Efficacy of entecavir treatment among chronic hepatitis B nucleos(t)ide-naïve and -experienced patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of entecavir (ETV) among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) nucleos(t)ide-naive and -experienced patients in clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study 85 CHB patients who had been receiving ETV and who attended our clinic since 2007 were included. Fifty patients were nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)-naïve. Factors including sex, positive HBeAg, baseline HBV DNA level, baseline alanine aminotransferase level, and prior lamivudine (LAM) resistance were evaluated in terms of their predictive role in treatment response, which was defined as a serum HBV DNA decrease of <31.4 copies/mL. RESULTS: Resistance was detected in 18 (51.4%) of 35 lamivudine-experienced patients. Virological response (VR) was achieved in 48 (96.0%) of NA-naive patients, while 16 (45.7%) of NA-experienced patients achieved VR. LAM-resistant patients had significantly lower response rates (P < 0.001). More responders with a low initial viral load achieved VR at the end of the 12-month follow-up period compared to those with a high initial viral load (91.7% vs. 70.0%, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: ETV has greater efficacy in NA-naïve patients and in NA-experienced patients without prior LAM resistance. The rate of VR achievement at 12 months was higher in patients who initially had a low viral load with ETV treatment.

[Septic arthritis of hip due to Salmonella Typhi in a patient with multiple sclerosis]. / Multipl Sklerozlu Bir Olguda Salmonella Typhi'ye Bagli Kalça Eklemi Artriti.

The most common microorganisms isolated from septic arthritis are Staphylococcus aureus and streptoccocci. Septic arthritis due to Salmonella spp. are rare and the most commonly isolated species are S.Choleraesuis and S.Typhimurium. However the number of septic arthritis cases due to S.Typhi is low in literature. In this report, septic arthritis of hip due to S.Typhi in a multiple sclerosis patient who was under steroid therapy, was presented. A 25-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic with the complaints of fever, left hip pain, standing and walking disability for 10 days. Her anamnesis revealed that she had had a multiple sclerosis attack and underwent triple pulse steroid therapy. Laboratory findings were as follows; WBC count: 16.300/mm3 (70% polymorphonuclear leukocyte), hemoglobin: 10.6 g/dl, erythrocyte sedimentation rate: 140 mm/hour, CRP: 28.7 g/L, AST: 86 U/L and ALT: 77 U/L. In lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging, trochanteric bursitis and generalized myositis were detected in left hip joint compatible with septic arthritis. S.Typhi was isolated from patient's blood and operational tissue samples. Serum Salmonella TO and TH titers were found as 1/400 and 1/200, respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by disk diffusion method, and the isolate was found susceptible to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulphametoxazole. The patient was treated by surgery and also by two weeks parenteral (2 x 400 mg) and 6 weeks oral (2 x 500 mg) ciprofloxacin treatment. Six months follow-up of the patient revealed that clinical, radiological and laboratory findings were normal. As far as the national literature was considered, this was the first S.Typhi septic arthritis case involving the hip joint and demonstrating bacterial growth both in blood and operational tissue. The presentation of the infection as arthritis plus diffuse myositis and bursitis, is also noteworthy.

Fungi and indoor conditions in asthma patients.

This study was carried out with 127 asthmatic patients and 127 controls, which aimed to compare and evaluate the environmental conditions in the homes of asthmatic patients and the control group. Air samples were obtained by using an air sampler and the mean mould colony counts were established. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most common isolated species. No significant difference was observed with regard to various house conditions and the mean mould colony counts between the houses of patients and controls. The mould colony counts were found to be lower in houses with wooden parquet flooring. The odds ratio for stone floors vs. wood floors was 2.3 (95% CI 1.08-4.98) for mould growth.