Evaluation of aortic elastic properties in patients with fibromyalgia.

Background: Chronic high sympathetic activity may lead to various negative cardiovascular responses in fibromyalgia. We aimed to investigate the elastic properties of the aorta in patients with fibromyalgia enrolled in this study.

Methods: One hundred and twelve women with fibromyalgia and 50 healthy controls were enrolled.

Adult case of acrodysostosis with severe neurologic involvement.

Objective: Acrodysostosis is a rare syndrome characterized by peripheral dysostosis, nasal hypoplasia and frequently mental retardation. Only one adult case of acrodysostosis has been reported to have neurologic symptoms. We report one further adult case of acrodysostosis with severe neurologic findings including myelopathy and spastic paraparesis due to diffuse spinal stenosis and recurrent deep vein thrombosis possibly caused by neurologic deficits.

Spinal cord injury associated with thoracic osteoporotic fracture.

This report details a case of sudden neurologic deficit attributable to acute thoracic fractures associated with senile osteoporosis. A 73-yr-old female patient with a history of occasional back pain during the past 4 mos had sudden thoracic vertebral fracture with spinal cord injury. The patient, who had a benign past medical history, had not been evaluated for osteoporosis.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy in hemiplegia.

There is a high incidence of reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the upper limbs in patients with hemiplegia, and its painful and functional consequences present a problem to specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation. This study was designed to assess the role of several factors in the occurrence of reflex sympathetic dystrophy in patients with hemiplegia. Ninety-five consecutive stroke patients (63 male and 32 female, mean age 59+/-12 years) admitted to our hospital were evaluated.

Stroke rehabilitation outcome: the Turkish experience.

The objectives of this study were to examine the demographic and clinical characteristics of stroke patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation, to study the occurrence of medical problems/complications, and to document functional outcome and possible factors influencing outcome. The mean age of this cohort (30 females, 53 males) was 58+/-12 years and the mean length of hospital stay was 45.7+/-23 days.

Health-related quality of life of Turkish stroke survivors.

Stroke is a major, chronically disabling neurological disease, which often radically and permanently changes the lives of the victims. Improvement of motor coordination and the degree of independence achieved in activities of daily living have been the usual criteria used to measure outcome in stroke rehabilitation. The objective of our study is to compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between stroke patients 6 months after rehabilitation and a control group who did not have any major illness.

Functional outcome following traumatic brain injury: the Turkish experience.

The objectives of this study were to describe the demographic characteristics and the nature of the functional recovery in a group of Turkish survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) who were referred for inpatient rehabilitation and identify variables correlated with discharge functional status as measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). There were 40 patients in the study, 32 (69.6%) male and eight (17.

Shoulder pain in hemiplegia: results from a national rehabilitation hospital in Turkey.

Objective: Shoulder pain is a common complication after stroke that can limit the patients' ability to reach their maximum functional potential and impede rehabilitation. The aim of our study was to examine the occurrence of hemiplegic shoulder pain in a group of Turkish patients and clarify contributing factors such as glenohumeral subluxation, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, tonus changes, motor functional level, limitation in shoulder range of motion, thalamic pain, neglect, and time since onset of hemiplegia. The effect of shoulder pain on the duration of rehabilitation stay was also identified.