Soluble CD40 ligand and prolactin levels in migraine patients during interictal period

The relationship of migraine with cardiovascular diseases has been clarified by many studies, and currently, migraine is suggested to be a systematic vasculopathy. Inflammation, thrombosis and impaired vascular reactivity are the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of the vasculopathy. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between prolactin levels and subclinical atherosclerosis risk factors such as soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) in migraine patients during interictal period. Fifty female migraine patients and age-matched 25 female control cases were enrolled in the study. Migraine diagnosis was settled according to the ICHD-II diagnostic criteria. A questionnaire was completed about the existence of vascular risk factors. Serum samples were used to measure sCD40L, hsCRP and prolactin levels. No difference was found between the prolactin levels of the migraine patients and the controls. The sCD40L levels were significantly higher in migraine patients (p < 0.001). High-sensitivity CRP levels showed no difference between the groups. There was no correlation between prolactin, sCD40L, and hs-CRP levels in migraine patients. We consider that the migraine patients are prone to subclinical atherosclerosis, but this tendency is independent of prolactin levels

The Relationship between total antioxidant capacity, Homocysteine levels and cognitive test in patients with Motor Neuron disease

Tıpta Uzmanlık TeziMotor nöron hastalığı, motor korteksi, beyin sapını ve spinal korddaki motor nöron hücrelerini etkileyen, etyolojisi belirsiz nörodejeneratif ve ilerleyici bir hastalıktır. Hastalığın ileri aşamalarında kognitif problemler gelişebilmektedir. Motor nöron hastalığı gelişimi ile homosistein düzeyleri ve total antioksidan kapasite arasındaki ilişki; kognitif bozukluk ile homosistein düzeyleri ve total antioksidan kapasite arasındaki ilişki bilinmektedir. Çalışmamızda motor nöron hastalarında kognitif fonksiyonların değerlendirilmesi ve kognitif fonksiyonlarla homosistein ve total antioksidan kapasite arasındaki ilişkinin gösterilmesi amaçlandı. Çalışmaya motor nöron hastalığı tanısı alan 32 hasta ve 40 sağlıklı olgu dahil edildi. Hasta ve kontrol grubunda homosistein, total antioksidan kapasite düzeylerine bakıldı, standardize mini mental test, saat çizme testi, Blessed oryantasyon bellek konsantrasyon testi, Benton yüz tanıma testi ve klinik demens derecelendirme ölçeği ile kognitif fonksiyonlar değerlendirildi. Hasta grubunda kontrol grubuna göre homosistein düzeyleri yüksek (p=0.001), total antioksidan kapasite düzeyleri yüksek (p<0.0001), standardize mimi mental test değerleri (p<0.0001) ve saat çizme testi değerleri düşük (p<0,0001), klinik demans derecelendirme ölçeği değerleri yüksek (p<0.0001), Benton yüz tanıma testi değerleri düşük (p<0.0001), Blessed oryantasyon bellek konsantrasyon testi değerleri yüksek (p<0.0001) bulundu. Yaş ile saat çizme testi (r = - 502, p=0.017) ve standardize mini mental test (r = - 516, p=0.014) arasında ilişki saptandı. Total antioksidan kapasite ve homosistein düzeyleri ile kognitif testler arasında korelasyon bulunmadı. Hastalık süresi ve hastalığın başlangıç şekli ile kognitif testler ve biyokimyasal parametreler arasında korelasyon saptanmadı. Bulber başlangıçlı grupta kadın cinsiyetin, üst ekstremite başlangıçlı grupta erkek cinsiyetin hakim olduğu saptandı (p=0.009). Motor nöron hastalarında kognitif bozukluk gelişimi ile yaş arasında ilişki bulunmaktadır. Homosistein ve total antioksidan kapasite motor nöron hastalığında biyokimyasal belirteçler olup, hastalığın süresi ve başlangıç şeklinden bağımsız parametrelerdir. Anahtar kelimeler: Motor nöron hastalığı, kognitif testler, homosistein, total antioksidan kapasiteAbstractMotor neuron disease is a progressive disease which affects the motor cortex, brain stem, the motor neuron cells in the spinal cord and whose etiology is indefinite. Cognitive problems can occur in the advanced stages of the disease. The relationships between the homocysteine levels, antioxidant capacity and the progress of the motor neuron disease; between the homocysteine levels, antioxidant capacity and cognitive disorder are known. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the cognitive functions of motor neuron patients and to show the relationship between the homocysteine and total antioxidant capacities. 32 patients who received motor neuron disease diagnosis and 40 healthy people were included into the study. In the patient and control groups, homocysteine and total antioxidant capacities were checked, and cognitive functions were evaluated with standardised mini mental test, clock drawing test, Blessed orientation memory concentration test, Benton face identification test and clinical dementia gradation scale. In the patient group, the homocysteine levels (p=0.001) and total antioxidant capacity levels (p<0.001) were high; standardised mini mental test values (p<0.0001) and clock drawing test values (p<0.0001) were low; clinical dementia gradation scale values (p<0.001) were high; Benton face identification test values (<0.0001) were low; Blessed orientation memory concentration test values (<0.0001) were high with respect to the control group. The relationship between clock drawing test (r = - 502, p=0.017), standardised mini mental test (r = - 516, p=0.014) and age was determined. There were no correlation between the total antioxidant capacity; homocysteine levels and the cognitive tests. There were no correlation between the length and onset of the disease; and cognitive tests and biochemical parameters. Females were dominant in the group with bulbar onset, males were dominant in the group with upper limb onset (p=0.009). There is a relationship between the age and the progress of the cognitive disorder in the patients of motor neuron disease. Homocysteine and total antioxidant capacity are biochemical indicators in motor neuron disease, and they are independent parameters in terms of the onset and the length of the disease. Key words: Motor neuron disease, cognitive tests, homocysteine, total antioxidant capacity

Epidemiologic investigation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Trakya, Turkey, 2006-2010

22nd World Congress of Neurology (WCN) -- OCT 31-NOV 05, 2015 -- Santiago, CHILE[No Abstract Available

An epidemiologic investigation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Thrace, Turkey, 2006-2010

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence and prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Thrace, Turkey in a five-year time period (2006-2010). Methods: Study population included residents of three provinces (Edirne, Tekirdag, Kirklareli) in the Thrace region. Cases were ascertained from all of the neurologic centers and hospitals of these provinces. Demographic and clinical information was collected for each patient. Newly diagnosed ALS patients who are fulfilling the El Escorial revised diagnostic criteria were enrolled into the study. Results: We identified a total of 145 patients (93 males, 52 females). The mean age at diagnosis was 57.0 +/- 13.6. According to El Escorial criteria, 60.0% of the cases were definite ALS, 24.8% were probable, and 15.2% were possible ALS. Thirty-two cases were bulbar (22.1%), 113 cases (77.9%) were spinal onset. Mean time delay from onset to diagnosis was 12.0 +/- 11.2 months. Age-gender standardized incidence rates with reference to Turkey, USA 2008 census were 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8-2.1), 1.9 (95%CI, 1.8-2.2) for overall. There were 112 living ALS patients at the end of the study. Crude point prevalence was calculated as 7.3 per 100,000 population (95%CI, 5.9-8.7). Conclusions: This is the first study to provide fundamental data about demographic and clinical characteristics about ALS in Thrace region of Turkey. Incidence and prevalence of ALS in Thrace region of Turkey appear to be comparable with European countries