Oxidative/antioxidative status, lymphocyte DNA damage, and urotensin-2 receptor level in patients with migraine attacks.

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated the potential roles of plasma lymphocyte DNA damage, the urotensin-2 receptor (UTS2R), and oxidative changes in patients with varying degrees of migraine-related disability who were in the ictal phase and presented to our emergency department. METHODS: This study enrolled 40 consecutive adult patients with migraine attack and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The same health care professional determined the headache-related disability of each patient's migraine attack using the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS); patients were divided into three groups based on MIDAS score. Plasma lymphocyte DNA damage; UTS2R, malondialdehyde (MDA), and catalase (CAT) levels; total oxidant status (TOS); total antioxidant status (TAS); and the oxidative stress index (OSI) were used as predictors of early oxidative changes. RESULTS: Plasma lymphocyte DNA damage, TOS, MDA levels, and OSI values were significantly higher in patients with migraine compared to controls. Conversely, TAS and CAT and UTS2R levels were markedly lower in patients with migraine compared to controls. Comparisons of the patient groups by MIDAS score revealed significant differences in plasma lymphocyte DNA damage and CAT levels but no differences in TOS, MDA levels, OSI, TAS, or UTS2R levels. MIDAS scores were positively correlated with the degree of lymphocyte DNA damage, but neither of these factors was significantly related to CAT levels. CONCLUSION: The present data suggest that lymphocyte DNA damage and changes in oxidative/antioxidative status may reflect an enhanced oxidative damage and an ineffective antioxidant defense system in migraineurs during headache attacks. In addition, lymphocyte DNA damage levels may be an indicator of the degree of migraine-related disability as assessed by MIDAS score.

The relationship between anemia and recurrence of ischemic stroke in patients with Trousseau's syndrome: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between cancer and thrombosis was first recognized by the French internist Armand Trousseau in 1865. Trousseau's syndrome is a spectrum of symptoms that result from recurrent thromboembolism associated with cancer or malignancy-related hypercoagulability. In this study, we investigated whether demographics, clinical features, or laboratory findings were able to predict recurrent stroke episodes in patients with Trousseau's syndrome. METHODS: In total, 178 adult patients were enrolled in this retrospective cross-sectional study. All patients had been admitted to the emergency room of our hospital between January 2011 and September 2014 and were diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with malignancy (Trousseau's syndrome), and patients without malignancy. RESULTS: There were several significant differences between the laboratory results of the two patient groups. For patients with Trousseau's, the hemoglobin levels for those with one stroke was 12.29 ± 1.81, while those in patients who had experienced more than one stroke was 10.94 ± 2.14 (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Trousseau's syndrome is a cancer-associated coagulopathy associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. In this study, anemia was associated with increased stroke recurrence in patients with malignancy (Trousseau's syndrome).

A Rare Cause of Headache in the Emergency Department: Intraventricular Epidermoid Cyst Rupture With Hydrocephalus.

Lateral intraventricular tumors are not frequently observed. Since these tumors grow linearly rather than exponentially, they grow gradually and thus do not cause mass effects and hydrocephalus. This study is the case report of a rare great volume left intraventricular epidermoid cyst rupture. The tumor was found to be associated with mass effect on neighboring structures and hydrocephalus.

The overlooked side of convulsion: bilateral posterior fracture and dislocation of proximal humerus.

Injuries after an epileptic convulsion have been seen commonly such as burns, head injury and dislocation of the extremities. But fractures of the extremities due to convulsion are rare. External trauma mechanism is not necessary for extremity fractures. Muscle contractions can cause increased load on the skeleton and it can be complicated by dislocation andor fracture of extremities. Almost 1-4% of all the shoulder dislocations are posterior. In this case report we present a 32 year old male patient who had bilateral posterior fracture and dislocation of proximal humerus after convulsion. We would like to emphasize that it is so important to make systemic examination and evaluation of the patients who were admitted to emergency department after epileptic convulsion.

Pathognomonic symptom associated with lightning strike: Lichtenberg figure.

Lightning strikes especially occur during spring and summer months in the afternoons when there is heavy rain. In deaths resulting from lightning strike, there may either be no evidence on the dead person's clothes or body, or there may be burnt or torn patches on their clothes and lichtenberg figures specific to lightning strikes on their bodies. In such cases that also have a comorbid of cognitive dysfunction, since there is generally amnesia, having these figures during the physical examination has a valuable place in early diagnosis and quick treatment. This paper presents a case of lightning strike that was found to have Lichtenberg figures on the back and right leg after secondary examination.

Is signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein1 a diagnostic biomarker in patients with hypertensive crises.

BACKGROUND: Platelet activation might play a significant role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in hypertension (HT). Signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein1 (SCUBE1), an indicator of platelet activation, is increased in HT. The aim of this study was to investigate the SCUBE1 in patients with hypertensive crises. METHODS: This study included 33 hypertensive urgency (HU) and 39 hypertensive emergency (HI) patients admitted to our emergency department with a diagnosis of hypertensive crisis. Platelet activation was evaluated with biochemical markers such as SCUBE1, soluble CD40L (sCD40L), mean platelet volume, and platelet count. RESULTS: The SCUBE1 values of the HE patients were significantly higher than other groups (1.09 ± 0.49, 0.71 ± 0.23 and 0.37 ± 0.02 ng/dl, respectively; p <  0.01). The sCD40L values were higher in the hypertensive crises compared with the control group (4.16 ± 1.82, 3.41 ± 1.76 and 1.76 ± 0.68 ng/ml, respectively; p <  0.01). More importantly, SCUBE1 had high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of target organ damage. CONCLUSION: In present study showed that SCUBE1 was significantly higher in HE patients. In addition, sCD40L level, presence of diabetes, and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with increased SCUBE1. According to our results, SCUBE1 might be a diagnostic biomarker in hypertensive crisis patients.