Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate whether low serum calcium (Ca) and corrected calc... more Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate whether low serum calcium (Ca) and corrected calcium (cCa) levels could predict disease prognosis and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively enrolled 206 eligible patients with COVID-19, diagnosed at Turkey Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital between March 12, 2020 and June 15, 2020. Results: Serum Ca level was 8.8 ± 0.57 mg/dL and the serum cCa level was 8.99 ± 0.53 in all patients. The patients were divided into two groups, such as hypocalcemic and non-hypocalcemic patients. We observed that serum Ca levels of patients who died were significantly lower than that of surviving patients. A significant negative correlation was found between serum cCa level and albumin level. A significant positive correlation was found between serum cCa level and C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, procalcitonin, troponin, CURB-65 score, and quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Ass...
Aim: We aimed to evaluate the circulating thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF... more Aim: We aimed to evaluate the circulating thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in order to integrate these signaling pathways in the inflammatory and fibrogenic processes of this liver disorder. Methods: Ninety-five NAFLD patients were recruited in the study. The study also included 83 age-sex matched healthy controls. Results: The number of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) criteria was 57 (60%). TSP-1 level was found to be statistically significantly lower in the NAFLD group compared to the control group (p=0.037). However, NF-κB level was found to be significantly higher in the NAFLD group compared to the control group (p=0.004). There was a significant negative correlation between plasma TSP-1 levels with glucose (r=-0.235, p=0.022), alanine aminotransferase (r=-0.261, p=0.011) and aspartate transaminase (r=-0.328, p=0.001) levels. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between plasma TSP...
Background: Metabolic syndrome is a systemic disorder and manifests a group of conditions such as... more Background: Metabolic syndrome is a systemic disorder and manifests a group of conditions such as abdominal obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, coronary artery diseases. The importance of epicardial adipose tissue recognized its contribution to inflammation by pro-inflammatory cytokines discharge has been proved. Several investigations were performed on vitamin D receptor in different tissues except bone. In this study the epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT) and the levels of vitamin D were measured and compared with healthy control group. Methods: A total of 148 patients (84 patients who had metabolic syndrome without diabetes and 64 healthy individuals) were enrolled into the study. In all patients, the EATT was calculated by ecocardiography and the level of serum 25(OH) vitamin D was monitored. Results: It has been observed that the EATT in patients with metabolic syndrome increases significiantly compared with healthy control group (p<0.001). No significant differenc...
Background/Aim: Cardiovascular involvement in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) i... more Background/Aim: Cardiovascular involvement in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is closely related to the course of the disease; however, this issue has not been adequately studied in Turkey. Thus, we aimed to investigate the electrocardiography (ECG) findings in noncritical patients with COVID-19 in Turkey. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on non-critical patients with COVID-19 with no history of any cardiac disease. The laboratory parameters and ECG findings of the patients at the time of admission were analyzed. Results: In total, 100 patients with a mean age of 56.8 (16.7) years were included in the study, among which 54 were males. The rate of patients having at least one abnormal ECG finding, ST segment pathology, and elevated troponin level were 58%, 26%, and 48%, respectively. The respiratory rate and mean troponin level were higher and the mean lymphocyte count was lower in patients with ST segment pathology than in patients without. Th...
Background Cognitive functions are affected by thyroid hormones. In this study, we aimed to inves... more Background Cognitive functions are affected by thyroid hormones. In this study, we aimed to investigate the selective attention and information processing speed in thyrotoxic Graves’ disease. Methodology This study was conducted among 40 patients with thyrotoxic Graves’ disease and age and gender-matched 40 healthy controls. Stroop Color and Word test were applied to healthy controls once and to patients with Graves’ disease during thyrotoxic and euthyroid periods. Stroop interference effect was calculated. Results The mean age was 34.67 ± 11 in the Graves’ group and 34.72 ± 9.16 in the control group (p > 0.05). The number of errors and self-corrections in Stroop Color and Word test was higher in patients with thyrotoxic Graves’ disease than both patients with euthyroid Graves’ disease and healthy controls (p < 0.05). Stroop interference effect was significantly longer in patients with thyrotoxic Graves’ disease than both patients with euthyroid Graves’ disease and healthy con...
International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 2021
. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the nutritional status, as assessed by t... more . Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the nutritional status, as assessed by the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on the disease prognosis of patients with COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective study included 282 patients with COVID-19. The PNI score of all patients, 147 of whom were male, with a mean age of 56.4±15.3 years, was calculated. According to the PNI score, the patients with normal and mild malnutrition constituted group-1 (n=159) and the patients with moderate-to-severe and serious malnutrition constituted group-2 (n=123). Results: The PNI score was correlated with age (r=−0.146, p=0.014); oxygen saturation (r=0.190, p=0.001); heart rate (r=−0.117, p=0.05); hospitalization duration (r=−0.266, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); white blood cells (r=0.156, p=0.009); hemoglobin (r=0.307, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); C-reactive protein (CRP) (r=−0.346, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); creatinine (r=−0.184, p=0.002); D-dimer (r=−0.304, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); ferritin (r=−0.283, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); procalcitonin (r=−0.287, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); the confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age ≥65 years score (r=−0.217, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); and the quick sequential organ failure assessment score (r=−0.261, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001) in patients with COVID-19. Mortality was significantly higher in Group 2 (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001). Survival was significantly higher if PNI score was &amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;41.2 (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001, sensitivity: 78.7% and specificity: 84.2%). In multivariate regression analysis, among various other parameters, only PNI score and oxygen saturation had a significant effect on the disease course (p=0.02 and p=0.045, respectively). Conclusion: PNI, calculated from the serum albumin concentration and total lymphocyte count, is a simple and objective indicator that assesses the immune nutritional status of patients with COVID-19. The presence of malnutrition has a high predictive value in predicting the severity of COVID-19. Our data suggest that the PNI might be useful for risk stratification of patients with COVID-19 in clinical practice.
BACKGROUND Both the extracellular matrix molecule tenascin-C (Tn-C) and tissue inhibitors of meta... more BACKGROUND Both the extracellular matrix molecule tenascin-C (Tn-C) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) have a role in tissue injury, inflammation, and remodeling. In this pilot study, we tried to evaluate the role of these markers in acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS A total of 52 subjects were enrolled in this study. Group 1 consisted of 27 patients with AKI (stage 1, 2, and 3), and Group 2 consisted of 25 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Serum and urine samples (to determine Tn-C and TIMP-1) were obtained from the participants at the beginning of the study. Second samples were obtained from Group 1 patients when renal function improved (at discharge). RESULTS Serum TIMP-1 concentrations (admission and discharge) were higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (p = 0.0001 for both comparisons). Tn-C excretion in spot urine was significantly higher in healthy controls than at the admission levels of the patient group (p = 0.036). However, TIMP-1 excretion in spot urine was lower in healthy controls than in admission and discharge levels of the patient group (p = 0.0001 for both comparisons). CONCLUSIONS Our results show that these biomarkers (especially TIMP-1) may have a role in the pathophysiology of AKI. Further studies are needed in this field.
Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate whether low serum calcium (Ca) and corrected calc... more Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate whether low serum calcium (Ca) and corrected calcium (cCa) levels could predict disease prognosis and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively enrolled 206 eligible patients with COVID-19, diagnosed at Turkey Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital between March 12, 2020 and June 15, 2020. Results: Serum Ca level was 8.8 ± 0.57 mg/dL and the serum cCa level was 8.99 ± 0.53 in all patients. The patients were divided into two groups, such as hypocalcemic and non-hypocalcemic patients. We observed that serum Ca levels of patients who died were significantly lower than that of surviving patients. A significant negative correlation was found between serum cCa level and albumin level. A significant positive correlation was found between serum cCa level and C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, procalcitonin, troponin, CURB-65 score, and quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Ass...
Aim: We aimed to evaluate the circulating thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF... more Aim: We aimed to evaluate the circulating thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in order to integrate these signaling pathways in the inflammatory and fibrogenic processes of this liver disorder. Methods: Ninety-five NAFLD patients were recruited in the study. The study also included 83 age-sex matched healthy controls. Results: The number of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) criteria was 57 (60%). TSP-1 level was found to be statistically significantly lower in the NAFLD group compared to the control group (p=0.037). However, NF-κB level was found to be significantly higher in the NAFLD group compared to the control group (p=0.004). There was a significant negative correlation between plasma TSP-1 levels with glucose (r=-0.235, p=0.022), alanine aminotransferase (r=-0.261, p=0.011) and aspartate transaminase (r=-0.328, p=0.001) levels. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between plasma TSP...
Background: Metabolic syndrome is a systemic disorder and manifests a group of conditions such as... more Background: Metabolic syndrome is a systemic disorder and manifests a group of conditions such as abdominal obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, coronary artery diseases. The importance of epicardial adipose tissue recognized its contribution to inflammation by pro-inflammatory cytokines discharge has been proved. Several investigations were performed on vitamin D receptor in different tissues except bone. In this study the epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT) and the levels of vitamin D were measured and compared with healthy control group. Methods: A total of 148 patients (84 patients who had metabolic syndrome without diabetes and 64 healthy individuals) were enrolled into the study. In all patients, the EATT was calculated by ecocardiography and the level of serum 25(OH) vitamin D was monitored. Results: It has been observed that the EATT in patients with metabolic syndrome increases significiantly compared with healthy control group (p<0.001). No significant differenc...
Background/Aim: Cardiovascular involvement in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) i... more Background/Aim: Cardiovascular involvement in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is closely related to the course of the disease; however, this issue has not been adequately studied in Turkey. Thus, we aimed to investigate the electrocardiography (ECG) findings in noncritical patients with COVID-19 in Turkey. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on non-critical patients with COVID-19 with no history of any cardiac disease. The laboratory parameters and ECG findings of the patients at the time of admission were analyzed. Results: In total, 100 patients with a mean age of 56.8 (16.7) years were included in the study, among which 54 were males. The rate of patients having at least one abnormal ECG finding, ST segment pathology, and elevated troponin level were 58%, 26%, and 48%, respectively. The respiratory rate and mean troponin level were higher and the mean lymphocyte count was lower in patients with ST segment pathology than in patients without. Th...
Background Cognitive functions are affected by thyroid hormones. In this study, we aimed to inves... more Background Cognitive functions are affected by thyroid hormones. In this study, we aimed to investigate the selective attention and information processing speed in thyrotoxic Graves’ disease. Methodology This study was conducted among 40 patients with thyrotoxic Graves’ disease and age and gender-matched 40 healthy controls. Stroop Color and Word test were applied to healthy controls once and to patients with Graves’ disease during thyrotoxic and euthyroid periods. Stroop interference effect was calculated. Results The mean age was 34.67 ± 11 in the Graves’ group and 34.72 ± 9.16 in the control group (p > 0.05). The number of errors and self-corrections in Stroop Color and Word test was higher in patients with thyrotoxic Graves’ disease than both patients with euthyroid Graves’ disease and healthy controls (p < 0.05). Stroop interference effect was significantly longer in patients with thyrotoxic Graves’ disease than both patients with euthyroid Graves’ disease and healthy con...
International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 2021
. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the nutritional status, as assessed by t... more . Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the nutritional status, as assessed by the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on the disease prognosis of patients with COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective study included 282 patients with COVID-19. The PNI score of all patients, 147 of whom were male, with a mean age of 56.4±15.3 years, was calculated. According to the PNI score, the patients with normal and mild malnutrition constituted group-1 (n=159) and the patients with moderate-to-severe and serious malnutrition constituted group-2 (n=123). Results: The PNI score was correlated with age (r=−0.146, p=0.014); oxygen saturation (r=0.190, p=0.001); heart rate (r=−0.117, p=0.05); hospitalization duration (r=−0.266, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); white blood cells (r=0.156, p=0.009); hemoglobin (r=0.307, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); C-reactive protein (CRP) (r=−0.346, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); creatinine (r=−0.184, p=0.002); D-dimer (r=−0.304, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); ferritin (r=−0.283, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); procalcitonin (r=−0.287, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); the confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age ≥65 years score (r=−0.217, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001); and the quick sequential organ failure assessment score (r=−0.261, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001) in patients with COVID-19. Mortality was significantly higher in Group 2 (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001). Survival was significantly higher if PNI score was &amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;41.2 (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001, sensitivity: 78.7% and specificity: 84.2%). In multivariate regression analysis, among various other parameters, only PNI score and oxygen saturation had a significant effect on the disease course (p=0.02 and p=0.045, respectively). Conclusion: PNI, calculated from the serum albumin concentration and total lymphocyte count, is a simple and objective indicator that assesses the immune nutritional status of patients with COVID-19. The presence of malnutrition has a high predictive value in predicting the severity of COVID-19. Our data suggest that the PNI might be useful for risk stratification of patients with COVID-19 in clinical practice.
BACKGROUND Both the extracellular matrix molecule tenascin-C (Tn-C) and tissue inhibitors of meta... more BACKGROUND Both the extracellular matrix molecule tenascin-C (Tn-C) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) have a role in tissue injury, inflammation, and remodeling. In this pilot study, we tried to evaluate the role of these markers in acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS A total of 52 subjects were enrolled in this study. Group 1 consisted of 27 patients with AKI (stage 1, 2, and 3), and Group 2 consisted of 25 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Serum and urine samples (to determine Tn-C and TIMP-1) were obtained from the participants at the beginning of the study. Second samples were obtained from Group 1 patients when renal function improved (at discharge). RESULTS Serum TIMP-1 concentrations (admission and discharge) were higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (p = 0.0001 for both comparisons). Tn-C excretion in spot urine was significantly higher in healthy controls than at the admission levels of the patient group (p = 0.036). However, TIMP-1 excretion in spot urine was lower in healthy controls than in admission and discharge levels of the patient group (p = 0.0001 for both comparisons). CONCLUSIONS Our results show that these biomarkers (especially TIMP-1) may have a role in the pathophysiology of AKI. Further studies are needed in this field.
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