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Background and Aim: Several studies have suggested that treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) may be associated with an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the incidence and risk factors of HCC in HCV patients who achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR) following DAA therapies. Materials and Methods: The medical data of patients who were diagnosed with HCV and received DAA therapy in two tertiary centers in Turkey were retrospectively collected. Results: Among them, 75 patients (52.4%) were noncirrhotic and 68 patients (47.6%) were cirrhotic. The overall SVR rate was 97.2% (139/143). It was 100% in noncirrhotic and 94.1% in cirrhotic patients. HCC was developed in 5 (7.4%) patients, all of whom had baseline cirrhosis. The annual rate of HCC occurrence was 2.94%, and the 5-year cumulative incidence of HCC was 7.3%. The mean Child-Pugh score (CPS) and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score significantly decreased after DAA treatment (CPS 7.0 vs 5.9, p=0.001; MELD 10.8 vs 9.5, p=0.003). Conclusion: There was no significant increase in the rate of HCC in cirrhotic HCV patients treated with DAAs. This treatment led to a remarkably high SVR rate and lowered CPS and MELD scores in cirrhotic HCV patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Gastric polyps are often detected incidentally during endoscopic procedures performed for different reasons and may sometimes manifest by gastric bleeding, pyloric stenosis, iron deficiency anemia and abdominal pain. Our study aimed to investigate the demographic data of the cases found to have gastric polyps at the gastroenterology endoscopy unit, histologic type of the polyps, their localization and size, and their relationship with Helicobacter pylori. Material and Methods Between September 2016 - September 2019, gastric polyps were detected in 255 of 9,771 cases who underwent upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy at the Gastroenterology Endoscopy Unit of our hospital. Demographic data, endoscopy reports and pathology results of these patients were retrospectively reviewed from the hospital registry system. Results Of 255 cases included in the study, 160 (62.7%) were female, and 95 (37.3%) were male, with a mean age of 56.9 (min: 19, max: 95). A total of 336 polyps were detected in 255 cases, with 1.3 polyps per case. 36 (10.7%) of gastric polyps were found to be fundic gland polyps, 32 (9.5%) were found to be foveolar hyperplasia, 137 (40.8%) were found to be hyperplastic polyps, 5 (1.5%) were found to be xanthomas, and 6 (1.8%) were found to be neuroendocrine tumors. Conclusions According to this study, 90% of gastric polyps detected endoscopically in southeast Turkey are smaller than 5 mm and located most commonly in the corpus; the most common histologic subtype is hyperplastic polyps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with several chronic inflammatory conditions. It is increasingly understood that the inflammation may be part of the carcinogenic process and prognostically important. Objective: To evaluate the serum levels of three inflammation markers in relation to survival in HCC patients. Methods: We retrospectively examined the serum levels of CRP, albumin and ESR, both singly and in combination, in relation to patient survival. Results: Survival worsened with increase in CRP or ESR or decrease in albumin levels. Combinations of CRP plus albumin or CRP plus ESR were associated with an even greater range of survival (3‐fold), together with significant differences in maximum tumor diameter (PVT) and percent of patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT). The triplet of CRP plus albumin plus ESR was associated with a sevenfold difference in survival, comparing low vs high parameter levels. These significant differences were found in patients with small or large tumors. Conclusions: Combinations of CRP with albumin or ESR or all three parameters together significantly related to differences in survival and to differences in MTD and percent PVT, in patients with both small and large size HCCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome or in sporadic form characterized by hamartamatous lesions in multiple organs. It affects several sites such as skin, kidney, lung, heart, central nervous system and liver in diferent stages of disease. TSC is caused by mutations on either chromosome 9 (9q34, the TSC1 gene) or chromosome 16 (16p13, TSC2 gene). TSC1 and TSC2 genes encode proteins called tuberin and hamartin; respectively. Although the pathogenetic mechanism is exactly unknown, a possible mechanism is a GTPase-activating protein against Rheb (Ras homolog enriched in brain), which regulates mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), is a serine-threonine kinase that increases cell proliferation and growth. We aimed to review the clinical manifestations and their predictive role on the course of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate whether there is a predisposition to COVID-19 with ABO and Rh blood group systems. This study was a retrospective study that investigate the patients admitted to our hospital between March 16 -May 20 due to Covid-19 pandemic and conducted with data revealed from the hospital Information Management System A total of 392 patients were included in this study, including 227 PCR test positive patients with blood group information in the system and 165 possible patients with CT findings in favor of Covid-19. Data from a blood group study conducted with 127091 people in our province in 2019 were used as a control group. In our study, a significant increase was observed in the blood group A in patients diagnosed with Covid-19, and a decrease was found in the blood groups B, AB and especially O. However, statistical analysis showed no significant difference between Covid-19 patients and healthy individuals in terms of ABO blood group system. When analyzed in terms of Rh blood group system, it was found that Rh positivity was statistically significantly higher in patients with Covid-19 (p= 0.000). Our study suggests that the Rh (-) blood group is protective and the Rh (+) blood group is predisposed to Covid 19 significantly. We think that it is valuable because it is the first study to reveal the relationship between Covid-19 and blood type in our country and the only one to reveal the relationship between Covid-19 and Rh (+) in the world literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]