Effect of high aluminum concentration in water resources on human health, case study: Biga Peninsula, northwest part of Turkey

Widespread and intense zones of silicified, propylitic, and argillic alteration exist as outcrop around the Biga Peninsula, NW Turkey. Most of the springs in the study area surface out from these altered volcanic rocks. The concentrations of aluminum (Al) in these springs ranged from 13.17 to 15.70 ppm in this region. These high levels of Al were found to exceed the maximum allowable limits (0.2 ppm) depicted in national and international standards of drinking water quality. Therefore, the effect of high Al in water resources on human health was evaluated in this research. A total of 273 people aged above 18 years and living in the Kirazli region (whose water supply is from springs emerging from these alteration zones) and in the Ciplak-Halileli region (whose water supply is provided from an alluvium aquifer) were selected as the research group. For this group, a questionnaire was completed that contained questions on descriptive characteristics of humans and a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered by the authors using the face-to-face interview technique. A neurological examination was then performed by the neurology specialist as a second-stage investigation. Finally, 10 ml of venous blood samples were obtained from these people as a third-stage analysis to determine the serum Al levels together with vitamin B12, folic acid, and thyroid-stimulating hormone parameters. The result typically revealed that the MMSE score was less in 31.9% and there was no statistically significant difference between the two regions. However, the result also showed that neuropathy in the history (including a careful past medical history) was significantly higher in the Kirazli region. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.TÜBA; TÜBİTA

A Case of Oxcarbazepine-Induced Severe Hyponatremia

Oxcarbazepine is a keto-analogue of carbamazepine. Hyponatremia seen in the patients treated with oxcarbazepine is usually asymptomatic and rarely severe which leads to drug withdrawal. Here we presented a 51-year old female patient with epilepsy under oxcarbazepine and valproate treatment, who presented to our outpatient neurology clinic with vertigo, nausea and vomitting after the usage of her antiepileptic drugs. Routine biochemistry evluations revealed a decresed serum sodium level with increased urine sodium and osmolarity levels. Renal ultrasonography was normal. The patient was pre-diagnosed as inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion syndrome. Three days after the oxcarbazepine withdrawal, serum and urine sodium levels were found to be normal

Evaluation of clinical features and the factors related to nutrition in home care patients with pressure ulcer

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with pressure ulcers who received home health care in Kutahya city and to investigate the relationship between the factors related to nutrition and pressure ulcer grades. Methods: This study is designed as a retrospective and cross-sectional. The files of 500 patients who were registered at home health services unit of Kutahya Health Sciences University Training and Research Hospital between December 2016 and May 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. Of these, sixty-three patients with pressure ulcers were included in the study. Results: In this study, 26 (41.3%) were male and 37 (58.7%) were female. The mean age of the patients with pressure ulcers was 74.41 ± 12.30 (years). 36 patients (57.1%) had cerebrovascular disease, 5 patients (7.9%) had dementia, 9 patients (14.3%) had malignancy, 8 patients (12.7%) had osteoarthritis, 4 patients 6.3%) had peripheral vascular disease, and 1 patient (1.6%) had previous traffic accident. The majority (62.1%) were neurological disease-sequenced and nursing-care group. When all the patients were examined, the region with the most pressure was the sacrum (35.3%). Hemoglobin level was found to be related to pressure ulcer grade (One-way ANOVA, p = 0.019). There was no significant relationship between other nutrition-related parameters and pressure ulcer stage. Conclusion: Patients with cerebrovascular disease constitute a significant proportion of patients receiving home care services. Low hemoglobin increases the severity of the pressure ulcer. Therefore, determining risk factors that contribute to pressure ulcer formation and efforts to prevent them should be the primary target of the home health care unit

A Case of Psychogenic Movement Disorders: Dark Side of Neurology and Neuropsychiatry

WOS: 000309102600015Our aim was to describe a patient with psychogenic movement disorder (PMD) who presented with tremor dominant involuntary movements, as well as to emphasize the clinical features important for establishing a correct diagnosis. A 48-year-old man presented to our outpatient neurology clinic with gait and speech disturbance. He had jerky, tremor-like involuntary movements occurring during gait, voluntary movements and/or at rest. The involuntary movements of the patient, who benefited from risperidone treatment and supportive interviews, substantially disappeared. Since PMDs are complex disorders, a multidisciplinary approach with cooperation of neurologistand psychiatrist is needed for proper diagnoses and treatment. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2012; 49: 235-237

Bir psikojenik hareket bozukluğu olgusu: Nöroloji ve nöropsikiyatrinin karanlık yüzü

Bu yazıda, baskın tremor kliniği ile karşımıza çıkan bir psikojenik hareket bozukluğu (PHB) olgusunun tartışılması ve doğru tanı koymamıza yardımcı olacak klinik ipuçlarının vurgulanması amaçlanmıştır. Kırk sekiz yaşında erkek hasta yürüyüş ve konuşma bozukluğu ile nöroloji polikliniğimize başvurdu. Yürüyüş, istemli hareket ve dinlenme sırasında ortaya çıkabilen sıçrayıcı, tremor benzeri istemsiz hareketleri mevcuttu. İzlem sürecinde hastada yapay bozukluk tanısı düşünüldü ve PHB olarak değerlendirildi. Risperidon tedavisi ve destekleyici görüşmelerden anlamlı yarar gören hastanın istemsiz hareketlerinin kaybolduğu görüldü. PHB kompleks bir bozukluktur. Doğru tanı koyarak uygun tedaviyi belirlemek için nöroloji ve psikiyatri uzmanlarının sıkı işbirliği ile birlikte, multidisipliner bir yaklaşım ve sık izlem gereklidir.Our aim was to describe a patient with psychogenic movement disorder (PMD) who presented with tremor dominant involuntary movements, as well as to emphasize the clinical features important for establishing a correct diagnosis. A 48-year-old man presented to our outpatient neurology clinic with gait and speech disturbance. He had jerky, tremor-like involuntary movements occurring during gait, voluntary movements and/or at rest. The involuntary movements of the patient, who benefited from risperidone treatment and supportive interviews, substantially disappeared. Since PMDs are complex disorders, a multidisciplinary approach with cooperation of neurologistand psychiatrist is needed for proper diagnoses and treatment

THE PREVALANCE OF EPILEPSY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS IN CANAKKALE, TURKEY

WOS: 000354229700003PubMed: 26058237The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of epilepsy among students of the Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. This cross sectional epidemiological study was performed on 4762 of 19,988 Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University students in the academic year 2007-2008. Participants that answered "epilepsy" to the question "Do you have any disease diagnosed by a doctor?" in a questionnaire including 4 subgroups were identified. Data were transferred to the Epi-Info Version 6.0 statistics program and controlled data were analyzed in the SPSS 15.0 statistics program. There were 53.1% of female and 46.9% of male students, mean age 20.4 +/- 2.1 (range 17-43) years. Twelve (0.25%) students had epilepsy diagnosis, eight (66.7%) female and four (33.3%) male, mean age 20.8 +/- 1.8 years. In our study, epilepsy was detected in 0.25% of students (n=12). Age specific prevalence studies related to epilepsy epidemiology are extremely rare, especially in university students with average intelligence. Thus, we considered that it would be epidemiologically significant to share the results of our cross sectional study with all those involved in epilepsy epidemiology and management

Tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 10 and interleukin 6 gene polymorphisms of ischemic stroke patients in south Marmara region of Turkey

WOS: 000367814200184PubMed: 26722564Background: Stroke is an important cause of adult mortality and morbidity; however its pathogenesis is still unknown. Several studies have examined to determine the role of genetic polymorphism of proinflammatory cytokines in the occurence of stroke. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between three polymorphisms; including tumour necrosis alpha (TNF alpha)-238 GA, interleukin(IL-10)-1028 GA (rs1800896), IL-6-(rs1800795) and ischemic stroke in a Turkish population. Methods: Forty two stroke patients and 48 healhty controls were genotyped using PCR analysis for TNF alpha-238 G/A, IL-10-1028 GA and IL-6-rs1800795 AG polymorphisms. Results: The frequency of the CC and CG, GG genotype of IL-6 gene (rs1800795) were statiscially significiantly higher in IS patients than controls (for C/C genotype, P=0.03, OR=4.3; 95% CI: 1.13 to 16.29 and for C/G genotype, P=0.04, OR=3.6; 95% CI: 1.03 to 12.95, for G/G genotype, P=0.02, OR=0.25; 95% CI: 0.07-0.85 respectively). Conclusion: IL-6 CC genotyped was found strongly associated with ischemic stroke than other two polymorpisms TNF-alpha and IL-10 in our population

PERCEPTION OF EPILEPSY IN TURKEY IN THE LIGHT OF TWO DIFFERENT CITIES

WOS: 000321025400009PubMed: 23837274The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of epilepsy in Turkey, from west to east, in Kutahya and Yuksekova, two cities of different sociocultural and ethnic status. This was a retrospective comparison study which evaluated the results of two prior studies investigating stigmatization of patients diagnosed with epilepsy and their first-degree relatives in two different cities of Turkey, Kutahya and Yuksekova. The Survey of Epileptic Patient Relatives on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding the Disorder was used and included questions on descriptive characteristics, familiarity with epilepsy, attitudes toward epilepsy, and understanding of epilepsy. Data collected by use of the SPSS 15.0 software were analyzed with chi(2)-test. In Yuksekova group, 88.5% of first-degree relatives of people with epilepsy felt primarily fear when they heard the diagnosis of epilepsy in their relatives; in Kutahya group, the respective rate was 19.1% (p<0.05). The number of participants who objected their child marrying someone with epilepsy was significantly higher in Yuksekova group (p<0.05); however, if married, the Yuksekova group significantly stated that they should have a baby, revealing the importance of children as an indicator of power and dignity in the eastern region of Turkey (p<0.05). Although understanding of epilepsy was favorable, educating the community about epilepsy and personal contacts are the major strategies against epileptic stigmatization