Abstract Introduction: In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on serum apelin levels in patients with severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis (AS). Methods: Forty-six consecutive patients (76.9±7.4 years, n=27 women) who underwent TAVI and 45 age- and sex-matched control subjects were included in the study. Echocardiographic parameters, serum apelin, pro-brain natriuretic peptide (Pro-BNP), and troponin I levels were compared between the groups. In addition, the preprocedural and first-month follow-up echocardiographic parameters and serum apelin values of TAVI patients were compared. Results: Serum median troponin I and Pro-BNP levels were significantly higher and serum apelin levels were significantly lower in TAVI patients before TAVI procedure than in the control subjects (P<0.001, for all). Median troponin I and Pro-BNP levels were significantly decreased and apelin levels were significantly increased after TAVI procedure compared to the peri-procedural levels. There was a significant and moderate negative correlation between Pro-BNP and apelin levels measured before and after TAVI procedure. A statistically significant and strong negative correlation was found between aortic valve area and Pro-BNP level before TAVI procedure, while a statistically significant but weak positive correlation was found between valve area and apelin level. Conclusion: In our study, apelin levels were significantly lower and Pro-BNP levels were higher in AS patients compared with the control group. Moreover, after TAVI procedure, a significant increase in apelin levels and a significant decrease in Pro-BNP levels were observed. There was also a negative and moderate correlation between apelin and Pro-BNP levels.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar o efeito do glaucoma pseudoexfoliativo sobre a espessura da coroide em comparação com indivíduos saudáveis e com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto. Métodos: Este estudo prospectivo e randomizado incluiu 30 pacientes com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto e 30 com glaucoma pseudoexfoliativo, com características demográficas semelhantes e 30 olhos de 30 indivíduos saudáveis compuseram o grupo controle. Imagens da área macular e do nervo óptico foram obtidas usando um tomógrafo por coerência óptica no domínio espectral do modelo Cirrus HD, juntamente com medições da espessura da coroide na área macular através do modo de imagem de profundidade realçada. Resultados: Os valores de idade, sexo e comprimento axial foram semelhantes nos três grupos (p>0,05). Os grupos de glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto e de glaucoma pseudoexfoliativo tinham níveis comparáveis de lesões glaucomatosas. Os valores médios da espessura subfoveal da coroide nos grupos do glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto, glaucoma pseudoexfoliativo e de controle foram 271,80 ± 19,96 μm, 241,43 ± 32,47 μm e 268,03 ± 24,50 μm, respectivamente. O grupo glaucoma pseudoexfoliativo apresentou os menores valores de espessura de coroide dos três grupos (valores de p: pseudoexfoliativo-controle: 0,001; pseudoexfoliativo-glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto: <0,001, controle de glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto: 0,516; teste de t de amostras independentes). Conclusão: A coroide na área macular era mais fina em pacientes com glaucoma pseudoexfoliativo, quando comparada com indivíduos saudáveis e pacientes com glaucoma de ângulo aberto com graus similares de lesão glaucomatosa.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the effect of pseudoex foliation syndrome on choroidal thickness as compared with healthy individuals and subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma. Methods: This prospective, randomized study included 30 primary open angle glaucoma patients and 30 pseudoexfoliation glaucoma patients with similar demographic characteristics and 30 eyes of 30 healthy individuals comprised the control group. Regular optic nerve and macular images were obtained using a Cirrus HD spectral domain optical coherence tomography instrument, along with macular choroidal thickness measurements with enhanced depth imaging mode. Results: Age, sex, and axial length values were similar among the three groups (p>0.05). The primary open angle glaucoma and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma groups had comparable levels of glaucomatous damage. The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness values in the primary open angle glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, and control groups were 271.80 ± 19.96 μm, 241.43 ± 32.47 μm, and 268.03 ± 24.50 μm, respectively. The pseudoexfoliation glaucoma group had the lowest choroidal thickness values of the three groups (p values: pseudoexfoliation-control: 0.001; pseudoexfoliation-primary open angle glaucoma: <0.001, primary open angle glaucoma-control: 0.516, independent samples t-test). Conclusion: The macular choroid was thinner in patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, as compared with both healthy individuals and open-angle glaucoma patients with similar degrees of glaucomatous damage.

ABSTRACT Objective Ghrelin plays a role in several processes of cancer progression, and numerous cancer types express ghrelin and its receptor. We aimed to investigate serum levels of ghrelin in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and its association with the prognostic factors in PTC. Materials and methods We enrolled 54 patients with thyroid cancer (7 male, 47 female) and 24 healthy controls (6 male, 18 female) in the study. We compared demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical data, and serum ghrelin levels between the groups. Serum ghrelin levels were measured using as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Ghrelin levels were similar between the groups, but plasma ghrelin levels were significantly higher in tumors larger than 1 cm diameter compared with papillary microcarcinomas. Serum ghrelin levels also correlated with tumor size (r = 0.499; p < 0.001). Body mass index, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and HOMA-IR levels were similar between the groups. There were no statistically significant differences regarding average age and other prognostic parameters including lymph node invasion, capsule invasion, multifocality and surgical border invasion between patients with microcarcinoma and tumors larger than 1 cm. Conclusion In our study, no significant difference in serum ghrelin levels was determined between patients with papillary thyroid cancer and healthy controls however, serum ghrelin levels were higher in tumors larger than 1 cm compared to in those with thyroid papillary microcarcinoma.