Plasma visfatin levels in young male patients with uncomplicated and newly diagnosed hypertension.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to I Tasci.
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Prediabetes has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) is an index of platelet activation and also a risk factor for future vascular events. sP-selectin levels were investigated in prediabetic subjects who had no confounding factors such as hypertension, obesity or dyslipidaemia. sP-selectin, hsCRP levels and HOMA-IR indexes were measured in 40 prediabetic subjects (n = 24 for IFG and n = 16 for IGT) and age-, sex- and BMI-matched 40 healthy controls. sP-selectin levels in prediabetic subjects were not significantly different compared with those in controls (p = 0.12). Prediabetic group had similar hsCRP (p = 0.29), higher HOMA-IR indexes (p < 0.001) and lower HDL cholesterol levels (p = 0.001) when compared with healthy controls. The power of the study was 0.93 for sP-selectin, 0.7 for hsCRP and 1.0 for HOMA. Our data suggest that sP-selectin may not contribute to the prothrombotic state as well as the accelerated atherogenesis associated with prediabetes.
The purpose of this study was to investigate different forms of the local application of TGF-beta(1) for augmentation of the anterior abdominal wall in an appropriate model of an incisional hernia. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups. Artificial defects of the anterior abdominal wall were closed with one of the following methods: running Prolene suture, Vicryl mesh, prolene suture followed by an intramuscular injection of 1 mug TGF-beta(1), Vicryl mesh coated with 1 mug TGF-beta(1), and prolene suture coated with 1 mug TGF-beta(1). A control group did not receive any defect and treatment. Six weeks after operation, tensile strength, collagen content, gene expression of collagen I and III, blood vessels, and thickness of collagen fibres were evaluated. Tensile strength was strongest in the controls (14.2 (10.5-18 N)). There was no increase in tensile strength due to the administration of TGF-beta(1). On the contrary, bolus injection of the growth factor resulted in a significantly decreased strength of the wound tissue when compared to the groups 1, 4, 5, and 6 (9.1 (4.2-9.1 N)). These results correlated with the gene expression of collagen I and III. Local application of TGF-beta(1) did not augment the strength of the abdominal wall after 6 weeks.
AIM: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the overall findings of conventional enteroclysis (CE) with complementary magnetic resonance enteroclysis (MRE) in small bowel disease. METHODS: The study included 32 patients referred from various clinical departments, with known or suspected small bowel disease and abnormalities on CE. Immediately after CE, true fast imaging with steady-state precession (true FISP), and unenhanced and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted fast low-angle shot (FLASH) sequences with fat saturation were obtained. Mucosal, mural and luminal changes of the small bowel were evaluated by each technique. In addition, bowel wall thickening, bowel wall enhancement and perienteric changes were assessed by MRE. The radiological findings obtained were evaluated together as a combination, and the role of MRE in the determination of the activity and complications of the small bowel disease was assessed. Radiological findings were correlated with clinical evaluation and follow-up in all cases, including endoscopy in 14 cases and surgery in 5 cases. RESULTS: MRE provided important supplementary mural and extramural information, including degree of pathological wall thickness, mural enhancement pattern associated with disease activity, perivisceral collection, abscess formation, mesenteric fibrofatty proliferation, lymphadenopathy and increase in perienteric vascularity. Short strictures were not revealed on MRE; however, for patients with a history of abdominal malignancy, MRE helped characterize the level of any obstruction and the extent of the disease. CONCLUSION: We recommend MRE for patients who have findings of advanced inflammatory bowel disease or neoplasm on CE examination. The combination of these two techniques can provide important information on the degree and extent of the disorder.
CD40 ligand interaction with its receptor (CD40) not only mediates lymphocyte communication, but also associates with chronic inflammation and atherothrombosis. High soluble CD40L (sCD40L) levels were reported in dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and coronary disease. So far, there are no data about sCD40L levels in hypertension. We investigated sCD40L and high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in 30 nonobese young hypertensive men and 30 matched controls. sCD40L and hsCRP levels were not different, and there were no correlations between blood pressure and sCD40L or hsCRP levels. These results might indicate lack of any inflammatory state in new onset hypertension.
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BACKGROUND: A prospective randomized trial to assess the cleansing ability and tolerance of bowel preparations for colonoscopy was conducted in a group of 953 patients. METHODS: The bowel cleansing methods were: sennoside calcium, polyethylene glycol (PEG) lavage, oral sodium phosphate (NaP) in one 90-ml dose, oral NaP in 2 doses (90 ml + 45 ml), oral NaP in 2 doses (45 ml + 90 ml), oral NaP in 2 doses (45 ml + 90 ml) plus cisapride, and oral NaP in 2 doses (45 ml + 90 ml) plus domperidone. RESULTS: The cisapride-containing procedure was abandoned partially through the study because of its adverse effects. The colon cleansing ability in groups with NaP plus cisapride and NaP plus domperidone was significantly better than the other groups ( p<0.05). Tolerance to sennoside calcium and PEG lavage in comparison to the other groups was significantly worse ( p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Two doses of NaP solution (45 ml + 90 ml) plus domperidone for colon cleansing is safe, effective, rapid, inexpensive and well tolerated.
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Laparoscopic colon resection is a viable alternative to open colectomy. For non-malignant lesions, laparoscopic resection of the affected large bowel is attractive. For malignant lesions, where resection for cure is highly dependent on lymph node clearance, laparoscopic resection has met with criticisms regarding the adequacy of nodal clearance that can be achieved laparoscopically. Several published studies have shown that the operation though technically demanding, does not compromise the extent of resection. We report a series of 43 cases of laparoscopic colon resection done sequentially and successfully from January 1992 to June 1995. The operative time averaged 180 minutes (range 120 to 300 minutes). Five patients developed postoperative complications, which were mainly pulmonary and wound infections. There were no anastomotic leaks or perioperative deaths. The mean hospital stay was 5.3 days (range 4 to 9 days). By the third postoperative day, all patients were feeding and ambulatory. Long-term complications included one small bowel obstruction and one port site recurrence. In our selected group of patients, laparoscopic colon resection has not shown any adverse outcome. Prospective randomised studies are underway in various centres and their preliminary results are favourable.