PLASMA LEPTIN STATUS AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIFFERENT MEDICAL TREATMENTS USED IN ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

Karkucak, Murat/0000-0002-4348-8398WOS: 000323802900022Objective: To determine plasma leptin level in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and its correlation with disease activity measurements. To examine the effects of different treatment modalities on leptin levels. Material and Method: One hundred eight patients diagnosed with AS according to New York Criteria and 65 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was used for disease activity Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, acute phase reactants, plasma leptin levels, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were investigated. Results: Plasma leptin levels in AS patients were statistically significantly lower compared with those in the healthy control group (p=0.003). There was no significant difference among sub-groups established on the basis of medical treatments and disease activity. No statistically significant correlation was determined between leptin level and disease activity parameters, radiological score and functional indices (p>0.05). Conclusion: Plasma leptin was lower in AS patients compared with the control group. This is not correlated with disease activation and medical treatment utilized

Ultrasonographic evaluation of femoral cartilage thickness in patients with psoriatic arthritis

CONCLUSION: Femoral cartilage thickness is similar between PsA patients and healthy controls. The femoral cartilage thickness in PsA patients is associated with disease activity, functional inadequacy, and enthesopathy scores

The relationship between serum YKL-40 levels and arterial stiffness in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

WOS: 000405771400010PubMed: 27680106Objective: Serum YKL-40 plays roles in inflammatory and vascular processes. Our aim was to evaluate serum YKL-40 levels in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to investigate their potential relationship with arterial stiffness based on carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV). Methods: Forty-three patients with AS and 41 healthy controls with no history or current signs of cardiovascular disease were included in the study. All patients were administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and none were prescribed anti-tumor necrosis factor agents. Serum YKL-40 levels were measured. CF-PWV and intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (IMT-C) were evaluated. Results: the mean age of AS patients was 34.6 +/- 10.2 years and of controls was36.3 +/- 9.0 years. CF-PWV was significantly higher in AS patients than in controls (8.2 +/- 2.7 vs. 7.0 +/- 1.6 m/s, respectively; P=0.015). However, the IMT-C was not significantly different between AS patients and controls (0.6 +/- 0.3 vs. 0.5 +/- 0.2 mm, P=0.501). YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in AS patients than in controls (78.9 +/- 37.9 vs. 58.4 +/- 21.2 ng/mL, P=0.003) and were strongly correlated with CF-PWV (r=0.773, P<0.001) and IMT-C (r=0.548, P<0.001). A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that CF-PWV could be explained by serum YKL-40 levels and IMT-C (adjusted R-2 = 0.707, P=0.013 and P=0.001, respectively). AS patients with a higher disease activity score had higher YKL-40 levels, IMT-C, and CF-PWV than did those with a lower disease activity score (P<0.001, P=0.008, and P<0.001, respectively) Conclusion: AS patients had higher serum YKL-40 levels, CF-PWV, and IMT-C than did healthy controls. Additionally, there was an association between increased CF-PWV and serum YKL-40 levels. Therefore, we conclude that CF-PWV and YKL-40 levels may be used for early diagnosis of atherosclerosis in AS patients

Gender specific differences in patients with psoriatic arthritis

Objectives: To assess gender related differences in a cohort of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).Methods: Consecutively recruited patients were included and underwent clinical, radiological and laboratory evaluation by using standardized protocol and case report forms.Results: Women (n=115) with PsA had higher symptom duration and body mass index (BMI), tender and swollen joint counts, disease activity score-28 joints (DAS28), Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and poorer physical activity and fatigue than men (n=72) with PsA. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) were higher in male patients. However quality of life (SF36 physical and mental component scores), articular pattern, extra-articular features (including uveitis, iritis) and family history for psoriasis, spondyloarthritis (SpA) (PsA and ankylosing spondylitis [AS]) were quite similar between men and women.Conclusions: Some of the clinical and laboratory variables tend to be different between men and women with PsA. The extent of quality of life and articular pattern seem to be similar in both genders. Men with PsA are more likely to have higher PASI scores and longer duration to develop arthritis after the onset of psoriasis, while women are more likely to have higher disease activity and report more fatigue and physical activity limitations

Turkish Compliance and Adaptation of EULAR 2013 Recommendations for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Synthetic and Biological Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs: Expert Opinion of TLAR

Conclusion: Expert opinion of Turkish League Against Rheumatism for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients was formed for practices in Turkish clinics

Effects of Speech Output on Maintenance of Requesting and Frequency of Vocalizations in Three Children with Developmental Disabilities

Item does not contain fulltextWe evaluated the role of digitized speech output on the maintenance of requesting and frequency of vocalizations in three children with developmental disabilities. The children were taught to request access to preferred objects using an augmentative communication speech-generating device (SGD). Following acquisition, rates of requesting and vocalizations were compared across two conditions (speech output on versus speech output off) that were alternated on a session-by-session basis. There were no major or consistent differences across the two conditions for the three children, suggesting that access to preferred objects was the critical variable maintaining use of the SGDs. The results also suggest that feedback in the form of digitized speech from the SGD did not inhibit vocalizations. One child began to speak single words during the latter part of the study, suggesting that in some cases AAC intervention involving SGDs may facilitate speech

Turkish Compliance and Adaptation of EULAR 2013 Recommendations for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Synthetic and Biological Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs: Expert Opinion of TLAR

WOS:000366027100001Objectives: This study aims to report Turkish League Against Rheumatisms assessment on the compliance of European League Against Rheumatism 2013 treatment recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis with practices in Turkish rheumatology clinics and adaptations for Turkey. Patients and methods: Members of Turkish League Against Rheumatism and one rheumatoid arthritis patient voted for the 2013 recommendations of the European League Against Rheumatism for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in two sessions. An item was changed and voted again only if at least 70% of participants wanted a change. Strength of recommendations was calculated for the items. Strength of recommendations for the changed items in the first and second voting rounds was compared by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. In case of significant difference, the item with higher strength of recommendation was accepted. In case of no difference, the changed item was selected. Results: Three overarching principles and fourteen recommendations were assessed among which the three overarching principles were changed emphasizing the importance of physiatrists as well as rheumatologists for taking care of the patients. Third item was changed by adding composite indices for assessing disease activity. In the ninth recommendation, rituximab was suggested as a first line drug independent of situations like latent tuberculosis or lymphoma, etc. In the 11th recommendation, unlike European League Against Rheumatism, our committee did not suggest any thought about tofacitinib, as then it had not been approved in Turkey. Remaining principles were accepted as the same. Conclusion: Expert opinion of Turkish League Against Rheumatism for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients was formed for practices in Turkish clinics. Conflict of Interest The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article. Financial Disclosure The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article