Active pulmonary tuberculosis in a patient with Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Zafer Kartaloglu.
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Hamartomas of the chest wall are rare benign lesions usually appear in infancy. We report an adult with giant hamartoma of the chest wall. A 21-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with swelling on his scapular region. An erythematous, swollen, and wide plaque formed mass lesion of 250 x 180 on the left scapular region was found in his physical examination. Thorax CT revealed a tumoral lesion in left hemithorax wall with destruction of the 3rd rib, and formation of the new bone growing and asymmetry in thorax by infiltrating surrounding soft tissues, and decreased left lung volume. Pathological findings referred to soft tissue hamartoma. After the diagnosed, the patient underwent to thoracotomy.
BACKGROUND: This study was done to investigate the course of serum adenosine deaminase (sADA) level during pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and its relationship with clinical, radiological, and laboratory parameters in TB patients. MATERIAL/METHODS: sADA levels were measured at the beginning and after the first, second, and sixth months in 38 smear-positive TB patients. Chest X-rays were taken. Additionally, peripheral blood leukocyte and lymphocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. Fifteen healthy persons were enrolled in the study as controls. RESULTS: The level of sADA at the beginning was 33.2+/-13.9 U/l in the patients and 19.0+/-7.1 U/l in controls. The specificity and sensitivity were found to be 100% and 42%, respectively. The level of sADA showed elevation (45.1+/-10.6 U/l) after one month and gradually decreased in the second (34.6+/-10.1 U/l) and sixth months (24.6+/-4.7 U/l). ANOVA (post hoc Bonferroni) showed a significant difference in sADA levels between the beginning and the first month (p=0.005), the first and second months (p=0.016), and between the first month and the end of treatment (p<0.001). There was also a significant difference between sADA level at the end of treatment and the control value (p=0.01). During these times there were significant differences in the radiological course, peripheral blood lymphocyte count, ESR, and CRP levels. CONCLUSIONS: sADA levels in TB patients showed a slight elevation in the first month, but it decreased during treatment in parallel with the effectiveness. This may have an association with lymphocytic activation.
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to assess the time between the first appearance of symptoms and the start of treatment among Turkish servicemen with tuberculosis (TB). METHODS: Ninety-seven patients with pulmonary TB were enrolled in the study. We surveyed their complaints and education levels, the opportunity to visit a health care facility, and the time elapsed until diagnosis and treatment. RESULTS: Of the study group, 62 (63.7%) reported that they had visited an infirmary as soon as their complaints appeared. The median total delay in diagnosis was 21 days for all cases. Patient delay decreased among patients with hemoptysis (2.1 vs. 6.4 days, p = 0.013) and increased with night sweats (7.3 vs. 3.1 days, p = 0.042). Total delay was not correlated with any symptom. CONCLUSION: We suggest that delays in diagnosis and treatment among Turkish soldiers with pulmonary TB arise from some factors related to both patients and health care facilities, and these factors should be taken into account by military health services.
AIM: To investigate pulmonary involvement via pulmonary function tests (PFT) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with chronic HCV infection without diagnosis of any pulmonary diseases and 10 healthy cases were enrolled in the study. PFT and HRCT were performed in all cases. RESULTS: A decrease lower than 80% of the predicted value was detected in vital capacity in 9/34 patients, in forced expiratory volume in one second in 8/34 patients, and in forced expiratory flow 25-75 in 15/34 patients, respectively. Carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) was decreased in 26/34 patients. Findings of interstitial pulmonary involvement were detected in the HRCT of 16/34 patients. Significant difference was found between controls and patients with HCV infection in findings of HRCT (chi2=4.7, P=0.003). Knodell histological activity index (KHAI) of 28/34 patients in whom liver biopsy was applied was 9.0+/-4.7. HRCT findings, PFT values and DLCO were not affected by KHAI in patients with HCV infection. In these patients, all the parameters were related with age. CONCLUSION: We suggest that chronic hepatitis C virus infection may cause pulmonary interstitial involvement without evident respiratory symptoms.
Lung cancer is still the most frequently seen malignancy among males where as females are less affected. Recently the lung cancer prevalence has been reported to increase among females in parallel to the increment in cigarette consumption. In our 2 clinic 11.2% (44 cases) of 393 primary lung cancer cases between 1993-1997 were female. We evaluated the demographical characteristics and yearly distribution of our female patients. Mean age was 64+/-12.1 and 18.2% of the patients were smokers. The main complaints were dyspnoea (59%), chest pain (57%), fatigue (47%), cough (45%)and sputum production (32%). The cell type distribution rates were as follows;adenocarcinoma 45.4%, squamous cell cancer 29.5%, small cell cancer 20.5% and large cell cancer 4.6%. The diagnostic methods used were sputum cytology (27.3%),transbronchial biopsy and lavage (38.6%), thoracocentesis and pleural biopsy (15.8%),transthoracic fine needle aspiration (13,6%) and open lung biopsy (4.7%). As a result,we found a low percentage of smokers but a high rate of adenocarcinomas among our female patients.
We assessed whether acid fast bacilli (AFB) determination in gastric lavage (GL) and bronchial lavage (BL) contributes to diagnosis in cases radiologically suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis but with either negative AFB in sputum or the inability to expectorate sputum. Of 129 cases recruited for the study, 22 were excluded due to evaluation as inactive disease or non-tuberculosis disease. The remaining 107 cases were evaluated in 2 groups. Group A consisted of 49 patients that could not expectorate sputum and from whom GL was obtained. In group B, BL was performed in 58 patients that had negative sputum smear. Smear positivity was 61.2% (30/49) and culture positivity was 30.6% (15/49) in group A, 51.7% (30/58) and 81% (47/58), respectively, in group B. Thirteen cases, in whom AFB could not be detected microbiologically but who were radiologically strongly suggestive of tuberculosis, were regarded as tuberculosis according to "from treatment to diagnosis" criteria. In conclusion, detection of AFB positivity in the diagnosis of tuberculosis is important in terms of early initiation of treatment and detection of resistant bacilli. Therefore, we suggest that it would be helpful to obtain GL in cases where the patient is unable to expectorate sputum, and perform BL in cases with negative sputum smear.
Pneumoconiosis was diagnosed by open lung biopsy in two dental technicians who had interstitial lung disease. Mineralogical analysis was performed to investigate the origin of the dust that had been inhaled. A marked accumulation of silicon and phosphorus was found in both cases. The hard metals chromium and cobalt were also found. Dental technician's pneumoconiosis is a complex pneumoconiosis in which such dust and hard metals may play a role.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of primary drug resistance to tuberculosis. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical data, radiological features and sputum samples from 365 newly diagnosed patients with a positive culture of pulmonary tuberculosis at the Turkish Military Chest Diseases Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. No patients had taken antituberculosis drugs previously. The Bactec method was used to perform drug susceptibility testing for isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and streptomycin. RESULTS: Primary resistance to one or more drugs was detected in 87 (23.8%) patients; resistance to isoniazid was most common (54 patients) followed by resistance to ethambutol (n = 39), rifampicin (n = 11), and streptomycin (n = 9). One-drug resistance was detected in 69 patients; two-drug resistance in 11, three-drug resistance in 6, and four-drug resistance in 1. Multidrug resistance (resistance to at least isoniazid and rifampicin) was detected in 10 patients. In logistic-regression analysis, primary drug resistance was associated with radiological advanced tuberculosis (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Primary resistance to one or more drugs used in treating tuberculosis is relatively high. It is necessary to regularly screen for and treat drug resistance among those who live in close quarters, such as army barracks, school dormitories and prisons. Regular surveillance of drug sensitivity patterns should be maintained to determine appropriate alternate drug regimens and detect the spread of resistant stains in the population.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the medical records of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in order to determine the inhospital mortality rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 22,651 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis admitted to Gulhane Military Medical Academia, Camlica Chest Diseases Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey from 1977 to 1999 were examined. RESULTS: Of the 22,651 patients, 133 (0.58%) died: 117 male and 16 female, mean age 41.5 +/- 20.7 years. The mean length of hospital stay was 15.8 +/- 25.9 days and it increased yearly (p = 0.004). There was no significant difference in hospital mortality rate of tuberculosis within years. Forty-nine patients had chronic and/or far advanced tuberculosis, 36 of them had concomitant diseases. Thirteen patients had miliary and/or tuberculous meningitis, 3 multi drug-resistant tuberculosis, another 3 had pneumothorax, and 2 empyema. These patients had significantly lower prognostic nutritional index than those patients who recovered from pulmonary tuberculosis (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: Inhospital mortality rate of tuberculosis did not change in the last 23 years. We suggest that pulmonary tuberculosis will continue to be a significant cause of death and therefore important health care problem for Turkey in the 21st century.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases, and thyroid gland functions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients (mean age 64.1 +/- 7.3 years, range 53-84 years) with stable COPD (mean duration of disease 11.1 +/- 9.1 years, range 1-30 years) and 15 healthy control cases participated in the study. Pulmonary function, arterial blood gas, and thyroid hormone concentration were measured, and thyroid ultrasonography and scintigraphy were also performed. RESULTS: The values of the pulmonary function tests (vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s and peak expiratory flow) and PaO2 were lower in the study than control group (p < 0.001), but the values of PaCO2 and concentration of free 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (fT3) were higher in the study than control group (p < 0.01) although thyroid hormone concentrations were within normal limits in all cases. However, there was no difference between the values of thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine in both the study and control groups and therefore association could not be established between them on the one hand and pulmonary function test and arterial blood gases on the other hand. Only the values of PaCO2 and fT3 were positively associated; all other values were negatively associated with fT3. CONCLUSION: Changes in pulmonary function tests and arterial blood gases seem to be associated with fT3 concentrations in patients with COPD. Increased respiratory workload could affect thyroid functions.
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