Autoimmunity affects health-related quality of life in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common endocrine disorder leading to hypothyroidism. HT is characterized by the presence of elevated circulating antibodies, especially anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg). In our study, we aimed to reveal the effects of autoimmunity on health-related quality of life of euthyroid HT patients. Patients who were admitted to the Adnan Menderes University Outpatient Clinic were enrolled. The medical records of the patients were surveyed and their demographical data were collected. By using communication data, the patients were invited to our clinic, to inform them about our study and to fill out the health-related quality of life questionnaire. A total of 84 euthyroid HT patients older than 18 years who completed the short form-36 questionnaire, were enrolled. As all patients were euthyroid, there was a significant negative correlation between each domain score and the antibody levels, individually. Patients who had higher anti-TPO and anti-Tg levels had significantly lower quality of life domain scores (p < 0.001). There was statistically no significant correlation between the antibody levels and thyroid function tests (p > 0.05). Additionally, all dimension scores were significantly higher both in the anti-Tg and anti-TPO negative groups, indicating a better quality of life than that in the antibody positive groups. Our study revealed that higher thyroid antibody levels were negatively correlated with life quality scores. Thus, patients who had higher anti-TPO and anti-Tg levels had significantly lower quality of life domain scores. We believe that apart from hypothyroidism, a high antibody level was one of the contributing factors for the development of HT-associated symptoms, leading to a lower quality of life. Other probable contributing factors such as selenium deficiency, thyroid hormone fluctuation, and disease awareness should keep in mind.

Blood count parameters can predict the severity of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Because of the inflammatory nature of coronary artery disease (CAD), both platelets and white blood cells have been investigated for years. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between some prominently hematologic blood count parameters (mean platelet volume [MPV], neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) and the severity of CAD by using Gensini scores. METHODS: A total of 194 patients, who had undergone coronary angiography, enrolled in this study. The control group consisted of 42 patients who had normal coronary arteries. Remaining CAD patients were divided into two groups according to their Gensini scores. RESULTS: NLR and MPV were higher in the severe atherosclerosis group compared with the mild atherosclerosis group (p = 0.007, p = 0.005, respectively). The Gensini score showed significant correlations with NLR (r = 0.20, p = 0.011), MPV (r = 0.23, p = 0.004) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.161, p = 0.047). Using a cut-off level of 2.54, NLR predicted severe atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 53% (area under curve [AUC], 0.627; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.545 to 0.704; p = 0.004). MPV values above 10.4 predicted severe atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 39% and specificity of 90% (AUC, 0.631; 95% CI, 0.549 to 0.708; p = 0.003). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, high levels of NLR (odds ratio [OR], 1.450; 95% CI, 1.080 to 1.945; p = 0.013) and MPV (OR, 1.622; 95% CI, 1.147 to 2.295; p = 0.006) were found to be independent predictors of severe atherosclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that both NLR and MPV are predictors of severe atherosclerosis and may be used for the prediction and identification of cardiac risks in CAD patients.

The effect of pioglitazone on antioxidant levels and renal histopathology in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Objective. Diabetic nephropathy is the most commonly seen cause of chronic renal failure, and oxidative stress is important in etiology. In the present study, favorable effects (if any) of the treatment with a thiazolidinedione group drug, pioglitazone, on antioxidant enzyme levels in the renal tissue, renal histopathology, and inflammatory cytokine levels have been investigated. Method. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups as the control, diabetic control, and 10 and 30 mg pioglitazone-administered diabetic groups. After 4 weeks, antioxidant enzyme levels in renal tissues and inflammatory markers were investigated. Results. Blood glucose levels did not differ between the diabetic control and drug-administered groups. In pioglitazone-administered rats, histopathological findings such as tubular dilation, necrotic tubular epithelium, glomerular focal necrosis, and vascular consolidation were observed at a lesser extent than the diabetic control group. Any difference was not detected between the diabetic groups with respect to the levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, nitric oxide, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Conclusion. Pioglitazone regressed development of histopathological lesions such as glomerular focal necrosis, tubular epithelial necrosis, tubular dilation, and vascular wall consolidation. However, any favorable effect on antioxidant enzyme levels in renal tissues and inflammation markers was not detected.

The effect of insulin resistance on inflammatory response and oxidative stress in acute cerebral ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin resistance (IR) has effects on inflammation and oxidative stress which have importance in acute stroke. Our aim was to investigate the relationships between IR, inflammation, oxidative stress and stroke severity in acute ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: We examined the relationships between inflammation, oxidative stress and stroke severity in 75 acute stroke patients with and without IR. Serum levels of oxidative stress markers (nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH)) were measured as well as the cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). RESULTS: The levels of IL-10 (13.7±19.11 vs 51.20±89.32 pg/ml, p<0.00) in IR group were significantly reduced. Patients with IR had higher levels of NO (30.26±17.63 vs 22.57±14.5 µmol/L, p=0.04) and IL6 (27.44±57.13 vs 8.68±11.8 pg/ml, p<0.00) and higher NIHSS scores (11.40±5.35 vs 8.81±5.76, p=0.04) when compared with noninsulin resistant group. IL-10 was found negatively correlated with HOMA. Additionally, the parameters with positive correlations with HOMA were NIHSS, IL-6 and NO. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation and oxidative stress are more evident in acute stoke patients with insulin resistance which may cause worse stroke severity. Our data also suggest that IL-10 as an antiinflammatory cytokine can be much lower in insulin resistance in acute phase of ischemic stroke. However it can be elevated as an adaptive mechanism in metabolic syndrome as a chronic condition.

The relationship between mean platelet volume with microalbuminuria and glycemic control in patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Microalbuminuria is the best predictor of diabetic nephropathy development in patients with type II diabetes mellitus (DM). It is also accepted as an indicator of diabetic microangiopathy. Increased activation of platelets has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of vascular complications. In light of these findings, this study was designed to investigate the association of microalbuminuria - an indicator glycemic control and microangiopathy - with mean platelet volume (MPV). Subjects underwent laboratory analyses and their MPV, HbA1c, serum creatinine, fasting, and postprandial blood glucose levels and 24-hour urine albumin levels were recorded. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v13.0 for Windows XP. Mann-Whitney U-test, student's t-test, spearman correlation analysis, ROC analysis, categorical regression analysis, and chi-square test were used for statistical evaluations. The study included 354 patients with type II DM. The median MPV value of microalbuminuria-positive patients was 9 (8-9.5) fl while MPV of patients without microalbuminuria was 8.5 (8-9.2) fl and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.004). We determined positive correlation between MPV and 24-hour urine microalbuminuria (r=0.14, p=0.009). There were no significant differences between patients with HbA1c levels below and above 7% in terms of MPV (p>0.05). We determined no correlation between MPV and HbA1c levels (r= -0.36, p=0.64). This study determined a significant positive relationship between microalbuminuria - a microvascular complication of diabetes - and MPV. No significant correlation was identified between poor glycemic control and MPV in diabetic patients. However, we are in the opinion that the association between poor glycemic control and MPV in type II diabetic patients should be investigated in prospective studies with larger samples.

The role of oxidative stress and endothelial injury in diabetic neuropathy and neuropathic pain.

OBJECTIVE: The roles of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and oxidative stress causing vascular injury in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy are debatable. The present study was undertaken to clarify the possible effects of oxidative stress and ET-1 in diabetic patients with and without peripheric neuropathy. METHODS: We studied plasma ET-1, nitric oxide (NO), catalase, glutathione (GSH) levels of fifty (22 females, 28 males) patients with Type 2 diabetes in order to evaluate endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. The neuropathy types (motor, sensorial and sensorimotor), comorbid diseases, antidiabetic treatments, smoking, diabetes duration were also considered. Short McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) was also performed for patients with neuropathy. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between patients with (n=23) and without (n=27) neuropathy with regards to demographic features except diabetic disease duration. The statistical analysis was done considering this difference. Although NO and ET-1 levels were higher, and catalase and GSH levels were decreased in neuropathic patients, no statistical significancy was found. We also couldn't find any correlations between the parameters and SF-MPQ scores. CONCLUSIONS: Although there were no relationships between neuropathy and the studied parameters, we found lower levels of catalase and GSH as intracelluler antioxidants and higher NO and ET-1 as markers of endothelial injury in patients with neuropathy. Our data suggest that there is a need of further studies with larger study groups in order to clear out the role of endothelial injury and oxidative status in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy.

Differential diagnosis of Charcot arthropathy and osteomyelitis.

Foot problems are common causes of morbidity in patients with diabetes mellitus. Foot ulcers are the leading cause of hospitalization in diabetic patients. Bones may be involved in two different clinical conditions: osteomyelitis and Charcot osteoarthropathy. Osteomyelitis usually develops by spreading from contiguous soft tissue to underlying bone. Charcot foot is deformation of foot as a result of muscle athrophy, bone and joint structure changes in a joint as a secondary complication of neuropathy. To distinguish bone infection from non-infectious bone disorders as in Charcot joint may be difficult, especially if there is no skin ulceration. So, the mere absence of skin ulcers does not exclude the diagnosis of osteomyelitis.

Brown tumors mimicking bone metastases.

Brown tumors are rare skeletal manifestations of hyperparathyroidism (HPT) that may mimic cancer metastasis. Here, we present a 52-year-old woman with HPT and multiple foci of technetium uptake due to brown tumors on bone scintigraphy. Screening tests were negative for cancer and serum parathormon (PTH) measurement; parathyroid ultrasonography and scintigraphy suggested HPT. A chief cell adenoma in right and hyperplasia in the left parathyroid glands were surgically removed after which hungry bone syndrome emerged. Biopsy of the femur lesion during an open reduction with fixation operation due to a fracture established the diagnosis of a brown tumor. Brown tumors are important to consider in the evaluation of patients presenting with multiple foci of uptake on bone scanning and without an established primary neoplasm.