Prevalence of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis G virus in patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV) belong to the same family of flaviviridea. A causative role of HCV infection in the pathogenesis of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has been discussed widely. Little is known about the possible association between NHL and HGV discovered recently. In this study, anti‐HCV and HGV‐RNA prevalence were investigated in a group of 70 patients with NHL. The results were compared to a control group of 70 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy subjects. One patient in each group (1.4%) was found to be anti‐HCV‐positive; the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Five subjects in the patient group (7.1%) were positive for HGV‐RNA, while a single subject was positive in the control group (1.4%); the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Odds ratios for anti‐HCV and HGV‐RNA were 1 and 5.30, respectively. Our findings suggest that neither HCV nor HGV are causative or contributing factors in the aetiopathogenesis of NHL.     

Discrimination ability of ASDAS estimating disease activity status in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objectives: To investigate discrimination ability of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) endorsed disease activity score (ASDAS) versions evaluating low and high disease activity in an unselected group of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: Patients consecutively included into the joint database of five university hospitals were analyzed for low or high disease activity according to different criteria. Standardized mean differences (SMD) for two ASDAS versions were evaluated. Results: The ASDAS versions (back pain, morning stiffness, patient global pain, pain/swelling of peripheral joints, plus either erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C‐reactive protein) discriminated high and low disease activity in subgroups according to Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (BASDAI) and ASAS remission/partial remission criteria. ASDAS versions were also not influenced by peripheral arthritis and correlated well with other outcome measurements and acute‐phase reactants. The ASDAS versions performed better than patient‐reported measures or acute‐phase reactants discriminating high and low disease activity status. Conclusion: Both ASDAS versions, consisting of both patient‐reported data and acute‐phase reactants, performed well in discriminating low and high disease activity. Further longitudinal data may better estimate the usefulness of ASDAS to assess disease activity subgroups and treatment response.     

Acute Effects of Moxonidine on Cardiac Autonomic Modulation

Background: Moxonidine, an imidazoline I1 receptor agonist, is a centrally acting antihypertensive agent having sympatholytic effect. However, there are only limited data regarding the effects of this drug on autonomic cardiac functions. Methods and results: In this study we investigated the acute effects of moxonidine on cardiac autonomic modulation by heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. The effects of oral 0.4‐mg moxonidine were studied on 11 healthy male volunteers in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo controlled, and crossover study. After 15 minutes rest, time and frequency domain parameters of HRV were calculated from 5‐minute continue electrocardiography recordings in supine position, during controlled respiration (15 breath/min) and during handgrip exercise before and 1 hour after taking placebo or moxonidine. Baseline parameters before taking placebo and moxonidine were similar (P > 0.05). Moxonidine, but not placebo, caused an increase in heart failure (HF) (119 ± 21 vs 156 ± 23, P = 0.029) and HFnu (39 ± 4 vs 47 ± 4, P = 0.033) and decrease in LFnu (61 ± 4 vs 53 ± 4, P = 0.033) and LF/HF ratio (1.96 ± 0.36 vs 1.12 ± 0.35, P = 0.010) in supine position compared with baseline parameters. However, there was no difference in other time or frequency domain parameters during controlled breathing and handgrip exercise either with moxonidine or placebo administration (P > 0.05). Single dose of moxonidine administration increases cardiovagal tone but parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic maneuvers attenuated its short term effects on HRV in healthy male subjects. (PACE 2010; 929–933)     

The contribution of neurocognitive situation,physical capacity and daily life activities to quality of life in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors

Background/aim There are no extensive studies on the QL in children who completed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment and currently living without any disease in Turkey. Our study aimed to analyze both the QL and the effects of physical, neurocognitive capacities on QL in childhood ALL survivors aged 7–12 years at the time of recruitment.Materials and methodsPedsQL cancer module 3.0 child and proxy report, for ages 5–7 and 8–12 years, WeeFIM scale, BOTMP Short Form, RPM, reading, writing, and mathematics assessment tools, sociodemographic information form were carried out to the children and their family.Results There was no effect of the months since the completion of therapy on pain, anxiety, cognitive problems, perceived physical appearance, and the total QL scores of children and proxy reports (p > 0.05).Children’s physical capacities were significantly worse than healthy controls and have not reached the level of healthy children even after a long time since completion of ALL therapy. There was a significant association between physical capacity and daily independent living status (p < 0.001). Reading, writing, and mathematical skills were significantly associated with the mean time off-treatment (p < 0.001), and the total score of RPM and PedsQL of those with mathematical difficulties were significantly lower than those without any difficulty (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe months after the treatment (off-treatment time) have not affected total and subunit QL scores. As motor skills difficulties will lead to low academic achievement, early recognition direct the parents for immediate intervention. lead to low academic achievement, early recognition could direct the parents for immediate intervention. Planning psychosocial support programs for physical activity and age-appropriate development of patients from the initiation of treatment will increase the QL in childhood ALL with a survival rate of 80% or more.     

The relationship between breast milk intake and speech in children with cerebral palsy

Background/aimCerebral palsy (CP) is a nonprogressive neurodevelopmental disorder that cause damage to the developing brain (0–3 years) for various reasons. Children with CP commonly have speech disorders due to impairment in neuromuscular control of oro-motor coordination. We focused on the relationship between breast milk intake and speech functions in children with CP.Materials and methodsThe gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) was used to categorize the gross motor function. The viking speech scale (VSS) was used to classify the speech in children with cerebral palsy. Children were subdivided into two groups as term and preterm based on gestational age. The duration of exclusive breast milk intake was defined as the period when the infant received breast milk alone. We used Spearman’s correlation coefficient to evaluate the relationship between the duration of breast milk intake, GMFCS, and VSS.Results The median level of viking speech scale was 2 in preterm-born children and 4 in term-born children. There was no correlation between age and VSS levels.We observed a statistically significant difference in terms of preterm- or term-born status among children with different VSS levels. There was a weak positive correlation between birth weight and VSS level, indicating better speech function in children with lower birth weight. There was a moderate negative correlation between the duration of exclusive breast milk intake, the total duration of breast milk intake, and the corrected age of weaning completion with VSS level.Conclusion The duration of breast milk intake may reflect the oromotor function and predict speech performance in children with cerebral palsy. We wanted to emphasize that speech language therapy is as important as motor rehabilitation.