Comparison of the fibrosis degree using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in chronic hepatitis cases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of fibrosis stages in cases of chronic hepatitis by comparing shear wave elastography and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: A total of 46 chronic hepatitis patients with an age range of 20-50 years were classified into three groups based on their fibrosis stages. Comparison group 1: the presence of fibrosis (S0 and S1≤); comparison group 2: the presence of significant fibrosis (≤S2 and S3≤); and comparison group 3: the presence of cirrhosis (≤S4 and S6). Shear wave velocities were measured by acoustic radiation force impulse elastography. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed on a 3.0 Tesla MRI device. RESULTS: In comparison group 1 (S0 and S1≤), the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse values were 0.784, 87, and 60%, respectively, while these values were 0.718, 80, and 66%, respectively, for apparent diffusion coefficient . In comparison group 2 (≤S2 and S3≤), the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse values were 0.917, 80, and 86%, respectively, and the apparent diffusion coefficient values were 0.778, 90, and 66%, respectively. In comparison group 3, the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse values were 0.977, 100, and 95%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the apparent diffusion coefficient values of the cases in the three groups (p=0.132). CONCLUSION: Noninvasive methods are gaining importance day by day for staging hepatic fibrosis. Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography was evaluated as a more reliable examination than diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in revealing the presence of fibrosis, determining significant fibrosis, and diagnosing cirrhosis.

Comparison of the fibrosis degree using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in chronic hepatitis cases

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of fibrosis stages in cases of chronic hepatitis by comparing shear wave elastography and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: A total of 46 chronic hepatitis patients with an age range of 20-50 years were classified into three groups based on their fibrosis stages. Comparison group 1: the presence of fibrosis (S0 and S1≤); comparison group 2: the presence of significant fibrosis (≤S2 and S3≤); and comparison group 3: the presence of cirrhosis (≤S4 and S6). Shear wave velocities were measured by acoustic radiation force impulse elastography. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed on a 3.0 Tesla MRI device. RESULTS: In comparison group 1 (S0 and S1≤), the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse values were 0.784, 87, and 60%, respectively, while these values were 0.718, 80, and 66%, respectively, for apparent diffusion coefficient . In comparison group 2 (≤S2 and S3≤), the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse values were 0.917, 80, and 86%, respectively, and the apparent diffusion coefficient values were 0.778, 90, and 66%, respectively. In comparison group 3, the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse values were 0.977, 100, and 95%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the apparent diffusion coefficient values of the cases in the three groups (p=0.132). CONCLUSION: Noninvasive methods are gaining importance day by day for staging hepatic fibrosis. Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography was evaluated as a more reliable examination than diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in revealing the presence of fibrosis, determining significant fibrosis, and diagnosing cirrhosis.

A Methylation-Directed, Synthetic Pap Switch Based on Self-Complementary Regulatory DNA Reconstituted in an All E. coli Cell-Free Expression System.

Pyelonephritis-associated pili (pap) enable migration of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain (UPEC) through the urinary tract. UPEC can switch between a stable 'ON phase' where the corresponding pap genes are expressed and a stable 'OFF phase' where their transcription is repressed. Hereditary DNA methylation of either one of two GATC motives within the regulatory region stabilizes the respective phase over many generations. The underlying molecular mechanism is only partly understood. Previous investigations suggest that in vivo phase-variation stability results from cooperative action of the transcriptional regulators Lrp and PapI. Here, we use an E. coli cell-free expression system to study molecular functions of the pap regulatory region based on a specially designed, synthetic construct flanked by two reporter genes encoding fluorescent proteins for simple readout. On the basis of our observations we suggest that besides Lrp, the conformation of the self-complementary regulatory DNA plays a strong role in the regulation of phase-variation. Our work not only contributes to better understand the phase variation mechanism, but it represents a successful start for mimicking stable, hereditary, and strong expression control based on methylation. The conformation of the regulatory DNA corresponds to a Holliday junction. Gene expression must be expected to respond if opposite arms of the junction are drawn outward.

High-dose dual therapy is effective as first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although many regimens, including quadruple, sequential, and concomitant treatment, are used and recommended as first-line or rescue therapies for Helicobacter pylori infection, eradication rates are still below 90% in intention-to-treat analyses. Treatment protocols with substantially high eradication rates and low antibiotic resistance are needed. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of high-dose dual therapy as first-line treatment in a Turkish population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for the initial H. pylori status because of dyspeptic symptoms. All patients received a 14-day, high-dose dual therapy comprising rabeprazole (20 mg t.i.d.) and amoxicillin (1 g t.i.d.) for H. pylori eradication. H. pylori stool antigen tests of eradication were administered to all participants at least 4 weeks after the completion of the treatment. RESULTS: The high-dose dual therapy demonstrated a 91.3% rate of successful eradication of H. pylori infection. Per-protocol success was 94.4% among female patients (n=51) and 89.6% among male patients (n=86); in terms of gender, the differences were not significant (p=0.310). No side effects were observed during the study in any patient. Six other patients did not take adequate doses of the treatment protocol. CONCLUSION: High-dose dual therapy with rabeprazole and amoxicillin was highly effective and well tolerated as a first-line therapy for H. pylori eradication.

A bead-based method for the removal of the amino acid lysine from cell-free transcription-translation systems.

Cell-free transcription-translation systems are a versatile tool to study gene expression, enzymatic reactions and biochemical regulation mechanisms. Because cell-free transcription-translation systems are often derived from cell lysates, many different substances, among them amino acids, are present. However, experiments concerning the incorporation of non-canonical amino acids into proteins require a system with negligible amounts of canonical analogs. Here we propose a two-step method for the removal of residual free lysine in an all Escherichia coli-based cell-free expression system. The first step consists of the expression of a high-lysine dummy protein. The second step consists of direct removal via binding between lysine and DNA. The presented method is an efficient, fast and simple way to remove residual lysine without altering the system ability to perform gene expression.

The association of fatty pancreas with subclinical atherosclerosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

INTRODUCTION: Ectopic fat accumulation in many tissues has been shown to be a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. No study to date has investigated whether fatty pancreas plays a role in the development of subclinical atherosclerosis. We aimed to assess the relationship between fatty pancreas and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and healthy controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 38 healthy controls were included. Transabdominal ultrasonography examination was performed on all the cases with high-resolution ultrasonography (Acuson S3000) using 6 mHz convex probes. The measurements of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) were performed to investigate the relationship between fatty pancreas and atherosclerosis. RESULTS: The rate of newly diagnosed DM and prediabetes in the NAFLD patients was 6 and 21%, respectively. Most of the patients with NAFLD (97%) were found to have an increased echogenicity of the pancreas at ultrasound examination. Grade of fatty pancreas was correlated positively with cf-PWV levels (P<0.05), whereas no correlation was found with CIMT (P>0.05). The presence of fatty pancreas was associated significantly with higher CIMT and cf-PWV levels (P<0.05). The results for cf-PWV and CIMT did not remain significant after adjustment for confounding factors. Although the levels of cf-PWV and CIMT increased with increasing grade of fatty pancreas, there was no significant association. CONCLUSION: We have shown for the first time that fatty pancreas is a contributing factor for the development of atherosclerosis in patients with NAFLD. This study also confirms the strong association between NAFLD and fatty pancreas.

Effect of Mitomycin - C and Triamcinolone on Preventing Urethral Strictures

ABSTRACT Urethral stricture is a common disease with high recurrence rate. Several manipulations were defined to prevent the recurrence but the results were disappointing. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of triamcinolone and mitomycin-C on urethral stricture formation and their effect on inhibition of urethral fibrosis. A total of 24 New Zealand rabbits were divided into 3 groups. Urethras of rabbits were traumatized with pediatric resectoscope. Resection area was irrigated with 10mL saline, swapped with a cotton wool soaked with 0.5mg/mL MMC and injected by 40mg triamcinolone in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Retrograde urethrogram was performed at 28th day of procedure and the urethra was removed for histopathologic evaluation. There were significant differences in urethral diameters and in lumen reduction rate between the control and study groups (p<0.001). Compared to control group, all treatment groups showed mild fibrosis, less collagen bundle irregularity, and lower numbers of fibroblasts (p=0.003). The Tunnel assay showed that the number of apoptotic cells in the submucosal connective tissue was quantitatively higher in control groups (p=0.034). In the view of efficacy and safety, MMC and triamcinolone have the potential to replace the use of stents, clean intermittent catheterization, or long term catheters following internal urethrotomy. There were no statistically significant differences between two agents in terms of preventing urethral stricture formation in the present study. Mitomycin C and triamcinolone decreased the recurrence rates of urethral stricture.

Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio: A New Factor for Predicting Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome after Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

PURPOSE: The first purpose of this study was to reveal factors affecting the postoperative development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in patients undergoing standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) for renal stones. The second purpose was to determine the role of the preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the prediction of SIRS.Matarials and Methods: In total, 192 patients who had undergone conventional PNL for renal stones from 2013 to 2015 were included in the study. SIRS developed postoperatively in 41 (21.3%) patients. The patients were divided into SIRS and non-SIRS groups, and the effects of the PLR, NLR, and other demographic and operative data were investigated to predict the development of SIRS. Variables significant in the univariate analysis were evaluated using a multiple logistic regression model to determine the independent risk factors for developing SIRS after PNL. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in the preoperative PLR (P < .001), preoperative NLR (P = .018), number of access sites (P < .001), mean renal parenchymal thickness (P = .02), operative time (P < .001), decrease in hemoglobin (P = .016), length of hospital stay (P < .001), stone-free status (P = .023), and complication rate between the two groups of patients. However, multivariate analysis showed that only the PLR and the number of access sites were independent factors affecting the development of SIRS. When the PLR cut-off value was 114.1, development of SIRS was predicted with 80.4% sensitivity and 60.2% specificity. CONCLUSION: The preoperative PLR is an effective and inexpensive biomarker with which to predict SIRS after PNL. In particular, we recommend close monitoring of patients with a PLR of >114.1 because of the possibledevelopment of serious complications.

Effect of Mitomycin - C and Triamcinolone on Preventing Urethral Strictures.

Urethral stricture is a common disease with high recurrence rate. Several manipulations were defined to prevent the recurrence but the results were disappointing. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of triamcinolone and mitomycin-C on urethral stricture formation and their effect on inhibition of urethral fibrosis. A total of 24 New Zealand rabbits were divided into 3 groups. Urethras of rabbits were traumatized with pediatric resectoscope. Resection area was irrigated with 10mL saline, swapped with a cotton wool soaked with 0.5mg/mL MMC and injected by 40mg triamcinolone in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Retrograde urethrogram was performed at 28th day of procedure and the urethra was removed for histopathologic evaluation. There were significant differences in urethral diameters and in lumen reduction rate between the control and study groups (p<0.001). Compared to control group, all treatment groups showed mild fibrosis, less collagen bundle irregularity, and lower numbers of fibroblasts (p=0.003). The Tunnel assay showed that the number of apoptotic cells in the submucosal connective tissue was quantitatively higher in control groups (p=0.034). In the view of efficacy and safety, MMC and triamcinolone have the potential to replace the use of stents, clean intermittent catheterization, or long term catheters following internal urethrotomy. There were no statistically significant differences between two agents in terms of preventing urethral stricture formation in the present study. Mitomycin C and triamcinolone decreased the recurrence rates of urethral stricture.

The association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with genetic polymorphisms: a multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: Growing evidence suggests that multiple factors, such as insulin resistance, nutritional factors, gut microbiota, and hormones released from the adipose tissue, act together on genetically predisposed individuals. We aimed to investigate whether various single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) play a role in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and severity of liver damage in the Anatolian population. METHODS: Two hundred and sixteen patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 150 control participants, aged 18-70 years, were consecutively enrolled in this multicenter study. Blood samples were genotyped for the PNPLA3 (rs738409), IL28B (rs12979860, rs12980275, rs8099917), PPAR-α 227 ALA, PPAR-γ pro 12 ALA, SOD2 C47T, and LOX-1 IVS4-14 polymorphisms using the custom-made LightSNiP assays on a LightCycler 480 II instrument. RESULTS: Genotypic distributions of PNPLA3 rs738409 SNPs were different between NAFLD and control participants, but not for other SNPs. The PNPLA3 rs738409 GG polymorphism was associated with a 27-fold increased risk of development of NAFLD (odds ratio=27.8, 95% confidence interval: 3.5-218.4; P=0.002). Patients with the PNPLA3 GG genotype had higher nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score levels compared with patients with the PNPLA3 CC genotype (P<0.005). NAFLD patients without fibrosis had a higher frequency of IL28B rs12979860 TT and rs12980275 GG genotypes compared with NAFLD patients with fibrosis (P<0.005). CONCLUSION: The present study proposes that polymorphisms in the PNPLA3 gene have highly predictive value in the development of NAFLD and are independently associated with the severity of liver histology in patients with NAFLD. The results of this study suggest that IL28B rs12979860 TT or rs12980275 GG may play an important protective role against the development of advanced fibrosis and even cirrhosis.

The effectiveness of biofeedback therapy in children with monosymptomatic enuresis resistant to desmopressin treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of biofeedback therapy on children with desmopressin- resistant primary monosymptomatic enuresis (MsE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised both retrospective and prospective sections. A total of 262 medical files of patients who were diagnosed as enuresis between November 2012 and January 2015 were retrospectively screened. Patients with neuropathic bladder, daytime voiding problems, anatomical pathology and enuresis-related diseases were excluded from the study. The demographic data and family characteristics of 29 children with desmopressin- resistantprimary MsE were recorded. After biofeedback treatment patients whose frequency of enuretic episodes decrease by more than 50% were included in the successful biofeedback treatment group (SBTG), while other patients were categorized in the unsuccessful biofeedback treatment group (USGBT). The outcomes of uroflowmetry, voided volume, postvoiding residue (PVR) and total bladder volume/age-adjusted normal bladder capacity (TBV/NBC) were recorded before and at the sixth month of the treatment. RESULTS: The mean age of 29 patients included in the study was 9.14±3.07 (6-15) years. Of patients, 16 were male (55.2%) and 13 were female (44.8%). Before biofeedback treatment the frequency of enuresis was 25.1±5.76 days/month, while after treatment this was calculated as 8.52±10.07 days/month. After treatment 8 patients (28.6%) achieved complete dryness. Twenty patients (69%), benefited from biofeedback (SBTG), while there were 9 patients (31%) in the USBTG group. There was no significant difference between the SBTG and USBTG groups in terms of age, body mass index and sex. The average bladder capacity of the patients increased from 215 mL to 257 mL after biofeedback treatment (p<0.001). The TBV/NBC value before treatment was 0.66, while after treatment it was 0.77 (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the SBTG and USBTG groups in terms of presence of MsE in mother, and both parents (p=0.001, p=0.016, respectively). CONCLUSION: Biofeedback therapy is a safe, simple, and minimally invasive treatment modality in children with MsE resistant to desmopressin treatment. This treatment, which was found to increase total bladder capacity, may be recommended for children with MsE when conventional desmopressin treatment fails.

Does laparoscopic transperitoneal simple nephrectomy for inflammatory and non-inflammatory kidneys differ?

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic simple nephrectomy is the standard procedure for the removal of non-functioning benign kidney. It can be performed transperitoneally or retroperitoneally. There are several studies comparing the results of transperitoneally or retroperitoneally laparoscopic nephrectomy but there are limited numbers of study comparing results of laparoscopic transperitoneal simple nephrectomy in non-inflammatory and inflammatory non-functioning kidneys. The aim of this study was to compare the results of laparoscopic transperitoneal simple nephrectomy in non-inflammatory and inflammatory non-functioning kidneys. RESULTS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy for various inflammatory and non-inflammatory renal conditions at our institution from May 2012 to October 2015. We divided the patients in two groups. Group 2 involved the kidneys with stone disease and/or hydronephrosis, patients with previous renal surgery and patients with the history of recurrent infections. Group 1 involved the patients who had non-functioning kidney without these properties. All the surgeries were performed by transperitoneal approach and peroperative blood loss, operation time, hospitalization time, postoperative creatinine changes and haemoglobin drop were compared between groups. There were 22 patients with inflammatory and 27 patients with non-inflammatory non-functioning kidney. Operation time, peroperative blood loss, hospitalization time, postoperative haemoglobin drop and creatinine difference were not statistically different between groups. Surgical side and the presence of previous surgery did not affect the surgical results of inflammatory and non-inflammatory kidney nephrectomy. The only difference was postoperative fever which was more frequent after the nephrectomy of inflammatory kidney. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our experience, surgical results of transperitoneal laparoscopic simple nephrectomy did not differ between inflammatory and non-inflammatory kidneys. Surgical times were higher in inflammatory group even if the difference was not significant.

Is it only a sleeping disorder or more? Restless legs syndrome and erectile function.

OBJECTIVE: Sexual dysfunction and restless legs syndrome (RLS) have similar pathophysiological properties. This study evaluated the presence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) in patients with RLS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients in the RLS group and 50 in the control group were included in the study. The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group rating scale, the five-item International Index of Erectile Function and the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool were used to define the RLS and erectile function of both the study and control groups. A stopwatch technique was used to evaluate the intravaginal ejaculatory latency time of patients in the study. RESULTS: The mean age of patients in the RLS and control groups was 53.5 ± 9.9 and 53.2 ± 8.8 years, respectively (p = 0.527). None of the patients in either group had diabetes mellitus. There was no difference between the groups in terms of history of hypertension, body mass index and total testosterone level. There were 27 patients (54%) in the RLS group and 17 patients (34%) in the control group with PE (p = 0.008). There were 26 patients (52%) with ED in the RLS group and 17 (34%) in the control group (p = 0.069). The prevalence of moderate and severe ED was significantly higher in the RLS group (p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: PE was more prevalent in RLS than in control patients. On the other hand, the rate of ED did not differ between the groups. In addition to receiving a neurological evaluation, RLS patients must be evaluated for sexual function.

The Effect of Testicular Torsion Duration on Testicular Steroidogenesis in the Rat Model.

BACKGROUND: Testicular torsion is an emergency condition in which spermatogenesis may be irreversibly damaged. There have been controversial results about the effect of testicular torsion on steroidogenesis. We aimed at investigating the effect of testicular torsion on steroidogenesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 40 adult male rats were divided into 4 groups. Left testicles were removed in all groups. Right testicles were torsioned and remained in the torsion position for 1, 3 and 5 h in study groups, whereas no torsion was performed in control. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and total testosterone (TT) levels were measured on the 3rd and 30th days of surgery and orchiectomy was performed on the 30th day of testicular torsion for histopathological evaluation. RESULTS: TT levels of study groups were significantly lower than that of the control group on the 3rd day of torsion. LH of study groups was higher than that of the control group, but the difference was significant only in the 5 h-torsion group. The total number of Leydig cells increased in 1- and 3-h groups, whereas it decreased in the 5-hour group. CONCLUSION: Testosterone production and Leydig cell functions significantly decreased after 5 h torsion in the rat model. The duration of torsion less than 5 h yielded partial dysfunction on steroidogenesis.

Effects of daily telephone-based re-education before taking medicine on Helicobacter pylori eradication.

We read the article "Effects of daily telephone-based re-education before taking medicine on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication: A prospective single-center study from China" written by Wang et al with great interest. It is reported in American and European guidelines that there is no sufficient test for the diagnosis of H. pylori except culture and that using at least two different tests for diagnosis of H. pylori is recommended. Patients who used antibiotics or bismuth salts in the previous 2 wk were excluded from study. But patients who used probiotics and antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins C and E were not excluded.

Effect of Tadalafil on Prevention of Urethral Stricture After Urethral Injury: An Experimental Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preventive effect of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (tadalafil) on the formation of urethral stricture after urethral injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 28, 4-month-old male New Zealand rabbits were included and divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was a sham group with 8 rabbits that underwent only urethroscopy. Group 2 was a nontreatment group with 10 rabbits that underwent urethral electrocoagulation without any treatment. Group 3 was the treatment group with 10 rabbits that underwent urethral electrocoagulation with systemic tadalafil treatment. After 30 days of follow-up, urethroscopy and retrograde urethrography were performed to evaluate the morphological changes in the urethra. The urethra tissues were examined with standard light microscopy by a histologist, and apoptosis was evaluated by the terminal dUTP nick end-labeling assay. RESULTS: Urethral diameters in group 1, group 2, and group 3 were 9.14 ± 0.73 mm, 3.52 ± 1.2 mm, and 7.68 ± 1.14 mm, respectively. The differences in urethral diameters were statistically significant between groups (P < .01). Collagen deposition in submucosal connective tissue was significantly less in the tadalafil group vs the nontreatment group. The numbers of apoptotic cells in submucosal connective tissue were also quantitatively higher in urethral stricture groups compared to the sham group. CONCLUSION: Tadalafil treatment had a protective effect against the formation of urethral stricture in rabbit model. This treatment can be a promising opportunity for urethral stricture and must be supported by clinical studies.

Pentraxin 3 Is a Predictor for Fibrosis and Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Objective. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether pentraxin 3 (PTX3) can be a new noninvasive marker for prediction of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. We also aimed to evaluate the relationship between PTX3 and atherosclerosis in patients with NAFLD. Method. Fifty-four male patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 20 apparently healthy male volunteers were included. PTX3 levels were determined, using an ELISA method (R&D Sysytems, Quantikine ELISA, USA). To detect the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in NAFLD, measurements of CIMT, FMD, and cf-PWV levels were performed. Results. PTX3 levels in NAFLD patients with fibrosis were higher than both NAFLD patients without fibrosis and controls (P = 0.032 and P = 0.028, respectively), but there was no difference between controls and NAFLD patients without fibrosis in terms of PTX3 levels (P = 0.903). PTX3 levels were strongly correlated with cf-PWV (r = 0.359, P = 0.003), whereas no significant correlation was found with other atherosclerosis markers, CIMT and FMD. Conclusion. Elevated plasma PTX3 levels are associated with the presence of fibrosis in patients with NAFLD, independently of metabolic syndrome components. This study demonstrated that for the first time there is a close association between elevated PTX3 levels and increased arterial stiffness in patients with NAFLD.