A cross sectional observational study on the influence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on activities of daily living: the COPD-Life study ÖZET Kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastalığının günlük yaşam aktivitelerine etkilerini araştırmaya yönelik kesitsel gözlem çalışması: KOAH'la Yaşam çalışması Giriş: Çalışma kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastalığı (KOAH)'nın hastaların günlük yaşam aktivitelerine etkilerinin ve hastaların günlük yaşamlarını sürdürme biçimleri ve gereksinimlerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla tasarlandı.

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Background: Cardiac, hepatic and pancreatic T2* measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proven to be an accurate and non-invasive method for measuring iron overload in iron overload conditions. There is accumulating evidence that pancreatic iron can predict cardiac iron in young children because the pancreas loads earlier than the heart. The aim of our study was to assess the relationships between pancreatic T2* values and pancreatic iron loading with cardiac dysfunctions and liver and cardiac iron among patients with β-thalassaemia major (βTM) and sickle cell disease (SCD). Methods: 40 βTM and 20 transfusion-dependant SCD patients were included along with 60 healthy age and sex-matched controls. Echocardiography and Tissue Doppler Imaging were performed for all subjects as well as the control group.  Hepatic, cardiac and pancreatic iron overload in cases were assessed by MRI T2*. Results:  The mean age of our patients was 13.7 years with mean frequency of transfusion/year 12. Mean cardiac T2* was 32.9 ms and mean myocardial iron concentration was 0.7 mg/g; One patient had cardiac iron overload of moderate severity. Mean pancreatic T2* was 22.3 ms with 20 patients having mild pancreatic iron overload. Pancreatic T2* correlated positively peak late diastolic velocity at septal mitral annulus (r=0.269, p=0.038), peak early diastolic velocity at tricuspid annulus (r=0.430, p=0.001) and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (r=0.326, p=0.01); and negatively with end systolic pulmonary artery pressure (r=-0.343, p=0.007) and main pulmonary artery diameter (MPA) (r=-0.259, p=0.046). We couldn’t test the predictability of pancreatic T2* in relation to cardiac T2* as only one patient had cardiac T2*<20 ms. Conclusion: There was a relationship between pancreatic iron siderosis with cardiac dysfunction in multi-transfused patients with βTM and SCD. No direct relation between pancreatic iron and cardiac siderosis was detected.

Background Iron overload‐induced oxidative stress and transfusion‐acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are the main reasons of liver damage in beta thalassemia major (β‐TM). Objectives Based on metformin’s hepatic benefits in nondiabetic populations, the study aims to investigate the safety and the potential hepatoprotective effect of metformin in HCV‐infected β‐TM adolescent patients. Methods This was a prospective, randomised, parallel, controlled, open‐label study in which 60 HCV‐infected β‐TM adolescent patients aged 11 to 18 years and receiving no antiviral therapy were selected and randomly assigned to treatment or control group in 1:1 allocation. Both groups were receiving β‐TM standard‐of‐care regimen, whereas metformin (500 mg, twice daily) was added to the treatment group's regimen only. Patients were prospectively followed up for 6 months with assessment of liver biochemical profile, oxidative stress markers, liver fibrosis, clinical symptom improvement and metformin's adverse effects. Results Aspartate aminotransferase serum level decreased significantly over time in the treatment group only (P = .013). However, improvement was not clinically significant and did not attain normality. Change in total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde serum levels indicated significantly improved oxidative stress status in the treatment group versus significant deterioration in the control group (P < .001). Fibrosis grade improvement was observed in 14 patients in the treatment group versus one improved case in the control group. Conclusion The use of metformin in HCV‐infected β‐TM adolescent patients as an adjuvant antioxidant hepatoprotective agent is promising and can improve liver damage.

Background: Cardiac, hepatic and pancreatic T2* measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proven to be an accurate and non-invasive method for measuring iron overload in iron overload conditions. There is accumulating evidence that pancreatic iron can predict cardiac iron in young children because the pancreas loads earlier than the heart. The aim of our study was to investigate cardiac function and cardiac iron and their relation to pancreatic iron among patients with β-thalassaemia major (βTM) and sickle cell disease (SCD). Methods: 40 βTM and 20 transfusion-dependant SCD patients were included along with 60 healthy age-matched controls. Echocardiography and Tissue Doppler Imaging were performed for all subjects as well as the control group.  Hepatic, cardiac and pancreatic iron overload in cases were assessed by MRI T2*. Results: The study group consisted of 40 βTM and 20 transfusion dependant SCD patients with mean age 13.7 years and mean frequency of transfusion/year 12. Mean cardiac T2* was 32.9 ms and mean myocardial iron concentration was 0.7 mg/g; One patient had cardiac iron overload of moderate severity. Mean pancreatic T2* was 22.3 ms with 20 patients having mild pancreatic iron overload. Pancreatic T2* correlated positively with main pulmonary artery diameter (p=0.046), peak late diastolic velocity at septal mitral annulus (p=0.038), peak early diastolic velocity at tricuspid annulus (p=0.001) and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (p=0.01); and negatively with end systolic pulmonary artery pressure (p=0.007). We couldn’t test the predictability of pancreatic T2* in relation to cardiac T2* as only one patient had cardiac T2*<20 ms. Conclusion: Assessment of pancreatic T2* in multi-transfused patients with βTM and SCD can predict myocardial dysfunction. No direct relation between pancreatic iron and cardiac siderosis was detected.