Monocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio predicts the mortality in ischemic stroke patients

Objective The inflammatory process is a very important stage in the development and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio (MHR) is accepted as a novel marker for demonstrating inflammation. However, the role of MHR as a predictor of mortality in patients with AIS remains unclear. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 466 patients who were referred to our clinic within the first 24hours of symptom presentation and who were diagnosed with AIS between January 2008 and June 2016. Four hundred and eight controls of similar age and gender were also included. The patient group was classified into two groups according to 30-day mortality. The groups were compared in terms of monocyte counts, HDL, and MHR values. Results The patient group had significantly higher monocyte counts and lower HDL levels; therefore, this group had higher values of MHR compared to controls. Additionally, the monocyte count and MHR value were higher, and the HDL level was lower in non-surviving patients (p<0.001). The MHR value was also observed as a significant independent variable of 30-day mortality in patients with AIS (p<0.001). The optimum cut-off value of MHR in predicting the 30-day mortality for patients with AIS was 17.52 (95% CI 0.95–0.98). Conclusion Our study demonstrated that a high MHR value is an independent predictor of 30-day mortality in patients with AIS

Sneddon's syndrome: clinical and laboratory analysis of 10 cases.

Sneddon's syndrome is characterized by livedo reticularis and cerebrovascular lesions. We report the cases of women (mean age, 36.2 +/- 8.1 years) diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome based on the presence of livedo reticularis and characteristic cerebrovascular findings. Seven of these patients had cerebral infarcts on cranial computed tomography scan. Antiphospholipid antibodies were positive in 6 of these cases. Three cases had abnormal levels of antithrombin III. Analyses of chromosome 6 revealed no abnormalities. In 3 of the cases, investigation of the pedigrees revealed autosomal dominant traits. Two cases had epilepsy, and 3 had migraine. One case with migraine also had myasthenia gravis. In addition, we detected inferior altudinal hemianopia in 2 cases, cognitive functional disorder in 3 and depression in 2. Based on these findings, the entire vascular, haematologic, neurologic, and dermatologic systems should be evaluated in patients diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome.</p

Factors affecting the psychosocial adjustment of people with epilepsy

Purpose: Epilepsy has a profound impact on patients' psychosocial adjusment. The level of, and factors affecting the psychosocial adjusment in patients with epilepsy may be different in Turkey where little is known about factors relating to psychosocial adjusment. However, these issues have not yet been addressed properly yet. This study examined the level of, and factors affecting the psychosocial adjustment in patients with epilepsy within a Turkish cultural contex

Bruksizmli bireylerin ağrılı masseter kaslarının farklı fonksiyonlardaki aktivitelerinin elektromyografi (emg) ile değerlendirilmesi

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose:&lt;/strong&gt; In the present work we aimed to investigate how Bruxism caused masseter muscle pains when patients chewed hard substances such as hazelnut and how this pain affected their&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;maximum clenching functions by using electromyografic (EMG) techniques.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Material and Methods:&lt;/strong&gt; Two groups of individuals, with and without Bruxism, were investigated. All the individuals were allowed to use their right side of jaw . Pain in masseter muscles of the Bruxism patients was measured according to visual analog scala (VAS). The groups were instructed to perform two types of functions, chewing a hazelnut, 3 gr, and clenching for 15 s. While these exercises performed, activities occured in the right masseter muscles were determined by superior electromyography (EMG).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; Our results indicated that both right and left masseter muscles of patients with Bruksizm showed much lessened clenching and hazelnut chewing activities than those of the control groups. The difference in the muscular activity was found to be statistically significant.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/strong&gt; Further work however appears to be necessary to substantiate that the pain per se impairs the chewing functions of Bruxism patients.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;ÖZET&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Amaç: Bruksizmli olguların masseter kaslarındaki ağrının, fındık  iğneme ve maksimal sıkma fonksiyonlarında kas aktivitelerini nasıl etkilediğini elektromyografik (EMG) teknikle araştırmayı amaçladık.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Materyal ve Yöntem:&lt;/strong&gt; Araştırmamıza bruksizmli ve normal bireyler dahil edildi. Denek gruplarımızın hepsinin çiğneme sırasında aynı tarafı (sağ) kullanmasına dikkat edildi. Bruksizimli olguların sağ masseter kaslarındaki ağrı VAS (visual analog skala) ile belirlendi. Daha sonra bireylere yapacağı fonksiyonlar (3 gr fındık çiğneme ve 15 sn maksimal sıkma) anlatıldı. Bu fonksiyonlar esnasında bireylerin sağ masseter kaslarında oluşan aktiviteler yüzeyel elektromyografi (EMG) ile belirlendi.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bulgular:&lt;/strong&gt; Sonuç olarak bruksizmli olgularda gerek fındık çiğneme gerekse de maksimal sıkma fonksiyonlarında sağ ve sol masseter kaslarında normal bireylere göre daha düşük aktivite tespit edildi ve bu fark istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı bulundu.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sonuç:&lt;/strong&gt; Çalışmamızda bruksizmli olgularda, gerek çiğneme gerekse de gönüllü maksimal sıkma fonksiyonlarında, masseter kaslarında normal bireylere göre daha az aktivite gözlememizi, bu bireylerde mevcut kassal ağrının motor nöronların ateşlenme oranlarında ve hızlarında azalmaya neden olmasına bağlayabiliriz. Bruksizmli bireylerde ağrı olgusunun çiğneme kaslarının aktivitelerinde meydana getirdiği değişiklikleri daha iyi anlamamız için daha kapsamlı çalışmaların yapılması gerektiğini ifade edebiliriz.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anahtar Kelimeler:&lt;/strong&gt; Bruksizm, masseter kası, elektromyografi&lt;/p&gt

Botulinum toxin type-A practice in bruxism cases

Bruxism is a parafunctional disease developing diurnal and/or nocturnally. Sleep bruxism has been related to craniomandibular disorders including headaches, temporomandibular joint discomfort and muscles aches, premature loss of teeth due to excessive attrition and mobility. Splint and muscle relaxants are used in the treatment of bruxism. In this study, we have used BTX-A type A (DYSPORT) as a new treatment approach in patients with bruxism. 12 individuals with sleep bruxism (SB) (7 female, 5 male; an average 27 years of age) were treated in this study. An average of 50 U of Dysport has been injected to the painful masseter muscles of individuals included in our study. A decrease has been detected in the existing pain scores in masseter muscles in cases with bruxism. It has also been observed that individuals have left their bruxism habits. As a result, we can conclude that BTX-A type injection would be a useful treatment method in cases with bruxism

Study of quantitative sleeping Electroencephalography (EEG) in bruxism cases

Bruxism is a behavioral disorder characterized by daytime or nighttime tooth grinding. Many etiological factors have been suggested for sleep bruxism. Among these, elevated mental and physical alertness have been proposed to characterize subjects with this disorder