Evaluation of Monocyte to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio in the Presence and Severity of Metabolic Syndrome.

Monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) is a systemic inflammatory marker, and recently, it has been used quite commonly for the assessment of inflammation in cardiovascular disorders. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relevance of MHR as a marker to assess metabolic syndrome (MetS) and MetS severity in clinical practice. A total of 147 patients with MetS who were diagnosed according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria and 134 healthy controls, matched for age and gender, were included in our retrospective study. MHR values were 13.15 ± 6.07 for patients with MetS and 9.74 ± 5.24 for the control group. MHR values of the patients were found to be statistically significantly higher than the control group ( P < .0001). MHR showed a significantly positive correlation with the severity of MetS ( r = .429; P < .0001). When patients with MetS were assessed with MHR in the study population, receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis yielded a cutoff value of 9.36 with a sensitivity of 72%, a specificity of 61%, and a P value <.0001. In logistic regression analyses of MetS with several variables, MHR remained as an independent predictor of MetS (95% CI: 0.721-0.945, P = .005). MHR might be an available and useful inflammatory marker to evaluate patients with MetS and disease severity.

Could Heterozygous Beta Thalassemia Provide Protection Against Multiple Sclerosis?

BACKGROUND Heterozygous beta thalassemia (HBT) has been proposed to increase the risk of developing autoimmune disease. Our aim in this study was to examine the prevalence of HBT among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS HBT frequency was investigated in our MS group (243 patients with MS). Hemoglobin electrophoresis (HE) was carried out if MS patients had a mean corpuscular volume of (MCV) <80 fL and a mean corpuscular hemoglobin level of (MCH) <27 pg/L according to a complete blood count (CBC). If MCV was lower than 80 fL, MCH was lower than 27 pg/L, and Hemoglobin A2 equal to or higher than 3.5%, a diagnosis of HBT was established. The frequency of patients with HBT in our MS patient group was statistically compared with the prevalence of HBT in the city of Istanbul, where our MS patients lived. RESULTS The HBT prevalence was 0.823% (2 patients) in the MS patient group. The prevalence of HBT in Istanbul has been reported to be 4.5%. According to the z-test, the HBT prevalence in our MS patient group was significantly lower than that in Istanbul (Z=6.3611, two-sided p value <0.0001, 95% confidence interval of prevalence of HBT in our MS patient group: 0.000998-0.029413). CONCLUSIONS Contrary to our hypothesis at the outset of study, the reduced HBT prevalence in the MS group compared to HBT frequency in the city of Istanbul might indicate that HBT is protective against MS.

CD40 ligand and P-selectin in heterozygous Beta-thalassemia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate platelet functions and measure soluble CD40 ligand, soluble P-selectin, beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 levels in the blood of heterozygous beta thalassemia patients. METHODS: The cross-sectional case-control study was conducted at Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey, between September 2013 and April 2014, and comprised heterozygous beta thalassemia patients who were compared with 41 gender-, age- and body mass index-matched controls for platelet function markers. The two groups were also compared for co-morbidities, smoking, and regular medications. RESULTS: Of the 78(78.78) subjects, 50(64%) were women and 28(36%) men with an overall mean age of 39.4±12.7 years (range: 18-79 years). The mean body mass index was 26.3±4.2. The heterozygous beta thalassemia group included 37(47%) subjects [24(65%) females; 13(35%) males] while the control group had 41(53%) [26(63%) females; 15(37%) males]. Soluble CD40 ligand and soluble P-selectin were lower in the heterozygous beta thalassemia group (p=0.009; p=0.010). Beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 levels were comparable between the groups (p=0.497; p=0.507.). CONCLUSIONS: Some platelet functions may be reduced in heterozygous beta thalassemia patients, which may be related to their lower incidence of cerebral and cardiac ischaemic events.

Reduced bone resorption and increased bone mineral density in women with restless legs syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate bone resorption and formation markers as well as bone mineral density in women with restless legs syndrome (RLS). METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional case-control study involving drug-naive women with RLS and age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched female controls. Routine blood analyses, markers of bone formation, procollagen 1 n-terminal peptide, bone resorption, c-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX), sclerostin, and bone mineral density (BMD) were compared between the 2 groups. Pregnant or breastfeeding women and individuals with comorbidities other than iron deficiency, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or hypertension were excluded. RESULTS: A significant increase in lumbar BMD was found among 78 women with RLS as compared to 78 age- and BMI-matched controls (p = 0.001). The proportion of patients with osteopenia as defined by a lumbar T score was significantly lower among patients with RLS (p = 0.040). CTX and sclerostin were significantly lower in patients with RLS (p = 0.006 and p = 0.011, respectively), as were the levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, calcemia, and free T3 (p = 0.017, p = 0.017, and p = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Despite lower 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, patients with RLS had lower bone resorption markers, higher lumbar BMD, and lower frequency of lumbar osteopenia. As patients with RLS make movements night and day to decrease the severity of their symptoms, they unconsciously perform exercise, which may potentially explain the better bone profile among patients with RLS than in controls.

Evaluation of clinical and laboratory findings with JAK2 V617F mutation as an independent variable in essential thrombocytosis.

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is an entity of classic Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), characterized by thrombocytosis with megakaryocytic hyperplasia and thrombocytes are increased with abnormal functions. Discovery of the protein tyrosine kinase JAK2 V617F allele contributed to better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms of MPNs. Acquired single point mutation in the JAK2 V617F was determined approximately 50-60 % of patients with ET. In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between JAK2 V617F gene mutation, hematologic, biochemical markers and the complications in the ET patients. A total of 268 patients diagnosed with ET and 219 of those studied for JAK2 gene mutation were followed at the hematology clinics of three major hospitals between 2008 and 2013 were screened retrospectively. Laboratory, clinical and hematologic parameters were compared for JAK2 V617F positive and JAK2 V617F negative patients with ET. 102 (46 %) patients were positive with the JAK2 V617F mutation. The complications were observed in 61 (28 %) patients and 38 (62 %) of them had JAK2 V617F mutation. The levels of white blood cells, neutrophil, basophil, red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean platelet volume, thrombocytes, eosinophil; urea, creatinine were significantly different in patients with the JAK2 V617F mutation (P < 0.05). Presence of the JAK2 V617F mutation supports the diagnosis of ET. It would be useful to investigate the JAK2 V617F mutation and the hematologic and biochemical markers at diagnosis with respect to consider the risk of developing complications and to take the precautions against these complications.