Effect of prayer on osteoarthritis and osteoporosis

Prayer is one kind of worship that is composed of repetitive action during praying in Islam. The prayer is performed five times a day, every Friday, bairams and death ceremonies. The aim of this study is to search the role of this repetitive action on knee, hip osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Forty-six patients who had been performing the prayer at least for 10 years, and 40 patients who had not performed the prayer, were included in this prospective study. Each patient was evaluated with standard questionnaire form, joint examination was done and various laboratory parameters were studied. Anterior–posterior radiography of the pelvis and weight-bearing knees of each patient were examined. Each film was evaluated by two investigators separately and first scored by using Kellgren and Lawrence (K&L) scale, then the width of the joint space of hips and knees were measured directly using a steel ruler and recorded to the nearest half millimeter. Bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine and femur was measured. Patients having Heberden’s nodes, Bouchard’s nodes, and carpometacarpal disease were frequent in worshiper group. Joint space width measurements and assessment according to K&L scale did not differ between worshipers and non-worshipers. BMD of lumbar spine was decreased in worshipers and also decreased with patients having Heberden’s nodes, Bouchard’s nodes, female gender and age. Prayer has no effect on knee and hip osteoarthritis, and may be related with hand osteoarthritis. It seems to have negative effect on lumbar BMD, but further investigations are needed.     

Acromegaly is associated with a distinct oral and gut microbiota

Pituitary - Our aim was to investigate the changes in the composition of oral and gut microbiota in patients with newly diagnosed acromegaly and their relationship with IGF-1 levels. Oral and fecal...     

Discrimination between non-functioning pituitary adenomas and hypophysitis using machine learning methods based on magnetic resonance imaging‑derived texture features

Purpose

Hypophysitis is a heterogeneous condition that includes inflammation of the pituitary gland and infundibulum, and it can cause symptoms related to mass effects and hormonal deficiencies. We aimed to evaluate the potential role of machine learning methods in differentiating hypophysitis from non-functioning pituitary adenomas.

Methods

The radiomic parameters obtained from T1A-C images were used. Among the radiomic parameters, parameters capable of distinguishing between hypophysitis and non-functioning pituitary adenomas were selected. In order to avoid the effects of confounding factors and to improve the performance of the classifiers, parameters with high correlation with each other were eliminated. Machine learning algorithms were performed with the combination of gray-level run-length matrix-low gray level run emphasis, gray-level co-occurrence matrix-correlation, and gray-level co-occurrence entropy.

Results

A total of 34 patients were included, 17 of whom had hypophysitis and 17 had non-functioning pituitary adenomas. Among the 38 radiomics parameters obtained from post-contrast T1-weighted images, 10 tissue features that could differentiate the lesions were selected. Machine learning algorithms were performed using three selected parameters; gray level run length matrix-low gray level run emphasis, gray-level co-occurrence matrix-correlation, and gray level co-occurrence entropy. Error matrices were calculated by using the machine learning algorithm and it was seen that support vector machines showed the best performance in distinguishing the two lesion types.

Conclusions

Our analysis reported that support vector machines showed the best performance in distinguishing hypophysitis from non-functioning pituitary adenomas, emphasizing the importance of machine learning in differentiating the two lesions.

     

Delayed diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis: total abdominal aorta occlusion treated with axillo-bifemoral bypass

Takayasu's arteritis is an inflammatory vasculitis that primarily affects the aorta and its major brances. Delayed diagnosis is common, and is largely attributed to the variable and nonspecific presentation of the initial symptoms. Involvement of the obdominal aorta causes severe claudication of the lower extremities, and bypass surgery is required in some cases. We describe a case in which diagnosis was delayed. Total occlusion of the obdominal aorta was successfully treated with axillobifemoral bypass.     

Factors affecting symptoms and functionality of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a retrospective study

[Purpose] The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the associations between clinical, physical, and neurophysiological outcomes and self-reported symptoms and functions of patients after surgical carpal tunnel release. [Subjects and Methods] Among 261 patients who had undergone open surgical carpal tunnel release within the last three years, 83 (mean age 50.27 ± 11.13 years) participated in this study. Their socio-demographics and comorbidities were recorded. The intensity of pain, paresthesia, and fatigue symptoms in the hand were assessed by means of a Visual Analogue Scale, the Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments test of light touch pressure sensation, and Jamar dynamometry for measurement of grip and pinch strengths. The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire evaluated the severity of symptoms and hand functional status, and the variables were analyzed by multivariate linear regression. [Results] The severity of the symptoms and functional status of release surgery patients was associated with diabetes mellitus, migraine, night pain, paresthesia and fatigue symptoms, impaired light touch pressure, and lack of medical treatment. [Conclusion] Appropriate post-surgery treatment programs for these factors should be taken into consideration to help patients obtain optimal functionality and health in their daily lives.Key words: Carpal tunnel syndrome, Patient outcome assessment, Surgical therapy