Background: Echinococcus disease is endemic in sheep-and cattle-raising areas world wide. Its prevalence is also high in the Mediterranean region including Turkey. Objective: To determine the presentation, approach to surgical treatment and outcome of hydatid disease in an endemic region. Methods: From January 1989 to December 1998 288 patients, aged between 1 and 71 years with a mean age of 31 years (134 female, 154 male), were operated on for pulmonary hydatidosis. Clinical charts of the patients were reviewed retrospectively in a tertiary referral hospital. Results: Of 288 patients, 30 patients were asymptomatic, the rest (89%) were symptomatic, cough and chest pain being the most common symptoms. Fifty-three patients (18%) had associated liver hydatid cysts. Bilateral lung hydatid cysts were present in 18 patients (6%). Recurrent hydatid cysts were observed in 33 patients (11%). Seventy-seven patients (27%) presented with complicated hydatid cysts. Postoperative morbidity was observed in 3 patients [bronchopleural fistula (2), infection of the cyst space (1)] and postoperative mortality in 1 patient who presented with hydatid lung disease associated with liver and brain cysts. In the remaining 98.6%, no complications were noted. Conclusions: In conclusion, hydatidosis is still an important public health problem in Turkey and in an endemic country such as Turkey hydatid lung disease should be considered initially in a patient presenting with a corresponding chest roentgenogram and a compatible epidemiologic history. Surgery is indicated in all symptomatic and/or enlarging or infected cysts. When necessary lobectomy or wedge resection can be the procedure of choice. Single-stage combined resection is preferred in hydatid lung disease with associated liver hydatid cysts. Total postoperative complication and mortality rate is low and we recommend a close follow-up of the operated cases to diagnose postoperative recurrence early in its course.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the value of Ca 125, a tumour marker, in evaluation of pulmonary tuberculosis activity. This study included 96 subjects who were divided into three groups. Group 1 consisted of 40 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Group 2 included 20 patients with inactive pulmonary tuberculosis. There were 36 healthy subjects in group 3. While measurement of serum Ca 125 level was performed only once in groups 2 and 3, Ca 125 levels were measured five times in group 1. The measurements were performed before the treatment, at the second, fourth and sixth months and the third year following the end of the treatment. Mean +/- SD serum Ca 125 concentrations were 109.7 +/- 86.9 U ml(-1) in group 1, 14.5 +/- 7.8 U ml(-1) in group 2 and 10.5 +/- 7.3 U ml(-1) in group 3. Serum Ca 125 levels were significantly higher in group 1 than in the other groups (P < 0.0001), but there was no significant statistical difference between the values of groups 2 and 3 (P > 0.05). Ca 125 levels in group 1 showed a significant decrease after treatment (P < 0.0001). For estimation of the activity of tuberculosis, the sensitivity and specificity of Ca 125 were found 97.5% and 100%, respectively at a 31 U ml(-1) cut-off point. Our results suggest that Ca 125 is beneficial in the determinaton of tuberculosis activity and in differentiation between active and inactive pulmonary tuberculosis.

AIMS:Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) still constitutes an important clinical problem. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and features of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.MATERIALS AND METHODS:We retrospectively evaluated 14,266 tuberculosis patients diagnosed between January 1999 and December 2003 in a tertiary care hospital in Istanbul. As many as 2,435 patients (17.1%) with EPTB were evaluated for the incidence and features.RESULTS:Of the 14,266 patients, 4,154 were female (29%) and 10,112 were male (71%) and were aged between 14 and 86 years with a mean age of 35 ± 14 years. As many as 660 (17.9%) patients were diagnosed as EPTB in 1999, 568 (17.8%) in 2000, 357 (13.7%) in 2001, 462 (22%) in 2002 and 388 (14.5%) in 2003. EPTB presented most commonly as pleurisy (66%), followed by lymphadenitis (23%). Lymphadenitis and pleurisy were more commonly observed among female TB patients (60%) and among male TB patients (59%) respectively. EPTB showed a significant female predilection (26.8%) compared to male patients (13.1%). Multi-organ involvement was observed in 37 (1.5%) patients (two organs in 33 and three organs in 4). As many as 197 (8%) EPTB cases had pulmonary tuberculosis simultaneously.CONCLUSIONS:EPTB still constitutes an important clinical problem. The rates of EPTB have remained constant despite the decline in pulmonary tuberculosis cases. In the current study, we present our experience of the incidence and features of EPTB patients without HIV infection. In this study, EPTB cases constituted one-fifth of all tuberculosis cases presented to our center in the study period.

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Pleural lesions associated with pulmonary hydatid disease are rare and have a variable radiographic appearance. In regions in which echinococcal disease is endemic, a high level of clinical suspicion is necessary for diagnosis and appropriate management of this condition.

The authors present a case of endobronchial endometriosis with catamenial haemoptysis. The lesion was diagnosed as endobronchial endometriosis based on histopathological examination of a bronchial biopsy from the right second carina. Fibreoptic bronchoscopic examination revealed a tiny hyperaemic submucosal area with bleeding and a brown-coloured diverticulum at bottom of this lesion encompassing a 2-cm2 area at the right second carina. Multiplanar reconstructions of a spiral CT scan revealed a 0.5-cm lesion that looked like a diverticulum at the right second carina. The patient was treated with argon laser at bronchoscopy. Following treatment, the patient has been asymptomatic with no recurrence of haemoptysis.

Hydatid disease is one of the major health problems in countries where hydatidosis is endemic. Atypical radiological findings may lead to misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis in these patients. A 13-year-old boy was presented who admitted to the hospital with a history of cough and hemoptysis for six months. He had a non-resolving pneumonia. Bronchoscopy showed endobronchial lesion and the diagnosis of hydatid disease was confirmed by pathological examination.

AimTo evaluate kyphoscoliosis patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (CHRF) using the six minute walk test (6MWT) distance (6MWD) and cardio-pulmonary function tests.MethodThis prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary training and research hospital in Turkey. Kyphoscoliosis patients with CHRF on home mechanical ventilation (HMV) followed in a respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) out-patient clinic were enrolled. Patients' demographics were recorded as well as transthoracic echocardiography (ECHO), 6MWD, spirometry, arterial blood gas (ABG) values and high resolution chest computed tomography. 6MWT results were compared with other parameters.ResultsThirty four patients with kyphoscoliosis and chronic respiratory insufficiency admitted to our outpatient clinic were included in the study but 25 (17 M) patients underwent 6MWT (8 patients walked with oxygen supplement due to PaO2 < 60 mm Hg). The mean 6MWD was 274.4 ± 76.2 (median 270) m and median 6MWD predicted rate was 43.7% (inter quartile ratio, IQR, 37.6% to 47.7%). Median HMV use was 3 years (IQR 2-4). 6MWD predicted rate, body mass index (BMI), HMV duration were similar in male and female patients. 6MWD correlated well with age, BMI, dyspnea score for baseline 6MWT (r: - 0.59, p < 0.002, r: - 0.58, p < 0.003, r: - 0.55, p < 0.005 respectively) but modestly with forced expiratory volume in one second, pulse rate for baseline 6MWT, pulse saturation rate, fatigue and dyspnea score at end of 6MWT (r: - 0.44, p < 0.048; r: 0.44, p < 0.027; r: - 0.43, p < 0.031; r: - 0.42, p < 0.036; r: - 0.42, p < 0.034 respectively). 6MWD predicted rate was only correlated with dyspnea score at baseline (r: - 0.46, p < 0.022). The systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPs) in 6 (24%) cases was more than 40 mmHg, in whom mean PaO2/FiO2 was 301.4 ± 55.4 compared to 280.9 ± 50.2 in those with normal PAPs (p > 0.40).ConclusionThe 6MWT is an easy way to evaluate physical performance limitation in kyphoscoliosis patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure using home mechanical ventilation. Nearly 275 m was the mean distance walked in the 6MWT, but rather than distance in meters, the 6MWD predicted rate according to gender and body mass index equation might be a better way for deciding about physical performance of these patients. Dyspnea score at baseline before the 6MWT may be the most important point that affects 6MWD in this patient population.