Evaluation of Visual Evoked Potentials in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and Comparison With Radiological Findings

Amaç: Nörofibramotozis Tip 1 (NF tip 1)’li çocukların desen görsel uyarılmış (pattern visual evoked potentials; P-VEP) potansiyellerini değerlendirmek ve P-VEP sonuçlarının, optik gliom ve NF Tip 1 ilişkili bilinmeyen parlak objeler (unidentified brigtht objects; UBO) ile korelasyonunu irdelemek amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: 2017-2020 yılları arasında XXXXXXXXXXXXX Çocuk Nöroloji Polikliniği’nde NF Tip 1 tanısı ile takip edilen, yaş ortalaması 9,61±3,7 yaş olan, 16 (%57)’sı erkek, 28 çocuk hastanın P-VEP P 100 latans değerleri, yaş ve cinsiyeti benzer 28 sağlıklı çocuktan oluşan kontrol grubunun P100 latansları ile karşılaştırıldı. Sonuç: Hastaların %82’sinde beyin magnetik resonans görüntülemede UBO, %21’inde optik gliom saptandı. Hasta grubunda P100 latansları kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı olarak daha uzun idi (p=0.013, p=0.043). Optik gliomu olan hastaların P100 latanslarının, optik gliomun anotomik lokalizasyonu ile uyumlu şekilde, optik gliomu olmayan hastalara göre anlamlı olarak daha uzun olduğu görüldü (p=0.042, p=0.025). Sonuç: Bu çalışma ile P-VEP testinin NF Tip 1’li çocuklarda görme yollarının fonksiyonel değerlendirmesinde kullanılabilecek objektif bir elektrofizyolojik test olduğu gösterilmiştir. NF Tip 1’li çocukların klinik takibinde P-VEP testinin kullanılmasının özellikle optik gliomların erken dönem tespitinde yararlı olabileceğini düşünmekteyiz

Evaluation of the effects of modified bonded rapid maxillary expansion on occlusal force distribution: A pilot study.

To evaluate the effects of modified bonded rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on occlusal force distribution

Oxidative Stress in Migraine with and Without Aura

Migraine is the most common neurological disorder, but the molecular basis is still not completely understood. An impairment of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism might play a role in the pathophysiology. The goal of this study was to investigate the differences in oxidative stress status with the measurement of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the migraine patients with or without aura and attack. There were 56 patients (46 female, 10 male) in the migraine group and 25 matched healthy subjects in the control group. The patients comprised 37 with migraine without aura (MWoA], 19 with migraine with aura (MWA), and 22 with headache attack. The MDA levels of patients in the migraine group were significantly higher than that in the control group. The SOD activity was significantly higher in the MWA as compared to MWoA. There was no significant correlation between these levels and headache attack period. Conclusively, in this preliminary study, we had found increased oxidative stress in the migraine patients especially the patients with MWA. Further knowledge about this issue may contribute the cause and complications of migraine and may be essential for development of treatment approaches

Investigation of the H reflexes, F waves and sympathetic skin response with electromyography (EMG) in patients with stroke and the determination of the relationship with functional capacity

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between sympathetic skin responses (SSR), electrodiagnostic reflex activities (F wave, H reflex), and functional capacity in post-stroke patients. The study comprised 40 hemiplegia patients (mean age 57.8 +/- 10.9 years) and 40 healthy volunteers (mean age 557 +/- 85 years). In electrophysiological studies, SSR, F wave and H reflex were evaluated and for the functional capacities of patients, FIM scores and Brunnstrom stages were calculated. There was no statistical significant difference between SSR latency and amplitude in the hemiplegic and non-hemiplegic extremities of patients (p > 0.05). SSR latency values of patients were higher than those of controls (p < 0.05). Amplitude values of paretic arms were significantly lower than the control group extremities (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between SSR amplitude values and FIM scores. A significant increase in H (max)/M (max) amplitude rate was detected in the affected side (p < 0.05) and F-wave mean latency values of the affected side were found to be significantly lower in the control group (p < 0.05)

Sleep deprivation in the last trimester of pregnancy and inadequate vitamin D: Is there a relationship?

Background: Disturbed sleep is a significant health issue for pregnant women. Inadequate vitamin D intake is common among pregnant women and can affect many bodily systems. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to test the hypothesis that serum vitamin D levels are low in pregnant women who have poor sleep quality in their last trimester. Methods: We enrolled 92 pregnant women who were admitted to the Maternity Clinic of Turgut Ozal University (Ankara, Turkey) in their last trimester. Venous blood sampling was performed to determine serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire. The Student t test and Chi-square test were used to evaluate the relationships between variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of the vitamin D level. Results: The median score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire was 6.2 ± 3.3 (range, 1–17). We determined that 43.5% (40) of participants had poor sleep quality. The mean number of sleep hours at night was 8.6 ± 1 hours (range, 6.30–11 hours), and the mean sleep latency was 20.3 ± 12.7 minutes (range, 5–60 minutes). Vitamin D levels were measured for 87 participants; the median serum level of 25 (OH) vitamin D was 22.9 ± 16.2 ng/mL (range, 4.9–99 ng/mL). Among all patients, we did not determine any significance between the vitamin D-deficient group and the non–vitamin D-deficient group with regard to the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire Inventory (PSQI) total score and subcomponents scores of the questionnaire (p > 0.05). Among 37 patients with poor sleep quality and for whom the vitamin D level was measured, 56.8% (21) women had vitamin D deficiency, and 81% (30) women had vitamin D insufficiency. However, we did not find any significance between participants with poor sleep and participants with good sleep quality with regard to age, occupational status, relationship with her partner, prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain during pregnancy, being primiparus, length of labor, and mode of delivery. Our findings further showed that being in a low income family was associated with poor sleep quality. Conclusion: Inadequate vitamin D and poor sleep quality are prevalent in pregnant women, but low levels of vitamin D are not associated with poor sleep quality. Further studies with larger sample sizes and studies that include preterm deliveries and special sleep disorders should be performed to understand this issue better

The Effect of Water-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Anxiety and Quality of Life in Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease Patients

Objective: To investigate the effects of water-based pulmonary rehabilitation program on pulmonary functions, exercise capacity, anxiety and depression level and quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Material and Methods: Fifty moderate or severe COPD patients without respiratory failure were included. They were randomized either to water-based exercise (WE) group (n= 25) or to control group (n= 25). Spirometry and 6-minute walk test (6-MWT) were performed. QoL was assessed by the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQ). Level of anxiety and depression was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale. WE group received 4-week water-based pulmonary rehabilitation program including shoulder girdle and upper extremity strengthening exercises for 35 minutes, three times a week (totally 12 sessions) in addition to medical therapy. Control group received only medical therapy. All the assessments were repeated one month after intervention in both groups. Results: The mean ages of the patients in WE and control groups were statistically not different (respectively 60.9 +/- 8.8, 64.1 +/- 8.9, p= 0.207). All the patients in both groups were males. No significant improvements in pulmonary functions and 6-MWT distance were observed at one month compared to baseline in both groups. We observed statistically significant decrease in anxiety scores and significant increases in dyspnoea, emotional function and patients' feeling of control over the disease scores of CRDQ at one month compared to baseline in WE group. In control group, no significant differences in anxiety and CRDQ scores were observed at one month compared to baseline. Conclusion: Pulmonary rehabilitation is known to be cost-effective in patients with COPD. Water-based exercises are effective in improving QoL and anxiety level in COPD patients, thus it can be supposed as an alternative to land based pulmonary rehabilitation programs

Clinicopathological profile of gastrointestinal tuberculosis: a multinational ID-IRI study

Duzenli, Tolga/0000-0002-6279-1018; Dauby, Nicolas/0000-0002-7697-6849; balkan, ilker inanc/0000-0002-8977-5931; Cascio, Antonio/0000-0002-1992-1796; Tanoglu, Alpaslan/0000-0002-7477-6640WOS: 000498049600005PubMed: 31758440Data are relatively scarce on gastro-intestinal tuberculosis (GITB). Most studies are old and from single centers, or did not include immunosuppressed patients. Thus, we aimed to determine the clinical, radiological, and laboratory profiles of GITB. We included adults with proven GITB treated between 2000 and 2018. Patients were enrolled from 21 referral centers in 8 countries (Belgium, Egypt, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, UK, and Turkey). One hundred four patients were included. Terminal ileum (n = 46, 44.2%), small intestines except terminal ileum (n = 36, 34.6%), colon (n = 29, 27.8%), stomach (n = 6, 5.7%), and perianal (one patient) were the sites of GITB. One-third of all patients were immunosuppressed. Sixteen patients had diabetes, 8 had chronic renal failure, 5 were HIV positive, 4 had liver cirrhosis, and 3 had malignancies. Intestinal biopsy samples were cultured in 75 cases (78.1%) and TB was isolated in 65 patients (86.6%). PCR were performed to 37 (35.6%) biopsy samples and of these, 35 (94.6%) were positive. Ascites samples were cultured in 19 patients and M. tuberculosis was isolated in 11 (57.9%). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed to 40 patients (38.5%) and colonoscopy in 74 (71.1%). Surgical interventions were frequently the source of diagnostic samples (25 laparoscopy/20 laparotomy, n = 45, 43.3%). Patients were treated with standard and second-line anti-TB medications. Ultimately, 4 (3.8%) patients died and 2 (1.9%) cases relapsed. There was a high incidence of underlying immunosuppression in GITB patients. A high degree of clinical suspicion is necessary to initiate appropriate and timely diagnostic procedures; many patients are first diagnosed at surgery

Magnetic Resonance Imaging versus Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy in the Differential Diagnosis of Neoplastic Parotid Gland Lesions

WOS: 000493732700008Objective: This research aims to compare fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in differentiating between neoplasms found within the parotic gland. Methods: Using a retrospective methodology, records were reviewed from 74 cases who had surgery for a parotid neoplastic lesion between January 2013 and November 2018. 41 cases were men and 33 women, with a mean age of 51.3 +/- 12.8 years. In each instance, comparison was made between the eventual histopathological diagnosis and the results of evaluation by FNAB or MRI prior to surgery. The comparison looked at how the two methods influenced surgical choice, their ability to distinguish between malignant and benign lesions and power to predict histopathological subtype. Results: 57 cases (out of 74) represented benign lesions (77%), whilst 17 were malignant (23%). Superficial parotidectomy was carried out on 54, and total parotidectomy on 20 individuals. FNAB had a sensitivity in the detection of malignancy of 73.3% with a specificity of 100%. The accuracy was 93.4%. MRI, on the other hand, had a sensitivity in the detection of malignancy of 81.2% with a specificity of 90.5%. The accuracy was 88.4%. Amongst benign lesions found, the most frequently occurring were pleomorphic adenome and Warthin's tumour. MRI could accurately identify the histopathological type in 90% of such cases, whilst FNAB identified 89.1%. Conclusion: In distinguishing between benign and malignant neoplastic lesions of the parotid gland, FNAB and MRI have similar abilities. Although MRI is unable to adequately predict the histopathological subtype in malignant lesions, unlike FNAB, its role in surgical planning and tumour staging remains highly significant