INTRODUCTION: Invasive fungal infections (IFI) are commonly seen in immunosuppressive patients. Early diagnosis is key to optimizing antifungal treatment success. Betaglucan (BG) assay can detect ...most of the fungal pathogens except mucormycosis and Cryptococcus. In this study we aimed to evaluate the value of BG as a diagnostic tool in patients with hematological malignancy and IFI.METHODS: Forty-six hematological malignancy patients under induction and consolidation chemotherapy that expected to have neutropenia for more than 14 days with no clinical and radiological signs of IFI are included in this study. Blood Galactomannan (GM) and BG levels were measured 2 times in a week during the hospitalization period. Method A (proven + probable groups vs non IFI) and Method B (proven + probable + possible groups vs. non IFI) variables were determined to assess the sensitivity, specifity and predictive values.RESULTS: In method A; BG test's sensitivity, specifity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) was determined as 68.75%, 84.1%, 52.4%, 91.4% respectively. In method B (proven + probable + possible groups vs. non IFI) BG test sensitivity, specifity, PPV, NPV was determined as 60%, 88.9%, 71.4%, and 82.8% respectively.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Depending on our data and present literature; we conclude that BG and GM is a non-invasive contributory test for the diagnosis of IFI The current treatment of the symptomatic extremity
GİRİŞ ve AMAÇ: İnvaziv fungal enfeksiyonlar (IFE) sıklıkla immün süpresif hastalarda görülmektedir. Antifungal tedavi başarısı için erken tanı anahtar öneme sahiptir. Betaglucan (BG) testi mucormikoz ve kriptokoklar dışında birçok mantar patojeni tespit edebilir. Bu çalışmada betaglucan düzeyinin hematolojik kanserli ve IFE'li hastalarda tanısal bir araç olarak değerlendirmeyi amaçladık.YÖNTEM ve GEREÇLER: Indüksiyon veya konsolidasyon tedavisi alan, klinik ve radyolojik IFE bulguları olmayan 14 günden uzun süreli nötropeni beklentisi olan 46 hasta çalışmaya dahil edildi. Hastanede yattıkları süre içerisinde haftada 2 defa kan galaktmannan (GM) ve BG düzeyleri ölçüldü. Sensitivite, spesifite ve öngörğlen değerlerin yorumlanması için Metod A (kanıtlanmış + muhtemel grup vs non-IFE) ve Metod B (kanıtlanmış + muhtemel +olası grup vs non-IFE ) değişkenleri tanımlandı.BULGULAR: Metod A'da; BG testinin sensitivitesi, spesifitesi, pozitif öngörülen değer (PÖD), Negatif öngörülen değer (NÖD) sırasıyla %68.75, %84.1, %52.4, %91.4 olarak tespit edildi. Metod B'de; BG testinin sensitivitesi, spesifitesi, PÖD, NÖD sırasıyla %60, %88.9, %71.4, %82.8 olarak tespit edildi.Hiçbir hastada ameliyat içi istenmeyen durum olmadı. Cerrahi gruptaki 3 hastaya embolizasyon uygulandı. Postoperatif takiplerde 1 hastada enfeksiyon, 2 hastada nüks saptandı.TARTIŞMA ve SONUÇ: Bizim verilerimiz ve mevcut literature dayanarak BG ve GM'nin IFE tanısına katkı sağlayan non-invaziv test olduğu sonucuna vardık.
In this study, a novel integrated method including CRITIC (Criteria Importance Through Inter-Criteria Correlation) and ORESTE (Organisation, Rangement Et Synth&e De DonnCes Relarionnelles) methods ...from MCDM (multi-criteria decision making) methods and aiming to solve the problem of inconsistency in the ORESTE method has been proposed. Since the ORESTE method only considers the ordering of alternatives and criteria, a conflict may occur due to the different ordering of each alternative in the criteria. To solve the conflict problem in the second step of the ORESTE method, it is proposed to create the preference density matrix of the alternatives by using the CRITIC weights of the criteria, and to calculate the net flow values with reference to the PROMETHEE II (Preference Ranking Organization Method for Encrichment Evaluations II) method (C-ORESTE III). The CRITIC method is used because the relationship between the criteria is as important as the alternatives in calculating the normalized preference intensities. To test the validity and applicability of the proposed method, an application is made to the logistics center location problem within the scope of green logistics.
Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) can occur after coronary interventions despite protective measures. We evaluated the effect of urinary system contrast blush grading for predicting ...post-procedure CI-AKI in 486 patients with chronic coronary artery disease. Patient characteristics and blood samples were collected. Urinary system contrast blush grade was recorded during the coronary angiography and interventions. Post-procedure third to fourth day blood samples were collected for diagnosis of CI-AKI. The median age of the patients was 61 years (53-70, interquartile range), and 194 (39.9%) participants were female. Contrast-induced acute kidney injury occurred in 78 (16%) patients. By comparing full and reduced models with the likelihood ratio test, it was observed that in the reduced model, factors such as age, diabetes mellitus, body weight–adapted contrast media (CM), hemoglobin, and urinary system blush were associated with CI-AKI presence. The probability of CI-AKI presence increased slightly from grade 0 to 1 blush, but it increased sharply grade from 1 to 2 blush. According to our results, an increase in body weight–adapted CM and urinary blush grading were the main predictors of CI-AKI. These findings suggest that when body weight–adapted CM ratio exceeds 3.5 mL/kg and urinary contrast blush reaches grade 2, the patients should be followed up more carefully for the development of CI-AKI.
Turner syndrome (TS) is a chromosomal disorder caused by complete or partial X chromosome monosomy that manifests various clinical features depending on the karyotype and on the genetic background of ...affected girls. This study aimed to systematically investigate the key clinical features of TS in relationship to karyotype in a large pediatric Turkish patient population.
Our retrospective study included 842 karyotype-proven TS patients aged 0-18 years who were evaluated in 35 different centers in Turkey in the years 2013-2014.
The most common karyotype was 45,X (50.7%), followed by 45,X/46,XX (10.8%), 46,X,i(Xq) (10.1%) and 45,X/46,X,i(Xq) (9.5%). Mean age at diagnosis was 10.2±4.4 years. The most common presenting complaints were short stature and delayed puberty. Among patients diagnosed before age one year, the ratio of karyotype 45,X was significantly higher than that of other karyotype groups. Cardiac defects (bicuspid aortic valve, coarctation of the aorta and aortic stenosis) were the most common congenital anomalies, occurring in 25% of the TS cases. This was followed by urinary system anomalies (horseshoe kidney, double collector duct system and renal rotation) detected in 16.3%. Hashimoto's thyroiditis was found in 11.1% of patients, gastrointestinal abnormalities in 8.9%, ear nose and throat problems in 22.6%, dermatologic problems in 21.8% and osteoporosis in 15.3%. Learning difficulties and/or psychosocial problems were encountered in 39.1%. Insulin resistance and impaired fasting glucose were detected in 3.4% and 2.2%, respectively. Dyslipidemia prevalence was 11.4%.
This comprehensive study systematically evaluated the largest group of karyotype-proven TS girls to date. The karyotype distribution, congenital anomaly and comorbidity profile closely parallel that from other countries and support the need for close medical surveillance of these complex patients throughout their lifespan.
The incidence of varicocele is approximately 15% in adolecent men. Early treatment with varicocele is aimed to resolve testicular hypotrophy and ensure catch-up growth. The aim of this study was to ...evaluate ipsilateral catch-up growth rates relative to contralateral testicular growth in adolescents with varicocele undergoing microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy.
Fifty adolescents with unilateral grade 2-3 varicoceles were included in the study. All patients underwent microsurgical subinguinal left varicocelectomies performed by the same experienced surgeon. All patients were evaluated clinically and using orchidometric measurements to define the grade of varicocele and testicular volume at presentation and follow-up. The number of internal and external spermatic veins, testicular arteries and lymphatic vessels preserved during the subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy were recorded. The mean follow-up period was 26 months (range 6-48 months).
At presentation, mean patient age was 12.9±2.1 years. Mean testicular preoperative volumes were 7.1±4.3 mL for the right and 5.4±3.4 mL for the left testis. There were significant differences between mean volumes of the right and left testis (p=0.002). At the final postoperative follow-up visit, mean testicular volumes were 10.8±5.1 mL (range 3-25) for the right and 9.9±4.3 mL (range 2-20) for the left, and the difference between the right and left testicular volumes was insignificant (p=0.47). In our series, catch-up growth was observed in 70% (35/50) of our patients.
Adolescent varicocelectomy is associated with a higher percentage of patients showing testicular catch-up growth. In our study, similarly to the available literature the catch-up growth rate was found as 70% and observed to have positive effects of adolescent varicocelectomy on testicular growth.
PDF
