N-acetylcysteine prevents doxorubucine-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

This study is designed to observe the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on doxorubucine-induced cardiac toxicity in rats both histologically and biochemically. Totally 32 rats divided equally into four groups were studied. The first group received only 200 mg/kg NAC intraperitoneal (i.p.) once every 24 h for 5 days (group 1); the second group received 20 mg/kg doxorubucine (DOX) i.p. single dose plus NAC 200 mg/kg i.p. once every 24 h for 5 days (group 2); the third group received DOX 20 mg/kg DOX i.p. single dose (group 3) and the fourth group, which is also the control group, received saline (group 4). Following 24 h of the final dose, blood samples were drawn from a portal vein and heart tissue were obtained. Tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were highest in the DOX group. In the DOX-treated rats, serum TBARS, NO, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase levels were highest when compared with other groups. Except for serum superoxide dismutase levels, all other parameters differed significantly between the DOX plus NAC group and the DOX group. In the DOX plus NAC group, general architecture was preserved better than the DOX group and myofibril loss was minimal compared with the DOX group. NAC demonstrated, both biochemically and histologically, to be effective in the prevention of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rat models. Evaluation of NAC's effect on DOX toxicity warrants further clinical trials on cancer patients.

The scintigraphic evaluation and genetic correlation of joint involvements in pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the articular involvements in pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) with joint symptoms by bone scintigraphy and to correlate the involved joints with the gene mutations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 41 newly diagnosed patients in pediatric age group (28 girls and 13 boys; mean age 9.14 ± 2.91 years) with joint involvement symptoms were included in this study. Scintigraphic images were obtained at 5th min (blood pool or early phase) and starting at 3 h (late phase) after (after tracer injection) intravenous administration of technetium-99m (99mTc)-methylendiphosphonate (MDP). Genomic DNA was isolated from leukocytes using standard salting out procedure. The sequencing data were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 41 patients, arthritis was found in 21 (51.2%) patients. Of the 21 patients, there was single joint involvement in 15 (71.4%) patients and multiple joint involvement in six (28.6%) patients. The mean age of patients with joint involvement (8 ± 2.3 years) were considerably lower than the patients without joint involvement (10.35 ± 3.04 years), and this was statistically significant (p = 0.008). The most commonly involved joints were ankles and knees. Multiple joint involvements were most frequently observed in the M694V and M694I gene mutations (16.7%). CONCLUSIONS: We use and recommend the bone scintigraphy in patients with FMF to determine the presence and distribution of arthritis, since bone scintigraphy is inexpensive, noninvasive, easy-to-use, and also is more sensitive in the diagnosis and distribution of arthritis than conventional radiological methods and clinical examination.

Prevalence of toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella IgG antibodies in Hatay women and children.

OBJECTIVE: Toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella may cause congenital infections. The aim of this study is to investigate toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella IgG antibodies in women and children who were admitted to the Hatay Women and Children Hospital between January 1 and December 31, 2009. METHODS: Levels of IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella established with chemiluminescence immunoassay (Architect i2000, Abbott, USA) method were evaluated, retrospectively. RESULTS: The results were obtained from 1103 cases. Seropositivity of IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis (n = 743), cytomegalovirus (n = 929) and rubella (n = 746) were 59.9%, 98.9% and 93.6%, respectively CONCLUSION: Routine serological screening should be recommended in women of childbearing age. Seronegative subjects should be vaccinated for rubella and educated for protection from toxoplasmosis.

Prevalence of toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella IgG antibodies in hatay women and children / Prevalencia de los anticuerpos IgG contra la toxoplasmosis, el citomegalovirus y la rubéola en mujeres y niños de hatay

OBJECTIVE: Toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella may cause congenital infections. The aim of this study is to investigate toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella IgG antibodies in women and children who were admitted to the Hatay Women and Children Hospital between January 1 and December 31, 2009. METHODS: Levels of IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and rubella established with chemiluminescence immunoassay (Architect i2000, Abbott, USA) method were evaluated, retrospectively. RESULTS: The results were obtained from 1103 cases. Seropositivity of IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis (n = 743), cytomegalovirus (n = 929) and rubella (n = 746) were 59.9%, 98.9% and 93.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Routine serological screening should be recommended in women of childbearing age. Seronegative subjects should be vaccinated for rubella and educated for protection from toxoplasmosis.

OBJETIVO: La toxoplasmosis, el citomegalovirus y la rubéola pueden causar infecciones congénitas. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar los anticuerpos IgG contra la toxoplasmosis, el citomegalovirus y la rubéola en las mujeres y ninos ingresados en el Hospital de Hatay para Mujeres y Niños, entre el 1ero de enero y el 31 de diciembre de 2009. MÉTODOS: Los niveles de anticuerpos IgG de la toxoplasmosis, el citomegalovirus, y la rubéola establecidos mediante el método de inmunoensayos por quimioluminiscencia (Architect i2000, Abbott, USA), fueron evaluados retrospectivamente. RESULTADOS: Los resultados se obtuvieron de 1103 casos. La seropositividad de anticuerpos de IgG para la toxoplasmosis (n = 743), el citomegalovirus (n = 929) y la rubéola (n = 746) fue de 59.9%, 98.9% y 93.6%, respectivamente. CONCLUSIÓN: Deben recomendarse tamizajes serológicos de rutina para las mujeres en ead de maternidad. Los sujetos seronegativos deben ser vacunados contra la rubéola y educados para protegerse contra la toxoplasmosis.

Brucellosis with very high ferritin levels: report of five cases.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a kind of Brucella bacteria, which commonly appears in humans and rarely causes mortality. In our study, five cases, who were diagnosed by evaluation of clinical findings and serological tests, they also had very high ferritin levels, were reported. Ages of the patients were 16, 12, 10, 16 and 8 years, respectively. Serum ferritin levels were 1200, 985, 886, 748 and 435 ng/ml, respectively. We observed that complaints of the patients reduced after the treatment and ferritin levels returned to its normal range. In the situations of extremely evaluated serum ferritin which is an acute-phase reactant, its levels are able to raise in brucellosis, without existing hemochromatosis and Still's disease.