Evaluation of Maternal Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, Paraoxonase 1 Levels, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Spontaneous Preterm Birth.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, paraoxonase 1, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in women having early spontaneous preterm birth without clinical chorioamnionitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study was prospectively administered in women referred to our obstetrics service with preterm labor that resulted in preterm birth (n=35) and term labor that ended in term birth (n=44). The maternal serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and paraoxonase 1 were measured and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was calculated. RESULTS The 25-hydroxyvitamin D and paraoxonase 1 levels of the preterm group were significantly lower than those of the term group (p<0.05). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio value of the preterm group was significantly higher than that of the term group (p<0.05). There was a significant but small positive correlation between the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and paraoxonase 1 in the preterm group (r=0.35; p=0.021). CONCLUSIONS Decreased maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and paraoxonase 1 levels and increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio may have a role in the etiology of spontaneous preterm birth.

Evaluation of cytokines as Th1/Th2 markers in pathogenesis of children with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

Cytokine networks play a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease in Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) patients. Therefore, our aim was to study the effects of cytokine levels on the pathogenesis and severity of the disease in children with CCHF. Fifty-two patients diagnosed with CCHF and 34 healthy controls (HC) were included in the study. The patients with CCHF were divided into two groups (severe and non-severe). The levels of the Interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-12, IL-6, Endothelin-1 (ET-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured in all groups. IL-12 levels did not show any difference between the CCHF and HC groups and among the severe, non-severe and HC groups. IL-10 and ET-1 levels were significantly higher in the severe group when compared to the non-severe group and the HC group. Moreover, IL-10 and ET-1 levels were significantly higher in the non-severe group when compared to the HC group. In terms of IL-6 and TNF-α levels, there was no difference between the severe and non-severe groups while the said levels were significantly higher in the severe group when compared to the HC group. The results of the present study showing significantly higher IL-10 and ET-1 levels in the severe group suggest that Th2-mediated humoral immunity is more effective in the pathogenesis and severity of CCHF in children.