Does Familial Mediterranean Fever Provoke Atherosclerosis in Children? Evaluation of Arterial Stiffness and Serum Endocan Levels

Clinical Rheumatology - This study aimed to evaluate the risk for atherosclerosis by using echocardiographic arterial stiffness (AS) parameters and serum endocan levels, as a biomarker of...     

HADS-depression score is a mediator for illness perception and daily life impairment in Takayasu’s arteritis

Clinical Rheumatology - The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships among the disease activity, illness perception, daily life performance, anxiety and depression status as potential...     

Administration of Selenium Nanoparticles Reverses Streptozotocin-Induced Neurotoxicity in the male rats

Metabolic Brain Disease - Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease associated with deposition of amyloid-beta and the increased oxidative stress. High free radical...     

Comparison of the effectiveness of cyclophosphamide and rituximab treatment in patients with systemic sclerosis–related interstitial lung diseases: a retrospective,observational cohort study

Clinical Rheumatology - To compare the effectiveness of cyclophosphamide and rituximab in the treatment of patients with systemic sclerosis with pulmonary involvement (SSc-ILD). Symptoms and the...     

Sleep quality and related factors including restless leg syndrome in medical students and residents in a Turkish university

Sleep and Breathing - The aim was to determine sleep quality and related factors including restless leg syndrome in the 6th year medical students and medical residents in Pamukkale University,...     

The prevalence of symptomatic knee and distal interphalangeal joint osteoarthritis in the urban population of Antalya, Turkey

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of symptomatic knee and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint osteoarthritis (OA) in the elderly (50 years of age) urban population of Antalya, Turkey. According to the 1997 national census, Antalyas population was 508,840. By random cluster sampling, 655 individuals aged 50 years or more were interviewed face-to-face and subjected to structured interviews regarding knee pain, worsening pain on exertion, and the gelling phenomenon. They were also asked about performing namaz (a fundamental act of worship in Islam performed five times a day), smoking, type of residence, type of toilet, work style, and duration of walking per day. They were also questioned about swelling in DIP joints. In the case of suspicion of knee OA, the individuals were invited to the hospital for further evaluation by physical examination and direct roentgenogram. The diagnosis of knee OA was based on clinical or clinical and radiographic findings. The prevalence of symptomatic knee OA was determined as 14.8% in the population aged 50 years or over. Advanced age, female sex, namaz, and type of residence were found to be associated with knee OA. The rate of symptomatic knee OA was significantly lower in smokers and those walking more than 2 h per day. Female sex was also strongly associated with OA DIP joints. OA of DIP joints was found significantly associated with symptomatic knee OA. The latter is a major health problem in the elderly population, especially in about one fourth of women aged 50 years or over. These data suggest that advanced age, female sex, and type of residence are risk factors.     

Does hyaluronan affect inflammatory cytokines in knee osteoarthritis?

Our aim was to investigate the effects of hyaluronan on inflammatory cytokines in the synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis. The study was single blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized. We administered hyaluronan to 22 patients in the study group and placebo to 19 in the control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of cytokines. Both HA and placebo caused a significant decrease in interleukin (IL)-6 levels (P=0.0001 and P=0.04, respectively). But it was more significant in the study group. However, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-) levels did not change in either group (P>0.05). The amount of effusion decreased significantly in the study group (P=0.001) but not in the control group (P=0.133). It can be concluded that hyaluronan considerably decreased IL-6 levels, which correlated with clinical improvement, but had no effect on IL-8 and TNF- levels in synovial fluid. However, larger studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to explain the effect of hyaluronan on cytokines.     

Diagnostic and prognostic value of Ischemia‐modified albumin in patients with Crimean‐Congo hemorrhagic fever

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic and prognostic significance of ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels in patients with Crimean‐Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF). This retrospective study was conducted with patients with CCHF. IMA levels in patients with CCHF were determined using the rapid colorimetric method. IMA levels of CCHF patients were significantly higher compared with the control group (P = 0.0001). At an IMA cut‐off point of 0.555 ABSU (absorbance units), sensitivity was 65.1%, specificity 82.5%, positive predictive values (PPV) 82.5%, and negative predictive values (NPV) 65.1%. IMA levels of patients with hemorrhage were significantly higher compared with patients without hemorrhage (P = 0.005). IMA has been validated as both a new and sensitive ischemia and oxidative stress biomarker. In addition to its diagnostic significance, IMA investigated in CCHF patients at time of arrival may be an important marker with its prognostic role in determining in the early stage whether the disease will follow a hemorrhagic course. J. Med. Virol. 85:684–688, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.