No abstract

Objective: Carbon monoxide poisoning (COP) is one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in toxicological cases. In this study, we aimed to find out more about the pathophysiology of COP by investigating the effects of COP on oxidative stress parameters such as total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS). Methods: Eighty-eight patients admitted to the emergency department of our hospital with acute COP and 35 healthy adults as control group were included in this study. Blood samples were collected from all COP patients at the time of initial emergency department evaluation to determine the oxidative stress parameters. Then, serum levels of total antioxidant status and total oxidant status levels were measured. Results: A total of 88 patients poisoned by carbon monoxide (CO; mean age 37.1 ± 18.2 years; 54’% women) were enrolled. TOS and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels in COP patients were increased when compared to control group (p = 0.001). TOS, oxidative stress index (OSI) and COHb levels in COP patients were significantly lower after the treatment. (respectively, p = 0.016; p = 0.023; p = 0.001). On the other hand, no statistical differences were observed in TAS levels of study and control group as well as there were no changes with treatment. Conclusion: Measurements of TOS, TAS and OSI levels may be useful markers to find out the pathophsiology of COP.

Single injection volar digital nerve block technique is a suitable alternative for digital anesthesias in emergency departments.

AMAÇBu deneysel çalışma, sıçanlarda spinal kord yaralanmasın-da curcuminin antioksidan etki yoluyla faydasını araştır-mak için yapıldı. GEREÇ VE YÖNTEMYirmi dört adet Wistar albino sıçan 3 gruba randomize edildi. Spinal kord yaralanması ağırlık düşürme modeliyle gerçekleştirildi. Grup 1'e laminektomi ardından spinal kord yaralanması uygulandı ve herhangi bir tedavi verilmedi. Grup 2'ye laminektomi ardından spinal kord yaralanması uygulandı ve curcumin verildi (200 mg/kg/gün ağızdan). Grup 3'e laminektomi ardından spinal kord yaralanması uygulandı ve metilprednizolon verildi (30 mg/kg periton içine), 24 saat sonra tüm sıçanlardan kan örnekleri alındı, sonra serum süperoksit dismutaz (SOD) ve malondialdehit (MDA) düzeyleri belirlendi ve elde edilen sonuçlar karşılaştırıldı. BULGULARCurcumin grubunda SOD düzeyi kontrol ve metilprednizolon grubundan daha yüksekti (p<0,001 ve p<0,012). Curcumin grubunda MDA düzeyi kontrol grubundan daha düşüktü (p<0,042). Benzer şekilde metilprednizolon grubunda MDA düzeyi kontrol grubundan daha düşüktü (p<0,001). SONUÇBu çalışmanın sonuçları curcuminin etkin biçimde oksidatif hasara karşı spinal kord dokularını koruduğunu gös-terir.Anahtar Sözcükler: Antioksidan; curcumin; malondialdehit; spinal kord yaralanması; süperoksit dismutaz.

The increasing prevalence of both asthma and obesity are major health problems. Recent studies established a possible link between obesity and asthma; however, the underlying mechanism is not clear. The aim of the study was to analyze the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal subjects with asthma and search the interactions between adipokines, metabolic syndrome, and asthma. A total of 45 female patients (57.5 ± 13.9 years) with asthma and 30 healthy subjects (59.6 ± 12.8 years) in postmenopausal status were enrolled in this study. For the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, modified World Health Organization diagnostic criteria were used. Blood levels of glucose, lipid profile, HbA1c, insulin, CRP, leptin, adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured. The mean body mass index was 29.6 ± 5.4 for asthma patients and 28.2 ± 5.3 for the control group. The incidence of metabolic syndrome was found as 26 % for both groups. Insulin resistance as calculated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) and fasting insulin levels were significantly higher in asthma patients (p < 0.001 for both parameters). Leptin levels were significantly higher (p = 0.001) and adiponectin levels were lower (p = 0.029) in asthma patients compared to controls. We concluded that although incidence of obesity and metabolic syndrome was not higher in postmenopausal asthma patients than controls, there was an impairment of glucose metabolism and altered adipokine levels in asthma patients.

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Background and Aim. The aim of this study was to determine the actions of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the changes of endothelin-1 (ET-1) level, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) alpha, and oxidative stress parameters such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in experimental sepsis model in rats. Materials and Methods. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: sham (group 1), sepsis (group 2), and sepsis + CAPE (group 3), n = 8 each. CAPE was administered (10 µmol/kg) intraperitoneally to group 3 before sepsis induction. Serum ET-1, serum TNF-alpha, tissue SOD activity, and tissue MDA levels were measured in all groups. Results. Pretreatment with CAPE decreased ET-1, TNF-alpha, and MDA levels in sepsis induced rats. Additionally SOD activities were higher in rats pretreated with CAPE after sepsis induction. Conclusion. Our results demonstrate that CAPE may have a beneficial effect on ET and TNF-alpha levels and oxidative stress parameters induced by sepsis in experimental rat models. Therefore treatment with CAPE can be used to avoid devastating effects of sepsis.

Background/aim: We aimed to show the role of determination of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) by bedside ultrasonography in an emergency department in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular disorders and its correlation with the clinical picture. Materials and methods:This prospective cross-sectional study included 55 patients with cerebrovascular disorders and 53 controls. Age, sex, ONSD, comorbid disease status, and multidetector computed tomography results of all subjects and application periods and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of the patient group were evaluated. Results:The ONSD of the patient and control groups was determined as a median of 5.7 mm and 3.6 mm, respectively. The ONSD of the patient group was determined to be significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). A positive relationship was determined between NIHSS scores and ONSD values (P < 0.05). The specificity and sensitivity values were determined as 98.1% and 81.8%, respectively, for a cutoff value of 5 mm and as 100% and 72.7%, respectively, for a cutoff value of 6 mm. Conclusion:This study showed that bedside measurement of ONSD is an easy, cheap, and noninvasive method that can be used to support the diagnosis and evaluation of patients with acute stroke.