Evaluation of the effect of retrograde intrarenal surgery with myo-inositol oxygenase

Objective: To investigate the effect of retrograde intra-renal surgery [RIRS] on kidneys using the myoinositol oxygenase [MIOX] enzyme. MIOX is a renal tubular-specific novel marker for the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury

Methods: A total of twenty seven individuals that had undergone RIRS to treat kidney stones were included in the study. Biochemical tests were performed on serum samples collected immediately before RIRS [hour 0] and at the 6th and 24th hours after the surgery

Results: The creatinine value at hour 6 was lower than the baseline [hour 0] value [p = 0.0305]. Cystatin C at hour 6 was lower than the value measured at hour 24 [p = 0.0142]. Similarly, MIOX was lower at hour 6 compared to hour 24 [p = 0.0214]. MIOX/creatinine at hour 6 was lower than the value calculated at hour 24 [p = 0.0348]. The basal values of MIOX and creatinine were found to have a positive correlation [correlation coefficient r = 0.5946, p = 0.0035]

Conclusions: Similar to the serum creatinine, the serum MIOX level provides information about kidney functions. RIRS was confirmed to be a safe procedure for the treatment of acute kidney injury with no negative effects on the kidneys

Comparing the effects of two different contact lenses on corneal reepithelialization after corneal collagen cross-linking

Objective: To investigate whether keratoconus [KC] patients who applied the corneal collagen cross-linking [CXL] and two different contact lens [CL] showed any differences in complaints and findings following the CXL

Methods: This prospective, comparative, double-blind clinical study involved 60 eyes of 60 patients [38 female and 22 male]. At the end of the CXL procedure, CL [Balafilcon A] was inserted in 29 patients [Group-1] while CL with different material content [Hioxifilcon A] designed for therapeutic/bandage purposes were inserted in 31 patients [Group-2]

Results: On the 1[st] and 3[th] day after the CXL, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of the postoperative symptoms. On the 3[th] day after the CXL, all cases of both two groups were found to complete the corneal re-epithelialization. There was more PE ratio in the patients who had allergic conjunctivitis

Conclusions: With the use of Balafilcon A and Hioxifilcon A lens materials, KC patients who underwent the CXL were found to have similar symptoms and clinical findings after the CXL. However, epithelial staining and PE were observed more in KC cases accompanied by allergic conjunctivitis

Protective effects of etanercept and methylprednisolone on pancreatic damage in cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis

To examine the pharmacological effect of etanercept and methylprednisolone [MP] on acute pancreatitis [AP] induced by cerulein in an experimental rat model. The present study was carried out in the Experimental Research Center, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey between December 2008 and October 2009. Forty adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups [n=8]:1- sham, 2 - cerulein induced pancreatitis [over 20 hours], 3 - etanercept [5mg/kg, intraperitoneal], 4- MP [10mg/ kg, intramuscular], 5- etanercept plus MP. The rats in groups 3,4 and 5 were cerulean-induced pancreatitis at 20 hours, as well. After the treatment, the pancreas and blood were taken for histopathological and biochemical analysis. All cerulein-treated rats developed biochemical and histopathological AP after 20 hours. Histological findings of pancreatitis and serum levels of amylase and lipase were lower in group 5 compared to group 2. Pancreatic inflammation and total pathological score were statistically reduced in the tissues of the pancreas at 20 hours after the treatment of etanercept plus MP in group 5 compared to groups 2,3 and 4.In the early stage of cerulein induced AP, the administration of etanercept plus MP attenuated pancreatic inflammation and significant damage in rats