Background. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that is associated with sub-clinical inflammation. Some hemogram parameters are thought to be novel inflammatory markers. Objectives. We aimed to study novel inflammatory markers derived from hemograms and to compare them to those in healthy subjects. Material and methods. The platelet distribution width (PDW), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) of patients with IBS were gathered from a database and compared to those in a healthy population.Results. The PLR of the IBS group (144 ± 50%) was higher than the PLR of the control group (111 ± 32%; p < 0.001). The PDW of the IBS group (16.3 [1%]) was higher than the PDW of the control group (15.4 [2.4%]; p < 0.001). The NLR of the IBS group (2.2 [1.1%]) was higher than the NLR of the control group (1.8 [0.7%]; p < 0.001). The MLR of the IBS group (0.25 [0.14%]) was higher than the MLR of the control group (0.2 [0.12%]; p < 0.001). Conclusions. We think that PDW, NLR, PLR, and MLR could all serve as diagnostic tools for IBS. Although the diagnosis of IBS is based on history and clinical findings, the simplicity and low cost of these hemogram tests could provide laboratory support in establishing a diagnosis, especially in suspected cases.

OBJECTIVE: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is characterized by lipid being deposited into hepatocytes, affects nearly one in three adults globally. Inflammatory markers were suggested to be related with hepatic steatosis. Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio is proposed as a novel inflammatory and metabolic marker. We aimed to compare Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio levels of patients with Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to those of healthy controls and find out potential correlations between Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio and other inflammatory and metabolic markers of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. METHODS:Patients with a diagnosis of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease who were on clinical follow-up in our institution were enrolled in the study as the Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group, while healthy volunteers were enrolled as the control group.The Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio of the groups was compared and potential correlations were studied between Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio and fasting blood glucose, transaminases, serum lipids (triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol), weight, and body mass index. RESULTS:The Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio of the Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (13±5%) group was significantly higher compared to the Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio of the control (10±4%) group (p<0.001). Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio was significantly and positively correlated with fasting blood glucose, transaminases, triglyceride, body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and body mass index. A ROC analysis revealed that a Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio level greater than 9.6% has 73% sensitivity and 51% specificity in determining Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.CONCLUSION: Due to the inexpensive and easy-to-assess nature of Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio, we suggest that elevated Uric acid to HDL cholesterol ratio levels be considered a useful tool in diagnosing hepatic steatosis.

Aim Chronic hepatitis B is associated with important morbidity and mortality. Inflammation has a pivotal role in hepatic fibrosis of this population. Hemogram-derived inflammatory predictors, such as mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), are supposed as inflammatory markers in various diseases. We aimed to compare MPV and PLR of the patients with chronic hepatitis B to those of healthy controls and to observe possible correlation between these markers and fibrosis. Methods Chronic hepatitis B patients that visited our outpatient gastroenterology clinics were enrolled in the study. Healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls. MPV, PLR and other parameters of the study groups were compared. Results Median MPV of the mild fibrosis, advanced fibrosis control groups were 8.1 (6.6–13) fL, 8.2 (6.3–14.5) fL and 7.2 (4.6–8.9) fL, respectively (P < 0.001). Median PLR of the mild fibrosis, advanced fibrosis control groups were 99.5 (36–259) %, 119 (61–1547) % and 122 (64–197) %, respectively (P = 0.02). PLR was correlated with the ISHAK score (r = 0.32, P = 0.002). A MPV value greater than 7.52 fL have 80% sensitivity and 56% specificity in determining advanced fibrosis (AUC: 0.68, P = 0.002, 95% confidence interval, 0.58–0.77). Conclusion We think that increased MPV and decreased PLR are characteristics of chronic hepatitis B disease. Moreover, increased MPV could predict advanced fibrosis in this population.

Differentiation of thyroid nodules, either as benign or malignant, is a real diagnostic challenge. Inflammation has an important role in development of the malignancy. Therefore, inflammatory markers are associated with malignant thyroid nodules. Platelet /lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is also one of the novel inflammatory indices derived from hemogram tests. We hypothesized whether PLR was associated with malignant thyroid nodules. For this purpose, we compared PLR levels of the patients with benign thyroid nodules to the PLR of the subjects with malignant nodules. Methods: The subjects who visited outpatient internal medicine clinics of our institution with a diagnosis of thyroid nodule were enrolled to the present retrospective study. According to the examination of the fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) specimen of the nodules, patients grouped into benign or malignant nodule groups. PLR of groups were compared. Results: Median PLR values of the benign and malignant thyroid nodule groups were 106 (48-432) % and 119 (48-365) %, respectively (p=0.001). PLR value higher than 106% has 69% sensitivity and 51% specificity in detecting malignant nodules (AUC: 0.59, p=0.001, 95% CI: 0.54-0.65). PLR was positively correlated with TSH level (r=0.10, p=0.34). Conclusion:We suggest that elevated PLR could be an additional tool to differentiate malignant thyroid nodules from benign ones in supportive of sonography, scintigraphy and cytology.

No abstract

No abstract

The triglyceride / HDL cholesterol (TG/HDL-c) ratio is increased in a variety of diseases including, coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, its role in non-alcoholic hepatosteatosis is not well understood. In present study, we aimed to compare the TG/HDL-c levels of the patients with nonalcoholic hepatosteatosis to those of the healthy subjects. Methods: Medical data of the patients with non-alcoholic hepatosteatosis whom presented to the outpatient internal medicine clinics of our institution were retrospectively analyzed. Healthy subjects whom admissions to our clinics were due to check up were enrolled to the study as control group. TG/HDL-c of the groups compared. Results: TG/HDL-c level of the liver steatosis group (5 (2-22) %) was higher than the control group (2.7 (1-8) %), (p<0.001). TG/HDL-c was significantly and positively correlated with fasting blood glucose (r=0.31, p<0.001), C -reactive protein (r=0.25, p<0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (r=0.3, p<0.001) levels. A TG/HDL-c value greater than 3.1% has 91% sensitivity and 77% specificity in detecting hepatosteatosis. Conclusions: We suggest that TG/HDL-c ratio could be a useful marker of non-alcoholic hepatosteatosis due to its inexpensive and easy to assess nature.

No abstract