Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) can serve as a potential biomarker for assessing subclinical inflammation during the attack-free (intercritical) period in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Methods: In a single-center cross-sectional case–control study, 52 FMF patients in the attack-free period were compared with 52 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. ELISA measured serum GDF-15 levels; acute-phase reactants (CRP, ESR, SAA, fibrinogen) and various hematologic inflammation indices were evaluated. Statistical analyses included the Mann–Whitney U, chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis, Spearman correlation, and ROC curve methods. Results: Serum GDF-15 levels were significantly higher in the FMF group than in controls ( p < 0.001). Subclinical inflammation, defined by SAA > 10 mg/L, was detected in 78.8% of FMF patients. GDF-15 correlated positively with CRP and SAA ( p < 0.05). GDF-15 levels did not differ across MEFV mutation subgroups or by the presence of the M694V mutation. Patients with subclinical inflammation had significantly higher GDF-15 levels than those without. ROC analysis showed that GDF-15 had a statistically significant ability to distinguish FMF from controls (AUC = 0.78; p < 0.001) and to identify subclinical inflammation (AUC = 0.74; p = 0.014). Conclusion: GDF-15 appears to be a potential biomarker reflecting ongoing subclinical inflammation during the attack-free period in FMF. Elevated GDF-15 levels in patients with SAA-defined subclinical inflammation suggest that GDF-15 may reflect low-grade inflammatory activity. Larger studies are needed to validate these findings. Key Points • Serum GDF-15 was significantly higher in the attack-free FMF patients than in controls, supporting its potential to reflect persistent low-grade (subclinical) inflammation. • GDF-15 showed moderate discriminative performance (AUC 0.783) and may complement conventional acute-phase reactants in assessing inflammatory burden during attack-free periods. • GDF-15 levels did not differ significantly across MEFV mutation subgroups or by M694V status in this cohort.

To evaluate seminal oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, apoptosis-related activity, and Sertoli cell biomarkers in infertile men with grade 3 varicocele versus normozoospermic controls, and to assess postoperative changes after varicocelectomy. This prospective observational case–control study included 39 infertile men with grade 3 clinical varicocele and 44 normozoospermic controls. Seminal plasma levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1), reduced glutathione (GSH), nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (NRF2), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), caspase-3, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and inhibin B were measured by ELISA. Testicular volume, semen parameters, and diagnostic performance were also evaluated. Compared with controls, patients with varicocele had lower testicular volumes and impaired semen parameters. Seminal 8-OHdG and caspase-3 levels were higher, whereas SOD and inhibin B levels were lower. Baseline MDA, GPx-1, GSH, NRF2, KEAP1, and AMH levels did not differ significantly. After varicocelectomy, sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive and total motility, total motile sperm count, morphology, and round cell count improved significantly. Postoperatively, caspase-3, MDA, and KEAP1 decreased, whereas SOD, GPx-1, GSH, NRF2, and inhibin B increased significantly. 8-OHdG showed a borderline decrease, and AMH remained unchanged. SOD showed the best diagnostic performance. Grade 3 varicocele is associated with oxidative DNA damage, impaired antioxidant defense, increased apoptotic signaling, and altered Sertoli cell-related seminal biomarkers. Varicocelectomy partially restores redox homeostasis, which may contribute to improved spermatogenic function.

Sukroz, insan metabolizması için önemli bir enerji kaynağı olmasına rağmen, diyetle alımının formuna bağlı olarak sağlık üzerinde farklı etkileri bulunmaktadır. Yüksek sukroz içerikli diyetlerin metabolik etkileri, özellikle diyetin katı ve sıvı formlarının farklılıkları bağlamında incelenmesi gereken önemli bir konu alanıdır. Bu derleme, sukrozun biyokimyasal yapısı ve metabolizmadaki rolüne genel bir bakış sunarak, özellikle sıvı formdaki sukrozun katı formdan daha ciddi metabolik bozukluklara neden olup olmadığını araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Günümüzde artan obezite ve Tip II diyabet vakaları, bu konuda derinlemesine araştırmalar yapılmasını gerektirmektedir. Derlemede, sukrozun sindirimi ve metabolizması, insülin direnci, hepatik steatoz ve inflamasyon gibi metabolik süreçlere etkisi üzerinde durulmuştur. Sıvı sukroz tüketiminin, katı sukroza kıyasla daha fazla kilo alımı, karaciğer yağlanması ve metabolik sendrom gibi olumsuz sonuçlara yol açtığı deneysel verilerle desteklenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, sukroz tüketiminin metabolik sağlık üzerindeki olası etkileri dikkatle değerlendirilmeli ve beslenme stratejilerinin sukrozun tüketim şekline göre yeniden gözden geçirilmelidir. Özellikle sıvı formdaki sukrozun, metabolik bozukluklar için bir risk faktörü olabileceği göz önünde bulundurulmalı ve bu konuda daha fazla ileri düzey klinik ve deneysel çalışmalara ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır.