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It has been reported that von Willebrand factor (vWf) plays a role in the development of complications of diabetes mellitus. The relationships between vWf and polyneuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy were investigated in the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. 58 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (22 men and 36 women, mean age 54 ± 9 ) and 30 healthy nondiabetic controls (12 men and 18 women, mean age 40 ± 11) were admitted to this study. They were examined by an internist, a neurologist and an ophtalmologist for complications of diabetes mellitus. Electromyography was performed to all the patients. The mean vWf levels of the patients and control group were 1.48 ± 0.55 and 1.25 ± 0.32 IU/mL respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups (p= 0.146). Diabetic retinopathy in 18 patients (31%), polyneuropathy in 20 patients (34.5%), trap neuropathy in 5 patients (8.6%), microalbuminuria in 9 patients (15.5%), macroalbuminuria in 2 patients (3.5%) and normoalbuminuria in 47 patients (81%) were detected. The difference between vWf levels of the patients with retinopathy and without retinopathy were not statistically significant (p= 0.913). There was no significant difference between patients with polyneuropathy and without polyneuropathy group (p= 0.737). There was also no difference between trap neuropathy and without trap neuropathy (p= 0.431), and between polyneuropathy and trap neuropathy (p= 0.246) patient subgroups. The vWf levels in normoalbuminuric, microalbuminuric and macroalbuminuric patient groups were not different (p values: 0.526, 0.392 and 0.759 respectively). vWf levels between patients with complications of diabetes mellitus and control group were not different (p> 0.05). There was not a significant correlation between the vWf level and body mass index, serum glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, platelet counts, fibrinogen levels, prothrombin and activated thromboplastin times in 33 patients with any complication of diabetes mellitus (p> 0.05). We conclude that, vWf has not an effect in the development of complications in patients with diabetes mellitus.

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Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) plays an important role in clot formation by activating platelets, monocytes and endothelial cells and inducing procoagulant substances such as negatively charged phospolipids or tissue factor. There is a genetically controlled inter-individual variation of TNF-a production. Carrying TNF2 allele could have a slight protective effect against the occurence of stroke in Sickle Cell Disease patients. We aimed to study this polymorphic site in Turkish children with the diagnosis of thrombosis.

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We describe a 38 year-old woman with polycythemia vera who presented with fulminant hepatic failure due to acute Budd-Chiari syndrome. She had a history of abdominal pain and distention for 4 days. Laboratory and clinical findings showed fulminant hepatic failure due to acute Budd-Chiari syndrome. Diagnosis was confirmed with abdominal ultrasonography and doppler ultrasonography showing ascites, hepatomegaly, portal hypertension and total occlusion of hepatic veins. Complete blood count and other clinical findings were compatible with polycythemia vera. The patient was successfully treated with urgent administration of continuous heparin infusion, repeated phlebotomies and hydroxyurea. We emphasize that early diagnosis and effective treatment in such fulminant cases can be life saving.

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Corynebacterium spp. has been gaining importance in immunosuppressive patients. This report of a 15-year-old girl with acute myeloblastic leukemia who developed catheter related septicemia with Corynebacterium jeikeium is presented to point out the importance of microorganisms of the normal flora, which were dismissed as contaminants in Clinical Microbiology Laboratories in the past.

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The clinico-epidemiologic characteristics of 54 children with HD in 0-6 years of age group were retrospectively
analyzed. This group represented 27% of 200 HD cases observed in our center and was named
as early type-I pattern HD. The association of EBV with HD was also shown by serologic and immunohistochemical
methods (LMP1) in these very young Turkish patients. T-cell immune deficiency,
cytokine imbalance and Zn deficiency were additional findings found in these patients. This series seems
to be the largest one studying early type-I HD, by several aspects.

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The presence of HbS was reported in Turkey for the first time in the late fifties by Aksoy et al. This was followed by other reports by the same author revealing the presence of several other abnormal hemoglobins in Turkey. So far up to present 42 abnormal hemoglobins have been identified in the Turkish population. In addition to the studies conducted in Turkey, many European researchers reported their findings in the immigrant Turkish population in their countries. This review tries to cover the tremendous efforts in this field.

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Abstract | Full Text PDF