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Biomedical subjects

I Ercan

Publications and source records attributed to I Ercan.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Nm23 expression in node-positive and node-negative endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between the expression of protein Nm23 and surgical stage, histologic grade, histopathologic findings, and survival in women with endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: 19 patients with lymph node involvement were matched with 24 patients without lymph node involvement and the best paraffin-embedded blocks were selected for Nm23 immunohistochemical staining. The slides were evaluated semiquantitatively according to their degree of cytoplasmic staining. Statistical analysis was performed to determine whether there was a relationship between Nm23 expression and surgical stage, histologic grade, depth of myometrial invasion, lymph node metastasis, and/or lymphovascular space involvement. Survival analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Slides from 15 patients (79%) with lymph node involvement and 22 patients (88%) without lymph node involvement were found to be positive for Nm23 (P=0.01). No significant relations were observed between Nm23 expression and surgical stage, histologic grade, depth of myometrial invasion, or lymphovascular space involvement. Nm23 expression was found to be significantly related to lower rates of lymph node metastasis and longer survival (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Elevated Nm23 expression is related to lower rates of lymph node metastasis and longer survival.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed2006

Relationship between the affected ear in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and habitual head-lying side during bedrest.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between the habitual head position during bedrest and the affected ear in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective trial of patients with active BPPV of the posterior semicircular canal, confirmed on physical examination. METHODS: Seventy-five patients were asked to explain the head position and lying side they were accustomed to before falling asleep in bed. RESULTS: Fifty patients (67 per cent) habitually adopted a lateral head position during bedrest. The ear affected by BPPV was found to be consistent with the head-lying side during bedrest in 43 cases (86 per cent) (29 cases for the right ear and 14 cases for the left ear). CONCLUSION: Habitual lateral head-positioning during bedrest can be a major factor leading to the development of BPPV in the ipsilateral ear.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Vitiligo and ocular findings: a study on possible associations.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the ocular findings in vitiligo patients and reveal any clinical feature that might suggest an association or a risk factor. BACKGROUND: Very few reports in the literature are available about the ocular findings in vitiligo and the possible associations of the ocular findings in vitiligo patients have not been studied so far. METHODS: A total of 45 patients with previously documented cutaneous vitiligo were examined for ocular findings. Demographic features including age, gender, duration of vitiligo, presence of associated autoimmune diseases, type of vitiligo and the anatomical distributions of vitiligo were recorded to evaluate a possible relationship with the ocular findings. Univariate and multivariate analyses as well as cluster analysis were performed. After description of the clusters, the Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher's exact test were used to determine the variables. Concordance among the variables in each group was evaluated with the McNemar test. RESULTS: Ten patients had ocular findings that included anterior segment (iris) involvement, ring-like peripapillary atrophy around the optic nerve, atrophy of pigment epithelium, focal hypopigmented spots and diffuse hypopigmentation. The presence of periorbital vitiligo was significantly related to the ocular findings. Cluster analysis revealed concordances between periorbital and genitalial localizations of vitiligo and ocular findings. CONCLUSION: The number of patients and the range of ocular findings in our study are insufficient to make definite conclusions but anatomical localizations, primarily periorbital and to a lesser extent genitalial vitiligo, seem to be the most probably alerting features for ocular findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

High-grade and low-grade gliomas: differentiation by using perfusion MR imaging.

AIM: Relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) is a commonly used perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for the evaluation of tumour grade. Relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) has been less studied. The goal of our study was to determine the usefulness of these parameters in evaluating the histopathological grade of the cerebral gliomas. METHODS: This study involved 33 patients (22 high-grade and 11 low-grade glioma cases). MRI was performed for all tumours by using a first-passage gadopentetate dimeglumine T2*-weighted gradient-echo single-shot echo-planar sequence followed by conventional MRI. The rCBV and rCBF were calculated by deconvolution of an arterial input function. The rCBV and rCBF ratios of the lesions were obtained by dividing the values obtained from the normal white matter of the contralateral hemisphere. For statistical analysis Mann-Whitney testing was carried out. A p value of less than 0.05 indicated a statistically significant difference. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the rCBV and rCBF ratios and grade of gliomas. Their cut-off value permitting discrimination was calculated. The correlation between rCBV and CBF ratios and glioma grade was assessed using Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: In high-grade gliomas, rCBV and rCBF ratios were measured as 6.50+/-4.29 and 3.32+/-1.87 (mean+/-SD), respectively. In low-grade gliomas, rCBV and rCBF ratios were 1.69+/-0.51 and 1.16+/-0.38, respectively. The rCBV and rCBF ratios for high-grade gliomas were statistically different from those of low-grade gliomas (p < 0.001). The rCBV and CBF ratios were significantly matched with respect to grade, but difference between the two areas was not significant (ROC analysis, p > 0.05). The cut-off value was taken as 1.98 in the rCBV ratio and 1.25 in the rCBF ratio. There was a strong correlation between the rCBV and CBF ratios (Pearson correlation = 0.830, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Perfusion MRI is useful in the preoperative assessment of the histopathologicalal grade of gliomas; the rCBF ratio in addition to the rCBV ratio can be incorporated in MR perfusion analysis for the evaluation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Therapy, outcome and analysis of c-kit expression in patients with extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics with special emphasis on c-kit expression and the treatment results of patients with extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (EPSCC). The medical records of the patients with EPSCC were reviewed, and the data regarding patient and tumour characteristics, treatment and clinical outcome were retrieved and analysed. A total of 28 patients with the diagnosis of EPSCC were identified. There were 19 males and 9 females, with a mean age of 56.5 years. Patients with limited disease (LD) (n = 13) were treated with surgery, chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy with different sequences. Patients with extensive disease (ED) (n = 15) were mainly treated with combination CT. The median overall survival was 14.5 months in patients with LD compared to 11 months in those with ED (p = 0.029). Ten patients (36%) showed c-kit overexpression. There was no significant difference between the survival of c-kit-positive and c-kit-negative patients (p = 0.367). In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the prognosis of EPSCC is poor despite currently available treatments. C-kit may be considered as a potential target for novel therapeutical approaches.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Comparison of the serum erythropoietin levels in chemotherapy-naive and cisplatin-treated cancer patients.

There are conflicting data about the effects of cisplatin on erythropoietin (EPO) response to anemia. Aim of our study was to investigate whether endogenous EPO response to anemia in cisplatin treated patients was insufficient in comparison to the anemic chemotherapy-naive cancer patients and non cancer patients with iron deficiency anemia. Patients who had hemoglobin (Hb) levels of less than 110 g/l were included in the study. Fifteen chemotherapy- naive cancer patients were enrolled in Group A. Group B consisted of 15 patients who had been treated with three cycles of cisplatin chemotherapy and then became anemic and in Group C were included 15 patients who had iron deficiency anemia, without any malignancy. The mean Hb values were not different between all groups (102.8+/-39.8 g/l, 103.1+/-2.5 g/l and 99.3+/-3.6 g/l in Group A, Group B and Group C, respectively). However, EPO levels were found to be significantly lower in Group A and Group B than Group C (29.63+/-9.09 mU/ml, 20.87+/-2.43 mU/ml and 85.38+/-25.72 mU/ml, respectively; p=0.017 Group A vs. Group C, p=0.005 Group B vs. Group C). No significant difference was found between Group A and B (p=0.917). Opposite the iron deficiency anemia, cancer anemia is associated with an inadequate EPO response to anemia and administration of cisplatin does not lead to it further deterioration.

Anemia↗
PubMed2004

Necrotizing pneumonia in children.

AIM: Clinical features and outcome of 36 patients with necrotizing pneumonia (NP) as well as 36 children with parapneumonic effusions (PPE) and 36 with severe control pneumonia (CP) were investigated. The mean age of the patients in the NP, PPE and CP groups were similar (3.8 +/- 3.3 (mean +/- SD), 4.2 +/- 3.0 and 4.2 +/- 3.0 y, respectively (p > 0.05)). The duration of symptoms at presentation were 11.9 +/- 8.5, 9.2 +/- 7.2 and 6 +/- 3.6 d, respectively (p < 0.01). The diagnosis of NP was established by computerized tomography. The mean (mean +/- SD) laboratory results in patients with NP revealed a white blood cell (WBC) count of 19,300 +/- 8700/mm3, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 71 +/- 22 mm/h, C-reactive protein (CRP) of 13.6 +/- 11.7 mg/dl and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of 66 +/- 132 U/L. The values of WBC, ESR, CRP and AST in the NP group were significantly higher than those of the other groups (p < 0.001). The duration of hospitalization in the NP, PPE and CP groups was 26 +/- 9, 16 +/- 6 and 10 +/- 5 d, respectively (p < 0.001). The number of febrile days was 8 +/- 4, 4 +/- 3 and 3 +/- 3 (p < 0.001), and the duration of normalization of CRP was 14 +/- 4, 11 +/- 4 and 7 +/- 3 d (p < 0.001), respectively. The average cost of treatment was 3476 US dollars, 1646 US dollars and 844 US dollars, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: All NP patients except two (94%) were complicated with PPE. The effusion in patients with NP and PPE was complicated with bronchopleural fistula (55% and 0%, respectively, p < 0.001). Surgical treatment was required in 66%, 8% and 0% in patients with NP, PPE and CP, respectively (p < 0.001). The mortality rate was 5.5%, 2.7% and 0% (p > 0.05).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

The progression of maternal RSV antibodies in the offspring.

The concentrations of maternal anti-RSV IgG antibodies were followed in 49 healthy newborns over the first six months of life. At birth, 41 mothers (83%) tested positive for anti-RSV IgG and all of their babies carried maternal anti-RSV IgG. Anti-RSV IgG positivity dropped to 73% at 1 month, 6% at 3 months, and 2% at 6 months. Between 3 and 6 months, 8% did acquire RSV infection, half of them as acute bronchiolitis and half as non-specific respiratory infection. All of the patients who acquired clinical RSV disease had an antibody concentration of <20 RU/ml which may be the cut off value for protection.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗
PubMed2003

Survival analysis of the factors affecting in mortality in injured patients requiring dialysis due to acute renal failure during the Marmara earthquake: survivors vs non-survivors.

BACKGROUND: We reviewed medical records of dialyzed patients admitted to our hospital after the Marmara earthquake and evaluated the factors affecting mortality in survivors and non-survivors according to the survival times. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Crush syndrome (CS) was diagnosed in 110 patients. Dialysis treatment was initiated in 60 patients; 21 of all died. The patients were divided into 2 groups which consisted of 39 survivors (Group A, 25 male, 14 female, mean age: 31 +/- 2.2 years) and 21 non-survivors (Group B, 9 male, 12 female, mean age: 27 +/- 3.0 years). Victims treated by any form of renal replacement therapy, including daily or intermittant hemodialysis and/or continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration. Clinical and laboratory findings were recorded regularly. Statistical analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier method, log rank test and Cox regression analysis for the survival functions. RESULTS: APACHE II scores were 13.5 +/- 0.5 for Group A and 13 +/- 0.9 for Group B. Dialysis support was started to patients in Group A in a mean period of 2.8 +/- 0.2 days and in Group B in a mean period of 3.7 +/- 0.6 days after the earthquake (p > 0.05). The most frequent site of trauma was lower extremity (61.5%) and upper + lower extremities (23%) in Group A, and lower extremity (38.1%) and trunk + lower extremity (23.8%) in Group B. The frequencies of abdominal trauma, pelvic fracture and thoracic trauma in Group B were 23.8%, 19% and 14.2%, respectively. Multiple trauma was more frequent in Group B than in Group A (42.8% vs 2.5%). The rates of fasciotomy, amputation and surgery were similar in both groups. The frequency of sepsis was higher in non-survivors. In our center, the overall mortality rate was 8%, mortality rate in CS was 21% and in dialyzed patients it was 35%. Mortality was mainly associated with sepsis. Survival periods (52.3 +/- 4.0 days) in Group A were longer than in Group B (17.3 +/- 2.5 days). With Cox regression analysis, the parameters such as systolic hypotension on admission, female gender, high serum peak creatine kinase (> 20,000 U/l) and multiple trauma including thoracic and abdominal regions, were factors increasing risk of mortality. CONCLUSION: As a result, sepsis, multiple trauma and severe crush injury were the main factors increasing mortality risk in dialyzed injuries after the earthquake.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed2000

First experience with transnasal and transseptal endoscopic and microscopic repair of anterior skull base CSF fistulae.

Currently, endoscopic endonasal surgery is a valuable and safe procedure routinely performed for treatment of paranasal sinus disorders. Since the endoscopic technique has become popular in this area, interest has been increased in its possible use for some other indications such as transsphenoidal pituitary and anterior skull base surgery. In this paper, we present our experience in using the nasal endoscope for repair of anterior skull base cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulae. Between 1994-1999, we observed 44 patients with CSF rhinorrhea. Out of 44 patients, 34 had improved with the conservative treatment in two weeks, in 10 patients endoscopic surgery was performed and in one patient endoscopic surgery failed and the defect was repaired with transsphenoidal microscopic surgery. The remaining 9 patients were doing well and no problem was encountered concerning the surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Effects of iron deficiency anemia on hemoglobin A1c in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and iron status in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) has not been adequately studied. In this prospective investigation, we aimed to determine the effect of iron deficiency on HbA1c in diabetic patients who also had insufficient iron stores. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with type 1 DM were included in the study. Eleven of them were also iron deficient (ID) and the remaining 26 were iron-sufficient (IS). Two non-diabetic control groups were selected for the ID and IS groups. All patients with ID were treated with iron at 6 mg/kg per day for 3 months. Glycemia in diabetic patients was monitored at home before breakfast and supper by a glycometer. Hemoglobin A1c was measured in all subjects at the beginning and the end of the study. RESULTS: Patients with ID DM had higher levels of HbA1c than those in the control group (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the weekly average glucose concentration of the patients with ID DM before and after iron supplementation. In contrast, HbA1c decreased from a mean of 10.1 +/- 2.7% to a mean of 8.2 +/- 3.1% (P < 0.05). Additionally, HbA1c in ID non-diabetic patients decreased from a mean of 7.6 +/- 2.6% to 6.2 +/- 1.4% after iron therapy (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that among type 1 DM patients with similar level of glycemia, iron deficiency anemia is associated with higher concentrations of HbA1c. In addition, iron replacement therapy leads to a drop in HbA1c in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. The iron status of the patient must be considered during the interpretation of HbA1c concentrations in type 1 DM.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

C-banding visualized by atomic force microscopy.

C-banding is a method used for studying chromosome rearrangements near centromeres and for investigating polymorphisms. In human chromosomes, the C-bands are located at the centromere of all the chromosomes and the distal long arm of the Y chromosome. In this study, we aimed to detect the structural changes in chromosomes during the stages of C-banding by atomic force microscopy. We observed crater-like structures in the chromosomes after 2xSSC (saline sodium citrate) treatment and measured the relative difference between the heights of chromatid and centromere of the chromosomes. Results showed that the relative difference was 3 nm in chromosomes 1, 9, 16, and Y, whereas in the other chromosomes this value was 11.6 nm. After Giemsa staining, the relative difference increased by a factor of 16 in chromosomes 1, 9, 16, and Y. The other chromosomes showed no such increase, which is in accordance with our suggestion that nonhiston proteins associated with DNA in constitutive heterochromatin can make the constitutive heterochromatin resistant to C-banding.

Azure Stains↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Microincisional cataract surgery (MICS) with pulse and burst modes.

PURPOSE: To compare the amount of ultrasound (US) energy and balanced solution (BS) required for burst mode and pulse mode during bimanual phacoemulsification surgery. METHODS: One hundred cases were divided into two groups (the pulse mode Group 1 [50 eyes], the burst mode Group 2 [50 eyes]). One surgeon (M.B.) performed phaco notemulsification procedures using topical anesthesia with the AMO Sovereign in all patients. The technique was based on the nuclear hardness and surgeon's criteria and performed bimanually. The surgery time, total ultrasound time (UST) and effective US power (USP), and used balanced solution (BS) were retrospectively compared. RESULTS: The mean surgery time, mean UST, and mean used BS volume were not statistically different in both groups (p>0.05). The mean EPT was statistically highly different in both groups (p>0.001). There was a slight tendency toward more surgery time in Group 2 than in Group 1, although the difference was not significant (p=0.146). Statistically significant higher results (Group 1: r=0,889, p<0.001, and Group 2: r=0,834, p<0.001) were seen in Group 1 when both groups were evaluated for the surgery time and used BS volume. When UST and used BS volume were evaluated in Groups 1 and 2, significant relation was seen in both but the correlation is statistically higher in Group 1 (Group 1: r=0,765, p<0.001, and Group 2: r=0,544, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The very low energy modes with the WhiteStar technology are suitable for bimanual cataract surgery.

Acetates↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The role of triple therapy, age, gender and smoking on the genotoxic effects of Helicobacter pylori infection.

The role of age, gender and smoking on both the genotoxic effects of Helicobacter pylori and the efficacy of eradication therapy in a group of patients with gastritis was investigated. Gastritis was confirmed by endoscopy and biopsy, and the presence of H. pylori by urease testing. Pre- and post-treatment peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures were prepared from 17 patients and 25 metaphases per patients were analysed for sister chromatid exchange (SCE), a well-established technique for the evaluation of human exposure to toxic agents. Treatment with omeprazole, clarithromycin and amoxycillin triple therapy eradicated H. pylori in 94% of patients and significantly reduced the SCE frequency. Pre-treatment SCE frequency was found to be positively correlated with age. Female smokers tended to have higher post-treatment SCE frequencies than male smokers, and pre- and post-treatment SCE frequencies were higher in older males than in older females. Eradication therapy decreased the genotoxicity of H. pylori, but age in males and smoking in females may decrease treatment efficacy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Randomized phase 2 study of radiotherapy alone versus radiotherapy with paclitaxel in non-small cell lung cancer.

This randomized phase 2 study aimed to assess and compare the toxicity and response rates in patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer treated with radiotherapy (1.8-2 Gray [Gy] daily, five fractions a week, total 63 Gy) or radiotherapy + paclitaxel administered weekly (1.8 Gy daily, five fractions a week, total 59.4 Gy). Twelve patients in the latter arm received 30 mg/m2 paclitaxel (median six cycles) over a 3-h infusion once weekly. After assessing toxicity, the remaining nine patients received 60 mg/m2 paclitaxel weekly (median six cycles). Response was evaluated radiologically 1 month after treatment. Grade 3 toxicity was 20% and 38% in the radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy groups, respectively. Overall survival rates in complete and objective (complete plus partial) responders and progression-free survival rate of the objective responders were significantly better in the chemoradiotherapy arm. We believe that using paclitaxel in concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimens may be effective in patients with unresectable, locoregionally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Adult↗