The effect of local corticosteroid injection on F-wave conduction velocity and sympathetic skin response in carpal tunnel syndrome

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of steroid injection for the treatment of the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), with F-wave parameters and sympathetic skin response (SSR). Seventeen hands of 10 women patients were treated with local steroid injection with 2-month follow-up. All patients underwent single injection into the carpal tunnel. Response to injection was measured nerve conduction studies (NCSs), median nerve F waves, and SSR before and after treatment. To determine the normal values, 42 hands of 21 healthy women were also studied. There was a significant improvement of sensory and motor nerve conduction values when compared to baseline values (P < 0.01). At the end of follow-up period, the median sensory distal latency and the sensory latency differences between the median and the ulnar nerve were improved 35 and 65%, respectively. The maximum, mean F-wave amplitudes and chronodispersion showed a slight improvement with respect to baseline values and controls, but statistical significance was not achieved after treatment. Although no statistically significant improvements were observed in SSR parameters, slightly decreased amplitudes and increased habituation of SSR were noted at the end of the treatment. The present study shows that the local steroid injection results in improvement in NCSs values, but the F-wave parameters were not effectual in short-term outcome of CTS treatment. These findings suggest that the sensory latency differences between the median and the ulnar wrist-to-digit 4 are better parameters in the median nerve recovery after treatment than the median sensory distal latency. Furthermore, the SSR does not seem to be a sensitive method in follow-up of CTS treatment

Is there any association between antidepressants and restless legs syndrome in a large Turkish population receiving mono or combined treatment? A cross-sectional comparative study

OBJECTIVE: Here, we aimed at investigating whether the treatment with antidepressants is associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and at determining the effects of mono or combined antidepressant therapy on the patients with RLS. METHODS: Five hundred and fifty-five patients with RLS receiving mono or combined antidepressant therapy were included in the study group, and 555 individuals with no history of the use of antidepressants constituted the control group. The diagnosis of restless leg syndrome was performed using a questionnaire under the criteria formed by the International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group. RESULTS: Both the patients treated with antidepressants in the study group and those in the control group had similar demographic characteristics. The prevalence of RLS was detected as 9.2% (n = 51) in the study group treated with antidepressants and as 5.9% (n = 33) in the controls. The difference was statistically significant at borderline (p = 0.053). While restless leg syndrome was diagnosed merely in 9 (6.8%) of 133 patients receiving combined treatment, 42 (10%) of 422 patients receiving monotherapy were diagnosed with RLS, and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.306). The frequency of developing restless leg syndrome was found to be significant only in the use of escitalopram (p = 0.023), whereas it was found to have a tendency to significant in the use of duloxetine (p = 0.060). Among other participants receiving mono or combined treatment, no significant difference was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of RLS can be seen as an adverse effect in the patients receiving mono or combined antidepressant treatment; however, the frequency of restless leg syndrome among those treated with antidepressants is similar to that seen in general population

The Evaluation Of Quality Of Life Of Relatives Caring For Patients With Parkinson’s Disease

Objective: To evaluate quality of life (QoL) of relatives taking care of patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IDP). Methods: Sixty patients with IPD and 60 patients’ relatives were included into the study, and 50 healthy individuals consisted of the controls. In the study group, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)scores and the Hoehn-Yahr Scale (HYS) stages were determined. Depression levels of the IPD patient’s relatives and the controls were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), while pain and fatigue levels were found via the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and QoL was assessed with shorth form-36 (SF-36). Findings: When the relatives of patients with IPD were compared with the controls, a statistically significance was found between pain, fatigue and depression levels and SF-36 physical and mental component scores. While a positive correlation was observed between patient’s UPDRS scores, and relatives’ BDI, pain and fatigue levels, a negative correlation was found between SF-36 component and SF-36 physical component scores in these groups. Conclusions: Decreasing QoL significantly, IPD is a disorder affecting considerably both patients and their relatives’ lives and not only patients but also their relatives are influenced from the condition on a large scale. As the disease progresses, the influence becomes defined and an increase is seen in clinical findings while a decrease is witnessed in QoL of IPD patients and their relatives

Parkinson Hastalarına Bakım Veren Bireylerde Yaşam Kalitesinin Değerlendirilmesi

Objective: To evaluate quality of life (QoL) of relatives taking care of patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IDP). Methods: Sixty patients with IPD and 60 patients’ relatives were included into the study, and 50 healthy individuals consisted of the controls. In the study group, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)scores and the Hoehn-Yahr Scale (HYS) stages were determined. Depression levels of the IPD patient’s relatives and the controls were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), while pain and fatigue levels were found via the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and QoL was assessed with shorth form-36 (SF-36). Findings: When the relatives of patients with IPD were compared with the controls, a statistically significance was found between pain, fatigue and depression levels and SF-36 physical and mental component scores. While a positive correlation was observed between patient’s UPDRS scores, and relatives’ BDI, pain and fatigue levels, a negative correlation was found between SF-36 component and SF-36 physical component scores in these groups. Conclusions: Decreasing QoL significantly, IPD is a disorder affecting considerably both patients and their relatives’ lives and not only patients but also their relatives are influenced from the condition on a large scale. As the disease progresses, the influence becomes defined and an increase is seen in clinical findings while a decrease is witnessed in QoL of IPD patients and their relatives.Amaç: Parkinson hastalarına bakım veren bireylerde yaşam kalitesinin değerlendirilmesi. Yöntemler: Vaka grubuna 60 idiopatik parkinson hastası ( İPH ) ile 60 bakım veren birey ve kontrol grubuna 50 sağlıklı birey dahil edildi. Hasta grubunda Birleşik Parkinson Hastalığı Derecelendirme Ölçeği (The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale –UPDRS ) skorları ve Hoehn-Yahr evreleri (HYE) belirlendi. İPH‘larına bakım verenlerin ve kontrol grubunun depresyon düzeyleri Beck Depresyon Ölçeği (BDİ) ile, ağrı ve yorgunluk düzeyleri Vizüel Analog Skala (VAS) ile, yaşam kaliteleri shorth form-36 (SF-36) ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: İPH’ na bakım veren grup ile kontrol grubu karşılaştırıldığında; ağrı, yorgunluk, depresyon düzeyleri, SF-36 fiziksel ve mental kompanent skorları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark bulundu. Hasta grubunda UPDRS skorları ile bakım verenlerin BDİ, ağrı ve yorgunluk düzeyleri ile pozitif yönde korelasyon, SF-36 mental kompanent skoru ve SF-36 fiziksel kompanent skoru ile negatif yönde korelasyon tespit edildi. Sonuç: İPH; hasta ve bakım verenlerin hayatını önemli ölçüde etkileyen ve yaşam kalitesini anlamlı düzeyde düşüren bir hastalıktır. Hastalıktan sadece hastalar değil hasta yakınları ve bakım veren bireyler de önemli düzeyde etkilenmektedir. Bu etkilenme hastalığın ilerlemesi, klinik bulguların artışı ile belirginleşmekte ve hem hastalarda hem de bu hastalara bakım veren bireylerde yaşam kalitesini düşürmektedir

Corruption and shadow economy in transition economies of European Union countries: a panel cointegration and causality analysis

Corruption and shadow economy are two critical problems which feed each other and pose an obstacle against the economic development of countries, especially those with weak fundamentals. Central and Eastern European countries have experienced an absolute political and economic transformation after the downfall of the Berlin Wall. This study researches the effect of corruption and rule of law on shadow economy in 11 transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe over the 2003–2015 term with panel cointegration and causality tests considering heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence. The cointegration coefficients revealed a complementary interplay between size of shadow economy and corruption. Furthermore, the causality analysis indicated that there was a bilateral causality between control of corruption and shadow economy in all the cross-section units. However, there was a two-way causality between rule of law and shadow economy only in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland and Romania. Furthermore, there was one-way causality from rule of law to shadow economy in Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. © 2018, © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

The Assessment of Sexual Dysfunction in Male Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Amaç: Erkek cinselliği üzerine multiple skleroz (MS)’un etkileriniaraştırmak.Yöntem: Vaka grubuna 61 MS’li erkek hasta, kontrol grubuna 60sağlıklı erkek birey dahil edildi. MS’li hastaların fonksiyonel durumlarıGenişletilmiş Özürlülük Durum Skalası (Expanded Disability StatusScala –EDSS), depresyon düzeyleri Beck Depresyon Ölçeği (BDİ), ağrıdüzeyleri Vizüel Analog Skala (VAS), cinsel işlevleri International Indexof Erectile Function (IIEF) ve yaşam kaliteleri short form-36 (SF-36) iledeğerlendirildi.Bulgular: MS’li hastalar EDSS 5,5 olan 45 hasta ve EDSS 5,5 olan 19hasta şeklinde sınıflandırıldı. MS’li hastalarda ortalama VAS ve BDİskorları kontrol grubuna göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksekidi (p0,05). MS’li hastalarda ortalama IIEF skorları ve SF-36 tüm altgrup skorları kontrol grubuna göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecededüşük idi (p0,05). MS’li hasta grubunda EDSS ortalaması 2,752,42idi. MS’li erkek hastalarda IIEF skorları ile SF-36 mental ve fizikselkomponent ortalamaları arasında pozitif yönde korelasyon mevcut ikenIIEF skorları ile yaş, hastalık süresi, atak sayısı, evlilik yılı, EDSS, VAS veBDI skorları arasında negatif yönde korelasyon mevcut idi (p0,00). BDI17 depresyon lehine değerlendirildiğinde MS’li hastaların %62,5’unda,kontrol grubunun %11,7’inde depresyon saptandı (p0,001).Sonuç: MS’li erkek hastalarda cinsel fonksiyonlar olumsuz yöndeetkilenmektedir. MS’li erkek hastalarda cinsel fonksiyonlar; artmışözürlülük (EDSS), ağrı ve eşlik eden depresyon düzeyi ile ilişkiligörünmektedir. Bu nedenle, MS’li erkek hastalar takipleri sırasındaözürlülük yanında cinsel işlev bakımından da değerlendirilmelidir.Introduction: To investigate the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) onmale sexuality.Methods: While 61 men with MS were included into the study group, 60healthy men constituted the control group in the study. In MS patients,such parameters as functional status and depression levels were assessedwith the Expanded Disability Status Scala (EDSS) and the Beck DepressionScale (BDS), other parameters such as pain levels, sexual function andquality of life (QoL) were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scala (VAS),the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and the short form-36(SF-36), respectively.Results: Patients with MS were classified as 45 with EDSS 5.5 and 19with EDSS 5.5. Mean VAS and BDI scores patients with MS were foundstatistically significantly higher, compared with those of the controls(p0.05). Mean IIEF and all sub-group scores of SF-36 of patients withMS were found to be statistically significantly lower, compared withthose of the control group (p0.05). Mean EDSS in patients with MS was2.752.42. While there was a positive correlation between IIEF scores ofpatients with MS, and mean mental and physical components of SF-36,a negative correlation was found between IIEF scores in MS patients, andage, disease duration, number of attacks, number of marital years andscores of EDSS, VAS and BDI (p0.00). When BDI 17 was accepted asthe threshold for depression, the depression was detected in 62.5% ofpatients with MS and 11.7% of the controls (p0.001).Conclusion: Sexual functions are affected negatively in male patientswith MS and seem to be associated with increased disability, pain andaccompanying depression. Therefore, male patients with MS should alsobe evaluated with regard to sexual function, as well as disability duringtheir follow-ups