Abstract: The current use of doxorubicin is regarded as an absolute contraindication for hyperbaric oxygen (HBO 2 ) therapy because of the increased risk of cardiotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether additional exposure to HBO 2 during the course of doxorubicin treatment would further increase the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin in rats. Female Wistar rats were treated with either HBO 2 (n = 10) or doxorubicin (n = 8) or a combination of both treatments (n = 10) for 4 consecutive weeks and followed up for an additional 4 weeks. Cardiomyopathy was evaluated using two‐dimensional and M‐mode echocardiography at baseline, at the fourth, sixth and eighth weeks, and by histopathological investigation of the rat hearts at the eighth week. Doxorubicin treatment significantly reduced ejection fraction and fractional shortening (P < 0.001) and caused severe histopathological injury (P < 0.05) indicating development of cardiotoxicity. Although the combination of doxorubicin and HBO 2 also markedly reduced ejection fraction and fractional shortening (P < 0.001), this reduction was significantly less than that of doxorubicin treatment (P < 0.05). HBO 2 therapy also attenuated doxorubicin‐induced histopathological changes in rat hearts (P < 0.05). HBO 2 alone did not alter echocardiographic parameters or histopathological findings (P > 0.05). In conclusion, HBO 2 therapy does not potentiate doxorubicin‐induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Cardioprotection conferred by HBO 2 against doxorubicin warrants further investigation.
Interruption of the aortic arch (IAA) is a rare, severe form of congenital heart defect characterized by complete anatomical discontinuity between two adjacent segments of the aortic arch.The data on the features and outcomes of fetal IAA are limited.Three anatomical types have been described according to the site of interruption.The current recommendations for screening on the obstetric fetal anomaly scan include identification of a 4-chamber view, all 4 valves, and the outflow tracts, all of which can appear to be normal to the ultrasonographer in fetuses with conotruncal anomalies.Although the identification of IAA on a prenatal echocardiogram can be challenging, a number of anatomic features can facilitate the diagnosis.We aim to present the features and outcome of a case of IAA type B referred to our centre in the light of literatures.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common outcome of premature birth. Currently, no effective preventive therapy is available for BPD, but the major role of O2 toxicity in the development of BPD has gained attention, particularly for developing new antioxidants for prevention. The major protective mechanism of melatonin (MT) includes free-radical scavenging activity and activation of the cyclooxygenase-prostoglandin enzyme system.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of MT on cytoprotection and healing in a model of hyperoxic lung injury in newborn rats.This is a case-control study design.The study occurred at the Gulhane Military Medical Academy in Ankara, Turkey.A total of 60 newborn pups from dated, Sprague-Dawley, pregnant rats were divided equally into 3 groups as follows: (1) control group, (2) hyperoxia-exposed group, and (3) hyperoxia-exposed plus MT-treated group (MT group). Hyperoxia was performed by placing these pups in an oxygen chamber for 14 d during which oxygen was continuously delivered.At the end of the 14 d, lung specimens were collected and evaluation of the lamellar-body count and determination of histopathological scores were performed. Also, the activities of superoxide dysmutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed.The histopathological scores of the MT group were significantly lower than those of the hyperoxia-exposed group. The mean lamellar-protein and radial-alveolar counts in the MT group were found to be significantly higher than those of the hyperoxia-exposed group. Also, SOD and GSH-Px levels were significantly higher and MDA levels were significantly lower in the MT group compared with the hyperoxia-exposed group.MT therapy was found to have a protective effect in a model for hyperoxic lung injury in neonatal rats. Therefore, the research team suggests that MT therapy may be used for prevention of BPD in preterm infants after confirmation of this data by future clinical studies.
Article Treatment with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Induces Left Ventricular Mass in Cryptorchid Boys was published on May 1, 2009 in the journal Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism (volume 22, issue 5).
An adolescent prolactinoma presented with menometrorrhagia: Case report Prolactinomas are benign pituitary tumors that are frequently seen in females aged 20 to 50 years old. The female-to-male ratio is approximately 10:1. In pediatric-adolescent age group, prolactinomas have a prevalence of 100/million population, and account for less than 2% of all intracranial tumors. The symptoms are abnormal uterine bleeding, pubertal arrest, hypogonadism and galactore. In this case report, a 14 year-old adolescent presenting with irreguler and frequent vaginal hemorrhage (menometrorrhagia) who was diagnosed to have prolactinoma is reported.
Mowat-Wilson syndrome (MWS) is characterized by severe mental retardation with seizures, specific facial dysmorphism, Hirschsprung disease, anomalies of the corpus callosum, and genitourinary and cardiac malformations. The cause of MWS is a de novo mutation in the ZEB2 gene. This report describes a Turkish boy who was clinically diagnosed with MWS and had his diagnosis confirmed by molecular analysis of the ZEB2 gene. The investigation identified a heterozygous complex rearrangement in exon 8 of ZEB2, specifically a 48-nucleotide deletion and a 44-nucleotide insertion that caused a frameshift. MWS is a relatively newly identified disorder, and even MWS patients without Hirschsprung disease can be diagnosed easily based on clinical findings alone.