Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume in Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVE: With this retrospective study, we researched the effects of mean platelet volume (MPV) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on the activity of Behçet's disease and susceptibility to thrombosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty-six patients with Behçet's disease, who met the inclusion criteria, were separated into two groups: 120 patients had active Behçet's disease (Group I) and 66 patients with inactive Behçet's disease (Group II). 79 healthy subjects as controls were included in the study. RESULTS: MPV was similar between all three groups. CRP (C reactive protein) was statistically higher in the active BD group when compared to the inactive BD group and the control group. CRP of the inactive BD and the healthy control group were similar. In addition, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was found higher than the control group in both active and inactive BD groups, whereas ESR of the active BD group was higher than the inactive BD group. N/L ratio was found statistically higher in the active BD group when compared to inactive BD and healthy control groups, while the N/L ratio of inactive BD and healthy control groups were found similar to each other. While MPV, CRP, and NLR didn't statistically differ between active BD subgroups with and without thrombosis, ESR was statistically and significantly higher in the active BD group with thrombosis when compared to the active BD group without thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained from the present study showed that the patients with BD are exposed to chronic inflammation. And the N/L ratio may be a simple, inexpensive, and convenient diagnostic marker of active BD.

Nicotine Blocks the Depressogenic Effects of Alcohol: Implications for Drinking-Smoking Co-Morbidity.

Alcohol and nicotine are two very commonly abused legal substances. Although various hypotheses for such co-dependence have been suggested, it is not known whether the effects of alcohol and nicotine on mood behavior may also contribute to such co-abuse. Chronic exposure to high alcohol levels may lead to various neurochemical changes and precipitate depressive-like behavior. Nicotine, on the other hand, may exert an antidepressant-like effect. Here, we sought to determine whether nicotine may also block or mitigate the "depressogenic" effects of alcohol in a rat model. Moreover, since hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been strongly implicated in mood regulation and effectiveness of antidepressants, the level of this neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus was also evaluated. Adult male Wistar rats were injected (i.p.) with alcohol (1.0 g/kg), nicotine (0.3 mg/kg) or their combination once daily for 14 days. Controls received saline. The behavior of these rats in open field locomotor activity (LMA), the forced swim test (FST), a measure of helplessness, and sucrose intake, a measure of anhedonia were evaluated 16-18 h after the last injection. Chronic alcohol did not affect LMA, but increased immobility in FST and decreased sucrose consumption, suggesting a "depressogenic" effect. Nicotine by itself did not affect any of the measured behavior but blocked alcohol-induced changes in FST and sucrose intake. Parallel to the behavioral changes, chronic alcohol resulted in a significant decrease in hippocampal BDNF, which was normalized by nicotine. These findings suggest that the opposing effects of alcohol and nicotine on depressive-like behavior may contribute to their co-abuse.

Lumboperitoneal shunts.

BACKGROUND: To assess lumboperitoneal shunting as a simple method of relieving communicating hydrocephalus, treating pseudotumor cerebri, and resolving cerebrospinal fluid fistulae. METHOD: Three neurosurgeons at different hospitals report their combined experience over a 20-year period. RESULTS: Ease of insertion of the device and low rate of complications were reported in a combined series of 107 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Lumboperitoneal shunting is a technically simple and highly effective surgical technique for diversion of cerebrospinal fluid.

Facet rhizotomy for cervical radiculitis.

Between 1985 and 1992 I performed 166 cervical facet denervations or cervical facet rhizotomies on 133 patients who had intractable cervical pain of facet origin. The rate of success in the treatment of this condition is based on proper patient selection and technique. A review of the literature is presented.