The association of ICAM E469K with cardiovascular characteristics of acromegaly

OBJECTIVE

It has been shown that genetic factors have a role in the development of acromegaly. We aimed to investigate the association between intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 E469K polymorphism and some cardiovascular clinical parameters of acromegalic patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We included 41 patients with acromegaly and 65 healthy subjects with similar age and sex to the study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG) were analyzed. Genotyping was made by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.

RESULTS

The frequency of genotype and allel ICAM-1 E469K was not significantly different between control and patients (p > 0.05). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and FPG levels were significantly higher, and HDL-C was significantly lower in patients with KK genotypes compared to patients with EE genotype in acromegaly group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to investigate the role of ICAM gene polymorphism in acromegaly and its cardiovascular characteristics. ICAM E469K may not be a risk factor for the acromegaly in Turkish population but may be associated with hypertension, higher FPG and lower HDL-C in acromegalic patients.

Investigation of CTLA-4 and CD28 gene polymorphisms in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 using PCR-RFLP in a Turkish population

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate whether specific polymorphisms in the CTLA-4 and CD28 gene are associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

Blood samples were collected from 241 individuals (72 patients with T2DM and 169 healthy individuals) and DNA was isolated. A polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to detect the frequencies of CTLA-4 NM_005214.3:c.49A > G and c.-319C > T, and CD28 NM_006139.1:c.534+17T > C polymorphisms in T2DM patients in the Sanliurfa Population.

RESULTS

The data suggested that body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were significantly higher in T2DM patients than in the control individuals (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed for the frequencies of c.49A > G, c.-319C > T genotype and allele of CTLA-4 gene and c.534+17T > C of the CD28 gene in T2DM patients compared to healthy individuals (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The CTLA-4 gene c.49A > G and c.-319C > T and CD28 gene c.534+ 17T > C polymorphisms did not represent an important risk factor for this disease in a group of the Turkish population.

Investigation of CTLA-4 and CD28 gene polymorphisms in a group of Turkish patients with colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC), also called colon cancer or bowel cancer, includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. The immune system is an important defence mechanism against cancer and is often dysfunctional in patients with malignancies. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and CD28 genes encode receptors that provide negative and positive signals, respectively. Polymorphisms in these genes can affect their functions. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of cancer with the frequencies and roles of CTLA-4/+49A > G (exon 1) and -318C > T (promoter), and CD28/IVS3 + 17T > C (intron 3 position + 17). These polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 218 Turkish subjects (56 patients with CRC and 162 healthy controls). No statistically significant differences in the genotype distributions of CTLA-4/+49GG (1.8% vs. 6.8%, odds ratio (OR) = 0.250, P = 0.305) and CTLA-4/-318TT (0% vs. 0.6%, OR = 1.006, P = 1.000), and CD28/IVS3 + 17CC (8.9% vs. 3.7%, OR = 0.2411, P = 0.155) between patients with CRC and healthy controls, were observed. We also found that there were no significant differences in the frequencies of CTLA-4/+49G (18.8% vs. 20.1%, OR = 0.920, P = 0.891) and CTLA-4/-318T (7.1% vs. 4.3%, OR = 1.653, P = 0.314), and CD28/IVS3 + 17C alleles (25.9% vs. 19.1%, OR = 1.353, P = 0.139) between two study groups. Present results suggested that CTLA-4 and CD28 gene polymorphisms did not play an important role in Turkish patients with CRC.

Vaccination coverage in the South-East Anatolian Project (SEAP) region and factors influencing low coverage

OBJECTIVES

To determine the vaccination coverage of children living in the South-east Anatolian Project (SEAP) region; whether the vaccination coverage was similar to formal reports, other studies and other countries; and which factors influence vaccination, in order to indicate how vaccination coverage can be improved.

STUDY DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in nine provinces of the SEAP region in order to determine public health problems and their causes.

METHODS

A population-based sample of 1150 houses was selected from rural and urban areas of the SEAP region and visited by the researchers. Questionnaires were applied in 2001 and 2002.

RESULTS

In the SEAP region, only 30% of children had received a complete set of vaccines. The vaccination coverage was 76.7% for Bacille Calmette-Guérin; 62.0% for the third doses of diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, pertussis and polio vaccine; 62.7% for measles; 44% for the third dose of hepatitis B vaccine in children aged 12-23 months; and 13.3% for the second dose of tetanus toxoid in women who gave birth in the last 5 years. In logistic regression analysis, residence type, number of siblings, birth interval, follow-up visits of midwives, and maternal level of education were found to influence whether children were completely vaccinated.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study indicate that vaccination coverage is not acceptable in the SEAP region. Efforts must focus on family planning services, education of women, follow-up visits and strengthening health facilities, especially in rural regions, to improve vaccination.

Family planning in the Southeast Anatolian Project Region

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate contraceptive use by women of reproductive age in the Southeast Anatolian Project Region and the promotion of the use of family planning services.

METHODS

An optimum sample size to represent the rural and urban area of the region was determined and the sample was chosen by sampling method proportional to the size. A total of 1126 houses were visited and questions about reproductive health were asked of 1019 ever-married (currently married, widows and divorced) women.

RESULTS

The study showed that 48.2% of the ever-married women of reproductive age had never used any method of family planning; 37.4% were currently using a family planning method, and 14.4% had used a family planning method in the past. Of the women who were currently using a family planning method, 73.1% were using an effective method. The result of the logistic regression analysis showed that educational level, knowledge of Turkish, type of residence, and total number of living children were the main variables that affected the use of family planning methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of family planning methods in the region was not at the expected level. In order to decrease the barriers to family planning in developing countries, we must provide obtainable, acceptable, integrated health services.

Sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae) in Sanliurfa, Turkey: relationship of Phlebotomus sergenti with the epidemic of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis

Sand fly (Diptera: Phlebotominae) fauna were surveyed in various districts of Sanliurfa in southeast Turkey for 3 yr immediately after an epidemic of cutaneous leishmaniasis (Leishmania tropica). Sticky papers and CDC light traps collected a total of 10,937 sand flies, of which 10,919 (4,158 females and 6,761 males) were identified as Phlebotomus and 18 (11 females and seven males) as Sergentomyia (S. theodori Parrot; S. adleri Theodor). Eight Phlebotomus spp. were identified: P. sergenti Parrot (72.3%), P. papatasi (Scopoli) (27.2%), P. brevis Theodor & Mesghali (0.20%), P. neglectus Leger & Pesson (0.13%), P. perfiliewi Parrot (0.05%), P. mascitti Grassi, P. halepensisTheodor, and P. alexandri Sinton (0.01%). Phlebotomus mascitti and P. neglectus, along with both Sergentomyia sp., have not been previously described from the study area. Similar results were obtained when both trapping methods were applied in the same houses, indicating that local P. sergenti and P. papatasi populations were equally attracted to the light. P. sergenti was consistently abundant, agreeing with the general view that this species is the vector of leishmaniasis in the region. There was no apparent decrease in the relative abundance of this vector versus the other species, suggesting that factor (s) other than a change in the dynamics of sand fly populations precipitated the decline of the human leishmaniasis epidemic in Sanliurfa.