Heat therapy in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases - an overview of clinical and molecular effects.

Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) usually lead to morphological and functional deficits of various extend, increased morbidity and a considerable loss of quality of life. Modern pharmacological treatment has become effective and can stop disease progression. Nonetheless, disease progression is often only slowed down.

Vitamin D Deficiency in Adult Sickle Cell Patients.

Introduction: Vitamin D levels in adult black Americans with sickle cell disease (SCD) are comparatively lower than those found in the general population of black Americans. The objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in adults with various subtypes of sickle cell disease and identify risk factors for vitamin D deficiency.

Methods: In a retrospective study serum Vitamin D25(OH)D and/or VitaminD1,25(OH)2D levels were obtained in 120 subjects with sickle cell disease.

Sleep disorders in adult sickle cell patients.

Study Objectives: While sleep apnea has been studied in children with sickle cell disease (SCD), little is known about sleep disorders in adult sickle cell patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate sleep disordered breathing and its polysomnographic characteristics in adult patients with sickle cell disease.

Methods: The analysis cohort included 32 consecutive adult SCD patients who underwent a comprehensive sleep evaluation and overnight polysomnography in an accredited sleep center after reporting symptoms suggesting disordered sleep or an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score ≥ 10.

Pulmonary artery occlusion pressure may overdiagnose pulmonary artery hypertension in sickle cell disease.

Background: A high prevalence of Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) in sickle cell disease (SCD) has been reported in several studies. However, few studies that describe the hemodynamics have actually measured pulmonary artery occlusive pressure (PAOP). Furthermore, even PAOP has been shown to be unreliable in discriminating pulmonary artery hypertension from pulmonary venous hypertension.