Background This study aimed to evaluate the ratio of C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin, inflammatory markers, and parameters from the complete blood count (CBC) in patients with Takayasu arteritis and the association with disease activity. Material/Methods A retrospective study included thirty-two patients with Takayasu arteritis and 32 healthy controls. Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with Takayasu arteritis were recorded at baseline, before medication and on remission. Similar data were obtained for the controls at recruitment. Remission was defined as more than six months of stable disease without new vascular lesions in patients who previously had active disease. Kerr’s criteria were used to define active Takayasu arteritis. Results In patients with Takayasu arteritis, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), CRP, CRP/albumin ratio, red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were significantly higher, and albumin and MPV were significantly lower compared with controls. The ESR, CRP, CRP/albumin ratio, NLR, PLR, and MLR were decreased in remission, whereas MPV was increased. CRP and the CRP/albumin ratio were positively correlated and albumin and MPV were negatively correlated with disease activity. The CRP/albumin ratio had the highest correlation with disease activity in Takayasu arteritis. The CRP/albumin ratio, RDW, NLR, PLR, and MLR were positively correlated with CRP and ESR. Conclusions The CRP/albumin ratio, RDW, NLR, PLR, MLR, and MPV were markers of remission of active disease, and the CRP/albumin ratio, total albumin, and MPV were markers of disease activity in Takayasu arteritis.

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Background/aim: Biochemical markers are needed to show lung involvement in COVID-19 disease. Galectin-3 is known to play a key role in the inflammation and fibrosis process. We aimed to evaluate the predictive role of Galectin-3 levels for pneumonia in patients with COVID-19. Materials and methods:Total of 176 patients with COVID-19, confirmed with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, admitted to the Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital was analyzed. The study was designed as a cross sectional. The baseline data of laboratory examinations, including galectin-3 were collected at the time of diagnosis. CT images evaluated by a single radiologist according to the recommendation of the Radiological Society of North America Expert Consensus Document for pulmonary involvement. The severity of COVID-19 pneumonia was assessed using the total severity score. Results:The mean Galectin-3 level in patients with typical pneumonia was found to be significantly higher than those patients with atypical (p<0.01) and indeterminate appearance (p<0.01) and patients without pneumonia (p: <0.01). The severity of lung involvement was significantly associated with Galectin-3 levels (p<0.01 r: 0.76). Stepwise logistic regression model showed that the levels of ferritin (odds ratio [OR] = 0.05, p:0.08) and Galectin-3 (OR = 0.1, p:<0.01) were significantly and independently associated with typical pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. When COVID-19 patients were evaluated in terms of typical pneumonia, we determined a cut-off value of 18,9 ng/ml for Galectin-3 via ROC analysis. (87% sensitivity; 73% specificity; Area Under Curve (AUC): 0.89; p<0.001) 2 Conclusion: Galectin-3 was found as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19 associated typical pneumonia and as an indicator of both pneumonia and its severity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of central sensitization syndromes and the relation between severity of central sensitization and disease activity in patients with axial ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Materials and Methods: Study included 105 patients who were diagnosed with AS. Patients' age, sex, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, accompanying disease (diabetes, hypertension) were recorded. The severity of back pain was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS), disease activity by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score-C-reactive protein (ASDAS_CRP). Central sensitization inventory (CSI) was used for central sensitization. Results: Central sensitization was found in 45.7% of all participants and neuropathic pain was found in 34.3% of them. When we divided the group according to the central sensitization score ≥40, we found that those who were diagnosed with central sensitization were at an advanced age and have higher BMI, higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate, longer disease duration, higher disease activity, higher neuropathic pain presence and scores than others. Conclusion: Central sensitization syndromes and neuropathic pain are frequently associated with AS. Positive correlations of central sensitization and neuropathic pain scores with disease activity scores support that chronic pain components should be taken into consideration in the follow-up of the disease. Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, aksiyel ankilozan spondilit'li (AS) hastalarda santral sensitizasyon sendromlarının prevalansını ve santral sensitizasyonun şiddeti ile hastalık aktivitesi arasındaki ilişkinin değerlendirilmesidir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmamız, AS tanılı 105 hastayı içermektedir. Hastaların yaşı, cinsiyeti, vücut kitle indeksi (VKİ), hastalık süresi, eşlik eden hastalık (diyabet, hipertansiyon) kaydedildi. Bel ağrısının şiddeti görsel analog skala (VAS) ile, hastalık aktivitesi Bath Ankilozan Spondilit Hastalık Aktivite İndeksi (BASDAI), Bath Ankilozan Spondilit Fonksiyonel İndeks (BASFI) ve Ankilozan Spondilit Hastalık Aktivite Skoru-C-reaktif protein (ASDAS_CRP) ile değerlendirildi. Santral sensitizasyon için santral sensitizasyon envanteri (CSI) kullanıldı. Bulgular: Tüm katılımcıların %45.7'sinde santral sensitizasyon, (SS) % 34.3'ünde nöropatik ağrı saptandı. Grubu santral sensitizasyon skoru ≥40'a göre ayırdığımızda, santral sensitizasyon tanısı alanlarda ileri yaş, yüksek VKI, yüksek eritrosit sedimentasyon hızı (ESR), uzun hastalık süresi, yüksek hastalık aktivitesi), yüksek nöropatik ağrı varlığı ve skorları tespit ettik.. Sonuç: Santral sensitizasyon sendromları ve nöropatik ağrı sıklıkla AS ile ilişkilidir. Santral sensitizasyon ve nöropatik ağrı skorlarının hastalık aktivite skorları ile pozitif korelasyonu, hastalık takibinde kronik ağrı bileşenlerinin dikkate alınması gerektiğini desteklemektedir.

Aim: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic disease featuring axial changes, peripheral arthritis and systemic involvement. AS is not only characterized by the strongest genetic contribution for any complex rheumatological disease but is also influenced by environmental and immunological factors. Various proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-(IL-) 1, IL-6, IL17/28 are probably involved in AS pathogenesis. Recent years IL -23 / IL-17 pathway in the disease pathogenesis has been shown. Bilirubin (Bb) was known to be the end product of hem catabolic pathway, but it was the subject of various studies with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties in the last decade. Here, the clinic importance of serum Bb parameters in AS patients has been analyzed. Methods: The study designed as case-control. One hundred (N=100) patients with axial AS diagnosed by 2010 Assesment in Ankylosing Spondylitis International Society (ASAS) Classification Criteria were included to the study. Control group was consisted of 75 patients of similar age, gender and BMI. Participants' age, gender, body mass index (BMI), disease acitivity scores and laboratory data were recorded from the hospital data. Disease activity evaluated by Bath Ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) and Ankylosing spondylitis disease activity score-C-reactive protein (ASDAS_CRP). For these three scores, automatic calculation formulas were used on Internet. ASDAS_CRP>3.5 were accepted as cutoff value for high disease activity. Serum direct Bb, indirect Bb, total Bb, aspartat aminotransferase (AST), alanin aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), amylase, lipase, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) values were recorded from the hospital records. Results: The study included 100 AS patients at mean age of 37.9 ± 12 years, 75 controls at mean age of 39.2 ± 5.2 years. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age (p = 0.12), gender (p = 0.32), and BMI (p = 0.067). In the AS group, ESR (p< 0.001), CRP (p < 0.001), uric acid (p<0.001) was significantly higher whereas direct Bb (P = 0.016) were significantly lower than controls. In correlation analysis, Bb parameters and disease activity parameters were negatively correlated with each other. When we divided the group according to ASDAS_CRP> 3.5, direct Bb (p = 0.020), total Bb (p = 0.029) and AST (p = 0.004) were significantly lower in high activity group (N = 25) and ESR (p < 0.001) was significantly higher. Conclusion: The direct Bb in patients with AS were found significantly low and negatively correlated with disease activity, this supports the role of oxidative stress in AS disease pathogenesis. Bb can be used as a biomarker in diagnosis and follow up in AS disease.