Ultrasonographic assessment of the femoral cartilage in osteoarthritis patients with and without osteoporosis.

Background: The relationship between osteoporosis (OP) and osteoarthritis (OA) is yet unclear.

Aim: To evaluate the possible effect of OP on the femoral cartilage thickness in female patients with knee OA.

Materials And Methods: Eighty patients with a diagnosis of knee OA were enrolled.

The effect of dry needling in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that dry needling is more effective than sham dry needling in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). This was a prospective, double-blinded, randomized-controlled study conducted in an outpatient clinic. Thirty-nine subjects with established myofascial trigger points were randomized into two groups: study group (N = 22) and placebo group (N = 17).

Hepatitis B virus reactivation in a juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patient under treatment and its successful management: a complicated case.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a common chronic inflammatory disease in the childhood and it can differentiate rarely into spondiloarthropaties. It is one of the important causes of chronic pain and disability. Some of the drugs used for the treatment have immunosupressive activity.

Nerve conduction studies in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate any relationship between peripheral neuropathy and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and to evaluate the peripheral nervous system of AS patients and disclose any relationship between neuropathy and disease-related parameters.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-two AS patients without any symptoms of neuropathy were prospectively recruited in 2 centers. They were substantially evaluated both for AS and evidence of peripheral neuropathy.

Osteopoikilosis: a case with osteopenia.

Osteopoikilosis is a benign osteosclerotic dysplasia of unknown origin, which is an inherited autosomal disorder. It is usually asymptomatic and may only be recognized on radiological examination. We report a 20-year-old man who suffers from back and shoulder pain during the routine physical examinations performed prior to the military recruitment.

Neurological symptoms after a provocative dive: spinal DCS or anterior spinal artery syndrome?

Reported here is a 37-yr-old professional diving instructor who had developed complaints of back pain and weakness in the lower extremities after diving. He was eventually diagnosed as having spinal cord decompression sickness along with a likely diagnosis of anterior spinal artery (artery of Adamkiewicz) syndrome. Additionally, since the transthoracic echocardiography revealed patent foramen ovale, we hypothesized that it might have been a potential route for gas bubbles to occlude the anterior spinal artery in this diver.

Thoracic outlet syndrome in a patient with Poland syndrome.

We report a 20-year-old man with Poland syndrome who suffered from weakness, pain, numbness, and discoloration in the left upper extremity. He was eventually diagnosed as also having thoracic outlet syndrome. The concomitance of these two disorders is discussed with a special emphasis on the underlying mechanisms.

Work disability in ankylosing spondylitis: differences among working and work-disabled patients.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the axial skeleton. Work disability can be one of the major consequences of AS, and the knowledge about the burden of AS to the patient and society is not well-established yet. The objective of this study was to investigate work disability among patients with AS in the national service and to put forward the related factors and differences among disabled and nondisabled groups.