Elevated serum hyaluronic acid and interleukin-6 levels in patients with mushroom poisoning admitted to the emergency department

To assess the possible use of hyaluronic acid [HA] and interleukin-6 [IL-6] together as a biochemical marker of liver damage in mushroom poisoning [MP]. We prospectively studied patients with MP who were admitted to the emergency service, between April 2005 and April 2007, Samsun, Turkey. Twenty-seven patients with MP were included in the study. Serum HA and IL-6 levels of the patients were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay daily for a total of 3 days. Ten healthy adults were included in the study to serve as controls. The patients were divided into survivors, and non-survivors. There was no significant difference between the patients and controls with respect to serum HA levels on admission [p > 0.05]. However, IL-6 levels on admission were significantly higher in the patients than the control group [p < 0.01]. Serum HA and IL-6 levels on admission, and the following days were significantly higher in non-surviving patients [n = 5] than in surviving patients [n = 22] [p < 0.05]. There was a significant correlation between HA and IL-6 [r = 0.42, p < 0.05] on admission. The HA concentration was also significantly correlated with aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and creatinine levels during the observation period. Serum HA and IL-6 levels increased in non-surviving patients throughout the period of observation. Increased serum HA and IL-6 levels are associated with hepatic damage in acute MP. Hyaluronic acid may be a useful marker in the assessment of MP-induced acute liver failure in clinical practice

HLA alleles and lung cancer in a Turkish population

Background: The concept of genetic factors playing a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer has gained increased attention. The present study was undertaken to examine the question of HLA association with lung cancer and to investigate the effects of HLA on survival time

Methods: The distribution of HLA class I [A, B, C] antigens and class II [DR, DQ] alleles were studied in 81 unrelated Turkish patients with lung cancer. The HLA status of patients was compared with that of a control group consisting of 117 ethnically matched healthy donors. HLA class I antigens were studied by Terasaki?s microlymphocytotoxicity test and HLA class II alleles were studied by polymerase chain reaction with the sequence specific primer [PCR-SSP] low resolution method

Results: Only the frequencies of HLA-B51 and -DRB1x15 were lower in the lung cancer group compared with the healthy control patients. In a univariate analysis, age [P=0.03], Karnofsky Performance Status [P=0.0001], stage [P=0.01], HLAA24[9] [P=0.008], HLA B53 [P=0.0006], HLA B63[15] [P=0.01], HLA B64[14] [P=0.01], HLA B65[14] [P=0.01] and HLA CW5 [P=0.01] were significant prognostic factors. In a multivariate analysis, Karnofsky Performance Status [P=0.001], stage [P=0.02], HLA B53 [P=0.03] and HLA B64[14] [P=0.03] were independent prognostic variables

Conclusion: This study demonstrates different HLA types among patients with lung cancer and healthy control subjects. Our results suggest that HLA antigens might affect the prognosis in lung cancer. Further investigations are warranted to delineate any possible role of the HLA system in the pathogenesis and prognosis of lung cancer