Comparison of low power laser and kinesio taping for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: A prospective randomized study.

Background: Although carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common neuromuscular disorder, studies on its conservative treatment are inadequate and contradictory.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate and compare the effectiveness of low power laser therapy (LPLT) and Kinesio taping (KT) for the treatment of CTS.

Methods: Sixty patients with CTS were included in this study.

The Evaluation of Radiologic Angular Measurements in Patients with Foot Pain.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between foot deformities by comparing foot radiographs of patients with complaints of foot pain with those of healthy individuals.

Methods: The study included 30 patients with pes cavus, 30 patients with pes planus, 30 patients with calcaneal spur, and 30 controls aged 30 to 60 years. All participants underwent measurement of right and left foot length; metatarsophalangeal width; and calcaneal pitch (CA), talohorizontal (TA), talometatarsal (TM), and lateral talocalcaneal (LTC) angles from lateral radiographs.

Matrix metalloproteinase-3 levels in relation to disease activity and radiological progression in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory and systemic disease of unknown etiology that primarily affects synovial joints and involves progressive destruction around the joints. Inflammation starting in the joint synovium causes the destruction of cartilage, bone and other adjacent tissues with pannus formation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) levels and their clinical and radiological significance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Association of the Commitments and Responsibilities of the Caregiver Within the Family to the Disease Activity in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Report From Turkey.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the commitments and responsibilities of the family caregiver of rheumatoid arthritis patients and determine the association of these to the disease activity.

Patients And Methods: The study included a total of 240 subjects, consisting of 60 rheumatoid arthritis patients (8 males, 52 females; mean age 50.4±11.

Cerebral Blood Flow Volume Using Color Duplex Sonography in Patients With Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate cerebral blood flow using color duplex Doppler ultrasonography in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).

Patients And Methods: The study included 30 female patients with FMS (mean age 42.3 years; range 22 to 59 years) and 30 female healthy controls (mean age 39.

Serum heat-shock protein-65 antibody levels are elevated but not associated with disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Objectives: Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) have gained increased interest for their role in autoimmune disorders. These proteins are targeted by the immune system in various autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the serum heat-shock protein-65 antibody (anti-HSP65) levels and their clinical significance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Comparision of the effectiveness of ESWT and ultrasound treatments in myofascial pain syndrome: randomized, sham-controlled study.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to compare effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), ultrasound (US) and sham ESWT in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). [Subjects and Methods] Sixty MPS patients aged 18-60 years were included in the study. The patients were randomized equally into 3 groups.

Lipocalin 2 as a clinical significance in rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim Of The Study: In this study, serum lipokalin 2 (LCN-2) levels and its clinical and radiological significance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis was evaluated.

Material And Methods: The study enrolled 37 patients with RA and 34 healthy controls. Serum LCN-2 level was measured using ELISA method.

A comparison of the effectiveness of amitriptilin and pregabalin treatment in fibromyalgia patients.

Objective: The present study is a comparison of the effectiveness of amitriptyline and pregabalin on the symptoms of fibromyalgia patients.

Methods: A total of 71 female patients aged ≥18 years were included in this study. The patients were divided into 2 groups.

Relationship Between Leptin and Neopterin Levels and Disease Activation Parameters in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objectives: This study aims to determine serum leptin and neopterin levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and investigate the relationship between clinical and laboratory parameters of disease activity and radiographic progression.

Patients And Methods: The study included 33 RA patients (9 males, 24 females; mean age 52.5±12.

Is 4-Hydroxynonenal a Predictive Parameter for the Development of Joint Erosion in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate serum 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) levels and its clinical and radiological significance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Patients And Methods: The study included 40 patients (8 males, 32 females; mean age 51.4±11.

Comorbidities in patients with psoriatic arthritis: a comparison with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

Aim: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, inflammatory disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between PsA and comorbid conditions. This is the first study to investigate comorbid diseases in PsA in Turkey.

Prevalence of atopic disorders in rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the point prevalences of hay fever, asthma, and atopic dermatitis in OA, RA, and AS, and to compare with healthy controls.

Methods: A total of 935 patients and healthy controls were included. Demographic and clinical features were recorded, and a questionnaire assessing the existence of atopic disorders like asthma, hay fever, and atopic dermatitis in all groups was applied.

Psychological status is associated with health related quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and disabling disease frequently effects physical and psychological well being. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of psychological status on health related quality of life in patients with RA and also to assess which quality of life (QoL) instrument - disease specific and generic - is more prone to this effect.

Methods: A total of 421 patients with RA recruited from joint database of five tertiary centers.

Effects of cypermethrin on Allium cepa.

In this study, toxic effects of the cypermethrin in Allium cepa L. cells were investigated. For this aim, we investigated the changes in pigment contents, antioxidant enzymes, mitotic index and chromosomal abnormalities as indicators of toxicity.

Radiological scoring methods in ankylosing spondylitis: a comparison of the reliability of available methods.

Objective: To assess intra and inter-rater reliability of available radiological scoring methods in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Patients And Methods: Two trained raters evaluated 44 complete sets of AS radiographs. The cervical and lumbar spine was graded from zero to 4 according to the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Index (BASRI).

Discrimination ability of ASDAS estimating disease activity status in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objectives: To investigate discrimination ability of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) endorsed disease activity score (ASDAS) versions evaluating low and high disease activity in an unselected group of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: Patients consecutively included into the joint database of five university hospitals were analyzed for low or high disease activity according to different criteria. Standardized mean differences (SMD) for two ASDAS versions were evaluated.

Relationship between psychological status and disease activity and quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis.

Our aim in this study was to compare the depression and anxiety risk in patients with AS and healthy controls and also to determine the relationship between disease activity, quality of life and psychological well-being. Two hundred and forty-three patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 118 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy controls were enroled into the study. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Functional Index, and Metrology Index, Health Assessment Questionnaire for Spondyloarthropathies (HAQ-S), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) including depression subscale (HADS-D) and anxiety subscale (HADS-A), Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) Scale, duration of morning stiffness, pain-visual analogue scale (VAS), patient and physician's global assessment of disease activity (100 mm VAS) were used to assess clinical and psychological status.

Thoracic disc herniation causing transient paraplegia coincident with epidural anesthesia: a case report.

Neurological deficits following epidural or spinal anesthesia are extremely rare. Transient paraplegia following epidural anesthesia in a patient with thoracic disc herniation has been presented. A 44-year-old woman developed paraplegia during the operation for vascular surgery of her legs under epidural anesthesia.

Pattern of disease onset, diagnostic delay, and clinical features in juvenile onset and adult onset ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: To assess the frequency of juvenile onset ankylosing spondylitis (JOAS) in Turkish patients with AS and to compare with adult onset AS (AOAS) in a cross-sectional study design.

Methods: A total of 322 patients were recruited from the joint database of 5 university hospitals in eastern Turkey.

Results: Patients with JOAS (n = 43, 13.

Bone loss in ankylosing spondylitis: does syndesmophyte formation have an influence on bone density changes?

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a group of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and the factors which have an impact on bone mass. Also, a subgroup of patients not treated with anti-osteoporotic or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs was followed for 24 months to assess potential influencing factors on BMD changes.

Subjects And Methods: Fifty-five patients (42 males, 13 females) with AS were enrolled in the study.

Direct current therapy with/without lidocaine iontophoresis in myofascial pain syndrome.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of lidocaine iontophoresis for inactivation of trigger points (TrPs) in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS).

Methods: Fifty-eight trigger points (cervical and/or periscapular regions) in 18 female and 2 male patients with MPS were randomly assigned to two groups. These groups were treated with: lidocaine iontophoresis using direct current (3 mA, 10 min) (n: 10, 28 TrPs) or only direct current (n: 10, 30 TrPs).

Evaluation of a quantitative scoring of enthesitis in ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: Enthesitis is inflammation at the insertion of ligaments, tendons, joint capsule, or fascia to bone, and a well-known characteristic feature of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and related spondyloarthropathies. The clinical evaluation of enthesitis is an important outcome measure and is scored by applying pressure on entheses to elicit tenderness at these sites.

Objective: This study assessed the validity of an enthesitis index calculated by algometric pressure pain threshold scoring in comparison with digital palpation scoring and intra- and interexaminer reliability of 2 grading methods of the Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES).

Osteoporosis risk factors and association with somatotypes in males.

Background: Osteoporosis is a systemic and metabolic skeletal disease characterized by reduced bone mass, changes in microarchitecture, and consequential increased fracture risk. Previous reports described a relationship between bone content with fat mass and lean body mass. In this study, we assessed osteoporosis risk factors and the association with somatotypes in males aged 45-65 years.

Clinical presentation of cutaneous manifestations in complex regional pain syndrome (type 1).

Objective: Complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I) is a primary polymorphic condition of persistent pain and swelling that frequently occurs secondary to trauma associated with vasomotor disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cutaneous findings in patients with CRPS I.

Methods: Eighteen patients with CRPS I were included in the study.