BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to infection and is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The second hit after trauma causes increased inflammatory response and multiple organ failure (MOF). The infection which develops after burn injury is a suitable model for a two-hit trauma study. Sepsis causes the release of biochemical mediators, such as Free Oxygen Radicals (FORs), which may lead to lipid peroxidation, which may play a key role in multiple organ failure. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors (sildenafil, milrinone, pentoxifylline) and N-acetylcysteine (NAS) on oxidative stress and organ damage in two-hit models. METHODS: In this experimental study, peritonitis was created by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method in 40 rats, 72 hours after creating a 30% scalding injury. Rats were divided into five groups of eight rats each as follows: Group I: No treatment; Group II: 10/mg/ kg/day dosage of intraperitoneal (i.p) sildenafil treatment was applied for 72 hours after CLP; Group III: 1/mg/kg/day dosage of i.p milrinone treatment was applied for 72 hours after CLP; Group IV: 150/mg/kg/day dosage of i.p NAS treatment was applied for 72 hours after CLP; Group V: 50/mg/kg/day dosage of i.p pentoxifylline treatment was applied for 72 hours after CLP. All rats were sacrificed on the seventh day of this study. Malondialdehyde (MDA), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), catalase, Tumor Necrotic Factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels, and tissue (lung, kidney) and serum samples were taken for histopathological study. RESULTS: When compared to the control group, the tissue damage score was found to be lower in all treatment groups. Sildenafil, milrinone and NAS groups had higher kidney GPx levels compared to the control group. Milrinone and pentoxifylline were higher in the lung tissue compared to the SOD control group. TNFα levels were lower in pentoxifylline and milrinone groups compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This experimental study has shown that PDE inhibitors and NAS have a decreasing effect on oxidative stress and distant organ damage in the two-hit model. Further clinical and experimental studies are needed on this subject.

En bloc resection (including the duodenum, pancreatic head and adjacent lymph nodes), hepaticojejunostomy and pylorus-saving Whipple operation.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the leading causes of acute renal failure which is a common clinical event leading to development of chronic kidney disease and a high mortality; especially in elderly people. β-glucans are glucose polymer groups with free-radical scavenger, macrophage activator, and immune defense inducer functions. We designed this study to determine the possible protective effects of β-glucan against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury comparatively in young and aged rats. METHODS: Rats were assigned to the following groups: Young and aged sham, young and aged ischemia-reperfusion, young and aged β-glucan, young and aged ischemia-reperfusion+β-glucan. At the end of the experiment, following collection of blood samples, rats were sacrifi ced and kidneys were removed for histopathological and biochemical examination. RESULTS: Mean tissue histopathological damage scores of young β-glucan group was lower than that of young ischemia-reperfusion group, and of aged β-glucan group was lower than that of aged ischemia-reperfusion group. Urea and creatinine levels of young and aged of sham group and β-glucan administered groups were all lower than those of ischemia-reperfusion and β-glucan+ischemia-reperfusion groups. Oxidative stress indexes of ischemia-reperfusion groups were increased however ; oxidative stress indexes of β-glucan administered to young and aged rats were lower than those of ischemia-reperfusion groups. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that β-glucan is effective to protect kidneys from ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative damage, especially in young rats (Fig. 6, Ref. 45). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate possible effects of high cholesterol diet on oxidant/antioxidant status in rabbit kidney tissues.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still an important cause of meningitis in developing countries. Since clinicians cannot delay treatment in order to receive a definite diagnosis, therapy is often begun on a presumptive basis according to the results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination. A case of tuberculous meningitis with atypical CSF findings is reported to emphasize that, although tuberculous meningitis presents with a characteristic clinical picture as well as cytologic findings and corresponding values of glucose, chloride and proteins in CSF, there are cases with atypical features making the diagnosis difficult.

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