Evaluation of thrombophilic risk factors in patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism: Single center experience

To evaluate the thrombophilic risk factors and incidence in patients presenting at the hematology outpatient clinic for further investigation after the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. A total of 15 cases [8 male, 7 female] with the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and referred to hematology clinic for investigating thrombophilic risk factors were retrospectively evaluated. Thrombophilic screening tests for these patients are as follows: factor V leiden [FVL], prothrombin G20210 A [PTG] and methylentetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR C677 T] gene mutations, protein C [PC], protein S [PS] and antithrombin III [AT III] deficiency, active protein C resistance [APC-R], antinuclear antibodies [ANA], anti ds DNA, anticardiolipin antibodies IgM and IgG, lupus anticoagulant, homocysteine and factor VIII levels were investigated. The commonest thrombophilic defect was MTHFR C677T gene mutation [n=12] [80%].Single defect [n=4] was found at a rate of 26.6%, double defects [n=2] 13.3%, triple defects [n=5] 33.3% and four defects [n=3] 20%. One patient had no defects. In this retrospective study carried out in patients with pulmonary embolism, MTHFR gene mutation was found to be the commonest cause for hereditary thrombophilia as a single risk factor and/or together with other thrombophilic risk factors

Prevalence of neuropathy and relationship with risk factors in diabetic patients: a single-center experience

To determine the rate of distal symmetrical polyneuropathy [DSP] in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, to evaluate the role of history, neurological examination and the electrodiagnostic methods in the diagnosis of DSP, and to determine the association between electromyography-supported neuropathy [ESN], neuropathic complaints [NCs] and risk factors. A total of 191 type 2 DM patients [109 female, 82 male; mean age 58.7 +/- 10 years] were recruited. The NCs were recorded. All patients had electromyographic [EMG] examinations. The relationship between ESN, NCs and risk factors were evaluated. Of the 191 patients, 83 [43.5%] had DSP on EMG examinations and 92 [48.2%] patients suffered from NCs. Among the ESN patients, a significant relationship existed with HbA1[c] level, illness duration, smoking, male gender or insulin usage [p < 0.05] but not with age, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or hypertriglyceridemia. The frequency of NCs was higher in patients with ESN. There was also a significant association between NCs and ESN [p < 0.05]. The presence of NCs was not related to age, gender, smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia [p > 0.05] but NCs were correlated to HbA1[c] level, illness duration and insulin usage [p < 0.05]. Our data show that a strong association exists between the presence of DSP and illness duration, HbA1[c], smoking, thereby indicating that cessation of smoking and near normal glycemic control would be additional precautions to delay the beginning or progression of polyneuropathy