New Marker in the Umbilical Cord Blood of Fetuses with Fetal Growth Restriction: Serum Sortilin-1 Level.

Objective: To determine the role of sortilin in the pathogenesis of fetal growth restriction (FGR) by examining serum sortilin levels in fetal cord blood. Methods: This prospective case-control study was conducted at Ankara Etlik City Hospital between July 2023 and January 2024. Group 1 included 44 pregnant women with late FGR; Group 2 included 44 healthy pregnant women as controls. Results: Umbilical cord blood sortilin levels were significantly higher in the FGR group [2.96 (2.43-4.01)] compared to the control group [2.12 (1.74-3.18)] (p = 0.001). Sortilin levels negatively correlated with APGAR scores at 1 min (r=-0.281, p = 0.008) and 5 min (r=-0.292, p = 0.006). A sortilin threshold of 2.58 ng/ml predicted composite adverse neonatal outcomes with 66.7% sensitivity, 53.1% specificity, and an AUC of 0.652 (95% CI: 0.529-0.775, p = 0.031). Conclusion: This study showed that sortilin levels, which are indicators of oxidation, were higher in the cord blood of newborns with late FGR.

Cyberchondria Levels in Adolescent Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in the Digital Age.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Cyberchondria is defined as a form of anxiety characterized by excessive health searches on the Internet. Our aim in this study is to investigate the extent of cyberchondria in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to compare them with adolescents of the same age. METHODS: A total of 426 adolescents who presented to clinic between April 2023 and September 2023 and agreed to participate in the study were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: PCOS group (135 patients) and control group (291 patients). The Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) was administered to participants face-to-face. The CSS and subscale scores of both patient groups were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Total CSS scores were significantly different between groups (P = .007) with a mean value of 72 (59-83) in the control group and 77 (63-91) in the PCOS group. When cyberchondria subscales were analyzed, statistical difference was found between the groups in the subcategories of compulsion (P: .015), distress (P: .039), excessiveness (P: .028), and mistrust of medical professional (P: .005). CONCLUSION: Adolescents with PCOS demonstrated higher levels of cyberchondria which could aggravate associated symptoms of anxiety and depression. Health providers should be mindful to evaluate internet use in this patient population and provide anticipatory guidance.

Evaluation of serum levels of soluble vascular endothelial (sVE)-Cadherin in early- and late-onset preeclampsia serum sVE-Cadherin levels in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: Endothelial dysfunction is a major feature of preeclampsia. sVE-cadherin plays a role in the preservation and regulation of the endothelial barrier. For that reason, to evaluation of sVE-cadherin may help elucidate the disease pathophysiology of preeclampsia. METHODS: The sample size was calculated as a minimum of 46 pregnant women for each group based on serum sVE-Cadherin levels in a pilot study of 10 preeclamptic and 10 control groups. Hundred-twenty pregnancies complicated with early-onset (n = 60) and late-onset (n = 60) preeclampsia were compared with 120 gestational-age (GA)-matched (±1 week) uncomplicated pregnancies. The venous blood sampling was performed upon preeclampsia diagnosis prior to the onset of the labor in the preeclampsia group and the matching (±1 week) pregnancy week in the control group. Demographic and biochemical parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean serum sVE-Cadherin was significantly higher in women with EOPE compared to that of the GA-matched control group (5.86 ± 1.57 ng/mL vs. 2.28 ± 0.80 ng/mL, p < 0.001), in women with LOPE compared to that of the GA-matched control group (3.11 ± 0.97 ng/mL vs. 1.69 ± 0.87 ng/mL, p < 0.001), and in women with EOPE compared to that of LOPE group (5.86 ± 1.57 ng/mL vs. 3.11 ± 0.97 ng/mL, p < 0.001) after correction for GA. Serum sVE-Cadherin positively correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a negative correlation with gestational age at sampling. CONCLUSION: The serum level of sVE-Cadherin was higher in women with preeclampsia than that of GA-matched healthy pregnant women, in women with EOPE compared to that of LOPE. sVE-Cadherin is an important marker in early-onset pre-eclampsia with severe clinical findings.

Does telomerase activity have an effect on infertility in patients with endometriosis?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the role of telomerase activity in the development of endometriosis-related infertility by evaluation of the serum telomerase in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissue. STUDY DESIGN: Eutopic endometrium, cystic wall/ovarian cortex, and venous blood were assessed in forty-seven patients. The following groups of patients were identified: females with endometriosis requiring surgical intervention and healthy control females. Patients with histopathologically confirmed endometriosis were further subdivided in the infertile (n=14) and fertile (n=17) groups. Patients who underwent hysterectomy and oophorectomy for benign gynecological conditions were enrolled in the healthy control group (n=16). Telomerase activity was evaluated with three-group, endometriosis-based and fertility-based designs. Analyses were performed regardless the menstrual cycle phase (Phase G), in proliferative (Phase P) (n=22) and secretory phases (Phase S) (n=25). Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol PCR was applied for telomerase activity assessment. All statistical analyses were performed with STATA 14.2, GraphPad Prisma 7.01. RESULTS: In analyses of the eutopic endometrium, with three-group design, a significant difference was not found in Phase G and P (p=0.58 and p=0.33, respectively). However, a statistical difference was shown in Phase S (p=0.008). A significant difference was not established in Phase G, P and S of endometriosis-based design (p=0.35, p=1.0, p=0.13, respectively). No difference was detected in Phase G and P of fertility-based design (p=0.66 and p=0.14, respectively), whereas in secretory phase difference was approved (p=0,049). Telomerase activity was not established in ectopic endometrium and in serum assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Telomerase activity is useless as a biomarker in peripheric blood analysis. The absence of activity in cystic wall approves the high differentiation of endometriosis tissue, what is the possible reason of low malignancy risk. The high rate of telomerase activity in the eutopic endometrium of the infertile group may be considered as a cause of endometriosis-related infertility.