ABSTRACT
The objective of the following study is to clarify a suitable group whereby a bone scan could be spared at the initial staging of prostate cancer, we wished to identify the possible relationship between bone metastasis and clinical and pathological parameters including serum total prostate specific antigen [PSA] concentration, alkaline phosphatase [ALP], biopsy Gleason Score [GS], and percentage of pathological cores. We reviewed the results of 220 bone scintigraphies, which were done between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2013 in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. These parameters were evaluated together with standard clinicopathological data to determine the prediction ability of the bone scan by univariate and multivariate analyses. Bone metastases were seen in 44 patients of all 220 patients [20%, 95% confidence interval, 17-24%]. In univariate analysis, PSA and biopsy GS were useful in predicting the bone scan result, but ALP and percentage of pathological cores was not. In multivariate analysis, the single most useful parameter in predicting the bone scan result was PSA [P < 0.001]. A bone scan seems to be impractical in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients with serum PSA level <20 ng/ml and GS up to seven and pre-treatment PSA is the best predictor of the need for the bone scan according to results of this study
ABSTRACT
To investigate the effects of lidocaine on the morphology of saphenous veins [SVs] harvested during coronary artery bypass graft [CABG] surgery. This experimental study was conducted at the Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, between May and September 2007. The SVs from 11 patients who underwent CABG surgery were divided into 3 segments. Each segment from the same location of the grafts was allocated into 3 groups as control group [group C], physiologic saline group [group PS], and lidocaine group [group L]. Nitric oxide synthase [NOS], nitric oxide [NO] pool, super oxide dismutase [SOD], and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS] levels were measured in the samples from the groups. Histologic specimens were evaluated according to previously defined criteria, and scored accordingly. Histological examination of the grafts in groups L and C were similar, but histological scoring of grafts in group PS were statistically higher than group C [p=0.008]. Nitric oxide synthase activity and NO pool were higher in groups L and PS than in group C [p=0.010]. Super oxide dismutase activity was higher in group L than in group PS [p=0.008]. Super oxide dismutase activity was lower in group PS than in group C [p=0.047]. There was no significant difference between TBARS level in all groups. Our results indicate that primary damage might occur during surgery due to traumatic handling of the graft, and succeeding injuries could occur due to ischemia-reperfusion injury during the waiting period. Adding lidocaine to the preservation solution will protect later injury