Beneficial effects of Ankaferd Blood Stopper on caustic esophageal injuries: an experimental model.

Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) is an herbal extract that enhances mucosal healing. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of ABS on the healing of the esophagus and prevention of stricture development after esophageal caustic injuries in rats. The study included 50 rats. Rats were divided into five groups: group 1 (no injury, sham surgery), group 2 (injury + no ABS + study after 2 weeks of injury), group 3 (injury + ABS + study after 2 weeks of injury), group 4 (injury + no ABS + study after 4 weeks of injury), and group 5 (injury + ABS + study after 4 weeks of injury). Standard esophageal burn injury was created by applying 50% NaOH solution to distal esophagus of about 1.5 cm. To rats in the sham group, isotonic solution was given instead of NaOH. ABS (2 mL/day) was given via oral route to group 3 and 5 rats. Fourteen days (group 2 and 3) and 28 days (group 4 and 5) later, all the live rats were killed. The distal esophageal segments of all rats were removed and divided into two equal parts for biochemical and histopathological examination. Mortality rate, weight changes, inflammation, stenosis index (SI), and biochemical measurements were evaluated. The SI was found as 0.31 ± 0.03 in group 1, 0.533 ± 0.240 in group 2, 0.568 ± 0.371 in group 3, 0.523 ± 0.164 in group 4, and 0.28 ± 0.03 in group 5. The SI and inflammation in ABS-treatment group 5 was significantly lower than that in non-treatment group 4 (P= 0.005). There were no significant differences between inflammation and SI among other groups. The mortality rate was 14.2% in group 1, 37.5% in untreated group 2, 14.2% in ABS-treated group 3, 80% in untreated group 4, and 33.3% in ABS-treated group 5. The mortality rate in group 4 was significantly higher than other groups (P= 0.025). Decrease rates in mean body weights of the groups were as follows: group 1, 1%; group 2, 15%; group 3, 14%; group 4, 46%; and group 5, 15%. Biochemical tests other than albumin and creatinine were comparable among the groups. Treatment with ABS prevents inflammation, scar formation, weight loss, and mortality in esophageal caustic injuries. Additional studies to evaluate the clinical benefits of ABS in esophageal caustic injury are recommended.

A histopathological approach: when papulopustular lesions should be in the diagnostic criteria of Behçet's disease?

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUNDPapulopustular lesions (PPL) are commonly seen cutaneous lesions in Behçet's disease (BD). Some authorities do not recommend using cutaneous lesions for diagnostic criteria because these lesions are confused with acne vulgaris. Objective To understand if PPL have diagnostic value in BD. METHODS: Biopsy was performed on papulopustular lesions of Behçet's patients for histopathological examination to compare with the control group composed of patients with acne vulgaris. Forty two patients with BD and 21 control patients with acne vulgaris were enrolled in the study. Histopathological findings were classified as leukocytoclastic vasculitis, lymphocytic vasculitis, superficial and/or deep perivascular infiltration, and folliculitis and/or perifolliculitis. RESULTS: Of the specimens from 42 Behçet's disease patients, 7 (16.7%) revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis and 3 (7.1%) had lymphocytic vasculitis, 15 (35.7%) had superficial perivascular and/or interstitial infiltration, 12 (28.6%) had superficial and deep perivascular and/or interstitial infiltration, 5 (11.9%) had folliculitis or perifolliculitis. Of the control group patients, 9 (42.9%) had folliculitis or perifolliculitis, 8 (38.1%) revealed superficial perivascular inflammation and 4 (19.0%) revealed mixed superficial and deep perivascular inflammation. Vasculitis was not encountered in any control group specimens. Vasculitis ratio was statistically higher in Behcet's disease patients (P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: We evaluated more patients than previous related studies reported in the literature. Histopathological findings of vasculitis were encountered only in BD group. Non-vasculitis histopathological findings were also encountered in the control group patients. In conclusion, PPL can be used as a diagnostic criterion of BD subsequent to finding vasculitis in histopathological examination of the biopsy specimen of the PPL.