Caregiver burden and related factors in caregivers of patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Clinical Rheumatology - Having a child with a chronic illness is a source of stress for the whole family, especially the primary caregiver. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations...     

Ventral Hernia Repair: a Practical Point of View

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of PVP-I liposome hydrogel on intraperitoneal postoperative adhesions. Material and Methods: Thirty Wistar-Albino male rats were randomly divided into three groups. After midline laparotomy, a 1 cm² area of the caecum was abraded with a sterile gauze until subserosal haemorrhage had developed. A 1 χ 1 cm patch of peritoneum located opposite of caecal abrasion was completely dissected. In group 1 (control group, C) adhesion induction was performed and nothing was applied to the wounds. In group 2 and 3, PVP-I solution (3%) (group 2, PI) and PVP-I liposome hydrogel (group 3, PIL) were applied to the caecal abrasion areas and peritoneal defects. Adhesions were classified according to a classification system based on the evaluation of the appearance, extent and strength of the adhesions on postoperative 21^st day.

Results: There was no significant difference of the adhesion scores between the groups (U1 = 45, p > 0.05; U2 = 48, p > 0.05; U3 = 47.5, p > 0.05).

Conclusions: We found that PVP liposome hydrogel did not influence postoperative intraabdominal adhesions and should be further explored for its potential use in various intraabdominal procedures.     

Prognostic factors in prosthetic replacement for acute proximal humerus fractures

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of some epidemiological and radiologic factors on the outcome of prosthetic replacement in acute proximal humerus fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study. PATIENTS: Thirty-two patients [mean age 58 (range 37-83 years)] with a mean follow-up period of 35 months (range 8-80 months). Fifteen cases had Neer type IV, 2 had type III, and 15 patients had fracture-dislocations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Neer's criteria, Constant score, and elevation degree were used. Radiological parameters were union and position of the tuberosities, bone stock, and position of the prosthesis. RESULTS: Excellent or good results according to Neer's criteria were obtained in 24 of the 32 cases (75%), and unsatisfactory results in 8 cases (25%). Mean Constant score was 68 (range 19-98) and mean elevation degree 113 (range 30-180). Thirty-one cases (97%) had no or mild pain. Cases operated within 14 days following injury had a better general outcome (p = 0.005). The humeral offset was directly correlated to the elevation degree (p = 0.011) and Constant score (p = 0.002), whereas the head height was inversely correlated to the same parameters (p = 0.001 for both). The cutoff point for the humeral offset-general outcome correlation was calculated as 23 mm using ROC curve analysis. The most common complications were problems concerning the tuberosities (50%), and they adversely affected the clinical outcome (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative delay, problems of tuberosity fixation, and position of the tuberosities were parameters influencing the clinical outcome. Lateralization of the tuberosities results in better scores, whereas their distal transfer can be related to a poorer outcome.     

Effect of honey on intestinal morphology, intraabdominal adhesions and anastomotic healing

In the present study, attempts have been made to determine the effects of honey on intestinal morphology, postoperative adhesions, and the healing of colonic anastomoses in the rats after colonic resection and anastomosis. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into three groups each including 12 animals. Colonic resection and anastomosis were performed on all animals. Rats were fed with standard rat chow in group I, standard rat chow plus 10 g/kg/day honey in group II and artificial honey including the same caloric amount with honey in group III. Adhesion scores, bursting pressures and histopathological examinations were evaluated. Colonic bursting pressures of honey group were significantly better than control and artificial honey groups. Histological analysis of anastomotic site showed that submucosa and muscularis propria were nearly filled with granulation tissue and regular fibrin matrix in honey group. There was statistically significant difference between the adhesion scores of honey vs artificial honey and control groups. The scores of histological changes of ileum in honey group were significantly different from other groups. These results indicate a protective role of honey against intraabdominal adhesions and anastomotic dehiscence.     

Effects of honey as a scolicidal agent on the hepatobiliary system

AIM： To examine the effects of 10% diluted honey, which has been shown to be scolicidal, on the liver and biliary system and determine whether it could be used as a scolicidal agent in the presence of biliary-cystic communication. METHODS： Thirty Wistar-Albino rats were divided into two groups. Honey with 10% dilution in the study group and 0.9% saline （NaCI） in the control group were injected into the common bile ducts of rats through a 3-mm duodenotomy. The animals were sacrificed 6 mo alter the procedure. Histopathological, biochemical, and radiological examinations were performed for evaluation of side effects. RESULTS： At the end of the sixth month, liver function tests were found to be normal in both groups. The tissue samples of liver and ductus choledochus of the honey group showed no histomorphologic difference from the control group. No stricture on the biliary tree was detected on the retrograde cholangiograms. CONCLUSION： According to these results, we concluded that 10% diluted honey could be used as scolicidal agent safely in the presence of biliary-cystic communication.     

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and CA 19-9 levels

AIM： To prospectively investigate serum CA 19-9 levels in type 2 diabetic patients in comparison with age and gender-matched control subjects.
METHODS： We recorded duration of diabetes and examined fasting glucose levels, HbAlc levels and serum CA 19-9 levels in 76 type 2 diabetic patients and 76 controls. Abdominal CT was performed in order to eliminate abdominal malignancy in the diabetic and control groups.
RESULTS： The average CA 19-9 level was 46.0 ± 22.4 U/mL for diabetic patients whereas it was 9.97± 7.1 U/mL for the control group （P 〈 0.001 ）. Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between diabetes and CA 19-9 independent from age, gender, glucose level and HbAlc level （t = 8.8, P 〈 001 ）. Two of the diabetic patients were excluded from the study because of abdominal malignancy shown by CT at the initial evaluation. For all patients, abdominal CT showed no pancreatic abnormalities.
CONCLUSION： CA 19-9 is a tumor-associated antigen, which is elevated in pancreatic, upper gastrointestinal tract, ovarian hepatocellular, and colorectal cancers, as well as in inflammatory conditions of the hepatobiliary system, biliary obstruction and in thyroid diseases. Diabetes has been claimed to be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer, which is increasing its incidence and has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers. CA 19-9 is used in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer but is also a marker of pancreatic tissue damage that might be caused by diabetes. We propose that a higher cutoff value of CA 19-9 should be used in diabetics to differentiate benign and malignant pancreatic disease, and subtle elevations of CA 19-9 in diabetics should be considered as the indication of exocrine pancreatic dysfunction.     

Propolis reduces bacterial translocation and intestinal villus atrophy in experimental obstructive jaundice

AIM: To investigate the effects of propolis on bacterial translocation and ultrastructure of intestinal morphology in experimental obstructive jaundice. METHODS: Thirty Wistar-Albino male rats were randomly divided into three groups, each including 10 animals: group—effect on ileal mucosa and reduced bacterial translocation in the experimental obstructive jaundice model. Further studies should be carried out to explain the mechanisms of these effects.     

The genotoxic effects in lymphocyte cultures of children treated with radiosynovectomy by using yttrium-90 citrate colloid

The aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic effect on the peripheral blood lymphocytes potentially induced by yttrium-90 citrate colloid (Y-90) in children who were undergoing radiosynovectomy for hemophilic synovitis, using chromosomal aberration analysis (CA) and the micronuclei (MN) assay for detecting chromosomal aberrations, as well as the sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) technique for assessed DNA damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytogenetic analyses were undertaken in 18 boys (mean age, 14.5 +/- 2.1 years) with hemophilic synovitis who underwent radiosynovectomy with Y-90. CA, MN, and SCE were evaluated just prior to, then at 2 and 90 days following radiosynovectomy from the peripheral lymphocytes of the children. An activity of 185 MBq of Y-90 was injected into the 18 knee joints under aseptic conditions. To check the possibility of leakage from the joint and its migration within the body, the patients underwent scanning under a dual-headed gamma camera at the hours 2 and 48 following the procedure. RESULTS: The procedure was well tolerated in all the children, and there was no extra-articular activity owing to extra-articular leakage of radioactive material in whole-body imaging. The mean frequency of CA in lymphocytes determined prior to the onset of therapy (0.31 +/- 0.48/900 cells) was not significantly increased, in comparison to the control values obtained 2 (0.30 +/- 0.48/900 cells) and 90 days (0.15 +/- 0.37/900 cells) after radiosynovectomy (p = 1.0 and 0.625, respectively). We observed that MN frequency was mildly increased in lymphocytes 2 days after therapy (8.30 +/- 1.89 MN/1000 binucleated cells vs. 9.23 +/- 1.79 MN/1000 binucleated cells; p = 0.013). But there was no significant difference between the baseline and the day 90 control levels of MN (p = 0.196). In the analysis of SCE frequency, there were no significant differences between the baseline (8.11 +/- 0.77) and the control analysis performed 2 and 90 days following radiosynovectomy (8.18 +/- 0.77 and 8.07 +/- 0.74; p = 0.710 and 0.662, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that high radiation doses are not obtained by peripheral lymphocytes of children who undergo Y-90 radiosynovectomy and, therefore, they contradict a high cancer risk.     

Peritoneal hydatid cyst perforation: a rare cause of emergency abdominal surgeries

Introduction  In hydatid cyst disease, perforation and spontaneous fistula formation are rare, yet very serious, complications. In this study we describe five cases of hydatid cyst disease in which the cysts perforated. Methods  In this retrospective study we evaluated five patients who were surgically treated for perforated hydatid cysts between 2002 and 2006. All patients were admitted to a local hospital with acute abdominal symptoms. Results  The mean age of the patients (four males and one female) was 39 years. The perforations occurred spontaneously in four patients, and were the result of trauma in one. Three of the hydatid cysts were located in the liver and two in the spleen. Only one patient had a recurrent hydatid cyst. Diagnostic tools included ultrasonography (n=5), computerized tomography (n=1), and diagnostic peritoneal lavage (n=1). The cysts were treated by radical (n=2) or conservative (n=3) methods. There was no postoperative morbidity or mortality, and no recurrences of hydatid disease after follow-up (mean: 14 months). Conclusion  Cyst perforation in the peritoneal cavity is a serious complication of hydatid disease and should be treated immediately. The literature suggests that recurrences may be related to the operative technique, the location of the cyst, and inadequate irrigation of the peritoneal cavity with scolicidal agents. The findings of this study suggest that if treated promptly, cyst perforation can be successfully treated.