In order to obtain data on blood pressure (BP) distribution in Turkish children, a total of 5,599 Turkish children from birth to 18 years were studied. BP rises with age, and both systolic and diastolic BP showed a positive correlation with height and weight in both sexes. As the sampling was representative of Turkish children at different ages, the mean systolic and diastolic BP levels were compared for each age with the results reported in the study of the Second Task Force. The mean systolic and diastolic BP of Turkish children and the increase with growth and development were different from the Second Task Force study. Genetic, ethnic, and environmental factors were suggested to be responsible for this variation. In conclusion, normal BP curves should be applied with caution in childhood, and every population should use their own normal standards to define a measured BP level in children.

MEFV mutations, especially, E148Q and M694V, mutations might be associated with HSP and may affect clinical presentation and laboratory findings in HSP patients.

Fifty-eight patients with thyroid dysfunction were included, comparing 27 healthy subjects to evaluate the relationship between thyroid autoimmunity, thyroid functional status, and renal function. Regardless of clinical status, hypothyroidism was defined as T3-T4upper limit of normal, and hyperthyroidism was defined as T3-T4>normal limits and TSH <0.1 mcU/mL. In all participants, serum antithyroperoxidase level, serum antithyroglobulin level, creatinine clearance (CC), and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) in 24-h urine collections were measured. Of 85 persons, 41 patients ages 20 to 71 years (median; 44) had hypothyroidism, 17 patients ages 22 to 56 years (median; 32) had hyperthyroidism, and 27 subjects ages 20 to 67 years (median; 50) were normal. Regarding thyroid autoantibody positiveness, the positive group had a higher UAER than the negative group (30.2 mg/day, 20.8 mg/day, respectively; p=0.05). In hypothyroid patients, UAER was significantly higher than in hyperthyroid patients and control subjects (30.1 mg/day, 11.8 mg/day, 10.5 mg/day, respectively; p<0.001). In the hypothyroid population, with regard to UAER and CC, we could not find a significant difference between the thyroid autoantibody positive and negative groups. In view of CC, hypothyroid patients had significantly lower CC than the hyperthyroid group (79.0 mL/ min, 86.5 mL/min, respectively; p<0.01). A careful control of the renal function in thyroid diseases should be evaluated. Renal dysfunction seems to be secondary to hypothyroidism rather than thyroid autoimmunity.

This study demonstrates that the predominant association of AA amyloidosis is with FMF. It also suggests that the routine immunohistochemical study of patients with amyloidosis who are of certain ethnic backgrounds suffices for classifying the subtype of amyloid fibril protein and the related disease.

Background: Morbidity and mortality due to anastomotic complications in gastrointestinal surgery remain important problems. The tissue adhesive N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NB2CA) is used in many fields of surgery. This study was designed to assess the effects of NB2CA on high-level jejunojejunostomy. Materials and Methods: Forty male albino Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups of 10 each. The groups were treated as follows: group 1 underwent only a jejunojejunostomy, group 2 underwent jejunojejunostomy followed by NB2CA application around the anastomosis, group 3 underwent jejunojejunostomy after a 60-min ischemia and a 60-min reperfusion, and group 4 underwent jejunojejunostomy after a 60-min ischemia and a 60-min reperfusion followed by NB2CA application around the anastomosis. At postoperative day 7, the subjects in all groups were sacrificed. Intra-abdominal adhesions, anastomotic complications and anastomotic burst pressures (ABP) were recorded. Results: The analysis of all the groups for adhesion scores and ABP showed statistical significance (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The use of NB2CA had positive effects in terms of increasing ABP both with and without the initial ischemia- reperfusion insult. However, it had the adverse effect of significantly increasing the number of intra-abdominal adhesions.