Our results justified the use of TMA and TGA for the early diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis in combination with CUA. The higher frequency of these antibodies in our patients, along with results from previously published data, suggest that this entity may reflect an autoimmune basis in some CUA patients. Thyroid function tests are not enough to rule out thyroid disease, and thyroid antibody tests should be carried out in all patients with CUA.

One hundred consecutive patients (54 girls, 46 boys) referred to a pediatric cardiology department with the primary complaint of chest pain were evaluated. The age distribution was 2.5-16.0 years (mean 11.3 years for girls and 9.9 years for boys). The history showed 17% of patients with chest pain, 22% with heart disease, and 19% with recent death in the family. The time course of the pain was longer than 1 week in 92 patients. Localization was on the left precordium in 60 patients, and there was no radiation from the original site in 66 cases. Ninety-two percent of cases were idiopathic in origin. Of the 74 patients who had a psychiatric interview, 55 (74%) had psychiatric symptoms and 5 required psychiatric care. Anxiety, conversion disorder, and depression were the main psychiatric symptoms.

The study involved 1342 primary school students aged 7-14 years who applied to Ankara, a primary care center for general health check-up between 2006 and 2007. Forty-three students, 35 of whom had PE and 8 of whom had PC, were subjected to thorax measurement. All 43 students underwent pulmonary function tests (PFT).The prevalence rate of PC was 0.6%, and of PE, 2.6%. The thorax widths of the groups were similar (P = 0.273). The thorax circumference and depth of PE group were lower than those of the controls (P < 0.05). The probability rate of abnormality in PFT scores of PE group was statistically significantly higher than that of the controls (P = 0.022) whereas absence of normal PFT scores the difference between PC group and the controls was not statistically significant (p = 0.095). The results indicate that more than half of the individuals with pectus deformity do not have any physical complaints and do not have statistically significant differences in their PFT parameters.

Background/aim: We investigated the role of body flora and chronic inflammatory infections in the etiology of allergic disorders in Turkish children. Materials and methods:Forty pediatric asthma patients with positive skin prick tests and 40 age-matched healthy subjects with negative skin prick tests were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Serum H. pylori IgG, viral hepatitis serology, IL-10, and TGF-beta levels were measured. Stool and throat cultures were taken and tested for occurrence of microorganisms.Results: A significantly higher percentage of nonatopic subjects tested positive for anti-H. pylori antibodies compared to atopic subjects (60% vs. 20%). Serum IL-10 levels were also significantly higher in nonatopic subjects. No significant differences in direct microscopy and culture specimens of stools were observed. Examination of throat flora showed significantly higher occurrences of Neisseria and beta-hemolytic Streptococcus in nonatopic subjects, but higher occurrences of gram-positive bacilli in atopic subjects. Conclusion:Higher prevalence of anti-H. pylori antibody and higher serum levels of IL-10 in nonatopic subjects suggest that chronic infection and inflammation may protect against atopic disease. Higher occurrences of Neisseria and beta-hemolytic Streptococcus in throat cultures from nonatopic subjects are novel findings that lend further support to the hygiene hypothesis.

Background: Previous studies on school-based education programs have reported that asthmatic and nonasthmatic adolescents, teachers and school personnel do not have enough information on asthma. However, the number of education programs including adolescents without asthma is not sufficient. The aim of the present study was to determine the knowledge of school children about asthma and to investigate whether their knowledge of asthma can be increased by an education program through a booklet distributed as a handout. Methods: This cross-sectional prospective questionnaire survey was carried out in a private school in Ankara, Turkey, between February and April 2006. 720 adolescents in grades 6, 7 and 8 were included. Knowledge about asthma was evaluated by a scoring system before and after the education offered by means of a booklet. Results: The final analysis was conducted on 642 students in total. The number of right answers in 5 categories, percentage of right answers and total questionnaire score improved significantly after the education received (p < 0.001). The total questionnaire scores of the girls (p = 0.002), those students with a university graduate mother (p = 0.006) and those with a physician parent (p = 0.041) were higher than those of the other pupils. Conclusion: Theoretical material in the form of a booklet can be used in a school-based asthma education program in order to improve the knowledge of adolescents about asthma.