Hyperprolactinemia and galactorrhea with duloxetine in neuropathic pain management.

Duloxetine is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that is widely used in chronic pain treatment in various diseases. Hyperprolactinemia and galactorrhea are rare side effects of this medication. Here, we reported a 34-year-old female with multiple sclerosis who used duloxetine for pain management and mood disorder and experienced galactorrhea.

Left atrial mechanics for secondary prevention from embolic stroke of undetermined source.

Aims: Anticoagulation is not justified unless atrial fibrillation (AF) is detected in cryptogenic stroke (CS) patients. We sought to explore whether left atrial (LA) remodelling is associated with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS).

Methods And Results: In this prospective study, we evaluated consecutively 186 patients in sinus rhythm who presented with an acute ischaemic stroke (embolic and non-embolic) and sex- and age-matched controls.

Migraine and subclinical atherosclerosis: endothelial dysfunction biomarkers and carotid intima-media thickness: a case-control study.

Background: Migraine is a common neurovascular disease associated with vascular risks, especially in young adult females, but the mechanism underlying these associations remains unknown. This study evaluated the relationships between plasma endothelial dysfunction biomarkers and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in young adult females with migraine.

Methods: This case-control study included 148 female patients (age range: 18-50 years).

Evaluation of Neuroimaging Findings of Central Nervous System Complications in Heart Transplant Recipients.

Objectives: In this study, we presented neuroradiologic findings and diagnoses of neurologic complications in a series of heart transplant recipients.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was conducted at Başkent University Hospital. We searched the hospital and radiology databases and identified 109 heart transplant recipients.

Alteration of mean platelet volume in the pathogenesis of acute ischemic stroke: cause or consequence?

Background And Purpose: Platelets have a crucial role on vascular disease which are involved in pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Platelet size is measured as mean platelet volume (MPV) and is a marker of platelet activity. Platelets contain more dense granules as the size increases and produce more serotonin and tromboglobulin (b-TG) than small platelets.

Relationship between white matter hyperintensities and retinal nerve fiber layer, choroid, and ganglion cell layer thickness in migraine patients.

Aim To compare the relationship between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on brain magnetic resonance imaging and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), choroid, and ganglion cell layer (GCL) thicknesses in migraine patients and healthy subjects. We also assessed the role of cerebral hypoperfusion in the formation of these WMH lesions. Methods We enrolled 35 migraine patients without WMH, 37 migraine patients with WMH, and 37 healthy control subjects examined in the Neurology outpatient clinic of our tertiary center from May to December 2015.

Prevalence and Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Kidney and Liver Transplant Recipients.

Objectives: Neurologic complications are common after kidney and liver transplant. Neurologic complications affect mortality and morbidity in transplant recipients, and neuropathic pain is an important symptom affecting a patient's quality of life. The aim of the present study was to provide readers with our experience regarding causes and treatment of neuropathic pain in patients undergoing kidney and liver transplant at our transplantation center.

Hypoxia and inflammation indicate significant differences in the severity of obstructive sleep apnea within similar apnea-hypopnea index groups.

Purpose: We determined whether hypoxia parameters are associated with C-reactive protein (CRP), mean platelet volume (MPV), white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and also evaluated whether hypoxia parameters, CRP, MPV, and WMH differ in patients with similar apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) scores.

Methods: A total of 297 patients, who were evaluated using polysomnography, were assessed retrospectively. The measured hypoxia parameters included total sleep time with oxygen saturation <90% (ST), percentage of cumulative time with oxygen saturation <90% (CT), and lowest oxygen saturation (min SaO).

Clinical results of carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy.

Objective: To review our results of carotid artery stenting (CAS) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Methods: We evaluated the medical records of patients undergoing carotid artery revascularization procedure, between 2001 and 2013 in Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Carotid artery stenting or CEA procedures were performed in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (>/=70%) or symptomatic stenosis (>/=50%).

Neurologic Complications After Cardiac Transplant.

Objectives: Cardiac transplant is the best available therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure. Neurologic complications occur at a rate of 30% to 70% in patients undergoing cardiac transplant, and they affect mortality and morbidity of these patients. Risk factors for neurologic complications include immunosuppressive medication toxicity, infections, brain lesions, and metabolic disorders.

Aspirin resistance in cerebrovascular disease and the role of glycoprotein IIIa polymorphism in Turkish stroke patients.

Aspirin resistance occurs in 5-45% of high-risk patients, with various mechanisms proposed for its development. This study aimed to determine the relationships among aspirin resistance, aspirin dosage, type of aspirin and glycoprotein IIIa P1A1/A2 polymorphism in patients with vascular risk factors. Two hundred and eight (75 symptomatic, 133 asymptomatic) patients with vascular risk factors who were using aspirin for primary or secondary prevention were prospectively included.

Rare Presentation of Midbrain Infarction: Isolated Medial Rectus Palsy.

A 69-year-old woman presented with sudden onset of diplopia. In neurologic examination left medial rectus palsy without abduction nystagmus was detected. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed acute ischemic lesion in mesencephalon on diffusion-weighted images.

Neurologic complications after liver transplant: experience at a single center.

Objectives: Neurologic complications occur frequently after liver transplants. Up to 43% of patients experience severe postsurgical neurologic complications. These complications are significantly associated with longer hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality.

The relationship between the degree of cognitive impairment and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.

The goal of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the degree of cognitive impairment and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness which is measured by the optical coherence tomography (OCT). Thirty-five patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 35 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 35 healthy volunteers, between the ages of 60-87, who were examined in the neurology outpatient clinic among 2012-2013 were prospectively involved in our study. Mini mental state examination (MMSE) test, montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA), and also neuropsychological test batteries were used for the neurocognitive evaluation.

Validation of Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Discriminant Power of Montreal Cognitive Assessment Subtests in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Dementia in Turkish Population.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a new cognitive tool developed for screening mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The authors examined validity of MoCA and discriminating power of subtests in a Turkish population comprising of 474 participants (246 healthy controls, 114 subjects with MCI and 114 subjects with dementia). The ANCOVAs showed that age and education had a main effect on MoCA scores.

Flow in the left anterior descending coronary artery in patients with migraine headache.

Migraine is a common neurovascular disorder characterized by attacks of severe headache, autonomic and neurologic symptoms. Migraine can affect many systems in the body, yet its effects on cardiovascular system are unclear. We hypothesized that migraine and coronary microvascular angina may be manifestations of a common systemic microvascular dysfunction and clinically associated.

Spontaneous primary intraventricular hemorrhage in adults: clinical data, etiology and outcome.

Aim: Primary intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH), bleeding in the ventricular system without a recognizable parenchymal component, is a rare neurological disorder. The purpose of this study was to identify clinical features, risk factors, etiology and outcome of patients with PIVH.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data, complementary examinations, outcome and computed tomography (CT) IVH score of 24 patients in our hospital from 2004 to 2008.

Can subdural hematoma be a trigger for Guillain-Barré syndrome?

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory polyneuropathy which follows a precipitating event in approximately two thirds of cases. Although its pathogenesis is unclear, it is likely to be a consequence of an immune-mediated process. In the literature there are three case reports of GBS following subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hematoma, and facial bone fracture after head trauma.

The effects of interferon beta-1a on proton MR spectroscopic imaging in patients with multiple sclerosis, a controlled study, preliminary results.

To evaluate the effects of interferon beta-1a(INFbeta-1a) on brain metabolites in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), we performed Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Imaging (MRSI) on five patients treated with INFbeta-1a (Rebif 44 microg), and on five untreated patients. Six healthy volunteers were used as controls. Patients were evaluated at the beginning, in the first, third, sixth, and twelfth month.

Prevalence of thrombophilic mutations and ACE I/D polymorphism in Turkish ischemic stroke patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of factor V Leiden (FVL), prothrombin G20210A, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T gene mutations, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D polymorphism in ischemic stroke (IS) patients. A total of 162 Turkish IS patients were included and analyzed according to stroke subtype by the TOAST classification. Their genotype data were compared with those of the control group, representing the healthy population, using the chi(2) test.

Osmotic demyelination syndrome in end-stage renal disease after recent hemodialysis: MRI of the brain.

Objective: Osmotic demyelination syndrome has been reported in patients with end-stage renal disease, but the specific MRI findings in this patient group have not been documented in detail. Our aims were to present the brain MRI findings during an episode after hemodialysis and at follow-up, and to identify possible factors that may contribute to lesion development.

Materials And Methods: Seventeen patients with osmotic demyelination syndrome who had undergone hemodialysis at least once and had brain MRI examinations were retrospectively reviewed.

Osmotic myelinolysis in a normonatremic patient.

Osmotic demyelination syndrome is usually associated with hyponatremia or rapid correction of this condition. The prognosis is usually fatal. We treated a 34-year-old chronic renal failure patient who did not have hyponatremia but developed severe pontine myelinolysis demonstrated with MRI.