The Role of Central Sensitization in Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: To investigate the central sensitization (CS) in patients with autoimmune connective tissue diseases (ACTDs) and its relationship with disease activity, laboratory findings, medical treatments, organ involvements, and comorbidity.

Methods: One hundred and eleven patients with ACTDs and 40 healthy individuals were included. All patients were divided into three groups in terms of their diseases: Sjögren's syndrome (SS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Differences in ankle and knee muscle architecture and plantar pressure distribution among women with knee osteoarthritis.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the plantar pressure distribution and knee and ankle muscle architecture in women with and without knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Fifty women with knee OA (mean age = 52.11 ± 4.

Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of Scleroderma Skin Patient-Reported Outcome in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to translate the Scleroderma Skin Patient-Reported Outcome (SSPRO) questionnaire to the Turkish (SSPRO-T) language and to assess its validity and reliability.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-four systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients (51 females, 3 males; mean age: 49.8±10.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outcomes in Amyloid A Protein Amyloidosis Secondary to Rheumatic Conditions and Signs of Post- Coronavirus Disease 2019 Proteinuria Progression.

Background: We aimed to investigate coronavirus diease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes in patients with amyloid A protein (AA) amyloidosis secondary to rheumatic diseases and discuss factors associated with disease course.

Methods: A retrospective cohort was formed from adult patients with a diagnosis of AA amyloidosis. In patients with a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and mortality due to COVID-19 were collected from medical records.

Intraobserver and Interobserver Reliability of Pelvic Obliquity Measurement Methods in Patients With Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Background: Despite the importance of the assessment of pelvic obliquity, especially in the planning of surgery, there is no consensus on the pelvic obliquity measurements. The purpose of this study is to assess the intraobserver and interobserver reliability of 4 different pelvic obliquity measuring methods in patients with idiopathic scoliosis (IS): the Osebold, O'Brien, Maloney, and Allen&Ferguson methods.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 85 posteroanterior full-spine radiographs in the standing position of patients with IS involving the pelvic obliquity was evaluated by a team of 3 raters.

Neurological Involvement in Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: To determine the rate and types of neurological involvement in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and to evaluate predictive clinical and immunologic features of neurological involvement.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed 2127 patients with an ICD-10 code for Sjögren recorded in the hospital database. Among these patients, those meeting the pSS classification criteria and having neurological symptoms and an objective evaluation accordingly were enrolled.

Impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease: a retrospective analysis of 1824 patients in a 12-year period.

Objective: This study aims to clinically evaluate the impulse control disorders (ICDs) encountered in treating Parkinson's disease.

Method: This is a retrospective analysis between 2010 and 2022. We retrieved the medical records of all patients diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Semaphorin 3A levels in vascular and nonvascular phenotypes in systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) plays a regulatory role in immune responses. The aim of this study was to evaluate Sema3A levels in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), especially in major vascular involvements such as digital ulcer (DU), scleroderma renal crisis (SRC), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and to compare Sema3A level with SSc disease activity.

Methods: In SSc patients, patients with DU, SRC, or PAH were grouped as major vascular involvements and those without as nonvascular, and Sema3A levels were compared between the groups and with a healthy control group.

Effects of breast milk on Behçet's disease clinical features.

Background: The etiology of Behçet's disease (BD) is not clearly known, however, abnormal activity in T helper (Th) 1, Th 17, and regulatory T cells (Treg) has critical importance in pathogenesis. It has been shown that the intestinal microbiome can be effective in the modulation of these immune abnormalities in BD patients. Breastfeeding increases the maturation of the infant's intestinal permeability by affecting the newborn's immature intestinal microbiome and metagenome.

COVID-19 disease frequency, risk factors, and re-infection rates in patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease receiving rituximab.

Introduction: Rituximab, which is used in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD), can cause both an increased risk of development of COVID-19 disease and re-infection due to its potent and long-acting immunosuppression. So, we aimed to evaluate the frequency, risk factors and re-infection rates of COVID-19 in ARD patients receiving rituximab.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study was performed with patients receiving rituximab for ARD in 12 months before the onset of COVID-19 in Turkey.

An evaluation of the results of convalescent plasma therapy applied to pregnant women diagnosed as COVID-19- positive in a pandemic center: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Convalescent plasma (CP) might be an additional treatment modality in COVID-19. The aim of this study was to compare CP-related clinical characteristics and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with mild or moderate-severe COVID-19.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 36 pregnant women (12 mild and 24 moderate-severe), who underwent CP therapy.

Elevated Kynurenine Levels in Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the plasma levels of tryptophan (Trp) and its metabolites in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Methods: The study included 34 pSS patients and 42 healthy individuals, and serum Trp and kynurenine (Kyn) concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Trp degradation was predicted using the ratio of Kyn and Trp concentrations (Kyn/Trp).

Effects of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on safety and disease exacerbation in patients with Behçet syndrome in a monocentric cohort.

Aim: Vaccination represents a cornerstone in mastering the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. There is a paucity of data regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with rheumatic diseases such as Behçet syndrome (BS). The present study aimed to investigate the side-effects and post-vaccine disease exacerbation rates of COVID-19 vaccines in a BS cohort.

Intravenous treatment adherence of patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience of a single center.

Patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD) who receive intravenous therapy requiring hospitalization are likely to be more affected than those with receiving oral therapy during COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on adherence to treatment in patients with CIRD receiving intravenous treatments. We evaluated patients with CIRD who were treated with intravenous immunosuppressive therapy such as rituximab (RTX), cyclophosphamide (CTX), infliximab (IFX), tocilizumab (TCZ) and abatacept (ABA) in our inpatient rheumatology clinic.

Clinical course of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies in COVID-19 pandemic: a single-center experience.

To evaluate the clinical course of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients in COVID-19 pandemic, and to assess the COVID-19 outcomes in infected IIM patients. In this study, 39 patients were evaluated retrospectively. Myositis disease activity, myositis damage index, depression, fatigue, active medical treatment, drug compliance and SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results in COVID-19 pandemic were collected.

Hand Pronation-Supination Movement as a Proxy for Remotely Monitoring Gait and Posture Stability in Parkinson's Disease.

The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) is a subjective Parkinson's Disease (PD) physician scoring/monitoring system. To date, there is no single upper limb wearable/non-contact system that can be used objectively to assess all UPDRS-III motor system subgroups (i.e.

Hydroxychloroquine shortened hospital stay and reduced intensive care unit admissions in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: Effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine against SARS-CoV-2 has been highly controversial. In our research, we aimed to investigate the effects of hydroxychloroquine on disease outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Methodology: A total of 393 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were retrospectively assigned to the standard of care therapy group (n = 180) or the standard of care plus hydroxychloroquine group (n = 213).

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positivity and clinical implications in COVID-19.

To investigate clinical implications of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positivity detected in COVID-19 patients during follow up. A retrospective survey in a hospital database was carried out to detect COVID-19 patients in which ANCAs had been tested. Clinical, laboratory and imaging data were collected from this hospital database and compared between ANCA-negative and -positive patients.

Ataxia in a Movement Disorders Outpatient Clinic: a Single-Center Experience in Turkey.

The etiology may not be determined in patients with ataxia despite detailed evaluations. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of a large cohort of patients with adult-onset ataxia of different etiologies, particularly, undetermined etiologies despite extensive clinical, genetic, laboratory, electrophysiological, and imaging investigations. The medical records of all patients diagnosed with ataxia of subacute-chronic onset between January 2011 and March 2021 were reviewed retrospectively.

COVID-19 outcomes in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Aim of this study is to investigate COVID-19 outcomes in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: A retrospective cohort was formed from APS patients. Patients were screened for a record of positive SARS-CoV 2 PCR.

The effect of kinesiophobia on physical activity, balance, and fear of falling in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Purpose: Kinesiophobia is defined as the fear of movement and activity resulting from a feeling of vulnerability to painful injury or re-injury. This study aimed to determine the effect of kinesiophobia on physical activity, balance, and fear of falling in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Methods: The study, which was designed as a cross-sectional type, was conducted with 86 patients with Parkinson's disease (age 61.

Performance of the systemic lupus erythematosus risk probability index in a cohort of undifferentiated connective tissue disease.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the performance of the SLE Risk Probability Index (SLERPI) for identification of SLE in a large cohort of patients with UCTD.

Methods: The SLERPI was applied in a cohort of patients who met classification criteria for UCTD and did not fulfil any classification criteria for other defined CTD including SLE. Patients with a SLERPI score of >7 were 'diagnosed' as SLE.

Semaphorin 3A Levels in Lupus with and without Secondary Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome and Renal Involvement.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate semaphorin 3A levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with and without renal involvement and secondary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS).

Methods: Patients with SLE were grouped according to the presence of secondary APS or renal involvement. The control group consisted of age-matched, nonsmoking, healthy volunteers.