Methotrexate treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Preliminary report [Romatoid artritli hastalarda metotreksat tedavisi: On calisma]

The aim of this study was to determine the efficiency of methotrexate treatment, the side effects, the time of appearance of the effects, and the tolerance to drug in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Twenty-seven patients with rheumatoid arthritis were admitted to the study with a mean age of 52.788 ± 10.109 ears and, 18 (%66.67) of the patients were female and 9 (%33.33) were male. The patients were under observation for averagely 10.333 ± 4.416 months. Stroke index was determined at onset, at the 12th week and at the 12th month as 13.444 ± 1.333, 8.333 ± 3.354, and 3.875 ± 3.314, respectively. Statistically significant improvement seem to happen, from the point of Stoke index and erytrocyte sedimentation rate. CRP, and Ritchie score and morning stiffness at the end of the first month, beginning from the end of the second month and beginning from the third month, respectively. The treatment was terminated due to the side effects in 2 (7.4%) and due to inefficiency in 2 (7.4%) patients, while the side effects were detected in 5 (18.4%) patients. Since the side effects and the drop out rates due to the side effects were found to be low, we thought that the tolerance to the drug could be acceptable. With these results, it is concluded that methotrexate is an effective agent in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, the responses to the drug averagely begins from the second month, and the side effects and the tolerance to the drug are at an acceptable range

Investigation of genotoxic effect of ultrasound in cases receiving therapeutic ultrasound by using micronucleus method

In 1991, Miller et al. (1991) reported that therapeutic ultrasound (US) did not induce sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in patients whereas, in 1984, Stella et al. (1984) reported that each of 10 patients exposed to therapeutic US had a statistically significant increase in SCEs. The present study was planned to investigate if there was chromosomal damage resulting from therapeutic US by using a micronucleus (MN) method, and to counter the lack of reports in this area over the past 10 years. A total of 20 female volunteers were included in the study; 10 of them with low back pain (mechanical low back pain and facet syndrome) were treated with US and 10 healthy cases constituted the control group. Patients with low back pain received 10 sessions of US therapy at an intensity of 2 W/cm(2) and a frequency of 1 MHz for 10 min and patients in the control group received sham US therapy for 10 min. Peripheral blood taken before and after the fifth and tenth applications of US therapy was cultured for MN frequencies both for the treatment and the control groups. The scores of MN assessed before the therapy were compared with those at the end of the fifth session and the end of the tenth session in the treatment and the control groups. Pretreatment, end of the fifth session and end of the tenth session MN frequencies were compared between the treatment and the control groups. There was no statistically significant difference in MN frequencies between pretreatment and fifth session or pretreatment and tenth session in both groups. Nor was there any significant difference in the MN frequencies of the treatment and control groups between pretreatment, fifth session and tenth session evaluations. In conclusion, we observed that therapeutic US did not induce increases in MN frequency, which are a sign of cytogenetic damage. (E-mail: [email protected]) (C) 2004 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine Biology

The relationship between different variables and prognosis in paraplegic patients [Paraplejik hastalarda cesitli degiskenlerin prognozla iliskisi]

This study was performed to demonstrate the relationship between different variables and prognosis in patients with paraplegia, and to realize a predictive model for anticipation of patients level at discharge by using the data obtained on admission. In 31 patients with paraplegia who were hospitalized and rehabilitated in our clinic, evaluation was done regarding the age, sex, etiology, duration of illness, bladder and rectum continence, deep pain, deep sensation and spasticity and Frankel, Yale and FIM scores were calculated. The correlation between these variables and FIM score values at discharge was searched. There was a high correlation between FIM score at discharge and Yale score on admission. FIM score on admission, and spasticity whereas a weak correlation was observed between FIM score at discharge and age, sex, etiology, duration of illness, bladder and rectum continence. Frankel score on admission, deep pain, and deep sensation. A regression equality was constructed by multiple regression analysis of the highly correlated variables. 'y', 'X1', 'X2' and 'X3' being representative of the predictive FM score of patient at discharge. Yale score of patient on admission, spasticity and FIM score of patient on admission, respectively, a regression equality of 'y = 47.73 + 3.16 X1 + 11.08 X2 + 0.45 X3' was constituted

The Frequency of the Clinical Risk Factors in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

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The Anti-Osteoporotic Drug Preferences of Physiatrists: A Multicenter Descriptive Study

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