Publications by authors named "Yesim Beckmann"

Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS), which is known as a young-adult age disease, is called late-onset MS (LOMS) when it occurs at the age of 50 and older. In our study, we aimed to analyse the clinical and demographic characteristics, comorbidities, diagnostic and treatment challenges and prognosis of LOMS.

Methods: In a retrospective analysis of 136 patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) after the age of 50, based on the 2017 McDonald criteria, and who were under observation in eight distinct MS centers across Turkey; demographic information, clinical characteristics of the disease, oligoclonal band (OCB) status, initial and current Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) values, administered treatments, and the existence of spinal lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were investigated.

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Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the biggest health challenge of recent times. Studies so far reveal that vaccination is the only way to prevent this pandemic. There may be factors that decrease or increase vaccine effectiveness.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study focuses on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) taking various disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), primarily comparing mRNA vaccines (like Pfizer-BioNTech) with inactivated virus vaccines (like Sinovac).
  • Results showed that while both types of vaccines resulted in similar rates of seropositivity, the mRNA vaccine group had significantly higher antibody levels compared to the inactivated virus vaccine group.
  • The study also found that pwMS on certain DMTs, specifically ocrelizumab, fingolimod, and cladribine, had reduced humoral responses to the vaccines, highlighting the impact of therapies on vaccine efficacy
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Background: During multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment different modes of action such as lateral (interferon beta to glatiramer acetate or glatiramer acetate to interferon beta) or vertical (interferon beta/glatiramer acetate to fingolimod) drug switch can be performed. This study aims to investigate the clinical effectiveness of switching from the first-line injectable disease modifying treatments (iDMTs) to fingolimod (FNG) compared to switching between first-line iDMTs.

Methods: This is a multicenter, observational and retrospective study of patients with relapsing-remitting MS who had lateral and vertical switch.

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Introduction: Fingolimod is the first oral immunomodulatory treatment used as secondary care therapy in the treatment of multiple sclerosis for the last 10 years. The objective of our study is to reveal the experiences of the first generic fingolimod active ingredient treatment in different centers across Turkey.

Method: The first generic fingolimod efficacy and safety data of patients followed-up in 29 different clinical multiple sclerosis units in Turkey were analyzed retrospectively.

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Introduction: Various restrictions due to the coronavirus infection have affected working life globally. People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) have several difficulties in social life, patient follow-up, and receiving treatments. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the experiences of pwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Background: Difficulties of self-management in people with MS (pwMS) is considered as one of the most important factors contributing to low rehabilitation efficacy, more severe long-term complications and increase in healthcare costs. Despite the emergence of research in the last decade documenting causes, types, and course of cognitive difficulties in MS disease subtypes, limited evidence is available in the literature for direct comparison of self-management and cognitive deficits. In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between cognitive performance and self-management in pwMS.

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A 22-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency department with headache, dizziness, and numbness on the left side of the body. Neurologic examination revealed gaze-evoked nystagmus. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging, venous and arterial magnetic resonance angiography were normal.

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Background: COVID-19 is a multisystemic infection with variables consequences depending on individual and comorbid conditions. The course and outcomes of COVID-19 during neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disorders (MOGAD) are not clearly known.

Objective/methods: The aim of this study was to examine the features and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in NMOSD and MOGAD patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explored why some multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience worsening vision despite treatment, focusing on those with optic neuritis over nearly two decades.* -
  • Out of 1014 MS patients, 411 had optic neuritis; 11 displayed unusual symptoms prompting genetic testing for Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, revealing mutations in 5 patients.* -
  • The prevalence of these mitochondrial mutations was 0.12%, suggesting they are linked to poor visual outcomes, and highlighting the need for genetic testing in MS patients with severe visual loss.*
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Introduction: The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of fingolimod in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); secondary aims were to describe the safety of fingolimod with the evaluation of treatment satisfaction and impact on the quality of life in real life.

Methods: We collected clinical, demographical, neuroradiological, and treatment data, including pre- and posttreatment status health-related quality of life from 286 MS patients consecutively treated with fingolimod. Clinical assessment was based on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and quality of life assessment was performed with MS-related quality of life inventory (MSQOLI).

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Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are a group of antibody-mediated chronic inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that leads to a reduction in disease activity.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab as monotherapy in NMOSD and to determine whether the efficacy varies depending on the presence of antibodies in this cohort.

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Objective: The present study aims to describe the efficacy and safety of onabotulinum toxin A (BonT-A) with evaluation of treatment satisfaction and impact on quality of life in chronic migraine (CM) patients in real life.

Methods: This study was conducted in CM patients who were treated with BoNT-A with 12 months of follow-up. Data about outcome, adverse events, and patients' pre- and post-treatment status including health-related quality of life data were analyzed.

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Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a disease characterised by increased cerebral pressure without a mass or hydrocephalus. We aimed to differentiate migraine and IIH patients based on imaging findings.

Results: Patients with IIH ( = 32), migraine patients ( = 34) and control subjects ( = 33) were evaluated.

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Background: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the incidence and prevalence of a variety of neurologic disorders, including multiple sclerosis. However, available studies to date have not provided convincing evidence that vitamin D treatment improves fatigue and life quality in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Aim: To assess the relationship of vitamin D deficiency with health-related quality-of-life issues and fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients.

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Background: Flammer syndrome (FS) occurs from well-described signs and symptoms. The syndrome itself is not a disease, but it may be a directive marker for advancing therapeutic approaches by predictive and preventive measures as well as for personalization of treatments. The syndrome is related to many diseases, but FS has been rarely studied in multiple sclerosis (MS).

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Background: Adequate disease and treatment-related risk knowledge of people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) is a prerequisite for informed choices in medical encounters. Previous work showed that MS risk knowledge is low among pwMS and role preferences are different in Italy and Germany.

Objective: We investigated the level of risk knowledge and role preferences in 8 countries and assessed putative variables associated with risk knowledge.

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Objectives: The aims of this study were to study the prevalence and characteristics of headache in patients with multiple sclerosis and to clarify the relationship between headache and multiple sclerosis therapies.

Method: 782 MS patients were consecutively admitted. All patients filled out a detailed headache questionnaire and 754 patients were included.

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Background Medication-overuse headache is a common clinical entity, but neuroimaging studies investigating volumetric and microstructural alterations of the brain in medication-overuse headache are rare. Therefore, in the current longitidunal study we evaluated gray matter volume and white matter integrity in patients with medication-overuse headache before and after drug withdrawal. Methods A prospective study evaluated 27 patients with medication-overuse headache and 27 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy adults.

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Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) suffer from the repetitive yawning and sleep problems. Yawning is observed in MS and other central nervous system disorders and yawning and swallowing may be controlled by the network of the brain stem. Therefore it is important to investigate the MS patients with various clinical and radiological locations in order to understand the role of brainstem on the yawning mechanisms.

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Introduction: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinico-radiological entity characterized by headache, altered mental status, epileptic seizures, visual disturbances and typically transient changes in posterior cerebral circulation areas. In this article, we present a case of alcohol withdrawal accompanied by PRES.

Case Presentation: A 53-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with visual hallucinations and meaningless speech.

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Objective: To investigate electrophysiological parameters of swallowing in all stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: Forty Alzheimer's disease patients, 20 age-matched normal controls and 20 young normal controls were included. Dysphagia limit (DL) and sequential water swallowing (SWS) tests were performed.

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Objective/background: Migraine is a common neurological disorder with an uncertain pathogenesis. A pathophysiological link has been proposed between the migraine headache and patent foramen ovale (PFO). However, the data about the association of migraine with the presence of PFO are conflicting.

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The reliability and diagnostic value of Lhermitte's sign in multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been fully established. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical, neurophysiological and neuroradiological correlations of Lhermitte's sign in a cohort of MS patients and reassess the relevance of this phenomenon in the clinical history of the disease. A prospective study of 694 patients with MS and 110 age-matched healthy adults was evaluated by a structured questionnaire that included basic demographic data, age of onset, clinical characteristics of the disease, and the inquiry of Lhermitte's sign.

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