Search

Objective: Atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular events are quite common in patients with psoriasis. We aimed to evaluate the role of serum sortilin as a potential marker for subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients. Materials and Methods: Serum levels of sortilin were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) in 33 psoriasis patients and 33 healthy controls. Waist circumference and body mass index were recorded for both groups; fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), serum lipid levels, and sortilin levels were also measured. Carotid and femoral intima-media thicknesses (CIMT, FIMT) were measured by ultrasonography (USG). Additionally, demographic characteristics, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), age of onset, total duration, and presence of nail involvement were documented for patients in the study. Results: The mean serum sortilin level was 6.20±3.11 ng/mL in the patient group and 7.82±4.97 ng/mL in the control group. No statistically significant difference was found between serum sortilin levels in both groups (p=0.729). There was no statistically significant relationship between serum sortilin levels and disease severity (p=0.597). The right and left CIMT values of the patients were significantly higher than those of the controls (p=0.012, p=0.020, respectively). There was no significant difference in FIMT values between the two groups. A statistically significant relationship was found between serum sortilin levels and right CIMT in patients (p=0.031). Conclusion: The positive correlation between the level of sortilin and right CIMT in our patient group supports the notion that sortilin may be an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Several studies in the literature have used contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to investigate arachnoid granulations protruding into the cranial dural sinuses. The current study aimed to investigate the protrusion of arachnoid granulations into the superior sagittal sinus, transverse sinus, straight sinus, and confluence of sinuses and determine the frequency of brain herniation into giant arachnoid granulations using contrast-enhanced 3-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Materials and Methods: Images of 550 patients with intra-sinus arachnoid granulations who underwent contrast-enhanced 3-dimensional T1-weighted thin-slice magnetic resonance imaging were retrospectively re-evaluated. Only 300 patients with at least 1 intra-sinus arachnoid granulation were included in the study. The protrusion of arachnoid granulations into superior sagittal sinus, transverse sinus, straight sinus, and confluence of sinuses was investigated. In addition, large arachnoid granulations and brain herniations into arachnoid granulations were also noted. Results: A total of 889 focal filling defects of arachnoid granulations, at least 1 in the dural sinus, were detected. Of the filling defects of arachnoid granulations, 183 were in the right transverse sinus, 222 in the left transverse sinus, 265 in superior sagittal sinus, 185 in straight sinus, and 34 in confluence of sinuses. Brain herniation into arachnoid granulations was detected in 8 (2.7%) of the patients included in the study. All the filling defects detected in the dural sinuses on post-contrast 3-dimensional T1-weighted images were isointense with cerebrospinal fluid and had round, oval, or lobulated contours. A positive weak correlation was found between patient age and the size and number of arachnoid granulations (r = 0.181, P < .01 and r = 0.207, P < .001, respectively). It was observed that the size and number of arachnoid granulations increased as the age of the patients increased. Conclusions: The distribution, shape, number, and size of intra-sinus arachnoid granulations can vary considerably. Brain herniation into arachnoid granulation can also be seen. Three-dimensional cranial magnetic resonance imaging sequences can be safely used in the evaluation of arachnoid granulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ahi Evran Medical Journal is the property of Ahi Evran University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, we present the ultrasound imaging features of lymph nodes arising in the regional lymph node chain after the first or second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Ipsilateral lymphadenopathy adjacent to the vaccine injection site is an extremely rare but expected adverse reaction following COVID-19 vaccination. Although axillary lymphadenopathy is more common, cases of supraclavicular lymphadenopathy have also been reported after widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Ultrasonography examinations were performed on seven patients with no previous pathological conditions, who presented to our radiology department after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Bilateral axillary, supraclavicular and subclavicular lymph node stations were explored. These patients typically present with enlarged hypoechoic lymph nodes with the loss of fatty hilum, asymmetric or diffuse cortical thickening, and increased hilar and cortical vascularization on the color doppler ultrasonography of the ipsilateral axillary and supraclavicular regions. Radiologists and clinicians should be aware of the ultrasonographic features of these lymph nodes and should inform the patient that these lymph nodes are often a self-limiting process. Thus, unnecessary axillary lymph node biopsies should be avoided, and patients should be treated conservatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) level and carotid intima-media thickness in primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) as an indicator of atherosclerosis. Patients and methods: Between July 2019 and July 2020, a total of 33 female pSS patients (mean age: 44.5±11.2 years; range, 23 to 60 years) and 37 female age- and sex-matched healthy individuals (mean age: 40.9±7.2 years; range, 25 to 54 years) were included. Carotid intima-media thickness and serum Lp-PLA2 levels were measured in the patient and control groups. Results: The patients had a higher median serum Lp-PLA2 of 560 (range, 108 to 1,222) ng/mL vs. 328 (range, 0 to 1,280) ng/mL in the controls (p=0.024) and a similar mean intima-media thickness of carotid artery (0.64±0.14 mm vs. 0.62±0.15 mm, respectively; p=0.595). Serum Lp-PLA2 was positively correlated with platelet count (r=0.411, p=0.018) and negatively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=-0.409, p=0.018). The mean value of carotid intima-media thickness was positively correlated with disease duration (r=0.316, p=0.074) and was negatively correlated with the level of leucocyte (r=-0.458, p=0.007). Conclusion: Our study suggests that the patients of pSS have a potential risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The sphenoid sinus is a paranasal sinus that is extremely difficult to reach, being located deep in the skull and surrounded by a large number of vital neural and vascular structures. Additional radiological evaluation of the sphenoid sinus and related neurovascular structures is essential before surgery. This study aimed to analyze the anatomical variations associated with the neurovascular structures in and around the sphenoid sinus using multislice computed tomography (CT) and contribute to the literature by comparing the obtained data with previous studies. Material and Method: A total of 100 patients (50 females, 50 males) who underwent paranasal sinus CT for various rhinologic diseases were included in the study. Sphenoid sinus variations were evaluated as bone tissue anomalies and soft tissue pathologies on CT. Results: In this study, variations in the neurovascular borders of the sphenoid sinus were the most common findings. The variations related to the Vidian canal were most frequent with an incidence of approximately 73%, followed by those related to the optic nerve 55%, maxillary nerve 53%, and internal carotid artery 52%. Pneumatization of the pterygoid plate was observed in 59% of cases, pneumatization of the anterior clinoid process in 41%, and that of the greater wing of the sphenoid in 13%. Furthermore, 15% of the patients had onodi cells, 46% had multiple septations, 20% had mucosal thickening, 0.4% had polyps, and 0.3% had retention cysts. Conclusion: The structure of the sphenoid sinus is highly variable, and paranasal sinus CT is important in determining anatomic variations before sinonasal and transsphenoidal surgery and predicting possible complications during surgery. In this study, the variations of the sphenoid sinus were found at a higher rate compared to previous studies, which may be due to the differences in ethnic groups, CT imaging technique, or anatomical evaluation criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]