Coexistence of multiple causes in patients with iron deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: The etiology of disorders may be attributable to multiple causal factors simultaneously. This study sought to investigate how frequently, and which causes coexist in patients with iron deficiency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who applied to the Iron Deficiency Outpatient Clinic between January and December 2021 were included in this cross-sectional study. The causes of iron deficiency were extracted from patient files. Analyses were conducted on the entire population as well as three subgroups: women of reproductive age, postmenopausal women, and males. Numbers and frequencies of causes of iron deficiency were calculated. The subgroups were compared using the Jamovi software. RESULTS: The study sample comprised a total of 331 patients. Women of reproductive age were the majority of patients admitted to the clinic (86.7%, n=287). Men represented 6.3% of the sample (n=21), and postmenopausal women accounted for 7.0% (n=23). The mean ages were 37.6±9.05, 49.2±15.49 and 57.8±10.84 years, respectively. The overall sample's rate of multiple iron deficiency causes coexisting was 33.5% (n=111) and the subgroups showed similar frequencies for the coexistence of multiple causes. Statistically, the number of simultaneous multiple causes varied between subgroups (χ2=118, df=10, p<0.001). Heavy menstrual bleeding and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use were the most common dual causes of multiple coexisting conditions (n=46, 41.4%). In terms of the number of causes, the coexistence of two causes of iron deficiency in women was notable, whereas the coexistence of three causes in males was remarkable. Furthermore, it has been found that some patients have up to five coexisting causes of iron deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Some iron deficiency causes may coexist, and this must be taken into account for the effective management of iron deficiency.

RELATION OF APELIN, TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR ALPHA AND CLAUDIN-5 TO BODY MASS INDEX IN CHOLECYSTECTOMIES.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of Claudin-5, Apelin, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) expression, and body mass index (BMI) of cholecystectomies. Materials and methods: Sixty-eight paraffin embedded cholecystectomy specimens diagnosed as chronic cholecystitis were collected in the Pathology Department of the Training and Research Hospital between 2015-2017. The samples were stained with Apelin, Claudin-5 and TNF-α. The immunohistochemical study was carried out using the system in an automatic staining machine. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between BMI and TNF-α staining (p=0.010). This result indicated that the degree of staining increased together with BMI. When age, BMI, and the other biochemical parameters were evaluated, a significant correlation was found between BMI and blood glucose only (p=0.029); correlations of BMI with the other parameters were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Although there is no relationship between inflammation and BMI with Claudin-5 and Apelin in this study, there is a significant relationship between BMI and TNF-α.

Anticholinergic effects of oral antipsychotic drugs of typicals versus atypicals over medium- and long-term: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anticholinergic side-effects of antipsychotic drugs are common and can potentially impact on quality of life as well as concordance with medication. OBJECTIVES: To investigate prevalence/incidence rates of anticholinergic side-effects of oral antipsychotic drugs over the medium- and long-term. METHODS: We included all systematic reviews undertaken by the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group for people who are taking antipsychotic drugs and suffering from schizophrenia or Schizophrenia-like illnesses. The prevalence/ incidence of any anticholinergic side-effects was calculated. Relevant papers from the Cochrane Database were identified in January 2007 and the data was pooled. Side-effect data was grouped into the medium (3-6 months) and long-term ( > 6 months). We calculated simple frequencies, proportions and confidence intervals. We undertook a comparison within the group and generated a Forrest plot of the data. RESULTS: We identified 177 studies within 54 reviews (N=27328 participants). Anticholinergic side-effects for blurred vision, dry mouth and constipation manifested for antipsychotics ranging from 1 to 40 % over the medium-term and 1 to 41% over long-term respectively. There were no statistical differences beween typicals and atypicals over medium- and long-term. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, we have collated the largest amount of data on anticholinergic side-effects for antipsychotics over the medium- and longterm. Anticholinergic side-effects are common over the medium- and long-term. Over the medium- and long-term there were no statistically significant differences between the typicals and atypicals in the main anticholinergic side-effects with one exception. We found that in the long-term, the typical antipsychotics were associated with a significantly higher prevalence of blurred vision.

Depot fluspirilene for schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic drugs are the mainstay treatment for schizophrenia and similar psychotic disorders. Long-acting depot injections of drugs such as fluspirilene are extensively used as a means of long-term maintenance treatment. OBJECTIVES: To review the effects of depot fluspirilene versus placebo, oral anti-psychotics and other depot antipsychotic preparations for people with schizophrenia in terms of clinical, social and economic outcomes. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Register (September 2005), inspected references of all identified studies, and contacted relevant pharmaceutical companies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all relevant randomised trials focusing on people with schizophrenia where depot fluspirilene, oral anti-psychotics, other depot preparations, or placebo were compared. Outcomes such as death, clinically significant change in global function, mental state, relapse, hospital admission, adverse effects and acceptability of treatment were sought. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Studies were reliably selected, quality rated and data extracted. For dichotomous data, we calculated relative risk (RR) with the 95% confidence intervals (CI). Where possible, the number needed to treat statistic (NNT) was calculated. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. We summated normal continuous data using the weighted mean difference (WMD). We presented scale data only for those tools that had attained pre-specified levels of quality. MAIN RESULTS: We included twelve randomised studies in this update of which five are additional studies. One trial compared fluspirilene and placebo and did not report important differences in the global improvement (n=60, 1 RCT, RR "no important improvement "0.97 CI 0.9 to 1.1). Though movement disorders (n=60, 1 RCT, RR 31.0 CI 1.9 to 495.6, NNH 4) were found only in the fluspirilene group, there were no convincing data showing the advantage of oral chlorpromazine or other depot antipsychotics over fluspirilene decanoate. We found no difference between depot fluspirilene and other oral antipsychotics with regard to relapses or to the number of people leaving the study early. Global state data (CGI) were not significantly different, in the short term when comparing fluspirilene with other depots (n=90, 2 RCTs, RR "no important improvement" 0.80 CI 0.2 to 2.8). No significant difference were apparent between fluspirilene and other depots with respect to the number of people leaving the trial early (n=83, 2 RCTs, RR 0.55 CI 0.1 to 2.3) or relapse rates (n=109, 3 RCTs, RR 0.55 CI 0.1 to 2.3). Extrapyramidal adverse effects were significantly less prevalent in the fluspirilene groups (n=164, 4 RCTs, RR 0.50 CI 0.3 to 0.8, NNH 5). Other adverse effects were not significantly different. Attrition in the one comparison between fluspirilene in weekly versus biweekly administration (n=34, RR 3.00 CI 0.1 to 68.8) and relapse rates (n=34 RR 3.18 CI 0.1 to 83.8) were not significantly different. There were no significant difference for movement disorders in one short term study. No study reported on hospital and service outcomes or commented on participants' overall satisfaction with care. Economic outcomes were not recorded by any of the included studies. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Participant numbers in each comparison were small and we found no clear differences between fluspirilene and oral medication or other depots. The choice of whether to use fluspirilene as a depot medication and whether it has advantages over other depots cannot, at present, be informed by trial-derived data. Well-conducted and reported randomised trials are still needed to inform practice.