Background Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autoinflammatory syndrome characterized by recurrent episodes of fever and aseptic polyserositis. Subclinical inflammation generates a hidden threat to the development of FMF complications such as amyloidosis in attack-free intervals. The kynurenine pathway (KP) has been considered an important player in inflammation and immune response. The study was aimed to measure serum levels of KP metabolites in patients with FMF in the attack-free period. Methods A total of 161 participants were recruited from the rheumatology department in this single-center, case-control study. Participants meeting the eligibility criteria were divided into healthy controls (n=80) and FMF (n=81). The laboratory data were obtained from the electronic registration database. Serum tryptophan, kynurenine, kynurenic acid, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine, quinolinic acid concentrations were measured with tandem mass spectrometry. Laboratory findings of FMF patients and healthy controls subjects were compared and evaluated. Results Serum tryptophan, kynurenic acid levels were significantly decreased in both FMF groups compared to the control group, while the levels of kynurenine, quinolinic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine, the Kynurenine/Tryptophan ratio, and RDW were higher. Conclusion Tryptophan degradation by the KP is increased in patients with FMF. KP metabolites can be useful in demonstrating subclinical inflammation.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma is a clinically heterogeneous disease. Autoantibodies associated with different clinical features may help in predicting organ involvement. Complete blood count (CBC) parameters and neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte (MLR), and platelet/lymphocyte (PLR) ratios, which are considered biomarkers of systemic inflammation, have been reported many times in various rheumatologic diseases. Studies related to the usefulness of the CBC to assess the severity of SSc are still lacking. This study seeks to determine whether CBC parameters associated with organ involvement, when evaluated together with clinical features and autoantibodies, can additionally contribute to risk estimation. Methods: Adult patients with SSc (n = 130) and healthy control (n = 129) groups were enrolled in the study. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings were obtained by examining patient records. Results: PLR, NLR, and MLR were related to organ involvement. Statistically significant results were obtained with hemoglobin (≤ 13.0 g/dl), lymphocyte count (≤ 1,900 × 10 3 /ml), and mean platelet volume (≤ 8.0 fl) to estimate the risk of interstitial lung disease (p < 0.05). When the lymphocyte count was 1,400 (10 3 /ml) or less, there was a significantly greater risk of pulmonary hypertension. Neutrophil volume ≤ 141 indicated gastrointestinal tract involvement. Conclusions: Simple hematological parameters can be used for predicting SSc-related organ involvements.

Objective: Behçet's Disease (BD) is a polygenic and chronic autoinflammatory multisystemic vasculitis disease characterised by mucocutaneous, musculoskeletal, neurological, gastrointestinal and ophthalmologic lesions. There has been no specific test or serum marker to measure and determine the diagnosis and severity of BD. Purpose:The study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of haematological parameters as MLR (monocyte to lymphocyte ratio), NLR (neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio), PLR (platelet to lymphocyte ratio), MPV (mean platelet volume), MPVPR (mean platelet volume to platelet ratio), LMR (lymphocyte to monocyte ratio), LPM (lymphocyte and platelet multiplication), WLP (lymphocyte and leukocyte multiplication), RDW (red blood cell distribution width) and PCT (plateletcrit) in BD and compare these with disease activity and clinical findings.Methods: A total of 266 participants (49 healthy control and 217 BD patients) were recruited from the rheumatology department in a single-centre as a case-control study. The laboratory data were obtained from the electronic registration database.BD Activity scores (BDCAF/Behcet's Disease Current Activity Form) were calculated. Laboratory findings of BD patients and healthy controls were compared and evaluated.Results: RDW, Platelet, PCT, NLR and PLR values were significantly higher in patient group than in the healthy controls. However, haemoglobin, MPVPR and LMR were significantly lower in the patient group which compared with the healthy controls.LPM in BD with genital ulcers, WLP in BD with genital ulcers and arthritis, MPR in BD with uveitis, RDW in BD with thrombosis and neuro-Behçet's disease (NBD), PLR in NBD were observed to be higher. However, LMR in NBD and MPV in BD with thrombosis were lower than those without. There was a positive correlation between BDCAF score and RDW, and NLR.

Background/Objective: Behçet disease (BD) is not a single unique entity but a syndrome with different clinical phenotypes that can involve arterial and venous vessels of all sizes. To date, there has been no specific test or serum marker to measure and determine the severity of BD, and diagnosis remains based on clinical findings. This study aimed to assess lower extremity venous wall thickness (VWT) measured by ultrasound and laboratory findings and diagnostic performance in patients with BD.Methods: A total of 106 participants were recruited from the rheumatology department in this single-center, case-control study. Participants meeting the eligibility criteria were divided into healthy controls (n = 52) and BD (n = 54). The VWT values of the common femoral vein, great saphenous vein, and popliteal vein were measured using ultrasonography. Laboratory data were obtained from the electronic registration database. Venous wall thicknesses and laboratory findings in patients with BD and healthy subjects were compared.Results: Venous wall thickness of the lower extremity veins was higher in the BD group and higher in those with a history of deep vein thrombosis than in those without. The mean leukocyte, monocyte, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein, plateletcrit (PCT), red cell distribution width (RDW), mean platelet volume (MPV) values, and monocyteto-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were higher in BD patients than in the control group. There was a correlation among increased VWT, ESR, PCT, MPV, RDW, and MLR.Conclusions: C-reactive protein, ESR, MPV, PCT, MLR, RDW, and VWT can be used to assist in the diagnosis of BD.

Objectives As a systemic inflammatory disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory arthritis in the population and there is no specific diagnostic marker in laboratory tests. The purpose of the study was to determine whether serum neopterin and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) levels may be a marker of increased inflammation in RA patients. Materials and methods The study were consist of 30 RA patients and 30 healthy controls who were admitted to the department of rheumatology. Blood specimens were taken from both group, and the levels of neopterin were analyzed by chromatography method (HPLC) and the PTX 3 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All data and demographic characteristics of participants were also recorded. Results Serum neopterin and PTX 3 levels of the patient group (25.99 ± 7.24 ng/mL and 4.19 ± 1.01 ng/dL, respectively) was higher than the control group (9.55 ± 0.74 ng/mL and 2.23 ± 0.39 ng/dL, respectively). These results were remarkable significant (p<0.01). No statistically significant correlation was found between age-PTX 3, age-neopterin and PTX 3-neopterin parameters in the patient group. In the control group, a significant negative correlation was found between age and PTX 3 (p<0.05), and a positive correlation between neopterin and PTX 3. Conclusions Consequently, the serum neopterin and PTX 3 levels were higher in RA patients as compared to the healthy individuals. Our study suggest that there is a relation between neopterin and PTX 3 levels with RA patients. These findings suggest that neopterin and PTX 3 are important markers in the monitoring of RA disease.