Vertebrobasilar insufficiency and gamma-glutamyltransferase: An emerging relationship demonstrating inflammation and atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: Vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) is a pathology arising from the reduction in flow rate of vertebral arteries and mainly caused by inflammation and atherosclerosis. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a marker which has been recently recognized as a marker of inflammation and atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the relationship between GGT levels and VBI for the first time. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, of 3100 subjects who had vertebrobasilar doppler ultrasonography (VBU) were evaluated and 1042 of them who met the inclusion criterias were included. VBU reports, GGT levels, blood chemistry, lipid profile were received from patients' files. Patients were evaluated according to VBU measurements and divided into two groups,VBI and non-VBI. RESULTS: Mean vertebral arterial blood flow volume values were 149.99±32.93 mL/m in VBI group and 286.88 ± 70.98 mL/m in non-VBI group. Mean GGT and CRP values were significantly higher in the VBI group than in the non-VBY group (p < 0.001) ( p < 0.001), respectively. Vertebral artery blood flow volume was negatively correlated with GGT (r: -0.208, p < 0.001) and CRP (r: -0.119, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a significant correlation between serum GGT levels and VBI. In addition, higher GGT level was an independent risk factor for the presence of vertebrobasilar system inflammation and atherosclerosis (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 27).

MDCT evaluation of nasopalatine canal morphometry and variations: An analysis of 100 patients.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the possible variations in morphology of nasopalatine canal (NPC) morphometry depending on age, gender and absence of anterior incisors using multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 patients (50 men, 50 women) with a mean age of 43.29±18.81 (SD) years (range: 18-90 years) who have undergone head MDTC were included into the study. Foramen nasalis diameter (P1), foramen incisivum diameter (P2), NPC length (P3), distance between buccal wall of incisive foramen and facial side of the buccal bone (P4), distances between buccal bone wall of NPC and facial side of buccal bone (P5), distance between mid-NPC buccal wall and facial side of buccal bone (P6), distance between buccal wall of NPC and the apex of anterior central incisors (P7) and NPC angle (P8) were measured. Formal variations in NPC were searched for. Differences in morphometric data were searched using Student t-test or Mann-Whitney test. Gender-based analysis of the variations was done with the χ2 test. Pearson's test was used to search for correlation between morphometric data and age. RESULTS: P1 was larger in men (3.72±1.41mm) than in women (3.07±1.34mm) (P<0.001). Similarly, P3 was larger in men (13.68±2.73mm) than in women (11.43±2.78mm) (P<0.001). No differences in the other NPC measurements (P2, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8) were found between men and women. Morphological variations in NPC (cylindrical, hourglass, banana shape, funnel shape, single canal, Y-type canal, parallel canal and others) were detected with frequencies ranging from 8 to 65.3%. A significant negative correlation was found between NCP measurements and patient age for P3 (r=-0.311; P=0.002), P4 (r=-0.267; P=0.007) and P8 (r=-0.318; P<0.001). New NPC variations, which were not reported before were found in 19% of our patients. CONCLUSION: NPC shows myriad potential variations that have various prevalences. It is assumed that familiarity with these variations may help decrease the incidence of complications during facial or dental surgery.

Evaluating the relationship between nasal obstruction and mean platelet volume by using acoustic rhinometry in patients with septum deviation.

BACKGROUND: Nasal airway obstruction is a common cause of upper airway obstruction. It is associated strongly with obstructive and hypoxic manifestations. Mean platelet volume (MPV) levels increase in hypoxic conditions. MPV is one of the platelet activation indices which re!ects the platelet production rate. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between MPV levels and nasal septal deviation (NSD) by using acoustics rhinometry in patients with septum deviation. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 51 patients with NSD and 58 healthy age matched subjects as control group. The diagnosis of patients with NSD was based on anterior rhinoscopy, endoscopic nasal examination and acoustics rhinometry. All the patients underwent Cottle- or Killian-type septoplasty under general anesthesia. Blood samples were collected before nasal septoplasty. RESULTS: MPV and platelet distribution width (PDW) levels were significantly higher and mean platelet count was lower in patients with NSD than the control group. A negative correlation was found between MPV, NDVol2 (volume2 of non-deviated side of the nose) and TNDVol (total volume of non-deviated side of the nose) values. CONCLUSION: MPV values increase in patients with NSD. Moreover, this increase was found in relation with the severity of obstruction.