular: 4. grup; yas, NT-proBNP, eGFR diger gruplardan anlamli duzeyde farkliydi (p

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. HS has been associated with obesity, adipokine imbalance, dyslipidemia, pro-inflammation, and metabolic syndrome (MS). The aim of this study was to determine the association between HS, and serum visfatin levels (SVLs), small-dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C), and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), as well as the association between HS, and smoking, alcohol consumption, anthropometric measurements, blood pressures (BPs), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipids, inflammatory markers, homocysteine, uric acid (UA), serum insulin levels (SILs), insulin resistance (IR) and MS, so as to identify relevant risk factors for HS. This case–control study included 40 patients (M/F: 23/17) and 40 age- and gender-matched controls (M/F: 23/17). Demographic data, smoking status and alcohol consumption, personal and family medical history, previous and current treatments were noted. Anthropometric data, BPs, FBG and lipids, homocysteine, UA, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), SILs, SVLs, IMA and sdLDL-C were measured. Homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) was calculated. The associations were made by univariate and multivariate analyses. Univariate analysis showed that there was a significant association between HS and smoking, pack-years of smoking, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, SILs, CRP, hs-CRP, homocysteine, UA, ESR, HOMA-IR, SVLs, and MS. After adjusting for BMI and smoking status, the SVLs, SILs, and hs-CRP levels remained higher in the patients than in the controls (P = 0.02, P = 0.01, and P = 0.02, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that there was a significant association between HS, and the SVLs and SILs, and smoking. Each unit increase in the SVL (P = 0.003, 95% CI 1.16–2.11) and SIL (P = 0.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.17) increased the risk of HS 1.56- and 1.09-fold, respectively. Furthermore, smoking was associated with a 14.87-fold increase in the risk of HS (P = 0.001, 95% CI 2.82–78.56). This study indicates that HS patients have higher SVLs, SILs, and hs-CRP levels than healthy controls—independent of BMI and smoking status. The SVL and SILs and smoking were independent risk factors for HS.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum endocan levels and the presence and severity of isolated coronary artery ectasia (CAE). Patients and methods A total of 52 patients with CAE without obstructive coronary artery disease and 33 participants with a normal coronary artery were included in this study. The severity of CAE was graded according to Markis classification. Serum endocan levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results In multivariate regression analysis, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and endocan levels were found to be significantly associated with the presence of isolated CAE. However, there was no relationship between serum endocan levels and the severity of CAE according to Markis classification. Conclusion Plasma endocan levels may reflect the presence of isolated CAE, suggesting that endocan may be involved in the pathogenesis of isolated CAE.

Background: It is important to determine the grade of the coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA) level and good CCC. Methods: A total of 95 patients with coronary angiography and at least one epicardial coronary artery obstruction were included in the study. The Rentrop classification was used with CCC grading, where 0 and 1 were defined as poor collateral, and 2 and 3 were defined as good collateral. The IMA level of the patients was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The receiver–operating characteristic curve was used to show the sensitivity and specificity of IMA levels and the optimal cut-off value for predicting good CCC. Results: The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the IMA level in the good CCC group was higher (p < 0.045). Conversely, the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was lower in the good CCC group (p < 0.023). We found an IMA cut-off value (4.7 ng/mL) that indicated good CCC level, and this shows good CCC with 70.2% sensitivity and 60.3% specificity. Conclusions: The IMA level could serve as a simple and useful predictor of well-developed CCC.

WOS: 000445434700001, Aim: Biological variation (BV) of the HbA1c test can be affected by analysis method, sampling period, and disease activity. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of CVI, CVA, and II for Tosoh G7 system. Material and Method: 96 samples from 12 healthy volunteers were collected for every two weeks during a two-month period. HbA1c levels of all samples were measured by G7 HPLC (non-porous ion-exchange) Analyser. Biological variation parameters CVI, CVA, CVG, RCV, and II were calculated. Results: The mean of HbA1c was 5.10% (32.3 mmol/mol). CVA was calculated as 2.81%. The CVI and CVG for HbA1c were 1.69% and 7.56%, respectively. RCV and II values were 9.08% and 0.22. Discussion: According to our results, the sampling period and study method were fundamental to determining biological variation parameters. When using the Tosoh G7 system, we observed similar results to other methods, e.g. boronate affinity or immunoturbidimetry. Low individuality index of HbA1 c presented that the analyte had marked individuality and that the population-based reference values had low utility for disease monitoring. Thus, estimation and inclusion of RCV in laboratory reports for HbA1c will guide the clinicians in evaluating the importance of difference between serial results and glycemic status of the patients.

Oxidative stress might play an important role in neurological and psychiatric diseases due to the central nervous system sensitivity to reactive oxygen species. Aim of this study is to contribute these data about oxidative stress in bipolar disorder, by detecting IMA levels of bipolar disorder patients in remission and also by comparing these results with healthy controls. Study population consisted of 35 outpatients with bipolar disorder, who being in remission. The patients meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition criteria for bipolar disorder I. 36 healthy subjects were included as control group. Serum ischemia modified albumin levels of all participants were determined and the results were compared between these two groups. The age, gender and ischemia modified albumin levels were not significantly different between bipolar disorder patients and healthy controls. Studies focusing on oxidative stress in bipolar disorder have reached controversial results up till now. The many different markers have been investigated to explain the effects of oxidative stress on bipolar disorders, and this might be reason why there are conflicting results. In addition, the past episodes of patients who were in remission during this study are unclear. Further investigations are needed to be carrying out to illustrate possible changes of oxidative balance in psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between endocan levels with the presence of slow coronary flow (SCF). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 88 patients, who admitted to our hospital, were included in this study. Of these, 53 patients with SCF and 35 patients with normal coronary flow were included in the final analysis. Coronary flow rates of all patients were determined by the Timi Frame Count (TFC) method. Results: In correlation analysis, endocan levels revealed a significantly positive correlation with high sensitive C-reactive protein and corrected TFC. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the endocan levels were found as independently associated with the presence of SCF. Finally, using a cutoff level of 2.3, endocan level predicted the presence of SCF with a sensitivity of 77.2% and specificity of 75.2%. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study showed that higher endocan levels were significantly and independently related to the presence of SCF.

Dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis plays a critical role in numerous intracellular enzymatic pathways including antioxidant defence and detoxification. In this study, we sought to investigate dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in patients with masked hypertension (MHT) and its relationship with blood pressure. Forty patients (23 men, 17 women) with newly diagnosed MHT and not yet on medical therapy, and 40 healthy volunteers (21 men, 19 women) were enrolled. Blood thiol/disulphide homeostasis was measured in both groups. Serum native and total thiol levels were measured using the novel, fully automated colorimetric method developed by Erel et al. Serum disulphide level was calculated as (serum total thiol - serum native thiol)/2. Native and total thiol levels (p = 0.001) and native thiol/total thiol ratio (p = 0.023) were found to be lower in patients with MHT when compared to those of the control group. Disulphide level and ratios of disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol were higher in patients with MHT than in the control group (p = 0.001). A positive correlation of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was observed with disulphide/native thiol ratio (p

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) occurs when serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations are raised and serum thyroid hormone concentrations are normal. The effect of SH on the proinflammatory adipose cytokine releasing visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is not clear. The aim of this study is to identify the difference between the pre and posttreatment levels of VAT, leptin, and resistin in SH patients. Methods: There were 51 SH patients and 43 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects included in the study. Thyroid functions, biochemical tests, leptin, resistin, and visceral and subcutaneous fat measurements were made. The measurements were repeated in the SH group in the third month following L-thyroxin treatment. Results: Initially, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, carotid artery intima-media thickness (mm), leptin, and resistin levels were significantly higher in the SH group compared to the controls, while the other parameters were similar. While no correlation was observed between TSH levels and adipokines, a positive correlation was detected between waist circumference and leptin levels (r = 0.549, p < 0.01). Visceral adipose tissue was positively correlated to age, waist circumference, and leptin levels, but negatively correlated to free thyroxin (T4) levels (r = 0.419, p = 0.009; r = 0.794, p < 0.01; r = 0.515, p < 0.01 and r = - 0.416, p = 0.009, respectively). A significant decrease was observed in VAT volume, leptin, and resistin levels of SH patients following levothyroxine treatment. Conclusion The reduced VAT volume, leptin, and resistin levels in SH patients following treatment may support the idea that TSH affects adipose tissue functions. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Wien.

We aimed to evaluate the levels of oxidative stress (OS) parameters such as total antioxidant status or TAS, total oxidant status (TOS), OS index (OSI), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), arylesterase, and total thiol in hypertensive patients with and without asymptomatic organ damage (AOD), and to determine the relationship between these parameters and AOD.Sixty-six patients (21 men, 45 women) with AOD and 66 patients without AOD (21 men, 45 women) were enrolled in the study. Serum OS parameters were measured by colorimetric method.The OSI levels were found to be higher while PON1, PON1/high-density lipoprotein, and arylesterase levels were found to be lower in patients with AOD compared with those in the patients without AOD. Stepwise regression analysis showed high 24-h mean systolic blood pressure, OSI, and low arylesterase level to be independent predictors of AOD.OS level was found to be higher in hypertensive patients with AOD compared with the patients without AOD. However, it is not clear whether increased OS leads to AOD or AOD increases the level of OS. For this purpose, OS level needs to be decreased by antioxidant therapies and patients need to be followed up for a longer duration.

Urine collection systems with aspiration system for vacuum tubes are becoming increasingly common for urinalysis, especially for microscopic examination of the urine. In this study, we aimed to examine whether vacuum aspiration of the urine sample has any adverse effect on sediment analysis by comparing results from vacuum and non-vacuum urine tubes. The study included totally 213 urine samples obtained from inpatients and outpatients in our hospital. Urine samples were collected to containers with aspiration system for vacuum tubes. Each sample was aliquoted to both vacuum and non-vacuum urine tubes. Urinary sediment analysis was performed using manual microscope. Results were evaluated using chi-square test. Comparison of the sediment analysis results from vacuum and non-vacuum urine tubes showed that results were highly concordant for erythrocyte, leukocyte and epithelial cells (gamma values 1, 0.997, and 0.994, respectively; p .001). Results were also concordant for urinary casts, crystals and yeast (kappa values 0.815, 0.945 and 1, respectively; p .001). The results show that in urinary sediment analysis, vacuum aspiration has no adverse effect on the cellular components except on casts.