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H Demiroglu

Publications and source records attributed to H Demiroglu.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Interferon alfa-2b, colchicine, and benzathine penicillin versus colchicine and benzathine penicillin in Behçet's disease: a randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Sight-threatening eye involvement is a serious complication of Behçet's disease. Extraocular complications such as arthritis, vascular occlusive disorders, mucocutaneous lesions, and central-nervous-system disease may lead to morbidity and even death. We designed a prospective study in newly diagnosed patients without previous eye disease to assess whether prevention of eye involvement and extraocular manifestations, and preservation of visual acuity are possible with combination treatments with and without interferon alfa-2b. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned 3 million units interferon alfa-2b subcutaneously every other day for the first 6 months plus 1.5 mg colchicine orally daily and 1.2 million units benzathine penicillin intramuscularly every 3 weeks (n=67), or colchicine and benzathine penicillin alone (n=68). The primary endpoint was visual-acuity loss. Analysis was by intention to treat. FINDINGS: Significantly fewer patients who were treated with interferon had eye involvement than did patients who did not receive interferon (eight vs 27, relative risk 0.21 [95% CI 0.09-0.50], p<0.001). Ocular attack rate was 0.2 (SD 0.62) per year with interferon therapy and 1.02 (1.13) without interferon therapy (p=0.0001). Visual-acuity loss was significantly lower among patients treated with interferon than in those without interferon (two vs 13, relative risk 0.13 [95% CI 0.03-0.60], p=0.003). Arthritis episodes, vascular events, and mucocutaneous lesions were also less frequent in patients treated with interferon than in those not receiving interferon. No serious side-effects were reported. INTERPRETATION: Therapy with interferon alfa-2b, colchicine, and benzathine penicillin seems to be an effective regimen in Behçet's disease for the prevention of recurrent eye attacks and extraocular complications, and for the protection of vision.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Enhanced erythrocyte aggregation in type 2 diabetes with late complications.

We investigated whether erythrocyte aggregation (EA) is enhanced in type 2 diabetic patients who have developed microvascular or macrovascular complications. EA rates at high and low shear rates were analysed in 141 patients with type 2 diabetes who were further divided into 4 subgroups according to the status of diabetic complications and degree of metabolic control. Groups 1 (n = 43) and 2 (n = 23) consisted of well-controlled patients without and with clinically evident late complications, while groups 3 (n = 33) and 4 (n = 42) represented poorly controlled patients without and with these complications, respectively. 124 healthy subjects served as the control group. Mean EA rate was comparable between control subjects and group 1 both at high (2.05 +/- 0.03 vs. 2.14 +/- 0.07, respectively) and low (6.96 +/- 0.02 vs. 7.04 +/- 0.06, respectively) shear rates. Mean EA rate was also comparable between groups 2 and 4 at high (2.76 +/- 0.09 vs. 2.94 +/- 0.07, respectively) and low (8.18 +/- 0.13 vs. 8.41 +/- 0.1, respectively) shear rates. However, EA at both shear rates in groups 2 and 4 were significantly higher than control subjects, group 1 (p < 0.0001) and group 3 (high shear rate EA: 2.76 +/- 0.09 and low shear rate EA: 7.48 +/- 0.07 (p < 0.01). In group 3, EA rates were significantly higher than control subjects and group 1 (p < 0.05) at both shear rates. No significant correlation was found between EA at high and low shear rates and fibrinogen levels in diabetic subgroups and control subjects. The data suggest that patients with type 2 diabetes who had developed clinically evident late complications have enhanced EA regardless of the degree of metabolic control. Whether enhanced EA is a primary phenomenon contributing to the development of these complications or it occurs secondary to their development remains to be clarified.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Acalculous cholecystitis in patients with acute leukaemia.

Cases of acalculous cholecystitis in patients with acute leukaemia are rare. Manifestations of the primary disease often mask the acute cholecystitis symptoms. A high index of suspicion and ultrasonographic examination in leukaemic patients with abdominal pain and unexplained fever may allow earlier diagnosis, before the development of complications. We report two cases of acute acalculous cholecystitis during the course of acute leukaemia.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vitamin B6 responsive sideroblastic anaemia in a patient with tuberculosis.

A 39-year-old woman was admitted with fatigue, weight loss, and fever. Nothing, except skin pallor could be found on physical examination. Her haemoglobin (Hb) was 6.3 g/dl. The blood picture showed dimorphic red cell changes and there were dyserythropoiesis and ring sideroblasts in the bone marrow. After detailed investigations, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and anaemia was assigned to chronic disease. With anti-tuberculosis therapy (including isoniazid), her Hb and bone marrow findings returned to normal. After cessation of therapy, Hb fell to 8.9 g/dl. Bone marrow examination again showed dyserythropoietic morphologic abnormalities and ring sideroblasts. No reason could be identified to explain the recurrence of anaemia. When we realised that preparations of isoniazid included vitamin B6 to prevent the development of sideroblastic anaemia, we challenged with pyridoxin 200 mg daily. Her Hb rose to 14.6 g/dl. We suggest that in any cases with sideroblastic anaemia, if no cause can be identified, or anaemia persists or recurs despite therapy, pyridoxine therapy should be instituted.

Adult↗