Coping with Stress and Body Image in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine coping with stress and body image in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to investigate the correlation between these two characteristics together and also between them and disease activity/functional capacity.

Method: Fourty healthy controls and 40 patients with AS who were diagnosed on the basis of Modified New York Criteria were included in the study. The exclusion criteria were another medical disease or comorbid psychiatric disorder.

Assessment of the effect of glucosamine sulfate and exercise on knee cartilage using magnetic resonance imaging in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease characterized by the focal deterioration and abrasion of articular cartilage. The goals of therapy are preserving normal joint function, relieving pain and improving quality of life (QOL). This study is performed to investigate whether glocosamine sulfate and exercise could both delay joint structure degradation evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and improve symptoms in a short time period.

Effects of glucosamine sulfate and exercise therapy on serum leptin levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis: preliminary results of randomized controlled clinical trial.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slow, chronic disease characterized by the focal deterioration and abrasion of articular cartilage. Leptin may play an important role in the pathophysiology of OA. Exercise and glucosamine sulfate therapy is one of the most commonly used in patients with knee OA.

Therapeutic ultrasound versus sham ultrasound for the management of patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double-blind controlled clinical study.

Aim: The aim of this trial was to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of ultrasound (US) therapy on pain, physical function, ambulation activity, disability and psychological status in patients with knee OA.

Methods: Forty-two inpatients with bilateral knee OA were randomized by an independent researcher not involved in the data assessment, to receive either therapeutic continuous US (group 1) or sham US (group 2). A 1-MHz US head was used, set to an intensity of 1 W/cm(2) for 10 min.

Effectiveness of microwave diathermy on pain, functional capacity, muscle strength, quality of life, and depression in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical study.

The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic MD on pain, functional capacity, muscle strength, quality of life, and depression in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS). A total of 40 inpatient subjects with definite SIS were included in this study. These patients were sequentially randomized into 2 groups.

The relationship between serum antioxidant vitamins, magnesium levels, and clinical parameters in patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome.

We proposed to assess serum antioxidant vitamins and magnesium (Mg) levels in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) in comparison to healthy controls. Additionally, the association between the serum antioxidant vitamins, magnesium levels, and clinical parameters in FM patients was also investigated. Forty female patients, aged between 30 and 50 years, were diagnosed with FM according to ACR-1990 criteria, and 40 healthy controls were included in the present study.

Changes in bone mineral density and bone metabolism markers in premenopausal women with multiple sclerosis and the relationship to clinical variables.

Bone mineral density (BMD) is affected in young adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), which leads to disabling disease. We aimed to show changes that were independent of immobilization by measuring BMD and laboratory markers of bone metabolism in mobile MS patients. We compared a total of 52 premenopausal female patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to 41 women of similar age who had no risk factors for osteoporosis.

Electrophysiological assessment of polyneuropathic involvement in rheumatoid arthritis: relationships among demographic, clinical and laboratory findings.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to electrophysiologically evaluate polyneuropathy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to examine the relationships among polyneuropathy and demographic, clinical and laboratory findings.

Patients And Methods: Sixty consecutive patients (51 women and nine men) with a clinical diagnosis of RA were examined electrophysiologically for the evidence of polyneuropathy. Parameters including age, gender, subcutaneous nodules, erosions, joint deformities, laboratory parameters, duration of RA, as well as dose, duration and type of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) and steroid usage were recorded.

Polypharmacy in the elderly: a multicenter study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the polypharmacy issue and its correlations with socioeconomic variables in Turkish elderly patients.

Design: Cross-sectional

Setting: Outpatient clinics of the medical schools, departments of physical medicine and rehabilitation from 12 provinces.

Participants: A total of 1430 elderly in different geographical regions of Turkey during January 2007 to January 2008 were included.

Effects of therapeutic ultrasound and electrical stimulation program on pain, trunk muscle strength, disability, walking performance, quality of life, and depression in patients with low back pain: a randomized-controlled trial.

The aim of this trial is to investigate and compare the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) program and ultrasound (US) therapy on pain, disability, trunk muscle strength, walking performance, spinal mobility, quality of life (QOL), and depression in the patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). A total of 59 patients with definite CLBP were enrolled in this study. These patients were randomized into three groups.

Clinical significance of MEFV mutations in ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of MEFV gene mutations in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to assess the clinical significance of the MEFV gene mutations in AS.

Methods: Eighty AS patients and 85 healthy controls were examined for 12 common MEFV mutations via strip-assay technique. Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI), visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Schober test, chest expansion measurements, hip involvement, ocular involvement, articular pain, and presence of syndesmophytes were used to assess the disease severity in patients.

Effects of electrical stimulation program on trunk muscle strength, functional capacity, quality of life, and depression in the patients with low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) program on trunk muscle strength, functional performance, quality of life (QOL) in the patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). A total of 41 patients with definite CLBP were included in this study. These patients were randomized into two groups.

Effects of two exercise interventions on pulmonary functions in the patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of two different home-based daily exercise programs on pulmonary functions in the patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: Fifty-one patients with AS were distributed into three groups. Group 1 (n=19) was given a conventional exercise regimen.

Effects of a home-based exercise program on quality of life, fatigue, and depression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

The aim of this trial was to investigate the effects of a 12-week home-based exercise program (HEP) on quality of life (QOL) and fatigue in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Forty-three patients with AS were included in this study. Group 1 was given a HEP; Group 2 served as the control group.

Association of transforming growth factor beta1 gene polymorphism with rheumatoid arthritis in a Turkish population.

Objective: Cytokine genes play important roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In RA, the plasma and synovial fluid levels of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) have been shown to be raised. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the TGFbeta1 T869C polymorphism and RA in a Turkish population.

Effect of cervical spondylosis on vertebral arterial flow and its association with vertigo.

The aim in this study was to evaluate the effect of cervical spondylosis on vertebral arterial flow. The flow changes on Doppler measurements in patients with vertigo were also assessed. Ninety-one patients with different grades of degeneration on disks and apophysis were evaluated.

A comparative evaluation of health related quality of life and depression in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

The aim of this study was to compare health related quality of life (HRQoL) and assess functional and psychological status in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) patients and controls (each 30 subjects). Demographic characteristics, pain and sleep disturbance by Visual Analog Scale, depression by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), disease impact by fibromyalgia impact questionnaire, DAS-28, and HRQoL by SF-36 were gathered. The FS group scored significantly worser than the RA group with respect to physical role, social functioning and bodily pain subscales of SF-36.

Physical function, muscle strength and muscle mass in children on peritoneal dialysis.

The aim of this study was to examine the physical function and muscle strength of children on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and to assess whether the muscle structure alterations influence physical function and muscle strength in these children. Twenty-two children on PD and 16 healthy children were enrolled into the study. A 6-min walk distance and gait speed tests were used to evaluate physical performance.

Polymorphisms of the serotonin-2A receptor and catechol-O-methyltransferase genes: a study on fibromyalgia susceptibility.

Genetic and environmental factors are thought to play roles in the etiopathology of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The objective of this study was to determine the potential effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) (rs4680) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) 2A (5-HT2A) receptor (rs6313 and rs6311) genes on susceptibility to FMS. One hundred seventy-one women (80 FMS, 91 control) were enrolled in the study.

Early spondyloarthropathy: scintigraphic, biological, and clinical findings in MRI-positive patients.

There are no specific diagnostic tests or a gold standard method for measuring disease activity and outcome in spondyloarthropathies (SpA). Many different methods have been developed to assess the signs and symptoms in SpA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of scintigraphy, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Bath Ankilosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) in the evaluation of disease activity in early axial SpA diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Serum ghrelin levels but not GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels are altered in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Introduction: Both hypothalamo-pituitary-insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis and ghrelin levels may be altered in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) due to increased somatostatin tone. The aim of this study is to compare hypothalamo-pituitary-IGF-1 axis, ghrelin concentrations and their relations in premenopausal women with FMS and premenopausal healthy controls.

Methods: Seventy-five women (47 FMS and 28 healthy women) were enrolled in the study.

Evaluation of hand functions in hemodialysis patients.

Background And Aims: Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) have many musculoskeletal abnormalities, including hand dysfunction. The Sollerman test evaluates hand grip function in daily activities. The relationships between Sollerman test (dominant hand) with Duruoz's Hand Index (DHI), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) tests have not been investigated previously.

T helper 1 type cytokines polymorphisms: association with susceptibility to Behçet's disease.

The pathogenesis of Behçet's disease (BD) is not fully understood and immunological abnormalities and genetic factors have been investigated. Because serum concentrations of mainly T helper 1 (Th1) type cells have been reported to be increased in BD, we aimed to investigate whether certain cytokine polymorphisms might represent a risk factor for developing BD. We genotyped 80 patients with BD and 105 healthy controls for interleukin (IL)-1 alpha (T/C -889), IL-1 beta (C/T -511, T/C +3962), IL-1R (C/T pst11970), IL-1RA (T/C mspa111100), IL-2 (T/G -330), IL-12 (C/A -1188), interferon (IFN)-gamma (A/T UTR 5644), and TNF-alpha (G/A -238) polymorphisms.

Effects of quadriceps electrical stimulation program on clinical parameters in the patients with knee osteoarthritis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation program on pain, disability, and quadriceps strength in the patients with knee osteoarthritis. Fifty women diagnosed as knee osteoarthritis were randomized into two groups as electrical stimulation and biofeedback-assisted isometric exercises. Both of the programs were performed 5 days a week, for a duration of 4 weeks.