Objective: Snoring occurs as a result of soft tissue vibration caused by a partial upper airway collapse during sleep. This study evaluated the effectiveness and potential adverse side effects associated with the use of a nonsurgical, erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser treatment for patients with snoring conditions. Materials and Methods: In total, 33 patients with different degrees of snoring were analyzed retrospectively. All patients received three NightLase™ Er:YAG laser treatments. Results were measured using a follow-up questionnaire and then statistically analyzed. Any effects that occurred during the first year after treatment (i.e., short-term effects) were followed up with interviews. Results: Laser treatment effectively reduced patients' snoring and achieved a 65% satisfaction rate after three treatments. The greatest improvement and satisfaction were experienced by patients aged ≥50 years. Patients reported additional benefits from this treatment including easier breathing, higher alertness, and increased focus. Conclusion: Nonsurgical Er:YAG laser treatment is an effective and minimally invasive procedure to reduce patient snoring and other sleep-disordered breathing symptoms. Patients reported minimal disadvantages including minor discomfort and a low risk of side effects.

OBJECTIVE:Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is associated with cardiovascular diseases and thromboembolic events. The mean platelet volume (MPV) is a predictor of cardiovascular thromboembolic events. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between the MPV and disease severity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.METHODS:We prospectively included 194 obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients without cardiovascular disease (mean age 56.5±12.5 years) who were undergoing sleep tests. An overnight full laboratory polisomnography examination was conducted on each patient. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): (1) AHIlow group: 5≤AHI<15, (2) AHImid group: 1530.RESULTS:The highest MPV values were found in the AHIhigh group compared with other groups (p<0.05 for all). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the MPV was associated with the AHI (β=0.500, p<0.001) and the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level (β=0.194, p=0.010).CONCLUSION:The MPV is independently associated with both disease severity and inflammation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

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Elevated serum ferritin (SFer) levels have been associated with chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between SFer levels and serum lipid parameters, and how this relation changes in terms of age and gender. Additionally, we investigated a possible relationship between SFer levels and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function. SFer levels and lipid panel (total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and HDL-C) of 4205 people (3139 women, 1066 men) were examined retrospectively. Study population was classified according to age and gender. Separately, 100 subjects (52 women, 48 men) were randomly recruited to investigate the relation between SFer levels, and HDL dependent paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and arylesterase (ARE) activities. In all age groups, women’s SFer levels were found to be significantly lower and HDL-C levels significantly higher compared to men. In the 50-70 ages range, TC and LDL-C levels of women were found to be significantly higher than those of men (P < 0.01). SFer levels tended to increase with age in women. Correlation analyses revealed a negative correlation between levels of SFer and HDL-C, while positive correlations existed between levels of SFer, and TC, TG and LDL-C. There was no significant correlation between SFer levels and PON1 or ARE activities. The finding that increased SFer levels are accompanied by increased serum TC, TG and LDL-C levels may help us to explain the increased risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.

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Influenza A (H1N1) caused its first pandemic in 2009 in USA and Mexico. Since then, clinicians have exercised great care in order to make an early diagnosis of viral pneumonias. This is due in part to pandemic influenza A infection having greater impact on populations <65 years old than other viral strains, including seasonal influenza. Chest radiographies of those affected displayed a rapid progression of patchy infiltrates, and a large proportion of individuals required admission to intensive care units (ICU). Despite efforts, patients infected with the virus had a high mortality rate. The present multicenter study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the clinical, demographic and prognostic characteristics of patients diagnosed with epidemic viral pneumonia in Turkey. A total of 92 patients were included in the study. The Student's t-test and Chi-square tests were performed to analyze quantitative data, assuming a normal distribution, and to analyze qualitative data, respectively. Stepwise logistic regression was used to evaluate the effects of demographic variables and laboratory values on the virus mortality rate. The male/female ratio was 42/50 and the mean age was 48.74±16.65 years. A total of 69 (75%) patients were unvaccinated against influenza. The most common symptoms were cough (87%) and fever (63%). Chest computed tomography showed peripheral patchy areas of the lungs of ground glass density in 38 patients (41.3%). A total of 22 (59.4%) patients had H1N1, 5 (12.5%) patients had influenza B, and 38 (41.3%) patients met the criteria for admission to the ICU. Of these patients, 20 (52.63%) were monitored with a mechanical ventilator, with a noninvasive ventilator being adequate for 10 (26.32%) of patients. The length of stay in the ICU was 6.45±5.97 days and the duration of mechanical ventilation was 5.06±4.69 days. A total of 12 (13.04%) patients in the ICU succumbed. Logistic regression analysis revealed that among the parameters possibly associated with mortality, being an active smoker increased the risk of mortality 7.08-fold compared to other groups (P=0.005). In conclusion, viral pneumonia remains a significant health problem during the winter period. Considering the high number of ICU admissions and high rate of mortality for patients in the present study, earlier initiation of antiviral therapy is necessary. Active smoking increased mortality in viral pneumonia.

The UPF surgery, which is a relatively simple surgical intervention to treat OSAS, alleviates nocturnal hypoxic episodes and lowers platelet volume. These may both be important predictors of adverse cardiovascular outcomes related to OSAS.

Aortic stiffness is associated both with the presence and the severity of OSA.