The relationship between nutrition and micronutrients in healthy Turkish infants and young children.

BACKGROUND: A healthy diet is important at every stage of life. We aimed to determine the serum vitamin D and iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 levels in healthy children younger than 48 months and to investigate the relationship between nutrition and micronutrients in children of this age. METHODS: In this observational study children who presented to the Pediatrics Clinic of our hospital during the period 2015-2022 were included. Vitamin D and other nutritional parameters (serum folate, vitamin B12, iron, ferritin) were evaluated from the study participants' serum samples during the outpatient clinic visit (jaundice check-up, pre-circumcision surgery, etc.). RESULTS: Overall, 766 cases were included in the study. Vitamin D was higher in the group that was fed only breast milk (p = 0.019), and vitamin D insufficiency was statistically higher in the formula group (p = 0.015). Hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the formula group (p = 0.007). The folic acid level was found to be normal in all infants, and was higher in formula-fed infants (p = 0.012). Vitamin B12 was found to be significantly higher in infants fed with formula (p = 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was most common in infants aged 25-48 months (p < 0.001). Similarly, vitamin D insufficiency (12-20 ng/mL) was detected in infants aged between 25 and 48 months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Micronutrients such as calcium, folic acid, iron, vitamin D, and iodine are critical in early fetal development from pregnancy onward. It is vital to raise awareness of this issue for mothers, starting from pregnancy, and for mothers to feed their babies more carefully in the first years of life.

Diagnostic performance of routine blood parameters in periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis syndrome.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the difference between PFAPA and streptococcal tonsillitis (Strep Pharyngitis) by using blood parameters. We want to evaluate the relationship between periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome, and tonsillitis by using NLR. METHODS: The data of 141 pediatric patients who had applied to our clinic between October 2016 and March 2019 and were diagnosed with PFAPA syndrome and tonsillitis were reviewed from hospital records. The demographic data of the study group were recorded, as were their WBC, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts, NLR, and MPV values, which are obtained by proportioning these two counts. RESULTS: CRP and ESR values were significantly higher in the PFAPA group (p = 0.026 and p < 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was determined between the groups in terms of platelet count or lymphocyte count. Receiver operating curve analyses were calculated. The AUC was 0.713 ± 0.04 according to age, and the CRP was 0.607 ± 0.04 (95% confidence interval). Using a cutoff point of >49 months for age, the sensitivity was 0.71 and the specificity was 0.67. CONCLUSION: With simple laboratory parameters, PFAPA syndrome can be differentiated from a diagnosis of tonsillitis. This may reduce the costs associated with unnecessary antibiotic use. However, these findings still need to be confirmed by other future studies.

Evaluation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels: two different methods.

OBJECTIVE: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19) is still a major problem worldwide. Antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been fully clarified, and clinical benefits of serological tests remain unclear. Despite the presence of numerous systems and methods used to analyze antibody levels, it is difficult to mention about standardization. This study aims to evaluate antibody levels of COVID-19 patients obtained by different methods. METHODS: Specimens of 55 patients were included in this study. Patients underwent SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction test, COVID-19 IgM/IgG antibody rapid test (Hotgen), and Roche SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. RESULTS: In this study, the positive values of COVID-19 IgM/IgG antibody rapid test, Roche SARS-CoV-2 antibody test, and SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction test were 37, 26, and 31, respectively, whereas the negative values were 18, 29, and 24, respectively. A comparison of the results using χ² test revealed a significant difference among SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction, COVID-19 IgM/IgG antibody rapid test (Hotgen), and Roche SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend antibody testing in close contact tracing as well as in real-time polymerase chain reaction negative symptomatic subjects. Standardization is important as positive values show significant variations among antibody tests.

Retrospective Evaluation of Cases with the Pre-diagnosis of Cystic Echinococcosis Admitted to the Microbiology Laboratory of Diyarbakir Health Sciences Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital Between 2014 and 2017.

OBJECTIVE: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease, which leads to morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the presence of anti-Echinococcus granulosus immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, which were detected by indirect fluorescent antibody test in the samples that were transferred to the Microbiology Laboratory of University of Health Sciences Turkey, Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital with the pre-diagnosis of CE. Moreover, gender differences with respect to positivity rates of anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies were investigated. METHODS: Anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies, which were detected in the samples of cases with the pre-diagnosis of CE between January 2014 and December 2017, were retrospectively evaluated. Gender difference with respect to positivity rates was investigated by applying the chi-square test in cases with positive anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies. RESULTS: Out of the 829 serum samples, 222 (26.7%) were found to be positive for E. granulosus IgG antibodies, among which 40 (27.2%), 56 (25.5%), 51 (23.3%) and 75 (30.6%) were found to be positive in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. No significant difference was found between genders amongst the cases with positive anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Since CE is a major public health problem, evaluation of the presence of anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies would be important to understand the positivity rate at the regional level.

Anti-SLA and AMA-positive celiac disease: A report of two cases and evaluation of autoimmune liver serology.

Background and Aim: Antibodies to soluble liver antigen (anti-SLA) and anti-mitochondrial autoantibodies (AMA) are two specific serological markers of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). They are rarely detected in the sera of patients with non-liver autoimmune disorders. The biochemical, serological, and histological findings of two celiac disease (CD) patients who were seropositive for anti-SLA and/or AMA were evaluated. The data of two female patients who were 28 and 34 years old at the time of CD diagnosis were analyzed. The first patient presented with elevated liver function tests (LFTs) and immunoglobulin (Ig) G values. She was seropositive for both anti-SLA and AMA. A liver biopsy suggested features of AIH but no bile duct injury was noted. In addition to a gluten-free diet (GFD), immunosuppressive therapy was administered to normalize the LFTs. The second patient presented with elevated LFTs, a high IgG level, and a positive anti-SLA finding. A GFD was initiated, which resulted in an excellent clinical and biochemical response. Seropositivity for AMA in the first patient and anti-SLA in the second patient remained unchanged during follow-up but neither patient developed primary biliary cholangitis or AIH. Despite the high specificity of anti-SLA and AMA, these autoantibodies can be detected in CD without having any clinical relevance.

Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis due to Viral Hepatitis A.

Inflammation of the gallbladder without evidence of calculi is known as acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC). AAC is frequently associated with gangrene, perforation, and empyema. Due to these associated complications, AAC can be associated with high morbidity and mortality. Medical or surgical treatments can be chosen according to the general condition of the patient, underlying disease and agent. Particularly in acute acalculous cholecystitis cases, early diagnosis and early medical treatment have a positive effect on the patient and protect them from surgical trauma. ACC is a rare complication of acute viral hepatitis A. Herein, we present an adult patient of acalculous cholecystitis due to acute viral hepatitis A. She responded to the conservative management.

Eight-year seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV in Diyarbakir training and research hospital.

Distribution of HBV, HCV and HIV results of the inpatients or outpatients, who had been treated for various diagnoses in Diyarbakir Training and Research Hospital between 2005 and 2012, among years was investigated. Files of the patients, who had been treated as inpatient or outpatient 992. to any diagnosis between 01/01/2005 and 31/12/2012 in the clinics or policlinics of Diyarbakir 581 due Training and Research Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed using patient file database. Serum samples (235.534 for HBsAg, 196.727 for Anti-HBs antibody, 98.497 for HBeAg, 97.417 for Anti-HBe antibody, 225.483 for HCV and 138.923 for HIV) of these patients, which had been processed in microbiology laboratory, were studied by chemiluminescence technique using Roche E-170 (Modular Analytics System) device. Prevalence rates between 2005 and 2012 were as follows: 15.9%-9% for HBsAg, 32.9%-52.3% for Anti-HBs, 2.5%-1.8% for HBeAg, 30.4%-25.2% for Anti-HBe, 1%-0.7% for Anti-HCV, and 0.1%-1% for Anti-HIV. Increase in Anti-HBs prevalence is the successful outcome of routine immunization in population. This suggests that, governmental policies focused on this subject have resulted in successful outcomes and that people also take care about this. A prevalence rate decreasing to 9% from 15.9% for HBsAg and prevalence rate increasing to 52.3% from 32.9% for Anti-HBs antibody positivity in 8-year period in our region is quite meaningful. Such favorable developments in our region are of great valuable in terms of indicating to what extent could struggle against HBV is controlled by education and awareness.