Polypharmacy, Physical and Nutritional Status, and Depression in the Elderly: Do Polypharmacy Deserve Some Credits in These Problems?

: To investigate the association of polypharmacy with physical function, nutritional status, and depression in the elderly. : The study included 675 people aged over 65 years from 8 centers in various geographical regions. The polypharmacy status was categorized as non-polypharmacy (0-4 drugs), polypharmacy (≥5 drugs).

Environmental characteristics of older people attending physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinics.

Objective: A residential environment refers to the physical and social characteristics in a neighbourhood. The physical characteristics include interior housing qualities, exterior neighbourhood characteristics, and the accessibility of essential facilities and services outside the neighbourhood. Older adults especially may be vulnerable to the negative impacts of the residential environment.

A special association between Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A disease and relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: Central nervous system involvement has been reported in different subtypes of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) diseases. The increasing number of cases with CMT and MS may provide further information about the common pathway of demyelination and MS pathogenesis.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 21-year-old woman with CMT1A and MS.

Evaluation of herbal product use and possible herb-drug interactions in Turkish elderly.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and documentation of the use of herbal remedies by individuals aged ≥65 years and to evaluate possible adverse reactions and herb-drug interactions.

Method: Using a cross-sectional research design, data were collected from 1418 participants (age range 65-95 years) via interview-based questionnaires.

Results: The prevalence of herbal use among older adults was 30% (n = 426); 64% (n = 274) used more than one prescription medication, and polyherbacy was reported by 47.

Frailty prevalence and related factors in the older adult-FrailTURK Project.

Frailty is one of the geriatric syndromes and has an important relationship with mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study is to present the characteristics, prevalence, and related factors of frailty in older adults in our country. The study included 1126 individuals over 65 years of age from 13 centers.

Biogerontology in Turkey: a brief report.

In this brief report, aging in biogerontology science perspective has been discussed based on the Turkish literature review with major key recommendations for future studies. Biogerontology in Turkey has focused on general retardation of the aging process giving priority to caloric restriction and oxidative stress mechanisms. The most popular investigation area for the scientists has been the oxidant and anti-oxidant systems in different tissues.

Quantitative calcaneal ultrasonometry: normative data and age-related changes for stiffness index in the Turkish population.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to define the normative data for stiffness index in a large sample of Turkish population and to clarify sex differences as well as age-related changes. A total of 10,435 subjects (aged 18-89 yr) were screened with calcaneal ultrasound and were requested to complete a detailed questionnaire listing all important risk factors, diseases, and treatments affecting bone metabolism. To be included in the study, subjects had to be free of any disease and any medical treatment known to affect bone metabolism.

Awareness of osteoporotic patients.

Osteoporosis has recently been recognized as a major public health problem by some governments and health care providers. Despite significant progress in knowledge about osteoporosis, public awareness is required for effective management if precautions are to be taken. The aim of this study was to evaluate the educational status of osteoporotic individuals, and their awareness about the disease and sources of information.

Reversible sclerotic changes of lumbar spine and femur due to long-term oral isotretinoin therapy.

We present a rare case of retinoid-induced sclerotic changes of lumbar spine and femur demonstrated by dual energy x-ray absorptiometrie (DEXA). The patient had flowing ossification along thoracic spine resembling diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), but there was no ligament calcification in the lumbar spine or pelvis. After discontinuation of the treatment, gradual decline of bone mineral density at lumbar and femoral sites was detected with serial DEXA measurements.

Drug consumption in a group of elderly residents of a nursing home: relationship to cognitive impairment and disability.

Objectives: The incidence of drug interactions and adverse reactions increases exponentially with increases in the number of medications consumed. The objective of this study was to investigate drug consumption, in particular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and to assess the relationship between drug consumption and cognitive function and disability in a group of older people residing in a nursing home.

Participants And Setting: Two-hundred residents (108 women, 92 men) of a nursing home in Ankara, Turkey, mean age 77.

Depression in children with hemophilic arthropathy and poliomyelitis: a preliminary report.

The aim of this study was to evaluate children with chronic disorders like hemophilia and poliomyelitis from the psychological perspective, to determine the frequency of depression, to identify the risk factors and to investigate the relation between disability and depression. Thirty-five patients with disability due to poliomyelitis and 12 patients with hemophilic arthropathy were included in the study. Thirty-six healthy children from the district schools served as controls.

Effect of muscle relaxation splint therapy on the electromyographic activities of masseter and anterior temporalis muscles.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of splint therapy on the electromyographic activity of masticatory muscles (anterior temporalis and masseter) before and after the application of a muscle relaxation splint. Electromyography recordings from the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles were analyzed quantitatively during maximal biting in the intercuspal position both before and after treatment without a splint. Fourteen patients whose chief complaint was masticatory muscle pain were selected for the study.

Effect of anterior repositioning splints on the electromyographic activities of masseter and anterior temporalis muscles.

The effect of anterior repositioning (AR) splint therapy on masticatory muscle activity was investigated in seventeen patients with internal derangement; disk displacement with reduction in particular. Integrated electromyography (EMG) recordings from the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles were analyzed quantitatively during maximal biting in intercuspal position before and after eight week treatment period, EMG recordings were taken for each subject prior to the beginning of clinical therapy and final EMG recordings were made without AR splint to provide a standard for comparison. The results of the investigation revealed the following: 1.

Carpal tunnel syndrome: a major complication in hemodialysis patients.

In order to assess the prevalence of the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) suggestive of beta 2 microglobulin amyloid deposit in patients undergoing hemodialysis with cuprophan and acetate membrane, we studied 30 patients who had been receiving hemodialysis for varying lengths of time. Besides a standard physical and rheumatological examination, nerve conduction velocity studies were done in median and ulnar motorsensory nerves. 12 patients had normal findings, 12 had CTS (9 pure CTS, 3 with neuropathy), and 9 had peripheral neuropathy.

Eales' disease with hemiplegia.

A case of Eales' disease with hemiplegia is reported. The patient had a right hemiparesis and a left hemiplegia occurring after a sudden loss of vision in the left eye two years earlier. The diagnosis was based on fluorescein angiography showing neovascularisation, fluorescein leakage, perivascular sheating and hemorrhages and on CT scan showing multiple hypodense lesions in right and left hemispheres and on IDSA showing bilateral occlusion of anterior cerebral arteries.