Biomedical subjects

Birsen Mutlu

Publications and source records attributed to Birsen Mutlu.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Serum levels of hepatoprotective peptide adiponectin in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-specific protein that has anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antiobesity effects. It has been suggested that adiponectin has a hepatoprotective role. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming more prevalent with increasingly adverse clinical outcomes. In this study, serum adiponectin levels were investigated in patients with NAFLD to determine its possible role on hepatic inflammation and injury. METHODS: Twenty-nine biopsy-proven NAFLD patients (14 women, 15 men) with elevated liver enzymes, 20 clinically diagnosed NAFLD patients (13 women, seven men) with normal liver enzymes, and 20 healthy adults (10 women, 10 men) were enrolled. From fasting blood samples, serum adiponectin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The body mass index, serum glucose, insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were determined. RESULTS: Serum adiponectin levels were 4.99+/-2.1, 9.49+/-3.91 and 7.74+/-4.41 micro/ml in the NAFLD with elevated liver enzymes, NAFLD with normal liver enzymes and healthy adult control groups, respectively. The mean serum adiponectin level in the NAFLD with elevated liver enzymes group was significantly lower than those of other groups tested (P<0.001). Insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels of NAFLD patients with elevated liver enzymes were significantly higher than control groups (P<0.05) but were not significantly different from the NAFLD group with normal liver enzymes (P>0.05). On histopathologic examination, the mean serum adiponectin levels of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients with grade 2 or more inflammatory activity was significantly lower than patients with grade 1 inflammatory activity (P=0.013). CONCLUSION: Serum adiponectin levels are significantly lower in NAFLD patients with elevated liver enzymes. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients show lower levels of adiponectin with higher grades of inflammation.

Adiponectin↗

PubMed2005

The relationship between pulmonary function tests, thorax HRCT, and quantitative ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

We have evaluated the relationship between pulmonary function tests (PFT), thorax high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images and quantitative ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphic studies in 16 male patients (mean age 65.6 +/- 5.5 years) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The mean forced vital capacity (FVC) value of the patient group was 2352 +/- 642 mL (65.4 +/- 15.8%), whereas mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) was found to be 1150 +/- 442 mL (40.8 +/- 14.9%). The ratio of carbon monoxide diffusion capacity to alveolar ventilation (DLCO/VA) was 3.17 +/- 0.88 mL/min/mmHg/L, and the mean partial oxygen (PaO(2)) and carbon dioxide (PaCO(2)) pressures were 68.5 +/- 11.04 mmHg and 38.9 +/- 5.8 mmHg respectively. For each patient, thorax HRCT and V/Q scintigraphic images of both lungs were divided into upper, mid and lower zones during examination. Visual scoring for the assessment of emphysema on thorax HRCT were used and images were graded from mild to severe (< or = 25% - > or = 76%). Emphysema scores were found to be higher on upper zones with accompanying lowest V/Q ratios. DLCO/VA, DLCO, total emphysema scores, and individual emphysema scores of the upper, mid and lower zones were found to be correlated. As a conclusion, it can be stated that emphysematous changes in COPD patients are more apparent in the upper lung zones, which also have the lowest V/Q ratios.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Decreased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in coronary artery aneurysmatic patients.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of arterial aneurysms through increased proteolysis of extracellular matrix proteins. Increased proteolysis due to elevated matrix degrading enzyme activity in the arterial wall may act as a susceptibility factor for the development of coronary aneurysms. Plasmin strongly stimulates pro-MMP enzyme conversion to the active form. Plasmin hyperactivity due to decreased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) may cause MMP over activity and coronary aneurysms. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between PAI-1 and presence of coronary aneurysms. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with aneurysmal coronary artery disease and stable angina were enrolled into study (Group 1). Twenty-two patients without coronary aneurysm were selected as a control group (Group 2). PAI-1 was measured in peripheral venous blood. RESULTS: The plasma PAI-1 level was lower in the coronary artery aneurysmatic patients compared to the control group (8.41 +/- 4.28 vs. 13.32 +/- 10.05 ng/ml, p = 0.037). Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) values were not significantly different between groups (3.83 +/- 1.08 vs. 4.01 +/- 1.35 mg/l, p >0.05). CONCLUSION: Increased matrix degrading enzyme activity can cause arterial wall destruction through increased proteolysis of extracellular matrix proteins. Unregulated plasmin hyperactivity due to decreased inhibition by PAI-1 may play an important role in coronary aneurysm formation.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

[Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C virus, human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis in the blood donors].

Transfusion-transmitted infections are the most commonly encountered complications in transfusion practice. Serological markers for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Treponema pallidum were screened in blood banks routinely. These tests are obligatory for transfusion safety and may give an idea about the seropositivity rates of a specific region. In this study, the results of 29,049 volunteer blood donors who were admitted to Blood Center of Kocaeli University Hospital between January 1999 to January 2004, have been retrospectively evaluated. HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV-1/2 were screened by microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA), and syphilis antibodies were screened by rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test in the Blood Center Laboratory. The seropositivity rates for HBsAg, anti-HCV and RPR were found as 2.3%, 0.37% and 0.02%, respectively. Eight donors were found seropositive for anti-HIV-1/2, but they were all accepted as false positive results, since the western blot confirmation tests were all negative.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Low positive anti-HCV microparticle enzyme immunoassay results: do they predict hepatitis C virus infection?].

Antibody screening tests for hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) can yield false positive results among populations such as Turkey, with a low prevalence of HCV infection. This may lead to the unnecessary use of expensive tests like HCV RNA for confirmation. However, HCV RNA is not always positive in samples with low S/Co (signal to cutoff) ratios. This retrospective study was conducted to determine the frequency of HCV RNA positivity in the samples with low anti-HCV levels. A total of 655 patients who were positive for anti-HCV by microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA; v 3.0, AxSYM System, Abbott Laboratories, USA) and positive for HCV RNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR; iCycler IQ, v 3.0a, Bio Rad Laboratory, USA) between June, 2002 and November, 2005 were evaluated. Anti-HCV positivity was found in 368 (56%) patients and HCV RNA was not detected in samples with S/Co ratios lower than 3.8. As a result, for the confirmation of the samples yielding low and/or indeterminate grey zone anti-HCV levels, immunoblot methods, retesting of the same sample with another enzyme immunassay or testing of a new sample, would be appropriate and economical prior to use of HCV RNA tests.

Hepacivirus↗