Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare inflammatory breast disease that can be clinically and radiologically mistaken for carcinoma. Although its etiology remains uncertain, potential associations with pregnancy, lactation, hormonal imbalances, autoimmunity, smoking, and various microorganisms have been suggested. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between IGM and oral health. We included 42 female patients diagnosed with IGM based on histopathological evaluations conducted between September 2018 and October 2023. The reference group consisted of 47 female patients with clinically, radiologically, and laboratory-proven non-specific mastitis and 36 healthy female individuals. The oral health of all participants was evaluated by an experienced dentist using the "Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth" (DMFT) index and the "Simplified Oral Hygiene Index" (OHI-S). The ages of IGM patients included in this study ranged from 29 to 51 years, with a mean age of 34.88 ± 4.87 years. The most common clinical findings were pain (n = 38), palpable breast mass, erythema, induration, and dermal sinus. Comparison of the OHI-S and DMFT index values among participants revealed that those diagnosed with IGM had significantly higher values than those in the reference group (P < 0.05). Our findings suggest a potential involvement of poor oral health in the etiology of IGM. Future studies should consider oral health as a factor in IGM etiology and explore the oral microbiota in samples obtained from the affected tissue.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to establish the relationship between thoracic computed tomography (CT) findings at initial presentation and CRP and ferritin levels in 232 patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Material and Method: 232 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and underwent a thoracic CT examination at our hospital between Apr 2020 and Aug 2021 were enrolled in this study. The study group was selected from among individuals aged 18-45 years without any chronic diseases and comorbidities. The patients' complaints, RT-PCR test results and blood biochemistry values from the medical records system, and CT imaging from the PACS system were reviewed retrospectively. Parenchymal lesions, ground-glass area, consolidation and combination of ground-glass area and consolidation observed on thoracic CT were considered typical findings. Blood samples were analyzed in the laboratory using standard methods. Routine blood tests were performed to measure serum C-reactive protein and ferritin levels. Results: Out of the 232 patients infected with COVID-19, 118 were female and 114 were male. While the mean age of all patients was 34.9, the mean ages of men and women were 34.9 and 35.2, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the ages of patients with and without lung involvement (32.9, 37.9, p=0.903, respectively). CT scan showed typical parenchymal findings in 140 patients out of whom 65 were male and 75 were female. With regard to the morphologic features observed on CT, ground-glass density was the most common (74 patients), followed by a combination of ground-glass density and consolidation (34 patients) and finally consolidation (32 patients). In statistical analysis, no significant differences were found in CRP values between patients with and without lung involvement, whereas a significant difference was noted in ferritin values (p=0.196 and p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: We examined the relationship between serum CRP and ferritin levels and lung involvement and established that there is a strong correlation between serum ferritin levels and lung involvement. Considering the radiation exposure caused by CT scans as well as the cost of the procedure, we are convinced that serum ferritin levels may help clinicians in terms of early diagnosis, especially in patients with suspected lung involvement.

Background: Substance use disorder (SUD) is associated with systemic inflammatory activation and may influence hematological and coagulation-related pathways. Chronic exposure to psychoactive substances may promote immune activation, endothelial dysfunction, and increased platelet reactivity, thereby contributing to inflammation–coagulation crosstalk. Routine laboratory markers derived from complete blood count and coagulation tests have recently gained attention as potential indicators of these biological alterations. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate hematological inflammatory indices, platelet-related parameters, and coagulation markers in individuals with SUD compared with healthy controls. Methods: This cross-sectional study included individuals diagnosed with SUD (n = 55) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 40). Hematological parameters, including neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, platelet indices, and derived inflammatory ratios, were analyzed. Coagulation parameters, including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen, and D-dimer levels, were also evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed to compare laboratory findings between groups. Results: Significant alterations were observed in several hematological and fibrinolytic parameters in individuals with SUD. Specifically, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet count (PLT), and D-dimer levels were significantly higher in the study group compared with the controls, suggesting increased inflammatory activity, platelet activation, and fibrinolysis. In contrast, the fibrinogen levels did not show clinically meaningful differences between the groups. Conclusions: Individuals with SUD exhibit alterations in hematological inflammatory indices, platelet-related parameters, and fibrinolytic markers. Routine hematological and coagulation parameters may provide accessible indicators of systemic inflammatory and hemostatic disturbances associated with SUD and may support future research aimed at identifying potential biological markers of addiction.