Color Doppler analysis of female reproductive vasculature in Behçet’s disease

Behçet’s disease (BD) may affect female reproductive vasculature. We aimed to evaluate Doppler sonographic characteristics of female reproductive vasculature and also ovarian volume, endometrial thickness (EMT) and antral follicle count of BD patients in comparison with a healthy control group. Seventeen premenopausal women aged between 18-45 years with BD, and a control group of 31 age- and body mass index-matched healthy women was included in the study. Uterine, spiral and intraovarian artery blood flow were examined by Doppler sonography in the late follicular phase. Resistance index, pulsatility index and systolic/diastolic ratio were recorded together with ovarian volume, EMT and antral follicle count. In particular this is a pilot study including the evaluation of the spiral and uterine arteries in BD. Doppler sonographic parameters, ovarian volume, EMT and antral follicle count of BD patients and healthy controls were not found to be statistically different. As a result of our analysis, we found similar Doppler sonographic features of both BD patients and the control group. Further studies conducted on a larger sample population with more aggressive BD symptoms may reveal the actual effect of BD on the female reproductive system

Color Doppler analysis of female reproductive vasculature in Behcet's disease

Behcet's disease (BD) may affect female reproductive vasculature. We aimed to evaluate Doppler sonographic characteristics of female reproductive vasculature and also ovarian volume, endometrial thickness (EMT) and antral follicle count of BD patients in comparison with a healthy control group

High circulating levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in the patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Objective: To investigate whether soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) levels are increased in euthyroid patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and whether they are associated with thyroid autoimmunity and metabolic parameters. Design: Cross-sectional. Subjects and Methods: In total, 80 euthyroid patients with HT and 80 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched control participants were included. Serum sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO), thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, and lipid levels and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed in all participants. Results: The patients with HT had significantly higher levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 than controls (both p < 0.001). The difference was sustained after adjustment for TSH and levothyroxine use. Regression analysis demonstrated that sICAM-1 was related to anti-TPO (p < 0.001), and sVCAM-1 was related to both anti-TPO and-TG (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03, respectively); this relationship was sustained after adjustment for age and BMI. Although FBG and HOMA-IR were higher in the HT group, logistic regression analysis revealed that there was no effect of anti-TPO, anti-TG, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and C-reactive protein (CRP) on the occurrence of high FBG and high HOMA-IR. Conclusion: sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels were significantly elevated in the patients with euthyroid HT and correlated closely with thyroid autoimmunity. However, soluble adhesion molecules had no relation with glucose metabolism parameters in the HT patients