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Biomedical subjects

Nebahat Dikici

Publications and source records attributed to Nebahat Dikici.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Investigation of oxidative stress and some antioxidants in patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis B and the effect of interferon-alpha treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine oxidative stress in patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis B. DESIGN AND METHODS: 23 (11 F, 12 M) healthy controls, 23 (8 F, 15 M) patients with acute viral hepatitis B (AVHB) and 25 (9 F, 16 M) patients with chronic viral hepatitis B (CVHB) were studied. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), conjugated dienes (CD), ALT, AST, total and direct bilirubins, beta-carotene and whole blood reduced glutathione (GSH) levels of all subjects were measured. In patients with CVHB, these parameters were measured both before and 6 months after treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). RESULTS: MDA, CD, ALT, AST and total and direct bilirubin levels of the patients with AVHB and CVHB before treatment were significantly higher (P<0.001) whereas GSH and beta-carotene levels were lower (P<0.001) than those of the controls. MDA, CD, GSH, beta-carotene, ALT, AST and total and direct bilirubin levels of the patients with CVHB returned approximately to normal levels 6 months after treatment with IFN-alpha. CONCLUSION: Our results clearly show that patients with AVHB and CVHB are under the influence of increased oxidative stress (MDA and CD were increased) associated with lower levels of some antioxidants (beta-carotene and GSH). These impairments return to normal levels after IFN-alpha treatment of CVHB patients. These findings suggest that antioxidant supplementation might be considered in patients with acute or chronic hepatitis B.

Acute Disease↗

Streptococcus zooepidemicus meningitis and bacteraemia.

Group C streptococci are common causative agents of epidemic infections in animals and a rare cause of meningitis in humans. The case is reported of a 75-y-old man with meningitis caused by a group C streptococcus (Streptococcus zooepidemicus). He had frequent contact with horses, which were a possible source of infection. In spite of treatment with a third generation cephalosporin, the outcome was fatal.

Aged↗