The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the quality of life in chronic neurological diseases: the results of a COVQoL-CND study

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdown period may induce an impairment in quality of life (QoL), disruption in treatment (DIT), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in chronic neurological diseases (CNDs). To reach this information, a multicenter, cross-sectional study (COVQoL-CND) was planned. Parkinson's disease (PD), headache (HA), multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy (EP), polyneuropathy (PNP), and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) were selected as the CND. Methods: The COVQoL-CND study includes demographic data, the World Health Organization Quality of Life short form (WHOQOL-BREF), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) forms. Results: The mean age of a total of 577 patients was 49 +/- 17 (19-87 years), and the ratio of female/male was 352/225. The mean age of patients with PD, HA, MS, EP, PNP, and CVD were 65 +/- 11, 39 +/- 12, 38 +/- 10, 47 +/- 17, 61 +/- 12, and 60 +/- 15 years, respectively. The IES-R scores were found to be higher in the younger group, those with comorbid disease, contacted with CO-VID-19 patients, or diagnosed with COVID-19. In the group with a high IES-R score, the rate of DIT was found to be high. IES-R scores were negatively correlated with QoL. IES-R total scores were found highest in the CVD group and lowest in the PD group. The ratio of DIT was found highest in the PNP group and the lowest in the EP group. Contact with CO-VID-19 patients was high in the EP and HA group. Conclusions: The results of the COVQoL-CND study showed that lockdown causes posttraumatic stress and deterioration in the QoL in CND

Alzheimer Hastalığıyla İlişkili Yaşam Kalitesi Ölçeği (AHİYK)’nin Türkçe Versiyonunun Geçerlilik Güvenilirlik Çalışması

Amaç: Çalışmada Alzheimer Hastalığı ile İlişkili Yaşam Kalitesi (AHİYK) Ölçeği – (Alzheimer’s Disease Related Quality of Life (ADRQL) Scale)’nin psikometrik özellikleri ve AHİYK ölçeği puanı ile bakım verenlerin duygu durumları arasındaki ilişki incelenmiştir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmanın örneklemini, evde (N=30) ve bakım evinde (N=30) bakım gören toplam 60 muhtemel AH hastasının bakım vereni oluşturmaktadır. Klinik değerlendirme ölçeğine göre evre 1 ve 2 AH hastaları çalışma kapsamına alınmıştır. Hastaların bilişsel durumları Standardize Mini-Mental Test (SMMT) ile değerlendirilmiştir. Fonksiyonel durumu AH işbirliği çalışması - günlük yaşam aktiviteleri (ADCS-ADL) ölçeği ile değerlendirilmiştir. Bakım verenlerin duygu durumlarını değerlendirmek için Pozitif ve Negatif Duygu Ölçeği (PANAS) uygulanmıştır. Bu parametreler, bakım veren tarafından doldurulan AHİYK ölçeği ve 5 alt boyutu ( A.Sosyal etkileşim, B. Benlik bilinci C: Duygulanım ve duygudurum, D. Etkinliklerden keyif alma, E. çevre ile etkileşim) ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Güvenirlilik açısından 3 hafta sonra AHİYK ölçeği bakım verenlere tekrar uygulanmıştır. Bulgular: AHİYK total puanı ve B alt boyutu ile ADCS-ADL ölçeği arasında anlamlı düzeyde bir korelasyon saptanmıştır (sırasıyla r=0.27, r=0.38 p≤0.05). SMMT ile AHİYK ölçeğinin toplam puanı, A, B, C alt boyutları arasında anlamlı düzeyde korelasyon saptanmıştır (sırasıyla AHİYK total puan r=0.72, A boyutu r=0.83, B boyutu r=0.47, C boyutu r= 0.43, p≤0.05). AHİYK ölçeğininnin iç tutarlılık güvenirliği için Cronbach alfa katsayısı (α) ( ( α = 0.75) hesaplanmıştır. Ölçeğin tekrarlanan test güvenirlilik sonuçlarına göre AHİYK birinci ölçüm ile ikinci ölçümün gerek toplam puanları gerek alt boyutlarının puanları, anlamlı düzeyde korelasyona sahiptir. Sonuç: Bulgular AHİYK’nın Türkçe versiyonunun geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğunu göstermektedir

Some lectin binding properties of the tongue of the mole rat, Nannospalax xanthodon

PubMed ID: 28862488We investigated carbohydrate residues on the epithelial surface, in the epithelial cells and in gland cells of the tongue of the mole rat using histochemical methods. We used horseradish peroxidase-conjugated lectins from Helix pomatia (HPA), Arachishypogaea (PNA), Ulexeuropaeus (UEA I), Canavaliaensiformis (Con A). The most intense reactivity was observed in the keratin layer with HPA, UEA I and Con A, and in the epithelial cells with UEA I and Con A. In the glands, we found strong reactivity in serous cells with HPA and Con A, and in mucous cells with HPA and UEA I. PNA did not bind to epithelial or gland cells. Consequently, GlcNAc, fucose and ?-D-mannose terminal glycoconjugates are distributed widely; GalNAc terminal glycoconjugates appeared in small amounts. © 2017 The Biological Stain Commission

An online pilot randomized controlled study

Objective: It is important to investigate the effectiveness of delivering the rehabilitation service using remote communication technologies, for conditions that face-to-face treatment is not possible. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of exercise treatment via home-based telerehabilitation (TR) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Twenty participants who were diagnosed as having the early-middle stage of AD were randomized into a TR group and control group. The TR group received real-time motor-cognitive dual-task exercise treatment via video conferencing, and the control group received no intervention for 6 weeks. The primary outcomes were Mini-Mental State Examination, Timed Up&Go Test, and the 5 Times Sit&Stand Test, and the secondary outcomes were One-leg Stance Test (OLST), Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale (Katz-ADL), Functional Independence Measure, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, Beck Anxiety Scale, Zarit Caregiver Burden Inventory (ZCBI) and the Warwick Edinburgh Well-being Scale. Outcomes were measured at baseline and post-treatment. Results: There was a significant difference in the mean change between the groups in favor of the TR group in all primary and secondary outcomes (p .05). There was no significant difference in the comparison of the primary outcome measures between the groups in post-treatment results (p > .05); significant differences in all secondary outcome measures were observed in favor of the TR group (p .05). Conclusion: TR may provide a significant change in cognition and mobility, improve functional independence, and caregiver's well-being, and reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in people with AD. © 2022 Elsevier B.V

Cytokine Contents in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Association with ZAP70 Expression

Objective: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease that shows varying clinical progression, and expression of the protein tyrosine kinase ZAP70 has been described as a very valuable prognostic factor. Patients with ZAP70 positivity are characterized by worse clinical course and significantly shorter progression-free and overall survival. In this study, intracytoplasmic interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) content of T, B, and CLL cells in CLL patients and their correlations with Rai staging and ZAP70 positivity were investigated. Materials and Methods: CLL patients newly diagnosed or in followup at the İstanbul University İstanbul Medical Faculty Hematology Department were included in this study. These patients were classified according to Rai staging and ZAP70 expression. IL-4, IFN-γ, and ZAP70 expressions in peripheral blood T, B, and CLL cells were measured by four-color flow cytometry. Results: There was a statistically significant correlation between advanced disease and ZAP70 positivity. IL-4-secreting T cells were significantly increased; however, IFN-γ secretion was significantly decreased in CLL patients compared to healthy individuals, whereas IL-4-secreting B cells were significantly diminished in contrast to T cells. Conclusion: These findings suggest damage in the cellular immunity and that IL-4 might lead to many complications and may be important in disease progression

Temporal Change of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease: The Results of Turquoise Alzheimer’s Working Group

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the temporal change of the cognitive decline in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). For this reason, the factorial analysis of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Test was used in first visit and six months later. METHODS: In this multicenter, longitudinal study, data of 268 (n: 152 mild, n: 116 moderate) cases, obtained from the ‘Turquoise Alzheimer Working Group’ in Turkey, were evaluated. The patients who were diagnosed with probable AD according to the DSM-IV criteria were included in the study. Disability was assessed by means of global deterioration scale. The MMSE, which has 7 components (time orientation, spatial orientation, immediate memory, attention/concentration, delayed recall, language, and constructional praxis), was applied to all patients at the baseline visit and 6 months later. RESULTS: The baseline evaluation revealed a significant correlation between orientation and attention subscales in the mild AD group. At the second evaluation of mild AD group and at both evaluations of moderate AD group, there were stronger correlations among all subscales. Subscales of time orientation, attention/concentration and immediate memory had higher factorial load in the first evaluation in mild AD group. Subscales of delayed recall and language were more significant in second evaluation. Subscale of spatial orientation was added in moderate AD group in both evaluation periods. CONCLUSION: Factor analysis of MMSE subscales varied according to the stage and duration of the disease. Generally, disturbances in attention and orientation might be the first findings in AD groups. When assessing AD cases, the properties of subscales in MMSE should be considere

Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment After Posterior Cerebral Artery Infarction

OBJECTIVE: The assessment of cognitive impairment after posterior cerebral artery (PCA) ischemic infarction has not been well documanted. MATERIAL and METHODS: Twenty-six oriented, cooperated and non-aphasic consecutive patients with right or left (10/16) PCA infarction who were hospitalized between the years 2010-2012 were enrolled to the study. The branches of PSA were dealt as cortical and subcortical infarct under two groups. Short mental state examination test and cognitive test battery (CTB) created from Wechsler memory scale (WMS), word-catogory association test and similarity test parameters were applied to the patients at the first week and third month follow-up visits and the groups were compared with each other. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in catogory association test and total score of cognitive test battery (CTB) in right PCA group, also there was a significant improvement in catogory association test in left PCA group at the first and 3th month evaluations. At the first month evaluations, total score of CTB of the subcortical segment PCA infarcts are lower than the cortical segment PCA infarcts. At the 3th month evaluations the scores increased in the both groups; but the scores in the subcortical PCA infarcts were lower than the cortical PCA infarcts. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that there was a cognitive impairment in patients with PCA infarction. The impairment in verbal fluency which was showed by catogory association test was found more prominent in the second evaluation. Further studies including functional imaging methods and cortical function tests are needed

Acute Onset Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy Following COVID-19

The cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) have been reported following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we describe a case that evolved from GBS to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) after COVID-19 in terms of contributing to the literature due to its different aspects. In the cerebrospinal fluid examination of the acute onset mixed type polyneuropathy case, albuminocytological dissociation was not detected. The patient was given a loading dose and monthly maintenance intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for six months. Blood ferritin levels gradually decreased in parallel with clinical improvement. Four months after the IVIG treatment was terminated, the findings recurred and the CIDP was developed and IVIG treatment was continued. Long-term follow-up of post-COVID-19 GBS patients is important in terms of recurrence and chronicity. Ferritin level may be a biochemical marker in the clinical follow-up of these cases

Cytokine Contents in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Association with ZAP70 Expression

Objective: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease that shows varying clinical progression, and expression of the protein tyrosine kinase ZAP70 has been described as a very valuable prognostic factor. Patients with ZAP70 positivity are characterized by worse clinical course and significantly shorter progression-free and overall survival. In this study, intracytoplasmic interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) content of T, B, and CLL cells in CLL patients and their correlations with Rai staging and ZAP70 positivity were investigated. Materials and Methods: CLL patients newly diagnosed or in followup at the İstanbul University İstanbul Medical Faculty Hematology Department were included in this study. These patients were classified according to Rai staging and ZAP70 expression. IL-4, IFN-γ, and ZAP70 expressions in peripheral blood T, B, and CLL cells were measured by four-color flow cytometry. Results: There was a statistically significant correlation between advanced disease and ZAP70 positivity. IL-4-secreting T cells were significantly increased; however, IFN-γ secretion was significantly decreased in CLL patients compared to healthy individuals, whereas IL-4-secreting B cells were significantly diminished in contrast to T cells. Conclusion: These findings suggest damage in the cellular immunity and that IL-4 might lead to many complications and may be important in disease progression