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BACKGROUND: Acute phase reactants play a role in the progression and prognosis of many malignant and premalignant tumors. This study investigated the diagnostic value of certain reactants as markers for cervical premalignant lesions. OBJECTIVE: Despite advanced screening and vaccination programs, cervical cancer remains a serious health problem worldwide. We aimed to determine the possible relationship between premalignant cervical disease and serum acute phase reactant levels. DESIGN AND SETTING: This study included 124 volunteers who underwent cervical cancer screening. We divided the patients into three groups according to cervical cytology and histopathological findings as follows: no cervical lesion, low-grade neoplasia, or high-grade neoplasia. METHODS: We included women aged 25-65 years with benign smear or colposcopy results, low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The benign group was based only on cytology findings, whereas the other groups were based on histopathology findings. Demographic data and serum albumin, fibrinogen, ferritin, and procalcitonin levels were evaluated in the three groups. RESULTS: We found significant differences among the three groups in terms of age, albumin level, albumin/fibrinogen ratio, and procalcitonin level. The regression analysis revealed lower serum albumin levels in the low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion groups compared with the benign group. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to evaluate the importance of serum inflammatory markers in cervical intraepithelial lesions. Our results indicate that serum albumin level, albumin/fibrinogen ratio, procalcitonin level, and neutrophil values differ among cervical intraepithelial lesions.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of beta-hCG changes between the first, fourth and seventh days as a predictor of the additional dose requirement in single-dose methotrexate protocol in tubal ectopic pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bursa Yüksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, between January 2017 and June 2020. METHODOLOGY: Data of 123 patients with tubal ectopic pregnancy, treated with a single-dose methotrexate protocol, were retrospectively analysed. Patients who received methotrexate on the first day and achieved treatment success constituted one group. Patients who received additional doses on the seventh day and achieved treatment success, constituted the other group. Treatment success was defined as normalisation of beta-hCG levels without surgical intervention. RESULTS: The percentage of beta-hCG change between day-one and day-four was a significant independent variable for the additional dose treatment requirement (OR:1.07, CI:1.01-1.13, p=0.022). The cut-off value of the beta-hCG change percentage between the first and fourth day, was calculated as 4% (sensitivity 72.9%, specificity 78.9%, positive predictive value [PPV] 88.6%, negative predictive value [NPV] 56.6%). CONCLUSION: In the single-dose methotrexate protocol applied in the medical treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancy, the change in beta-hCG value between the first and fourth days may predict the need for additional doses. Administration of an additional dose of methotrexate on the fourth day may be considered, if there is less than a 4% decrease or any increase in beta-hCG value between the first and fourth days. Key Words: Ectopic pregnancy, Methotrexate, Beta human chorionic gonadotropin, Tubal pregnancy, Single-dose protocol.
