Chitotriosidase (CHIT) belongs to the family of glycosylhydrolases and is highly homologous to chitinases from lower organisms. The enzyme CHIT is of interest for clinical reasons, because it is selectively expressed in chronically activated tissue macrophages. In most ethnic groups, approximately 6% of all individuals are homozygous for CHIT deficiency. Pathological tissue macrophages in several disease conditions massively express CHIT. A shared feature of such cells in the different conditions is the accumulation of lipid material in the lysosomal apparatus. Serum CHIT activity is significantly increased in individuals suffering from atherosclerosis disease and is related to the severity of the atherosclerotic lesion, suggesting a possible role as atherosclerotic extent marker. Our objective is to determine the levels of serum CHIT activity in healthy elderly subjects. Healthy 90 (between 65-94 years old) elderly people and 69 (between 20-44 years old) young people were chosen. Serum CHIT enzymatic activity was determined with the flurometric enzyme activity assay using artificial 4-MU substrate. We found CHIT activity 270 +/- 21 (nmol/mL/h) (values are mean +/- SD) in elderly people and 136 +/- 17 in young people. There are statistical differences between elderly and young subjects.

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Purpose Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of obstruction of the upper respiratory tract during sleep often accompanied by oxygen desaturations. Antioxidant defense mechanisms are important to prevent OSAassociated diseases and decrease mortality. We aimed to determine the levels of selenium and vitamins A, C, and E in patients with OSA but without any comorbidities and compare the results with a control group, theorizing that the findings may be helpful to understand the antioxidant mechanisms in the pathogenesis of OSA and associated diseases. Methods We designed a case-control study with 146 subjects. Subjects were categorized into four groups by apneahypopnea index (AHI) scores: control (n = 32; AHI < 5), mild OSA (n = 32; 5 ≤ AHI < 15), moderate OSA (n = 34; 15 ≤ AHI < 30), and severe OSA (n = 48; AHI ≥ 30) groups. Serum levels of selenium were measured by atomic absorption spectrometer. Vitamin A, C, and E levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) detector. Results After adjusting for age, BMI, and gender, serum selenium and vitamin A levels were found to be higher in patients with OSA compared with controls (ANCOVA, p < 0.008, and p = 0.014 respectively), and levels of these markers increased with the severity of the disease. AHI was positively correlated with selenium (r = 0.289; p < 0.001), and vitamin A levels (r = 0.276; p < 0.001). Conclusion These results demonstrated that antioxidant response with increased vitamin A, and selenium concentrations, may be important defense mechanisms in patients with OSA patients who do not have other comorbidities. Antioxidant nutrients or supplements may be implemented as a complementary treatment of OSA to support antioxidant defense.

Paraoxonase1 (PON1) is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme capable of hydrolyzing diverse substrates from organophosphate (OP) toxins to oxidized phospholipids. As such, it has been linked with both the prevention of OP poisoning and inhibition of atherosclerosis initiated by oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The aim of this study was to investigate, with aging, the activity of PON1 associated with HDL and partially responsible for its antiatherogenic activity. The study involved 187 individuals (67 males and 120 females) divided into three groups according to their ages, young (n = 49; 20-44 years, mean age = 30.12 +/- 6.6 years), middle aged (n = 25; 45-64 years, mean age = 52 +/- 5.6 years), and elderly subjects (n = 113; 65-95 years, mean age = 78.94 +/- 6.2 years). Interestingly, serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels significantly decreased with age (P < 0.05). The elderly aged group had also significantly lower body mass index than the middle aged group (P < 0.05). Serum paraoxonase activity and HDL cholesterol levels remained unchanged with age. The prevalence of phenotype AA, AB, and BB in our subjects' group was 40.6%, 45.9%, and 13.5%, respectively.

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Context: This was an investigation of inflammation markers on the prediction and prognosis of patients with sleep apnea. Aims: Clinical detection of inflammatory markers is useful to assess systemic inflammation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein (CRP) ratio (LCR) was a predictive marker in diagnosing and determining the severity of OSAS. Settings and Design: This was a retrospective clinical study. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and forty-one patients who had undergone polysomnography were included in the study. The sex, age, Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI), body mass index, and complete blood count parameters of the patients were recorded. AHI scores were used to classify the severity of OSAS. Statistical Analysis Used: Differences among the groups for each parameter were analyzed using Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance with Tukey correction for normally distributed parameters and the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test for nonnormally distributed parameters. The correlation between LCR, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, CRP, and AHI scores was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: First, the patients were divided into four groups according to their AHI results, as control group, mild, moderate, and severe OSAS groups. The median LCR levels were 2.57 (1.59, 3.51) in the control group, 1.28 (0.74, 3.27) in Group 2, 1.63 (0.86, 2.6) in Group 3, and 1.05 (0.62, 2.31) in Group 4. In the comparison of all patients with OSAS and the control group, the median LCR level was 1.27 (0.7, 2.74) in patients with OSAS and 2.57 (1.59, 3.51) in the control group (P = 0.002). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that LCR is an important marker for systemic inflammation in patients with OSAS. LCR may be a new predictive marker in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with OSAS.

Aim: It is critical to categorize the risk factors that could disclose the severity of COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the effects of arterial blood gases on hospital mortality by examining the results retrospectively measured at the first admission to the emergency department of cases diagnosed with COVID-19. Material and Method: In this retrospective study, arterial blood gases of patients with COVID-19 were analyzed using univariate analysis to identify factors linked to 28-day all-cause in-hospital mortality. The patients were divided into two groups survivors and nonsurvivors. Results: The study included 159 survivors and 33 nonsurvivors with COVID-19. Serum levels of lactate, D-dimer, troponin, and CRP were higher and serum levels of base excess, bicarbonate, and albumin to creatinine ratio were lower in nonsurvivor patients than in survivors. The highest AUC was found for lactate and base excess. Conclusion: The arterial blood gases performed during the first admission to the emergency department are linked with disease severity and can be used to predict disease progression and mortality. Furthermore, patients with higher levels of lactate and lower levels of base excess and bicarbonate should be monitored closely and treated early.

Objective: To evaluate clinical features, laboratory test results, and maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant patients with the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Methods: We reviewed clinical data from pregnant women with a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2, who were admitted to our university hospital in Türkiye. Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory test results, and maternal and neonatal outcomes were collected. Results: A total of 46 pregnant women were included in this study. The mean maternal age was 28 (min. 21 – max. 39) years and gestational age was 31 (min. 26 – max. 41) weeks. Two (4.37%) pregnant women were vaccinated with 1 dose of BioNTech® vaccine, and all other patients were unvaccinated. Shortness of breath was the most common symptom present in 15 cases (32.6%). Twenty-seven (58.69%) pregnant women gave birth in the preterm period, and 19 (41.30%) in the term period. Six (13.04%) pregnant women were followed up in the Anesthesia Intensive Care Unit. Two women with critical COVID-19 died in the postpartum period. Conclusion: COVID-19 infection has negative consequences in terms of maternal and neonatal outcomes. The most common causes of adverse neonatal outcomes are iatrogenic or spontaneous preterm births, while the most common causes of adverse maternal outcomes are prolonged hospitalization time, increased likelihood of intensive care hospitalization, and maternal deaths. The most effective way to prevent this situation is to get vaccinated regardless of trimester.