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Background & Objectives: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral infection typically transmitted by tick bite. This study is to define the level of heparan sulphate (HS) in serum/urine since HS may play a role in the pathogenesis of hemorrhagic events in the patients with CCHF., Methods: In this study, the patient group consisted of 79 cases with a positive diagnosis of CCHF according to PCR/ELISA outcome among the patients referred to Cumhuriyet University, School of Medicine in 2010. A total of 81 volunteers who had not any viral or metabolic disease were enrolled as the control group. The blood samples were centrifuged, and the serum and urine samples obtained were stored at - 80°C until they were studied. Then, these samples were simultaneously dissolved, and HS level was spectrophotometrically measured using glycosaminoglycans specific 1- 9, dimethyl-methylene blue (DMMB) stain., Results: A statistically significant increase in the HSserum values was found both in the individuals under and above 16 yr old in the patient groups compared to the controls (p <0.05). Also there was a statistically significant increase in the urine levels of HS in the cases >16 yr old compared to the controls (p <0.05)., Interpretations & Conclusion: Increase of the serum/urine levels of HS was though to be due to vascular endothelium damage and to liver injury as well as vascular endothelium damage in the patients who died. Further, comprehensive studies are needed to demonstrate whether the serum/urine levels of HS are correlated to liver and vascular endothelium damage and prognosis of the disease.

Background & Objective: The primary mediator of angiogenesis is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). It is well documented that angiogenic activity in human cancer depends on nitric oxide (NO) levels in tissues. Additionally, urokinase type plasminogen activator (u-PA) plays a role in cell adhesion and migration. Serum VEGF and its relationship between NO and u-PA concentrations are poorly reported in breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum levels of VEGF and NO and u-PA in patients with breast cancer., Methods: Serum concentrations of VEGF, NO and u-PA were measured in groups of pre-operative breast cancer patients without metastasis (n=20), post-operative breast cancer patients without metastasis (four wk after the operation, n=20), breast cancer patients with metastasis (n=23), patients with benign breast disease (n=11) and healthy female controls (n=20)., Results: There was no difference in serum concentrations of VEGF, NO and u-PA between controls and patients with benign breast disease. Serum VEGF, NO and u-PA concentrations were significantly higher in pre-operative breast cancer patients than in controls and in patients with benign breast diseases (P<0.01). Post-operative breast cancer patients without metastasis had significantly lower serum VEGF and u-PA concentrations than the pre-operative patients (P<0.01). In breast cancer patients with metastasis, serum VEGF, and u-PA were significantly higher than post-operative nonmetastatic patients (P<0.01). Serum VEGF concentrations were positively correlated with serum uPA in all of the patients groups (r=0.886, P<0.01). Serum VEGF levels were positively correlated with serum NO levels in breast cancer patients with metastasis (r= 0.386, P<0.05)., Interpretation & Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the angiogenic activity was increased in patients with breast cancer. Elevated VEGF levels as an angiogenesis marker may be associated with uPA. VEGF, NO and uPA seem to be associated with the angiogenetic and metastatic process of breast cancer.