The change of neutrophils/lymphocytes ratio in migraine attacks: A case-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: As commonly seen symptoms, headaches are among the most frequently encountered health challenges in emergency rooms by healthcare professionals. Among one of the most commonly seen and primary headaches is migraine. Migraines are mostly accompanied by functional deficits. AIMS: To observe the changes of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio occurring during migraine attacks. METHOD: This is a retrospective study where hospital records of patients previously diagnosed with migraine and admitted to the emergency with the complaints of attacks between May 2014 and January 2015 were investigated. All patients in the study were evaluated as to age, gender and complete blood count. Additionally, a healthy control group was formed with individuals with no disorders. By also evaluating the same features in the controls, the values found in the patients and controls alike were compared. RESULTS: The values of white blood cell, lymphocyte, neutrophil, hemoglobin, thrombocyte and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio determined in the patient group (n = 92) were statistically compared with those of the controls (n = 67). Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio during the attacks was found higher in the patients, compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio is a sign of inflammation, and we consider that this ratio will also increase during migraine attacks, as with other inflammatory and acute processes.

Diamine oxidase in diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is an important clinical condition with a high mortality rate in abdominal emergencies due to delay in diagnosis in spite of the new strategies in the management. We have studied the role of diamine oxidase (DAO) in the early diagnosis of AMI. METHODS: In the study, 21 New Zeland rabbits were used. Subjects were named as the groups of controls, sham, and ischemia. No intervention was performed in the subjects in the control group. In the subjects from sham and ischemia groups, laparotomy was performed with middle line incision. However, superior mesenteric artery was found and tied in those from ischemia group after the performance of laparotomy. From the animals in 3 groups, blood was drawn at the hours of 0, 1, 3, and 6, and DAO and amylase were studied in these samples. RESULTS: The increase in serum amylase levels was found to be statistically significant in the ischemia group compared with the control and the sham groups (P < .05). The decrease in serum DAO levels was found to be statistically significant in the ischemia group compared with the control and the sham groups (P < .05). Diamine oxidase levels were found to decrease, beginning from the 1 hour after ischemia had been developed, and this rise was found to continue for 6 hours (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Serum DAO levels were decreased in ischemia. Further clinical and experimental investigations would be valuable to confirm the probable role of DAO in AMI.

Serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein and phosphate levels in the diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia: an experimental study in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Acute intestinal ischemia is a serious clinical disorder with mesenteric infarction, which has high mortality. It is important to establish a biochemical marker for the early diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this experimental study was to assess the changes in the serum levels of intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP) and phosphate by time using the acute intestinal ischemia model in rabbits. METHODS: In this study, 21 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Blood samples were obtained at 0, 1, 3, and 6 h in the control group. Blood samples were obtained at 0, 1, 3, and 6 h in the sham group after simple laparotomy. Blood samples were obtained at the same hours in the ischemia group after simple laparotomy and ligation of the superior mesenteric artery. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the control, the sham, and the ischemia groups in terms of serum IFABP levels at any time (p > 0.05). Serum phosphate levels significantly increased in the ischemia group (p < 0.001). Studies on IFABP have begun emerging in the literature, and there is no standard approach for the technique to measure the IFABP level. No studies on IFABP were found in the literature on rabbits. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, the role that IFABP levels play in the diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia is unclear at this time. Serum phosphate levels continued to rise as the duration of ischemia was prolonged. These findings support the suggestion that serum phosphate levels are valuable for the diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia.

Serum ischemia-modified albumin levels in an experimental acute mesenteric ischemia model.

OBJECTIVES: This experimental study aimed to assess the changes in the levels of serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by time in cases of acute mesenteric ischemia due to superior mesenteric artery occlusion. METHODS: Twenty-one New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Blood samples were collected at hours 0, 1, 3, and 6 from animals in a control group; a sham group following a simple laparotomy; and in an ischemia group following superior mesenteric artery ligation. All blood samples were analyzed for serum IMA and IL-6 levels, and then the time-dependent changes of biomarkers were investigated. RESULTS: The serum IMA levels of the ischemia group at hours 3 and 6 were significantly higher than those of the control and sham groups (hour 3, p = 0.017; hour 6, p = 0.001). The increase in serum IL-6 levels in the ischemia group at hours 1, 3, and 6 compared to the control and sham groups was also significant (hour 1, p = 0.002; hour 3, p = 0.003; hour 6, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: IMA may be helpful as a marker in the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia; however, its diagnostic value and use as a routine biochemical test should be assessed in further studies.