Browsing by Author "Birben, Ozlem Duvenci"

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    A 10-Year Experience of Tuberculosis in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients
    (2015) Ulubay, Gaye; Kupeli, Elif; Birben, Ozlem Duvenci; Seyfettin, Emine Pinar; Dogrul, Mustafa Ilgaz; Ugurlu, Aylin Ozsancak; Eyuboglu, Fusun Oner; Haberal, Mehmet; 0000-0002-5525-8207; 0000-0002-3462-7632; 0000-0003-2478-9985; 0000-0003-3598-3986; 0000-0002-5826-1997; 25894157; AAR-4338-2020; AAJ-8097-2021; AAB-5064-2021; AAA-2925-2020; AAB-5345-2021
    Objectives: Tuberculosis remains an important problem in solid-organ transplant patients due to their immunocompromised state. The objective of the present study was to report the incidence, demographic characteristics, and various presentations of tuberculosis in solid-organ transplant recipients. Materials and Methods: We evaluated a total of 999 patients (male/female = 665/334, 661 renal and 338 liver transplants) who underwent solid-organ transplant between 2003 and 2013. The medical records of all patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' demographics, transplant type, primary site of tuberculosis specimen culture and pathology results, chest radiograph, and thoracic computed tomography findings, total blood count and chemistry were all recorded. Results: Among the 999 subjects, 19 patients (1.9%) (male/female: 15/4, mean +/- SD age, 42 +/- 18.5 y) were diagnosed with tuberculosis. The majority of patients (85%) were diagnosed with tuberculosis within 6 months after transplant, and 15% were diagnosed within 3 months. Most diagnoses of tuberculosis were based on histopathologic examination of biopsy material. Of these patients, 9 were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, 8 had extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and 2 had both. Nontuberculosis mycobacteria infections were detected in 3 patients. Conclusions: Even with a negative exposure history, tuberculosis can manifest as different clinic presentations in solid-organ transplant patients on immunosuppressive drugs, particularly in the first 6 months after transplant. Therefore, clinicians should always consider tuberculosis as the potential cause of an infectious disease with unknown cause to successfully diagnose and manage solid-organ transplant recipients.
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    Effect of Smoking on Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Subsets of Patients With Chronic Renal Failure
    (2016) Birben, Ozlem Duvenci; Akcay, Sule; Sezer, Siren; Sirvan, Sale; Haberal, Mehmet; 0000-0002-8360-6459; 0000-0002-3462-7632; 27805522; AAB-5175-2021; AAJ-8097-2021
    Objectives: Smoking is known to suppress the immune system. It is also known that chronic renal failure affects the immune system. However, the number of studies investigating the effects of chronic renal failure and smoking together is limited. In our study, we examined whether smoking affects the diminished response of the immune system in patients with chronic renal failure. Materials and Methods: We compared peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in smoking and nonsmoking patients with chronic renal failure. We also used the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence to evaluate its correlation with the lymphocyte subset count in patients who are current smokers. Results: Our study included 126 patients with chronic renal failure. According to their smoking habits, patients were divided into 2 groups: smokers and nonsmokers. The average age of patients who were smokers was 53.2 +/- 1.5 years, with average age of nonsmokers being 59.2 +/- 2.2 years. The average duration of smoking in smokers was 30.7 +/- 2.7 pack-years. We found that the percentage of cluster of differentiation 16-56 cells (natural killer cells) and lymphocyte percentage were significantly lower among smokers in our study (P < .05). We compared the lymphocyte subset panel to pack-years and found that the rate of cluster of differentiation 16-56 cells decreased as smoking duration increased. Conclusions: Our study revealed that smoking suppresses the immune system, as measured by lymphocyte subsets, in patients with chronic renal failure, similar to that shown in healthy smokers. According to our findings, patients with chronic renal failure, where infection is the primary reason for mortality and morbidity, must be questioned for smoking and referred to smoking cessation clinics. Because of its immunosuppressive effects, smoking behaviors must be solved preoperatively in transplant candidates.