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Controlled Clinical Trial 2005; 26(6): 724-728 PubMed PMID: 16380703 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Female, Growth Hormone:blood, Humans, Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3:blood, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I:analysis, Male, Middle Aged, Psoriasis:blood, Reference Values, Severity of Illness Index, Statistics, Nonparametric,.   

OBJECTIVES: The serum concentrations of somatotrophin axis hormones (growth hormone--GH, insulin-like growth factor-I--IGF-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3--IGFBP-3) in the patients with psoriasis in its active stage have been evaluated in relation to the control group consisting of healthy people in order to see whether these hormones may play a role in the psoriasis aetiopathogenesis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The subjects included 85 psoriatic patients (mean age 36.9 +/- 11.2 years) in the active state of disease and 20 healthy persons (mean age 35.6 +/- 6.6 years) as a control group. GH and IGFBP-3 concentrations in serum were determined by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), IGF-I concentrations--by radioimmunological assay (RIA). Evaluation of the dermatological state also included a determination of psoriasis area and severity index (PASI).

RESULTS: In the patients with psoriasis the concentration of the growth hormone was found to be significantly higher than in the healthy people at the simultaneously much lower concentrations of the insulin-like growth factor-I and its binding protein-3. IGF-I concentrations correlated negatively to PASI value.

CONCLUSION: In the psoriatic patients the somatotrophin axis activity is disturbed and these disturbances may effect the psoriasis process modulation. However, it is impossible to determine if the disturbances are of the primary, i.e. aetiological, importance for the disease pathogenesis, or only of the secondary--psoroid character....

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Journal Article 2005; 26(3): 261-263 PubMed PMID: 15990733 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Alzheimer Disease:blood, Cognition Disorders:blood, Depression:blood, Female, Folic Acid:blood, Humans, Lipoproteins:blood, Male, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Smoking:blood,.   

: The risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with lifestyle factors, especially cigarette smoking. In this study we investigated the influence of smoking on the serum levels of folic acid, LDL and HDL in AD patients, patients with minimal cognitive impairment (MCI) and patients with major depression. We investigated a total of n = 374 patients in the diagnostic categories:, AD: n = 272, MCI: n = 60, Major depression: n = 42. We found significantly lower HDL levels in smokers and previous smokers in comparison to non-smokers, p<0,05. The LDL: HDL ratio in smokers was significant higher (+20%) compared to previous smokers and non-smokers, p < 0.05. The mean levels of folic acid were statistically significant (p<0.05) lower (-24%) in smokers compared to non-smokers. Patients with MCI and Alzheimer;s disease (and also major depression) who are "smokers" show serum levels of HDL and folic acid that are known to be strong risk factors for vascular damage and increased risk for vascular brain damage and impaired cognitive function. Therefore cessation of smoking, substitution with folate or statin therapy of smoking patients with MCI or AD might be beneficial to slow down further cognitive decline....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(4): 292-296 PubMed PMID: 15361820 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Feedback, Physiological:physiology, Female, Humans, Hyperthyroidism:physiopathology, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiology, Hypothyroidism:physiopathology, Male, Middle Aged, Reference Values, Regression Analysis, Severity of Illness Index, Thy.   

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in patients with subclinical thyroid dysfunction recently reported to have either symptoms or organ involvements with potential morbidity, in order to better differentiate these patients with respect to controls.

PATIENTS: Sixtythree patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism (HyperT), 178 normal subjects (EuT) and 106 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (HypoT) were enrolled; the groups presented normal thyroid hormone (FT4, FT3) levels and, respectively, reduced (HyperT), normal (EuT) and increased (HypoT) TSH levels. The negative feedback was simultaneously evaluated by multiple linear regression.

RESULTS: The mean TSH, FT4 and FT3 levels were significantly different in the three groups. The negative correlation between thyroid hormones (FT4 and FT3) and TSH secretion was significant (p<0.001 in HyperT; p<0.01 in EuT; p<0.000001 in HypoT group). FT4 mostly contributed to the negative correlation with TSH. The normal ranges of TSH values was accurately defined on the basis of the regression equation in the EuT group, due to the combining influence of both thyroid hormones (FT3 and FT4). No patient of the HyperT or HypoT group fell inside the range of estimated values of the normal group.

CONCLUSIONS: The HPT axis in patients with subclinical hyper- and hypo-thyroidism is significantly modified with respect to normal subjects. The status of the axis, as evaluated by the relationship between the three hormones (FT4, FT3, TSH) together considered, is characteristic of the normal or pathologic condition. A reliable method based on the regression analysis is proposed to correctly evaluate the status of the HPT axis....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(4): 262-266 PubMed PMID: 15361814 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Biomarkers:blood, Blood Pressure, C-Reactive Protein:analysis, Coronary Disease:blood, Female, Homocysteine:blood, Humans, Hyperlipidemias:blood, Hypothyroidism:blood, Middle Aged, Reference Values, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Statisti.   

OBJECTIVES: Overt hypothyroidism (OH) is associated with premature atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD). Recently, C-reactive protein (CRP) and total homocysteine (tHct) emerged as additional independent cardiovascular risk factors. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH), affecting as many as 15% of middle-aged women is not known to be associated with risk for CHD.

DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: We measured CRP and tHct levels as well as conventional cardiovascular risk markers in 44 middle-aged women with newly diagnose SH. Results were compared with those obtained in 10 patients with OH and 19 euthyroid controls.

RESULTS: In SH, tHct and CRP levels were not as augmented as compared to controls. Their mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were increased vs. controls (p<0.04;p<0.01, respectively). Mean values of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides, TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C were not different in patients with SH compared to controls. Individual analysis revealed that the percentage of patients with SH having hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, elevated TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were higher than the percentage in controls. CRP positively correlated with BMI(r=0.29,p<0.02), and tHct positively correlated with age (r=0.24, p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that subclinical hypothyroidism in middle-aged women is associated with hypertension and dyslipidemia. CRP and tHct do not appear to contribute to the increased risk for CHD in these patients....

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Journal Article 2003; 24(6): 445-448 PubMed PMID: 15073573 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Female, Homocysteine:blood, Humans, Lipid Peroxidation, Lipid Peroxides:metabolism, Malondialdehyde:blood, Pre-Eclampsia:blood, Pregnancy, Severity of Illness Index,.   

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible correlation between plasma malondialdehyde and homocysteine levels of preeclamptic patients.

DESIGN: Venous blood samples of 20 preeclamptics and 20 healthy pregnant controls were collected. Plasma malondialdehyde and homocysteine concentrations were measured and the correlation between them was investigated. Mann Whitney U test and Spearman correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis.

SETTING: University of Firat, Medical School.

RESULTS: Plasma malondialdehyde and homocysteine concentrations were higher in preeclamptic patients (p<0.05) and a positive correlation between these parameters was found (r: 0.77, p<0.01, n:20).

CONCLUSION: Our results may put forward some new strategies in the research of etiopathogenesis and treatment of preeclampsia....

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Clinical Trial 2002; 23(4): 303-308 PubMed PMID: 12195231 Citation  Keywords:  Arsenic:analysis, Autistic Disorder:complications, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Fursultiamin:administration & dosage, Hair:chemistry, Humans, Lead:analysis, Male, Pilot Projects, Severity of Illness Index, Thiamine Deficiency:complications,.   

OBJECTIVES: In a Pilot Study, the clinical and biochemical effects of thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide (TTFD) on autistic spectrum children were investigated.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ten children were studied. Diagnosis was confirmed through the use of form E2, a computer assessed symptom score. For practical reasons, TTFD was administered twice daily for two months in the form of rectal suppositories, each containing 50 mg of TTFD. Symptomatic responses were determined through the use of the computer assessed Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) forms. The erythrocyte transketolase (TKA) and thiamine pyrophosphate effect (TPPE), were measured at outset and on completion of the study to document intracellular thiamine deficiency. Urines from patients were examined at outset, after 30 days and after 60 days of treatment and the concentrations of SH-reactive metals, total protein, sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate and thiocyanate were determined. The concentrations of metals in hair were also determined.

RESULTS: At the beginning of the study thiamine deficiency was observed in 3 out of the 10 patients. Out of 10 patients, 6 had initial urine samples containing arsenic in greater concentration than healthy controls. Traces of mercury were seen in urines from all of these autistic children. Following administration of TTFD an increase in cadmium was seen in 2 children and in lead in one child. Nickel was increased in the urine of one patient during treatment. Sulfur metabolites in urine did not differ from those measured in healthy children.

CONCLUSIONS: Thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide appears to have a beneficial clinical effect on some autistic children, since 8 of the 10 children improved clinically. We obtained evidence of an association of this increasingly occurring disease with presence of urinary SH-reactive metals, arsenic in particular....

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Journal Article 2018; 39(3): 189-195 PubMed PMID: 30431744 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Cervical Vertebrae, Female, Humans, Male, Maximal Respiratory Pressures, Middle Aged, Muscle Strength:physiology, Posture, Respiratory Function Tests, Respiratory Muscles:physiopathology, Retrospective Studies, Severity of Illness Index, Sitting Po.   

OBJECTIVES: In the subjects with high cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), The difference of respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function according to supine and sitting position were investigated whether there are changes in the tendency. METHODS: Twenty-three subjects with high cervical SCI and 23 subjects with low cervical and thoracic SCI were evaluated. The reference neurological level of injury for dividing the groups was fifth cervical vertebrae (C5). SCI severity was classified as motor-complete SCI. The supine and sitting forced vital capacity (FVC), percent of the predicted FVC (FVC%), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), MEP / MIP ratio, and peak cough flow (PCF) were compared. RESULTS: The significantly higher FVC, FVC% in the low cervical and thoracic SCI group was identified in the supine position than the sitting position. The same tendency was observed in the high cervical SCI group. In the comparison of respiratory muscle strength, higher values of supine MEP and MIP were found only in the high cervical SCI group. PCF is more positively correlated with MIP than with MEP in all groups. CONCLUSION: We found that the supine position is more advantageous for the strong breathing and larger lung capacity in patients with high cervical SCI. The positive correlation between PCF and MIP in the patients with high cervical SCI was also confirmed. These results may be used to establish a pulmonary rehabilitation strategy for patients with high cervical SCI....

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