Decreased Aortic Elasticity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Early Sign of Atherosclerosis and Predictive Factors.

Background: Atherosclerosis is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and early diagnosis of vascular disease leads to better outcome. Our aim was to evaluate whether aortic elasticity decreases in the subclinical stage of atherosclerosis in RA patients without any cardiovascular disease and to determine disease-related risk factors.

Methods: One hundred fourteen patients with RA, 50 patients with spondyloarthritis, and 50 healthy control were included in this study.

Role of CT-based body composition parameters in the course of COVID-19.

Background/aim: A significant correlation is observed between the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and body composition parameters including visceral fat quantification, muscle mass, and hepatic attenuation. The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between the extent of lung involvement and various computed tomography (CT) parameters, as well as laboratory findings in COVID-19 patients.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 72 adult patients with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection who underwent two consecutive thorax CT scans at least 2 weeks apart.

Assessment of magnetic resonance imaging findings in ovarian granulosa cell tumors along with clinical prognostic factors.

Aim: To determine the role of preoperative MRI in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) of the ovary.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four patients who were operated on between 2018 and 2022 and who were pathologically diagnosed with GHT and met the inclusion criteria were retrospectively examined. The findings were compared with the patients' demographic data, symptoms, surgical findings (laterality, stage, lymph node involvement, endometrial pathology, tumor size), and CA-125 levels.

The relationship between imaging-based body composition parameters and disease prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer.

Background: Obesity is known as a risk factor for endometrial cancer (EC). Only a few studies investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity and EC. In this study, our aim was to investigate the relationship between the cross-sectional imaging-based body composition parameters and the disease prognosis in low-grade (LG) and high-grade (HG) EC.

Evaluation of Aortic Elasticity Parameters Measured by Transthoracic Echocardiography in a Normotensive Population: A Single-Center Study.

Objective: Impaired arterial elastic features is one of the earliest manifestations of atherosclerosis in the vessel wall and is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and increased mortality and morbidity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mean values of aortic elasticity parameters in a normotensive population with transthoracic echocardiography and to evaluate these values in different age groups and their relationship with other risk factors.

Methods: This retrospective study included 405 subjects who met the inclusion criteria among 2880 individuals screened between 2020 and 2022.

Quantitative analysis of the olfactory system in pediatric epilepsy: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

Purpose: Olfactory dysfunction is a well-known complication in epilepsy. Studies have demonstrated that olfactory bulb volume (OBV), olfactory tract length (OTL), and olfactory sulcus depth (OSD) can be reliably evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, we compared the OBV, OTL, and OSD values of children with epilepsy and those of healthy children (controls) of similar age.

Suburothelial hemorrhage and intestinal mural hemorrhage secondary to Coumadin use.

Both suburothelial hemorrhage and intestinal mural hemorrhage are very rare causes of abdominal pain and gross hematuria. Com-puted tomography (CT) is very valuable in both diagnoses. We present left suburothelial hemorrhage and intestinal mural hemorrhage with CT findings, in a case of Coumadin use for mitral valve replacement.

Is Increased Intracranial Pressure a Factor in Persistent Headache After Coronavirus Disease 2019?

This study aimed to determine pain characteristics in patients with persistent headache after COVID-19 and to investigate the role of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in the pathogenesis of this headache. This is a case-control study comparing the parameters and measurements indicating increased ICP based on magnetic resonance imaging between COVID-19-diagnosed patients with persistent headache and a control group. Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and eyeball transverse diameter (ETD) were performed on the left eye of each participant.

Assessment of subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction and structural changes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can develop left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and geometric changes due to several reasons.

Aim: To investigate subclinical LV systolic dysfunction and structural features in patients with COPD, and its correlation with the severity of airway obstruction, identified by GOLD classification.

Methods: We studied 52 patients with COPD and 29 age and sex-matched controls, without any cardiac disease.

Why we should be more careful using hydroxychloroquine in influenza season during COVID-19 pandemic?

The aim of this study was to describe the QTc prolongation and related adverse cardiac events during the administration of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and its combinations for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hospitalized patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) who received HCQ and had initial and follow-up electrocardiograms performed between March 10 and May 30, 2020 were included. Critical QTc prolongation was detected in 12% of the patients.

A rare cause of acute coronary syndromes in young adults - myeloproliferative neoplasms: A case series.

Introduction: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) mostly occur in patients with traditional risk factors. Especially in young adults without major cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, one of the less common causes of ACS is myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Methods: We retrospectively collected data on 11 consecutive patients (nine men, two women, mean age 40.

Subclinical biventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Silent myocardial involvement is associated with poor prognosis in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Here we aimed to evaluate the subclinical left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction in patients with SSc without any cardiovascular diseases, by using both strain imaging methods, speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and real-time 3D echocardiography (RT3DE).

Methods: A total of 47 patients with SSc and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) were studied.

Plantar fascia coronal length: a new parameter for plantar fascia assessment.

The effects of gender and various anthropometric variables were previously reported as significant predictors of plantar fascia thickness. Although a strong correlation between either the body weight or body mass index (BMI) and plantar fascia thickness were not demonstrated, a moderate relation was stated. We retrospectively investigated the role of gender, height, weight, and body mass index on plantar fascia thickness at the calcaneal origin (PFCO) and 1 cm distal from the calcaneal origin (PF1cm) and the coronal length of the plantar fascia at the calcaneal origin (CLPF) in healthy subjects.

Descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery as a recipient vessel for vascularized fibular grafts: Clinical case series.

Vascularized fibular grafts (VFG) are used for the treatment of femoral head avascular necrosis, osteomyelitis, nonunions, and excessive bone defects. Mostly the ascending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) or first or second perforating branch of the profound femoral artery is used for the customary recipient vessel. In this report, an alternative technique of using descending branch of LCFA in VFG surgery and its clinical results are reported.

[Arthroscopic excision of elastofibroma dorsi at scapulothoracic joint: a surgical technique].

Elastofibroma dorsi is a rare soft tissue pseudotumor which is located at the anteroinferior aspect of the scapula. In this article, we report a 19-year-old female case who had arthroscopic marginal excision of elastofibroma dorsi at the scapulothoracic joint without recurrences during follow-up. The arthroscopic marginal excision of the elastofibroma dorsi may have good clinical results in selected cases.

Association of mitral annular calcification with endothelial dysfunction, carotid intima-media thickness and serum fetuin-A: an observational study.

Objective: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is characterized by degenerative calcification of the mitral valve annulus. Atherosclerosis plays role in progression of MAC. Fetuin A is the inhibitor of pathological calcification.

Negative pressure wound therapy in patients with diabetic foot.

Objective: In this study our aim was to compare the results of standard dressing treatment to negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) performed with a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) device in patients with diabetic foot ulcers.

Methods: We assessed the results of 35 patients treated for diabetic foot ulcer between 2006 and 2008. Of these cases, 20 (4 women and 16 men; mean age: 66 years; range: 52-90 years) were treated with standard wet dressings and 16 feet in 15 patients (10 men, 5 women; mean age: 58.