Does waterpipe smoking increase the risk of Helicobacter pylori infection?

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether waterpipe smoking can be associated with the transmission of Helicobacter pylori infection or not. Materials and Methods: Between March 2018 and April 2019, 445 patients aged over 18 years old who were admitted to outpatient clinics with dyspeptic complaints were recruited for the study. Patients are divided into two groups - Group 1 is H. pylori-positive patients and Group 2 is negative. Waterpipe smoking, smoking, age, gender, and educational status were compared among groups. Results: Two hundred and sixty-one women (58%) and 184 men (42%), totally 445 patients, tested for H. pylori infection. Seventy-nine of 261 (30%) women and 60 of 184 (32%) men had H. pylori positive. One hundred and sixty-two of 445 (36%) patients were smoking cigarette and 66 of 445 (14%) patients were using waterpipe tobacco. Waterpipe smoking individuals were found to be associated with the H. pylori positivity (P < 0.001); whereas, age, gender, educational level, and smoking were not found to be statistically significant (all P > 0.05). In binary logistic regression analysis, waterpipe tobacco smoking was found to be the only independent predictor of H. pylori infection (P < 0.001, odds ratio = 5.51, confidence interval: 3.158-9.617). Conclusion: Waterpipe smoking seems to be an important risk factor for H. pylori infection and may be one of the reasons of high prevalence of H. pylori infection.

Can orbital artery resistive indexes detect complications of diabetes in the prediabetic phase?

AIM: Prediabetic patients have generalized microvascular dysfunction, which leads to end-organ damage, just like diabetes. Therefore, prediabetes is not just a mild elevation in blood sugar, and early detection and prevention of possible complications should be the main goal. Color Doppler imaging (CDI) provides morphologic and vascular information on various diseases. The Resistive Index (RI) is a widely used measure of resistance to arterial flow and is calculated from the CDI. CDI evaluation of vessels in the retrobulbar region may be the first sign of micro- and macrovascular complications. METHOD: Consecutively, 55 prediabetic patients and 33 healthy subjects were recruited for the study. Prediabetic patients were divided into three groups according to their fasting and postprandial blood glucose values. The groups included an impaired fasting glucose (IFG) group (n = 15), an impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) group (n = 13), and an IFG+IGT group (n = 27). The RI of the ophthalmic artery, posterior ciliary artery, and central retinal artery were measured in all patients. RESULTS: The orbital artery, central retinal artery, and posterior cerebral artery mean RI of prediabetic patients (0.76 ± 0.06, 0.69 ± 0.03, and 0.69 ± 0.04, respectively) were significantly higher than those of the healthy group (0.66 ± 0.04, 0.63 ± 0.04, and 0.66 ± 0.04, respectively; p < 0.001; Student's t-test). The mean ophthalmic artery RI of the healthy, IFG, IGT, and IFG+IGT groups were 0.66 ± 0.39, 0.7 ± 0.27, 0.72 ± 0.29, and 0.82 ± 0.16, respectively, with a significant difference between the groups (p < 0.001, ANOVA). The mean central retinal artery RI of the healthy, IFG, IGT, and IFG+IGT groups were 0.63 ± 0.04, 0.66 ± 0.02, 0.7 ± 0.02, and 0.71 ± 0.02, respectively (p < 0.001, post-hoc Tukey). The mean posterior cerebral artery RI of the healthy, IFG, IGT, and IFG+IGT groups were 0.66 ± 0.04, 0.66 ± 0.04, 0.69 ± 0.03, and 0.71 ± 0.03, respectively, with a significant difference between the groups (p < 0.001 Fisher ANOVA). CONCLUSION: Increased RI may be the first sign of developing retinopathy, as well as the first sign of microangiopathies occurring simultaneously in the coronary, cerebral, and renal vessels. Precautions to be taken during the prediabetic stage can prevent many possible complications.

Severe Hypokalemia and Rhabdomyolysis Caused by Conn Syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Hypokalemia is a common electrolyte abnormality. Generally being asymptomatic, muscular fatigue, paresis and arrhythmia can be seen as the severity of hypokalemia increases. Severe rhabdomyolysis and neuromuscular findings can be seen in severe hypokalemia cases. Presence of hypokalemia can be a precursor of secondary hypertension in hypertensive patients, and also should bring hyperaldosteronism into consideration. Mild hypokalemia is usually seen in primary hype-raldosteronism. However, deficient potassium levels are also seen in some cases. We have shared the case of a hypertensive patient, who presented to the emergency department with findings of rhabdomyo-lysis and neuromuscular findings secondary to severe hypokalemia. The potassium level of our patient was 1.3 mmol, and it was one of the lowest potassium levels reported up to today.

Esomeprazole: a safe alternative to lansoprazole allergy?

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely prescribed drugs in daily practice. Allergic reactions, even small number of anaphylactic reactions to PPIs have been reported. Omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, rapeprazol and esomeprazole are classified in the same group. Despite the similarity of biochemical structures among these drugs, presence of cross-reactivity between PPIs is controversial.1,2 In this letter, we present 3 lansoprazole allergy cases, who were prescribed and took esomeprazole safely after allergic reactions to lansoprazole.