We assume that decreasing uric acid levels with allopurinol treatment seems to be helpful in restoring endothelial functions, preventing metabolic acidosis and slowing down the progression of CKD.

Background/Aims: Insulin resistance is associated with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. We aimed to evaluate the effect of bicalutamide on insulin resistance and serum CRP levels in non-obese polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients. Methods: 40 non-obese patients (BMI ≤25 kg/m²) with PCOS and, 40 age- and BMI-matched healthy women were studied. Patients received bicalutamide orally at the dose of 25 mg/day. Serum CRP levels were measured with immunometric assay. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) index was used for insulin resistance. Results: Mean Ferriman-Gallwey score (FGS) (p = 0.001), insulin (p = 0.001), serum glucose (p = 0.001), prolactin (p < 0.003), total (p < 0.04) and free testosterone (p = 0.001) and free androgen index (FAI) levels (p = 0.001) of PCOS subjects were higher than in the control group. Mean HOMA-IR of PCOS patients was higher than in control subjects (2.43 ± 1.2 and 0.94 ± 0.37, p = 0.001). CRP levels in subjects with PCOS was also higher than in control subjects (4.27 ± 1.33 and 0.98 ± 0.19, p = 0.001). After bicalutamide treatment, FGS, free and total testosterone and FAI decreased (p = 0.001). HOMA-IR, prolactin and CRP levels did not show any statistical difference with bicalutamide treatment. Conclusions: PCOS patients had insulin resistance and a high CRP level. Bicalutamide treatment did not influence insulin resistance and CRP level in PCOS, and this ineffectiveness of bicalutamide on CRP levels may be the result of insulin resistance and/or high prolactin levels at this time.

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Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential association of single gene polymorphisms of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) and catalase (CAT) with clinical outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI). Materials and methods Ninety AKI patients and 101 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Determination of MnSOD rs4880, GPX1 rs1050450 and CAT rs769217 polymorphisms was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification. The duration of hospitalization of AKI patients, dialysis and intensive care requirements, sepsis, oliguria and in-hospital mortality rates were assessed. Results The MnSOD, GPX1 and CAT genotypes and allele frequencies of AKI patients did not differ significantly from those of healthy controls. In patients with a T allele in the ninth exon of the CAT gene, intensive care requirements were greater than those of patients with the CC genotype (p ¼ 0.04). In addition, sepsis and in-hospital mortality were observed significantly more frequently in patients with a T allele in the ninth exon of the CAT gene (p ¼ 0.03). Logistic regression analysis determined that bearing a T allele was the primary determinant of intensive care requirements and in-hospital mortality, independent of patient age, gender, presence of diabetes and dialysis requirements (OR 6.10, 95% CI 1.34-27.81, p ¼ 0.02 and OR 10.25, 95% CI 1.13-92.80, p ¼ 0.04, respectively). Conclusion Among AKI patients in the Turkish population, hospital morbidity and mortality were found to be more frequent in patients bearing a T allele of the rs769217 polymorphism of the CAT gene.

Telomerase activity in PBMC increases with advancing CKD stage in CKD patients. Increased telomerase activity in PBMC is associated with eGFR and BMI.

A lesser increase in left ventricular mass and better diastolic functions was observed in dialysis patients after 6 months of cholecalciferol treatment.

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Liver cirrhosis is a severe disease with complications and viruses take the first place in the etiology of cirrhosis. In this study, the effects of liver cirrhosis due to viral hepatitis cardiac ventricular functions were analyzed. Thirty patients (mean age 43.6±12, 20 male) with liver cirrhosis underwent echocardiographic studies and were compared with 30 healthy controls (mean age 37.3±2, 22 male). Right and left atrium and right ventricle dimensions, interventricular septum, right ventricle free wall thickness, pulmonary artery diameter and assumed mean pulmonary artery pressure measured with 2-dimensional echocardiography were significantly increased in the patient group. In Doppler echocardiographic studies, right ventricle diastolic functions were significantly impaired in the patient group. There were no significant differences in left ventricle systolic and diastolic functions between the groups. In conclusion, liver cirrhosis causes dilatation in right heart spaces and diastolic dysfunction.