The results the authors obtained showed that laboratory parameters such as lymphocyte, lymphocyte%, platelet, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration may be indicative for prognosis and treatment success in groups of patients suffering idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss in whose etiology many factors play a role.

Background:The pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD) remains a mystery. In this context, interest in the role of the immune and inflammatory systems in BD has been increasing. We aimed to compare the routine hemogram values of BD patients with those of the participants in the healthy control group, to assess the inflammation levels of the two groups. Mean platelet volume (MPV) can be obtained as routine hemogram parameters and may aid in the detection of systemic inflammation. Subjects and methods: This study was conducted with BD (manic episode) inpatients (n=132) and healthy controls (n=135 [PCT]) were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Student's t-test was used to compare the mean ages and white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts of the patients with BD against those of the participants in the control group. Results: The comparisons revealed that while the mean WBC and the median NLR, PLR, neutrophil, lymphocyte, MPV, and PCT values were significantly higher in the patients with BD (P,0.05), the median hemoglobin, RBC, HCT, and MCHC values were significantly higher in the control group (P,0.05). Conclusion:Comparisons of hemogram values of patients with BD against those of the healthy control group revealed that inflammatory cells (absolute neutrophil count, platelet count, PCT, and MPV) and ratios (NLR, PLR) seem to be altered during manic episodes. These findings support the hypothesis that inflammatory activation occurs in BD during manic episodes. In addition to NLR and PLR, MPV may be useful in the detection of this activation. The most significant limitation in the study is that smokers were not excluded in both groups. The development of new preventive and therapeutic options can be facilitated through the understanding of this mechanism because through this mechanism, inflammation may pathologically affect brain function, as well as inducing and/or perpetuating BD.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of eltrombopag, an oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist, in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Materials and Methods: A total of 285 chronic ITP patients (187 women, 65.6%; 98 men, 34.4%) followed in 55 centers were enrolled in this retrospective cohort. Response to treatment was assessed according to platelet count (/mm 3) and defined as complete (platelet count of >100,000/mm 3), partial (30,000-100,000/mm 3 or doubling of platelet count after treatment), or unresponsive (<30,000/mm 3). Clinical findings, descriptive features, response to treatment, and side effects were recorded. Correlations between descriptive, clinical, and hematological parameters were analyzed. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 43.9±20.6 (range: 3-95) years and the duration of follow-up was 18.0±6.4 (range: 6-28.2) months. Overall response rate was 86.7% (n=247). Complete and partial responses were observed in 182 (63.8%) and 65 (22.8%) patients, respectively. Thirty-eight patients (13.4%) did not respond to eltrombopag treatment. For patients above 60 years old (n=68), overall response rate was 89.7% (n=61), and for those above 80 Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı kronik immün trombositopeni (ITP) hastalarında bir oral trombopoietin reseptör agonisti olan eltrombopagın etkinlik ve güvenirliliğini değerlendirmektir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Elli beş merkezde izlem altındaki toplam 285 kronik ITP hastası (187 kadın, %65,6) bu geriye dönük küme çalışmasına alınmıştır. Tedaviye yanıt trombosit sayısına göre değerlendirilmiş ve tam yanıt (>100.000/mm 3), kısmi yanıt (30.000-100.000/mm 3 veya tedaviden sonra trombosit sayısının bir kat artmış olması) ve yanıtsızlık (<30.000/mm 3) olarak tanımlanmıştır. Hastaların klinik bulguları, tanımlayıcı özellikleri, tedaviye yanıt ve yan etki bilgileri toplanmış ve aralarındaki ilişki incelenmiştir. Bulgular: Tanı anında yaş ortalaması 43,9±20,6 (3-95) yıl olan hastalar ortalama 18,0±6,4 (6-28,2) ay izlenmiştir. Tam ve kısmi yanıtı içeren toplam yanıt %86,7 (n=247) bulundu. Sırasıyla 182 (%63,8) ve 65 (%22,8) hastada tam ve parsiyel tedavi yanıtları gözlenmiştir. Otuz sekiz hasta (%13,4) eltrombopag tedavisine yanıt vermemiştir. Altmış yaş üzerindeki hastalarda (n=68) toplam yanıt %89,7 (n=61) bulunurken, bu oran 80 yaş üzerindeki (n=12) hastalarda %83 (n=10) olmuştur. Tedavi öncesi trombosit sayısı göz önüne alındığında, eltrombopag,

Background & objectives: Statins are one of the most widely used drugs and have antilipidemic effects as well as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorigenic effects. It has been shown that the synergistic combinations of statins which can provide better clinical benefit in the treatment of cancer and if administered with other anticancer agents, may be an alternative treatment modality. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of administrating statin in multiple myeloma (MM) cell line on cell proliferation. Methods: U266 myeloma cells were cultured in 25 or 75 cm2 flasks by using cell culture medium mixtures obtained with the supplementation of 10 per cent foetal bovine serum and one per cent of penicillin-streptomycin into RPMI 1640 medium. When the cells reached confluence (reached to the density of 70%), they were reproduced by passaging. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by using the XTT test. Results: Statins (atorvastatin and simvastatin), were administered to the U266 myeloma cell line at 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 and 3.12 μM concentrations. Inhibitor concentration 50 (IC50) values calculated for atorvastatin and simvastatin were determined as 94 and 38 μM, respectively. While 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 and 3.12 μM concentrations were used for bortezomib, the IC50 value calculated for this agent was 18.2 nM. When six concentrations of bortezomib used in the study were combined with 12.5 μM inactive concentrations of statins that did not cause inhibition in cell proliferation, both atorvastatin and simvastatin increased the effect of bortezomib at all the concentrations used, and simvastatin showed a stronger efficacy than atorvastatin. Interpretation & conclusions: Our in vitro results indicated that atorvastatin and simvastatin when used along with the conventional treatment in myeloma patients, may improve the effectiveness of the standard therapy and prevent the bortezomib-induced cytotoxic and neurotoxic side effects when used at a low dose. Further studies need to be done in MM patints to confirm these findings.

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare subtype of Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical features and therapeutic outcomes of patients with NLPHL who were diagnosed at different institutes in Turkey. We retrospectively reviewed the records of the patients diagnosed with NLPHL. Adult patients who were diagnosed after 2005 with histological confirmation were selected for the study. Forty-three patients were included in the study. Median age of patients was 37.5 years (18-70) at the time of diagnosis. About 60.5% patients were diagnosed as stage I and II NLPHL, and remaining 39.5% had stage III and IV disease. Median follow-up was 46 months. During follow-up, none of the patients died. Seven patients relapsed or progressed after initial therapy at a median of 12 months. Five of 7 relapsed/refractory patients (71.4%) were salvaged with chemotherapy only (DHAP, ICE), and the remaining 2 (28.6%) were salvaged with chemoimmunotherapy. All of relapsed/refractory patients were able to achieve complete remission after salvage therapy. Lactate dehydrogenase levels were significantly higher in patients with progressive disease compared with nonprogressive disease. Our study showed an excellent outcome with all patients alive at last contact with a median follow up of 46 months despite a wide range of different therapeutic approaches. All relapsed and refractory patients were successfully salvaged despite a low frequency of patients received immunotherapy in conjunction with chemotherapy. Our results suggest that immunotherapy may be reserved for further relapses.