Tıp Fakültesi / Faculty of Medicine

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11727/1403

Browse

Filters

2016 - 20172

Settings

Author: search.filters.author.Dedekarginoglu, Balam ErSubject: search.filters.subject.Infection

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Role of Serum Procalcitonin Levels in Solid-Organ Transplant Patients
    (2016) Bozbas, Serife Savas; Dedekarginoglu, Balam Er; Ulubay, Gaye; Haberal, Mehmet; 0000-0002-7230-202X; 0000-0003-2478-9985; 0000-0002-3462-7632; 27805529; AAI-8064-2021; AAB-5064-2021; AAJ-8097-2021
    Objectives: Systemic infection is among the common complications after solid-organ transplant and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Because it has prognostic significance, timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial. Procalcitonin is a propeptide of calcitonin and has been increasingly used as a biomarker of bacterial infection. Here, we investigated procalcitonin's role in identifying infectious complications in solid-organ transplant recipients. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the records of 86 adult patients who underwent solid-organ transplant (between 2011 and 2015) with procalcitonin levels determined at our center. Clinical and demographic variables and laboratory data were noted. Relation between C-reactive protein and procalcitonin serum levels were compared in patients who were diagnosed as having pneumonia on clinical, microbiologic, and radiologic findings. Results: Mean age of our patients was 45.5 +/- 13.4 years (range, 18-70 y), with 61 male patients (70.9%). We included 26 liver, 44 kidney, 14 heart, and 2 heart and renal transplant recipients. Procalcitonin was positive in 43 patients (50%). Of the 39 patients who were diagnosed with pneumonia, procalcitonin was positive in 18 patients (46.2%). There was a significant correlation between serum levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (r = 0.45; P < .001) and neutrophil count (r = 0.24; P = .025). There was no correlation between mortality and procalcitonin level, CRP level, or leukocyte count (P > .05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that procalcitonin is a promising biomarker to detect infectious complications in transplant recipients. Physical examination and radiologic findings of bacterial pneumonia may be nonspecific, and in a considerable number of immunocompromised patients the site of infection could not be identified. Serum levels of procalcitonin should not be used as sole criteria for clinical decision making; however, it can guide us in therapy of such conditions in addition to currently used serum markers of infection.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Culture-Positive Pulmonary Aspergillosis Infection: Clinical and Laboratory Features of Solid-Organ Transplant Recipient
    (2017) Dedekarginoglu, Balam Er; Bozbas, Serife Savas; Ulubay, Gaye; Eyuboglu, Fusun Oner; Haberal, Mehmet; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7230-202X; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2478-9985; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5525-8207; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3462-7632; 28260471; AAI-8064-2021; AAB-5064-2021; AAR-4338-2020; AAJ-8097-2021
    Objectives: Aspergillosis is a common fungal infection among solid-organ transplant recipients. Even after awareness of this infection occurs, there are still gaps in nonculture diagnostic tests, which can delay treatment initiation. Here, we aimed to define the common traits of pulmonary aspergillosis infection among solid-organ transplant recipients, thus shedding light on prevention and early diagnosis. Materials and Methods: We conducted a database search of patients at Baskent University who had a positive aspergillosis culture between January 2010 and March 2016. Among 20 patients identified, 15 (mean age of 50.93 +/- 11.17 y, 2 female and 13 male patients) with solid-organ transplant were included in the study. Results: Of the 15 study patients, 7 were heart transplant, 6 were kidney transplant, and 2 were liver transplant recipients. Three patients had positive aspergillosis cultures from extrapulmonary specimens (1 brain biopsy and 2 wound swap cultures). Other patients with positive cultures were from broncho alveolar lavage (6 patients), sputum (4 patients), both bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum (1 patient), and deep tracheal aspiration specimen (1 patient). Aspergillus fumigatus was the most common species. Mean hospitalization duration was 31.53 days (range, 2-135 d). Although all patients had positive culture results, 7 patients (46.7%) had negative galacto mannan test results at the time of culture specimen collection. Positive galactomannan test results were statistically higher in 6 heart transplant patients (P = .045). All patients had fever at presentation, and 13 patients had been referred to the pulmonary disease department before positive culture results were obtained. Conclusions: Risk factors for pulmonary aspergillosis and its clinical presentation in solid-organ transplant recipients are still unclear. Although the expected time for aspergillosis infection in solid-organ transplant recipients is 6 months after transplant, clinicians must remember the nonspecific presentation of infections in these patients and be aware of the reliability of diagnostic tools.