Current role of interventional radiology in thyroid nodules.

Thyroid nodules are a prevalent health issue in society. Interventional radiological methods are successfully applied for both the diagnosis and treatment of nodules. Diagnostically, a fine-needle aspiration biopsy and a core needle biopsy can be performed to ascertain the benign or malignant nature of a lesion. In recent years, imaging-guided percutaneous treatment methods have become popular in the treatment of thyroid nodules. Aspiration, ablation, and embolization are techniques employed in the treatment process. In this study, we aimed to discuss the current role of interventional radiology in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules, which occupy an important place in clinical practice.

Is a two-hour monitoring period sufficient and safe for patients undergoing ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver mass biopsy?: A prospective and multicenter experience.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether patients undergoing percutaneous liver mass biopsy (PLMB) can be safely discharged following a two-hour monitoring period. METHODS: A multi-center prospective analysis was conducted for 375 patients (196 males and 179 females), mean age 63 ± 12.45 years (range 37-89) who underwent PLMB between August 2023 and March 2024. Patients were monitored for 24 h, and complications were classified as minor or major. The timing of complications was categorized into three groups: within the first two hours, between the 2nd and 24th hours, and within 1 week after 24 hours. RESULTS: Minor complications occurred in 18.93% (71/375) and major complications in 2.13% (8/375). Most minor complications (80.2%, 57/71) appeared within the first two hours, 12.7% (9/71) between 2 and 24 h, and 7.1% (5/71) after 24 h. All major complications (62.5%, 5/8) except late-onset cases, occurred within the first two hours. No major complications occurred between 2 and 24 h. Late-onset major complications occurred in 37.5% (3/8) after 24 h. CONCLUSION: The two-hour monitoring period did not adversely impact patient management regarding minor complications and is safe for identifying all major complications except for late-onset ones. Extending the post-biopsy recovery period does not significantly improve patient care.

The impact of histopathological criteria for definite vasculitis in giant cell arteritis: retrospective analysis of temporal artery biopsies.

Histopathological findings associated with definite vasculitis in temporal artery biopsy (TAB) defined in 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) was published in 2022. We aimed to evaluate the TAB of our GCA patients for histopathological findings associated with definite vasculitis. Patients who were diagnosed with GCA by clinicians and underwent TAB between January 2012 and May 2022 were included. Hospital electronic records and patients' files were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 90 patients' pathology reports were evaluated by a pathologist and a rheumatologist. In cases where microscopic findings were not specified in the pathology reports, histopathologic specimens were re-evaluated (n = 36). A standard checklist was used for histopathological findings of definite vasculitis. Patients were divided into two groups; (i) definite vasculitis-GCA and (ii) non-definite-GCA group, and the clinical and demographic characteristics for all patients were compared. The mean age of patients was 69.8 (± 8.5) years and 52.2% were female. In the first evaluation, 66 (73.3%) patients had a diagnosis of vasculitis according to pathology reports. In the re-evaluation of biopsy specimens, at least one definite finding of vasculitis was observed in TAB of 10/24 (41.6%) patients whose microscopic findings were not specified in the pathology reports. The ROC analysis showed that biopsy length had diagnostic value in predicting the diagnosis of definite vasculitis (AUC: 0.778, 95% CI: 0.65-0.89, p < 0.001). In those with a biopsy length of ≥ 1 cm, sensitivity was 76.5%, specificity was 64.3%, and PPV value was 92. In multivariate analysis, the most significant factor associated with definite vasculitis was biopsy length (OR: 1.18 (1.06-1.31), p = 0.002). Microscopic findings were reported in over 70% of patients. Reinterpretation of results according to a standard check-list improved the impact of TAB in the diagnosis of GCA. A biopsy length ≥ 1 cm was found to contribute towards a definitive histopathological vasculitis diagnosis.

Isolation and characterization of compounds from truffle Melanogaster broomenaus and their bioactivities.

Melanogaster broomeanus Berk. is a type of truffle common in pine, oak, and hazelnut forests and which naturally spreads in the Black Sea, Mediterranean, South-West Anatolia in Turkey, is consumed as food and traded. Chemical investigation of M. broomenaus led to isolate of ten known compounds namely, brassicasterol (1), ergosterol (2), ergosterol peroxide (3), 5α, 6α-epoxy ergosta-7,22-diene-3ß-ol (4), trametenolic acid (5), maleic acid (6), fumaric acid (7), mannitol (8), kojibiose (9) and trehalose (10). Assessments of the antioxidant, anticholinesterase, anti-urease, and cytotoxic properties of extracts and isolated compounds were carried out. Compound 5 showed the highest cytotoxic activity against H-1299 with IC50: 23.78±0.98 µg/mL, while compound 2 demonstrated most potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 with IC50: 30.91±0.15 µg/ml. Also, compound 5 showed the highest antioxidant activity in all methods, particularly in DPPH and ABTS assays with IC50 values of 90.24±0.87, 75.41±0.10 µg/mL, respectively. Similarly, compound 5 exhibited highest activity with 38.84±1.22% and 44.58±0.96% inhibitions against AChE and BChE, respectively, while compound 7 were found to be most potent inhibitory against urease with value of 55.20±0.45% at 100 µg/mL concentration. These findings suggest that M. broomenaus, like numerous other edible mushrooms, is a steroid-rich truffle and a potential source of steroids.

Performance of the 2022 American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology Classification Criteria for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in previously diagnosed adult patients from Türkiye.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the new 2022 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) criteria in Turkish adult patients previously diagnosed with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Patients and methods: One hundred sixty-four patients (96 males, 68 females; mean age: 49.6±14.4 years; range, 18 to 87 years) diagnosed with AAV by experienced rheumatologists between July 2016 and May 2022 were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study and reclassified based on the 1990 ACR criteria, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) algorithm, and the 2022 ACR/EULAR criteria. For external validation, 83 patients (48 males, 35 females; mean age: 47.3±17.5 years; range, 19 to 81 years) diagnosed with immunoglobulin (Ig)A vasculitis were included. Results: One hundred twenty-six (76.8%) patients had granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), 13 (7.9%) patients had eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), and 25 (15.2%) patients had microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). According to the criteria, the number of unclassified patients was nine (5.5%) for both the 2022 ACR/EULAR AAV classification criteria and the EMEA algorithm. The new criteria had an almost perfect agreement with the clinician's diagnosis (Cohen's kappa coefficient [κ]=0.858 for GPA, κ=0.820 for EGPA, and κ=0.847 for MPA). The kappa statistics for agreement of 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria with the EMEA algorithm were found 0.794 for GPA, 0.820 for EGPA, and 0.700 for MPA. None of the 83 patients diagnosed with IgA vasculitis could be classified as GPA, EGPA, or MPA using the new ACR/EULAR AAV classification criteria. Conclusion: The 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for AAV showed substantial or perfect agreement with the clinical diagnosis and the EMEA algorithm.

Assessing safety and efficacy of TNFi treatment in late onset ankylosing spondylitis: a TURKBIO registry study.

Clinical data on the use of tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in late-onset ankylosing spondylitis (LoAS) are limited. The present study aimed to evaluate efficacy, safety, and treatment adherence associated with the initial use of TNFi therapy in biologic naive patients diagnosed with LoAS. Patients whose age of onset was ≥ 45 years and < 45 years were classified as having LoAS and YoAS, respectively, based on the age of symptom onset. There were 2573 patients with YoAS and 281 LoAS. Baseline disease activity measures were similar between the groups. No significant differences were seen between the two groups in response to treatment and in remaining on the first TNFi at 6, 12 and 24 months. In the LoAS group, the analysis showed that TNFi discontinuation was linked to VAS pain score (HR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.06). Patient groups had similar rates of adverse events (YoAS: 8.7% vs. LoAS: 11.7%). In both biologic naive LoAS and YoAS patients, the study showed that the initial TNFi therapy was equally effective and safe.

Int&in: A machine learning-based web server for active split site identification in inteins.

Inteins are proteins that excise themselves out of host proteins and ligate the flanking polypeptides in an auto-catalytic process called protein splicing. In nature, inteins are either contiguous or split. In the case of split inteins, the two fragments must first form a complex for the splicing to occur. Contiguous inteins have previously been artificially split in two fragments because split inteins allow for distinct applications than contiguous ones. Even naturally split inteins have been split at unnatural split sites to obtain fragments with reduced affinity for one another, which are useful to create conditional inteins or to study protein-protein interactions. So far, split sites in inteins have been heuristically identified. We developed Int&in, a web server freely available for academic research (https://intein.biologie.uni-freiburg.de) that runs a machine learning model using logistic regression to predict active and inactive split sites in inteins with high accuracy. The model was trained on a dataset of 126 split sites generated using the gp41-1, Npu DnaE and CL inteins and validated using 97 split sites extracted from the literature. Despite the limited data size, the model, which uses various protein structural features, as well as sequence conservation information, achieves an accuracy of 0.79 and 0.78 for the training and testing sets, respectively. We envision Int&in will facilitate the engineering of novel split inteins for applications in synthetic and cell biology.

Assessing the educational value of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy videos on YouTube®: A comparative analysis of short versus long videos.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the quality of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy videos and determine the extent to which they are informative and educational for healthcare professionals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used the YouTube® search engine to search for the term 'laparoscopic radical nephrectomy' with time filters of 4-20 min (Group 1) and >20 min (Group 2) and then sorted the results uploaded chronologically before January 2023. One hundred videos were analysed for each group. The reliability of the videos was assessed using the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Benchmark Criteria and DISCERN questionnaire scores (DISCERN). Educational quality was assessed using the Global Quality Score (GQS) and a 20-item objective scoring system (OSS) for laparoscopic nephrectomy. The popularity of the videos was evaluated using the video power index (VPI). RESULTS: The mean video duration was 8.9 ± 4.3 min in Group 1 and 52.02 ± 31.09 min in Group 2 (P < 0.001). The mean JAMA (2.49 ± 0.61) and OSS scores (60 ± 12.3) were higher in Group 2 than in Group 1, while no significant difference was observed in the mean GQS (2.53 ± 0.7, 2.39 ± 0.88, respectively) between the groups (P < 0.001, P = 0.039, P = 0.131, respectively). CONCLUSION: While the standardisation of surgical videos published on YouTube® and the establishment of auditing mechanisms do not seem plausible, high total OSS, periprocedural OSS, and VPI scores, and high OSS, JAMAS, GQS and DISCERN scores in long videos indicate that such videos offer a greater contribution to education.

Ultrasound-based predictive indicators for treatment outcomes in pediatric vesicoureteral reflux.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative ultrasound (US) measurements in predicting pediatric vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) treatment outcomes. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 35 patients (53 renal units) aged 1-16 years who underwent subureteric injection therapy for primary VUR between July 2020 and June 2022. Preoperative ultrasound examinations measured the bladder wall thickness at the ureteral orifice, ureteral submucosal tunnel length, distal ureteral diameter, patient demographics, VUR grade, presenting complaints, bladder-bowel dysfunction, and renal scarring, and the impact of these variables on treatment success was analyzed. RESULTS: Among the patients, 91.4% were female, with a mean age of 6.83 ± 3.84 years. A comparison between the treatment success and failure groups revealed no significant differences in the age, sex, VUR grade, laterality, bilaterality, presenting complaints, bladder-bowel dysfunction, bladder wall thickness, or distal ureteral diameter (p > 0.05). However, renal scarring occurred in 16 (38.1%) patients in the treatment success group and 10 (90.9%) in the treatment failure group (p = 0.002). The treatment failure group had shorter detrusor-to-ureteral orifice distances and smaller detrusor-ureteral orifice distance-to-distal ureteral diameter (D/U) ratios than that of the success group (p = 0.004 and p = 0.006, respectively). Patients with a detrusor-to-ureteral orifice distance < 7.4 mm had an 81.82% likelihood of treatment failure. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound measurements of the detrusor-to-ureteral orifice distance and D/U ratio proved reliable in predicting the success of endoscopic subureteric injection therapy for VUR.

Easy method to determine fluid responsiveness in septic shock patients: end-tidal CO2 - a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: In critically ill patients, especially those with septic shock, fluid management can be a challenging aspect of clinical care. One of the primary steps in treating patients with hemodynamic instability is optimizing intravascular volume. The Passive Leg Raising (PLR) maneuver is a reliable test for assessing fluid responsiveness, as demonstrated by numerous studies and meta-analyses. However, its use requires the measurement of cardiac output, which is often complex and may necessitate clinician experience and specialized equipment. End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide (ETCO2) measurement is relatively easy and is generally stable under steady metabolic conditions. It depends on the body's CO2 production, diffusion of CO2 from the lungs into the bloodstream, and cardiac output. If the other two parameters (metabolic conditions and minute ventilation) are constant, ETCO2 can provide information about cardiac output. The aim of the present study is to investigate the sensitivity of ETCO2 measurement in demonstrating fluid responsiveness. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with septic shock and meeting the inclusion criteria were subjected to a passive leg raising test, and cardiac outputs were measured by echocardiography. An increase in cardiac output of 15% or more was considered indicative of the fluid responder group, while patients with an increase below 15% or no increase were classified as the non-responder group. Patients' intensive care unit admission diagnoses, initial laboratory parameters, tidal volume, minute volume before and after the PLR maneuver, mean and systolic blood pressure, heart rate, Pulse Pressure Variation (PPV) values, and ETCO2 values were recorded. RESULTS: Before and after the ETCO2 test, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, the change in ETCO2 (ΔETCO2) was significantly higher in the responder group. In the non-responder group, ΔETCO2 was 2.57% (0.81), whereas it was 5.71% (2.83) in the responder group (p<0.001). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed for ΔETCO2, baseline Stroke Volume Variation (SVV), ΔSVV, baseline Heart Rate (HR), ΔHR, baseline PPV, and ΔPPV to predict fluid responsiveness. ΔETCO2 predicted fluid responsiveness with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 86% when it was 4% or higher. When ΔETCO2 was 5% or higher, it predicted fluid responsiveness with a specificity of 99.3% and a sensitivity of 75.5%, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.89 (95% confidence interval, 0.828-0.961). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that in septic patients, ETCO2 during the PLR test can indicate fluid responsiveness with high sensitivity and specificity and can be used as an alternative to cardiac output measurement.

Factors effecting the success of retrograde intrarenal surgery in pediatric patients with renal stones: The experience of two tertiary centres with 368 renal units.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Currently, in the field of pediatric urology, the primary aim of surgical approaches for the treatment of renal stone disease is to provide a stoneless state through minimally invasive methods, and to prevent the damage that such stones may cause in the urinary system and stone recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RIRS and the factors affecting its success in the surgical treatment of renal stones in pediatric patients. METHODS: Data from 357 pediatric and 368 renal units were collected retrospectively. The recorded parameters were age, gender, location and burden of the stone, and presence of postoperative residual stones. RESULTS: The stone location was the upper pole in 28 (7.6 %) patients, the middle pole in 44 (12 %), the pelvis in 98 (26.6 %), the lower pole in 139 (37.8 %), and multiple locations in 59 (16 %) patients. A stoneless state was achieved in 277 (75.3 %) units, while 91 units (24.7 %) had residual stones at the end of the first month. In the multivariate analysis, the development of residual stones was found to be significantly associated with age (odds ratio [OR], 1.123; p = 0.012) and stone location (OR, 3.142; p = 0.018). DISCUSSION: RIRS is an endourological procedure with a high success rate in the achievement of a stoneless state in both pediatric and adult age groups, with an 82-100 % success rate reported in various studies. A full stoneless state was achieved in 277 (75.3 %) units after the initial RIRS in the present study, and full stone clearance was achieved in 304 units after the second RIRS session, with a success rate of 82.6 %. A limitation of our study is that it was not performed by a single surgeon, and stone samples could not be taken from all patients for stone analysis. CONCLUSION: RIRS has also been associated with a high success rate in the endoscopic treatment of renal stones and is an efficient and safe method with a minimal rate of complications, especially in the pediatric age group.

Low relapse rate in patients with giant cell arteritis in a multi-centre retrospective Turkish Registry.

OBJECTIVES: Glucocorticoids (GC) are widely accepted as the standard first-line treatment for giant cell arteritis (GCA). However, relapse rates are reported up to 80% on GC-only protocol arms in controlled trials of tocilizumab and abatacept in 12-24 months. Herein, we aimed to assess the real-life relapse rates retrospectively in patients with GCA from Turkey. METHODS: We assembled a retrospective cohort of patients with GCA diagnosed according to ACR 1990 criteria from tertiary rheumatology centres in Turkey. All clinical data were abstracted from medical records. Relapse was defined as any new manifestation or increased acutephase response leading to the change of the GC dose or use of a new therapeutic agent by the treating physician. RESULTS: The study included 330 (F/M: 196/134) patients with GCA. The mean age at disease onset was 68.9±9 years. The most frequent symptom was headache. Polymyalgia rheumatica was also present in 81 (24.5%) patients. Elevation of acute phase reactants (ESR>50 mm/h or CRP>5 mg/l) was absent in 25 (7.6%) patients at diagnosis. Temporal artery biopsy was available in 241 (73%) patients, and 180 of them had positive histopathological findings for GCA. For remission induction, GC pulses (250-1000 methylprednisolone mg/3-7 days) were given to 69 (20.9%) patients, with further 0.5-1 mg/kg/day prednisolone continued in the whole group. Immunosuppressives as GC-sparing agents were used in 252 (76.4%) patients. During a follow-up of a median 26.5 (6-190) months, relapses occurred in 49 (18.8%) patients. No confounding factor was observed in relapse rates. GC treatment could be stopped in only 62 (23.8%) patients. Additionally, GC-related side effects developed in 64 (24.6%) patients, and 141 (66.2%) had at least one Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) damage item present during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In this first multi-centre series of GCA from Turkey, we observed that only one-fifth of patients had relapses during a mean follow-up of 26 months, with 76.4% given a GC-sparing IS agent at diagnosis. At the end of follow-up, GC-related side effects developed in one-fourth of patients. Our results suggest that patients with GCA had a low relapse rate in real-life experience of a multi-centre retrospective Turkish registry, however with a significant presence of GC-associated side effects during follow-up.

Evaluation of Anti-Mullerian Hormone Levels, Antral Follicle Counts, and Mean Ovarian Volumes in Chemotherapy-Induced Amenorrhea among Breast Cancer Patients: A Prospective Clinical Study.

Estradiol (E2), a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), AMH, and inhibin B levels, along with AFC and MOV, are used to determine ovarian reserve in pre-menopausal women. Studies have shown that AMH levels are more sensitive than those of E2, FSH, and inhibin B and that AFC and MOV can be used to evaluate ovarian reserve. AMH, AFC, and MOV measurements were performed before and after adjuvant SC in 3-month periods for one year. Patients were classified as experiencing chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) if they did not have menstrual cycles for a period of six months or longer following the conclusion of their chemotherapy treatment. We aimed to evaluate the factors affecting chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and the performance of baseline measurements of AMH, AFC, and MOV to predict chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea. The effects of different chemotherapy regimens on the AMH level, AFC, and MOV in CIA patients were investigated. Seventy-one patients were eligible for this study, and the median age was 38 years (range: 23-45). The median follow-up was 37 months (range: 20-51), and CIA developed in 62% of the patients. The AMH level and AFC were significantly decreased one year after SC (p < 0.0001), whereas MOV was not (p = 0.507). AMH levels before chemotherapy (median: 1.520 vs. 0.755, p = 0.001) and at the end of the first year (median: 0.073 vs. 0.010, p = 0.030) and pre-treatment AFC (median: 12 vs. 4.50, p = 0.026) were lower in patients with CIA compared to those without CIA. The AMH levels before SC were the most valuable and earliest factor for predicting CIA development. In addition, there was no difference between the chemotherapy regimens (including or not including taxane) in terms of CIA development.

MCM-2 Levels as a Potential Biomarker for Predicting High-Risk Breast Cancer Patients According to TAILORx Classification.

Background: The minichromosome maintenance protein-2 (MCM-2) is a more sensitive proliferation marker than Ki-67. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between MCM-2 and Oncotype DX recurrence score (ODX-RS) and determine an MCM-2 cutoff value in high-risk patients according to TAILORx risk categorization. Methods: Hormone receptor (HR) positive HER-2 negative early-stage breast cancer patients (pT1-2, pN0-N1, M0) who had ODX-RS were included in the study. According to the TAILORx trial, patients were divided into two groups with high (ODX-RS ≥26) and low risk (ODX-RS <26) in terms of ODX-RS. Formalin-fixed-paraffin-embedded tissues of patients were re-evaluated, and 3 µm sections were prepared for MCM-2 immuno-histochemical staining. The relationship between ODX-RS and the percentage of MCM-2 staining was evaluated in two groups. The ROC curve analysis was performed to determine the MCM-2 cut-off value for the TAILORx high-risk group (ODX-RS ≥26). Results: The mean MCM-2 value was significantly higher in the high-risk group [(60.2 ± 11.2 vs 34.4 ± 13.8, p < 0.001)]. In the multivariate analysis, MCM-2 (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.08-1.49, p = 0.003) and progesterone receptor (PR) levels ≤10% (OR: 60.9, 95% CI: 4.1-89.7, p = 0.003) were found to be independent factors indicating a high-risk group. A one-unit increase in MCM-2 level increased the likelihood of being in the high-risk group by 1.27 times. In the ROC curve analysis, the optimal MCM-2 cut-off level was 50 (AUC: 0.921, sensitivity: 86.7%, specificity: 96.0%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study is the first study in the literature to investigate the relationship between ODX-RS and MCM-2 levels in HR-positive HER-2 negative early breast-cancer patients. In this study, MCM-2 was an independent risk factor in identifying high-risk patients according to TAILORx risk classification. MCM 2 cut-off value (50) may help the decision on adjuvant chemotherapy in patients where the Oncotype DX test cannot be performed.

Clinical Significance of Pleural Lactate Measurement in Critically Ill Patients with Parapneumonic Pleural Effusion.

OBJECTIVE: Pleural fluid pH measurement is recommended for tube thoracostomy decisions in complicated parapneumonic pleural effusions. However, pleural fluid pH may be affected by blood pH in critically ill patients with common systemic acid-base disorders. We aimed to investigate the use of pleural fluid lactate to distinguish culture-positive parapneumonic effusions from other pleural effusions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective observational study included 121 eligible patients (51 female and 70 male). All patients with pleural effusion who underwent thoracentesis were assessed. Pleural fluid lactate was measured by a blood gas analyzer. RESULTS: Of the 121 patients, 30 (24.8%) were transudate and 91 (75.2%) were exudate. Of the 91 patients with exudative pleural effusion, 61 were diagnosed as culture-negative parapneumonic, 13 as culture-positive parapneumonic, 9 as malignant, and 8 as other exudative effusion. There was a strong positive linear association between serum pH and pleural fluid pH (R = 0.77, P < .001). The post hoc tests for pleural fluid lactate revealed there was a significant difference between culture-positive parapneumonic versus culture-negative parapneumonic groups (P = .004), culture-positive parapneumonic versus transudative effusion groups (P < .001), culture-negative parapneumonic versus transudative effusion groups (P = .008) and lastly; malignant effusion versus transudative effusion groups (P = .001). Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis for culture-positive parapneumonic indicated a cutoff of 4.55 mmol/L for pleural fluid lactate to have a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 84.3% (positive predictive value: 37%, negative predictive value: 96.8%). CONCLUSION: A cutoff of 4.55 mmol/L of pleural fluid lactate can be used as a useful tool to distinguish culture-positive parapneumonic effusions from other effusions in critically ill patients.

Investigation of the value of hematological biomarkers in the clinical differential diagnosis of IgG4-RD.

BACKGROUND: IgG4- related disease (IgG4- RD) is a systemic fibroinflammatory disease whose pathogenesis has not been completely elucidated. Due to the novelty and complexity of the diagnostic criteria, it is difficult to distinguish from the diseases included in the differential diagnosis without tissue biopsy. This study aimed to discover new biomarkers that can help for disease diagnosis and its differential diagnosis by reviewing the relationships between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI). METHODS: Thirty IgG4- RD, 38 granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA), and 46 sarcoidosis patients presenting to the Rheumatology Clinic meeting the criteria of 2019 American College of Rheumatology, 2012 International Chapel Hill and 1999 American Thoracic Society meeting, respectively, and 27 healthy control subjects were included. We collected data on complete blood count with automated differential values including NLR, PLR, SII, and SIRI. RESULTS: The SII and PLR values were significantly higher in patients with IgG4-RD compared to healthy controls, (SII median (minmax) 572 (102-5583) vs. 434 (172-897), PLR median (min-max) 130 (56.8-546) vs. 104 (57.5- 253) p < 0.001). SII value was found to have a significant positive correlation with CRP in IgG4-RD disease (r = 0.371; p = 0.043). While SII, SIRI, NLR, PLR parameters were not significant between the IgG4-RD and sarcoidosis groups, SII, SIRI, NLR, PLR were significantly higher in patients with GPA than in IgG4-RD patients (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: This is the first study to review the SII, SIRI, NLR, and PLR in IgG4-RD. The obtained results suggest that the SII could beused as a new tool, for differential diagnosis and activity of the IgG4-RD.

Radiation-induced Desmoid Tumor Development in the Radiotherapy Field in a Child With Pineoblastoma: A Case Report.

Although treatment-related secondary malignancies are rare, they are important problems after the treatment of childhood malignant diseases. Irradiation-induced sarcomas are the development of sarcoma different from the primary tumor after a latent period of ≥3 years or more in the radiotherapy field. Desmoid tumor is extremely rare as irradiation-induced tumor. A 7.5-year-old girl was referred to our hospital after a subtotal mass excision for a solid lesion with a cystic component located in the pineal gland. Pathologic examination revealed pineoblastoma. After surgery, craniospinal radiotherapy, and chemotherapy consisting of vincristine, cisplatin, and etoposide were performed. Painless swelling in the left parieto-occipital region ~75 months after the end of the treatment developed in the patient. A mass was detected in the intracranial but extra-axial region by radiologic imaging methods. Due to the total removal of the mass and the absence of a tumor in the surgical margins, she was followed up without additional treatment. The pathologic diagnosis was a desmoid tumor. She was followed up disease free for ~7 years after the primary tumor and ~7 months after the secondary tumor. Treatment-related desmoid tumor development after treatment for a central nervous system tumor in a child is extremely rare.

Lacrimal gland ultrasonography and elastography as a diagnostic and activity tool for primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of 2-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) in the assessment of lacrimal gland involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and to determine the association between ultrasonographic findings and clinical activity measures. METHOD: Forty-six patients who fulfilled the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria of pSS and 23 age and gender-matched healthy control subjects were enrolled. Clinical, laboratory and labial biopsy histopathologic characteristics of patients were recorded. Disease activity of pSS and severity of ocular dryness were evaluated with EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), respectively. Parotid and lacrimal gland architectures were assessed by B-mode ultrasound and 2D-SWE techniques. RESULTS: Mean shear wave elastography measurements, reflecting loss of elasticity, were remarkably higher in pSS patients compared to healthy subjects both in the lacrimal and parotid glands (8.99 ± 3.45 vs 3.68 ± 1.76 in lacrimal glands and 14.14 ± 4.39 vs 7.83 ± 1.69 in parotid glands, all P < 0.001). Shear wave elasticity of lacrimal glands was correlated with OSDI and ESSPRI scores (r = 0.69; P = 0.001 and r = 0.58; P = 0.001, respectively). A cut-off value of 4.6 kPa in the lacrimal gland elasticity discriminated pSS patients from healthy subjects with a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 87%. CONCLUSION: Results of our study suggest that lacrimal glands lose elasticity in patients with pSS and the assessment of elasticity with 2D-SWE might help to classify patients as having pSS. Further studies are needed to validate the diagnostic utility of lacrimal 2D-SWE by including diseases other than pSS.

Correlation of Postoperative Outcomes According to the Amount of Prostatic Tissue Removed in Patients Undergoing Transurethral Resection of the Prostate.

OBJECTIVE: The present study assesses the effect of the proportion of tissue resected during transurethral resections of the prostate (TUR-P) on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and other parameters in patients with a benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three patients who underwent TUR-P between 2018 and 2021 were assessed prospectively. The patients were divided into two groups according to the percentage of tissue removed (group 1 <30%, group 2 >30% resection). Age, prostate volume, amount of resected tissue, operative time, length of hospital stay, duration of catheterization, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life score (QoL), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (ng/dl) at preoperative and postoperative three months were recorded. RESULTS: The percentage of tissue removed was 22.2% vs. 48.4% (p = 0.001), IPSS reduction was 77.7% vs. 83.3% (p = 0.048), QoL improvement was 77.2% vs. 84.8% (p = 0.133), Qmax increase was 171.3% vs. 193.5% (p = 0.032), and serum PSA decrease was 56.4% vs. 69.2% (p = 0.049) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, the operative time was 38.5 vs. 53.6 min (p = 0.001), the length of hospital stay was 2.0 vs. 2.4 days (p = 0.001), and the duration of catheterization average was 4.1 vs. 4.9 days (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Resections of at least 30% of prostatic tissue can provide a significant improvement in the symptoms and parameters related to benign prostatic obstruction, while resections of less than 30% of prostatic tissue can effectively reduce urinary symptoms and improve the quality of life in older adult patients with comorbidities who require shorter operating times.

Causa rara de dolor abdominal recurrente; coexistencia del síndrome de Wilkie y el síndrome del cascanueces / A rare cause of recurrent abdominal pain; the coexistence of Wilkie's syndrome and nutcracker syndrome

El síndrome del cascanueces es un síndrome que presenta síntomas clínicos como hematuria, proteinuria ortostática, congestión pélvica, varicocele del lado izquierdo, hipertensión y dolor en fosa renal. Estos síntomas se producen por la compresión de la vena renal izquierda entre la aorta y la arteria mesentérica superior. En el síndrome de Wilkie, la tercera porción del duodeno está comprimida entre la arteria mesentérica superior y la aorta abdominal, lo que provoca diversos síntomas gastrointestinales. La coexistencia de estos dos síndromes constituye una afección rara y se incluye como casos clínicos en la bibliografía. En este artículo, se presentan los resultados clínicos y radiológicos de un paciente de 17 años que presentaba dolor abdominal recurrente debido al síndrome de Wilkie, acompañado del síndrome del cascanueces que le provocaba proteinuria, por lo que el paciente fue derivado a los consultorios externos de reumatología pediátrica con un diagnóstico preliminar de fiebre mediterránea familiar.

Nutcracker syndrome is a syndrome that has clinical symptoms such as hematuria, orthostatic proteinuria, pelvic congestion, left-sided varicocele, hypertension, and flank pain. These symptoms occur because of the compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. In Wilkie's syndrome, the third part of the duodenum is compressed between the superior mesenteric artery and the abdominal aorta, causing various gastrointestinal symptoms. The coexistence of these two syndromes is a rare condition and is included as case reports in the literature. This article presents the clinical and radiological results of a 17-year-old male patient who had recurrent abdominal pain due to Wilkie's syndrome, which was accompanied by nutcracker syndrome that caused proteinuria, and for this reason, the patient was referred to the Pediatric Rheumatology outpatient clinic with a preliminary diagnosis of familial Mediterranean fever.