The effect of long-term systemic immunosuppressive drug use on druse formation: a new perspective to age-related macular degeneration

Background/aim: To evaluate the effect of the long-term use of systemic immunosuppressive drugs on druse formation in patients aged over 50 years. Materials and methods: The current retrospective cohort study includes 420 eyes of 420 patients. 210 eyes of 210 patients who used immunosuppressive drugs (Group 1) at least for the last 5 years and 210 eyes of 210 control patients (Group 2) who did not use any drugs were compared. All patients were older than 50 years and selected among patients who were followed by rheumatology and ophthalmology clinic at a tertiary university hospital. All patients had complete ophthalmic examination, fundus photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). The primary outcome of this study is the difference in macular and paramacular druse formation rates between two groups. Results: Small, intermediate, large, soft, and paramacular druse formation rates were significantly lower in Group 1 than those in Group 2 (P = 0.028, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Patients who used long-term systemic immunosuppressive drugs had significantly lower hard and soft druse formation rate than age and sex matched control subjects

The First Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Starting Biological Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs: Outcomes from the TReasure Real-Life Database

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been resulting in increased hospital occupancy rates. Rheumatic patients cannot still reach to hospitals, or they hesitate about going to a hospital even they are able to reach. We aimed to show the effect of the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the treatment of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis. Methods: Patients were divided into three groups as follows: pre-pandemic (Pre-p: starting on biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapy for the first time within 6 months before March 11, 2020); post-pandemic A (Post-p A: starting on biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapy for the first time within the first 6 months after March 11, 2020); post-pandemic B (Post-p B: starting on biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapy for the first time within the second 6 months). Results: The number of rheumatoid arthritis patients in the Post-p A and B groups decreased by 51% and 48%, respectively, as compared to the Pre-p group similar rates of reduction were also determined in the number of spondyloarthritis patients. The rates of tofacitinib and abatacept use increased in rheumatoid arthritis patients in Post-p period. Conclusion: The number of rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis patients starting on biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs for the first time decreased during the first year of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Cardiovascular disease risk prediction in scleroderma

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease risk prediction in scleroderma is important. In this study of scleroderma patients, the aim was to investigate the relationship between cardiac myosin-binding protein-C, sensitive troponin T, and trimethylamine N-oxide and cardiovascular disease risk with the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 model of the European Society of Cardiology.METHODS: Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 risk groups of 38 healthy controls and 52 women with scleroderma were evaluated. Cardiac myosin-binding protein-C, sensitive troponin T, and trimethylamine N-oxide levels were analyzed with commercial ELISA kits.RESULTS: In scleroderma patients, cardiac myosin-binding protein-C and trimethylamine N-oxide levels were higher than healthy controls but sensitive troponin T was not (p= 10.28 ng/mL) could predict high -moderate-Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 risk 15 times higher than those with low trimethylamine N-oxide (= 8.29 ng/mL) levels could predict significantly higher Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 risk than low cardiac myosin-binding protein-C (<8.29 ng/mL) levels (OR: 11.00, 95%CI 2.786-43.430).CONCLUSION: Noninvasive cardiovascular disease risk prediction indicators in scleroderma, cardiac myosin-binding protein-C, and trimethylamine N-oxide could be recommended to distinguish between high-moderate risk and low risk with the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 model

Next-generation screening of a panel of genes associated with periodic fever syndromes in patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever and their clinical characteristics

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a hereditary fever syndrome that primarily affects Mediterranean populations. For the study, total number of 182 patients with FMF disease were enrolled and screening of a panel of genes, called “fever panel” which comprises 17 genes, was performed. The most common mutations in MEFV gene were homozygous M694V missense mutation (4.3%) and R202Q missense mutation (4.9%). The most common heterozygous mutations were R202Q (26.5%), M694V (25.9%) and E148Q (11.9%). Compound heterozygous and homozygous mutations were also detected. Also, different types of mutations were identified in NOD2, CARD14, NLRP12, NLRP3, NLRP7, IL1RN, LPIN2, TNFRSF1A, MVK and PSTPIP1 genes. Two novel missense variations in the MEFV gene, Gln34Pro and Ile247Val, which have not been previously reported in the databases, were identified. Also, Thr91Ile missense variation in the NOD2 gene, Gly461Cys missense variation in NLRP3 and Tyr732Stop nonsense variation in LPIN2 were firstly identified. The results of the current study suggest that in addition to the MEFV gene which has an important roles in FMF, molecular screening of other genes related to other autoinflammatory diseases might provide support in suspected cases and provide detailed information about the course of the disease. © 2020 Elsevier Inc

SELÇUK ÜNİVERSİTESİ KOŞULLARINDA LED RENKLERİNİN AYDINLATMADA GÜNEŞ ENERJİSİ GÜÇ PERFORMANSINA ETKİSİNİN İNCELENMESİ

Bu çalışmada, iç mekan aydınlatmalarında kullanılan, farklı renklerdeki ledlerin güç ihtiyaçları ve ışık şiddetleri incelenmiştir. Bu araştırma için Selçuk Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Makine Mühendisliği Bölüm Başkanlığı koridoru seçilmiştir. Seçilen koridor için şerit ledler kullanılmış ve aydınlatma performansı incelenmiş. Aydınlatmada gerekli olan güç, güneş panellerinden sağlanmış ve gerekli güç miktarı, mavi ledlerde 3332 W kırmızı ledlerde 2736 W, yeşil ledlerde 1008 W ve beyaz ledlerde 600 W olduğu tespit edilmiştir. En fazla güç ihtiyacı mavi renkli şerit ledlerde, en az güç ihtiyacı ise beyaz renkli şerit ledlerde oluşmuştur. Elektrik enerjisinin, güneş panellerinden elde edildiğinde, aydınlatmada beyaz led uygulamaları için daha az güneş paneli sayısına ihtiyaç duyulacağı bu çalışma ile tespit edilmişti

VACCINATION PRACTICES OF ADULT FAMILIAL MEDITERRANEAN FEVER PATIENTS IN TURKEY.

[Abstract Not Available

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HIP INVOLVEMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON TREATMENT DECISION IN PATIENTS WITH AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS; TREASURE EXPERIENCE

[Abstract Not Available

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRAL HEPATITIS IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES - IMPLICATIONS FROM TREASURE DATABASE

EULAR European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) -- JUN 01-04, 2022 -- Copenhagen, DENMARK[Abstract Not Available]European Alliance Assoc Rheumato

PARADOXICAL REACTIONS, ESPECIALLY PSORIASIS IN RHEUMATOLOGY PATIENTS RECEIVING BIOLOGIC THERAPY FROM THE TREASURE DATABASE: A 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP STUDY

EULAR European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) -- JUN 01-04, 2022 -- Copenhagen, DENMARK[Abstract Not Available]European Alliance Assoc Rheumato

Do Peripheral and Extra Musculoskeletal Manifestations Have An Impact on Biologic Dmard Prescribing Patterns in Axial Spondyloarthritis: the Results of Treasure Experience

[No Abstract Available