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Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of pancreatitis in cases of organophosphate (OP) poisonings admitted to Yüzüncü Yõl University Teaching Hospital over an 18-month period. Materials and Methods: A total of 47 patients of acute poisoning with OP insecticides attended the Emergency Department of the Yüzüncü Yõl Medical School Hospital, from May 1999 to December 2000, and were prospectively studied. Serum amylase and lipase levels were studied with colorimetric assay. Serum SGOT, SGPT, LDH, CPK, K levels, leukocyte count and total hospitalization days were also evaluated. Results: Four of 47 patients had obviously elevated amylase and lipase levels (amylase >300 U/L, lipase >60 U/L). Only two of the patients with amylase levels between 100 and 300 U/L had also elevated levels of lipase. None of the patients with normal amylase levels had elevated levels of lipase. A total of 12.76% was diagnosed as acute pancreatitis. Conclusion: Acute pancreatitis as a complication of OP intoxication is not a rare condition. In order to improve the outcome of OP poisoning, early diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is important and serum levels of amylase and lipase should be routinely considered carefully. In acute pancreatitis, serum levels of SGOT, SGPT, LDH and leukocyte counts may also be found to be elevated. However, serum K levels are only slightly decreased.

With the lack of regional differences and the well-standardized status of test results, the RIs derived from this nationwide study can be used for the entire Turkish population.

While serum NSE, MBP, and S100B values cannot be considered as biomarkers for ASD, GFAP may be a biomarker and is suggested as a possible indicator of autism severity.

BACKGROUND: Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) results from food insufficiency as well as from poor social and economic conditions. Development of PEM is due to insufficient nutrition. Children with PEM lose their resistance to infections because of a disordered immune system. It has been reported that the changes occurring in mediators referred to as cytokines in the immune system may be indicators of the disorders associated with PEM. AIMS: To determine the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in children with PEM, and to find out whether there was an association with the clinical presentation of PEM. METHODS: The levels of serum total protein, albumin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 were measured in 25 patients with PEM and in 18 healthy children as a control group. PEM was divided into two groups as kwashiorkor and marasmus. The kwashiorkor group consisted of 15 children and the marasmus group consisted of 10 children. RESULTS: Levels of serum total protein and albumin of the kwashiorkor group were significantly lower than both the marasmus group and controls (p < 0.05). In view of tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels, there was no difference between groups (p > 0.05). While levels of interleukin-6 in both the marasmus group and the kwashiorkor group were significantly higher compared with controls (p < 0.05), there was no significant difference between the groups of marasmus and kwashiorkor (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that the inflammatory response had increased in children with malnutrition.