Homocysteine Levels in Parkinson’s Disease: Is Entacapone Effective?

Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels may increase in levodopa-treated patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) as a consequence of levodopa methylation via catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). Results from previous studies that assessed the effect of COMT inhibitors on levodopa-induced hyperhomocysteinemia are conflicting. We aimed to evaluate the effects of levodopa and entacapone on plasma Hcy levels. A hundred PD patients were enrolled to the study and divided into three treatment groups (group I: levodopa and/or dopamine agonists; group II: levodopa, entacapone, and/or a dopamine agonist; and group III: dopamine agonist alone). We measured the serum B12, folic acid, and Hcy levels in all patients. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of modified Hoehn and Yahr stages, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale II/III, Standardized Mini-Mental Test scores, and serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels. Plasma median Hcy levels were found above the normal laboratory values in groups I and II, but they were normal in group III. However, there was no statistically significant difference in plasma Hcy levels between groups. Our results showed that levodopa treatment may cause a slight increase in the Hcy levels in PD compared with dopamine agonists and that COMT inhibitors may not have a significant effect on preventing hyperhomocysteinemia

The Effect of Hyperhomocysteinemia on Motor Symptoms, Cognitive Status, and Vascular Risk in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Factors related with hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and the impact of HHcy in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are not well understood. We investigated the factors associated with increased levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and the relationship between HHcy and motor symptoms, cognitive status, and vascular risk in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Among 60 patients (29 males, 48.3%) with PD, the stage of the disease, the severity of clinical symptoms, and the patients’ cognitive status were measured using a modified Hoehn and Yahr Staging Scale (mHY), Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) II and III, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), respectively. Patients were also noted for having dyskinesia and hallucinations. Serum vitamin B12, folic acid, and plasma Hcy ​​levels were measured. Furthermore, the presence of vascular risk factors was recorded. Finally, we investigated carotid artery intima-media thickening and stenosis using colour Doppler ultrasonography as well as the presence of ischemic lesions using brain imaging techniques. Plasma Hcy ​​levels were higher with advanced age and in males. In addition, there was an inverse relationship between Hcy ​​and vitamin B12 levels. There was no correlation between HHcy and the stage of the disease, severity of motor symptoms, cognitive status as assessed by the MMSE, vascular risk factors, carotid artery atherosclerotic findings, and ischemic brain lesions. Plasma Hcy levels may rise due to several factors in PD. However, the resulting HHcy has no significant effect on the clinical picture in terms of motor features, cognitive status, and vascular diseases

Changes in the blink reflex during migraine with aura and the inter-attack period

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the possible excitability changes in the trigeminovascular system based on blink reflex (BR) in patients experiencing migraine and to compare migraine aura attacks and attack-free period. Materials and Methods: A total of 56 patients diagnosed with migraine headache with aura and 20 healthy individuals without migraine were evaluated electrophysiologically using the BR test. The BR test was repeated twice in patients with migraines during attacks with aura and attack-free period. Results: During the migraine attack with aura, R1 latencies were shorter, and R2 latencies were longer than in the interictal period. Likewise, R1 latencies were shorter, and R2 latencies were longer, in the interictal period compared to normal values obtained in the control group. Conclusion: The detected BR abnormalities have been thought to be able to reflect migraine-related dysfunction in the brainstem and trigeminovascular connections. Significance: It has been concluded that the detected BR abnormalities might reflect migraine-related dysfunction in the brainstem and trigeminovascular connections, indicating increased neuronal excitability in migraine

Structural neuroimaging findings in migraine patients with restless legs syndrome

Purpose One out of three migraine patients might have accompanying restless legs syndrome (RLS). In our study, we aimed to compare the volumes of the brain structures of migraineurs with and without RLS. Methods We had 37 female patients with migraine and 17 females as the control group. Nineteen migraineurs had no RLS (RLS0) and 18 migraineurs had comorbidity of RLS (RLS1). The volumes of the brain structures were obtained by manual measurements, volBrain, and voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Manually, we measured caudate and putamen volumes. We used age, years of education, depression, anxiety scores, and total intracranial volume as covariates. Results According to VBM analyses, the volumes of the left superior occipital gyrus and precuneus were increased, and the substantia nigra and cuneus were decreased in the RLS1 group compared with the RLS0 group. RLS1 patients had larger superior temporal gyrus, Brodmann area 38, and left insula, and RLS0 patients had larger Brodmann area 22, right superior temporal gyrus, and Heschl gyrus compared with controls. Migraine and RLS0 patients had a smaller corpus callosum anteriorly, whereas RLS1 patients had a smaller splenium. Caudate volumes were larger in migraine patients via the three techniques. There was a positive relation between the caudate and putamen volumes and attack frequency. Conclusions Comorbidity of RLS might be a confounding factor in structural neuroimaging studies in migraine. Deficits in the visual network seem to be related to accompanying RLS; deficits in the auditory network are particularly related to migraine

The Relationship between Nurse Workload and Mortality in Two Different ICUs

Objective: Nurse workload in intensive care units (ICU) is an important factor that might affect patient outcomes. The Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System-28 (TISS-28) is an instrument to measure nurse workload. The objective of this study was to compare the nurse workload between two different ICUs and evaluate its impact on ICU mortality

Quality of life and related factors among chronic hepatitis B-infected patients: a multi-center study, Turkey

balkan, ilker inanc/0000-0002-8977-5931; Altindis, Mustafa/0000-0003-0411-9669; Sahin, Ahmet Ziyaettin/0000-0003-1060-6746; atilla, aynur/0000-0001-8027-1991WOS: 000386954300001PubMed: 27809934Background: The aim of this study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in Turkey and to study related factors. Methods: This multicenter study was carried out between January 01 and April 15, 2015 in Turkey in 57 centers. Adults were enrolled and studied in three groups. Group 1: Inactive HBsAg carriers, Group 2: CHB patients receiving antiviral therapy, Group 3: CHB patients who were neither receiving antiviral therapy nor were inactive HBsAg carriers. Study data was collected by face-to-face interviews using a standardized questionnaire, Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Hepatitis B Quality of Life (HBQOL). Values equivalent to p < 0.05 in analyses were accepted as statistically significant. Results: Four thousand two hundred fifty-seven patients with CHB were included in the study. Two thousand five hundred fifty-nine (60.1 %) of the patients were males. Groups 1, 2 and 3, consisted of 1529 (35.9 %), 1721 (40.4 %) and 1007 (23.7 %) patients, respectively. The highest value of HRQOL was found in inactive HBsAg carriers. We found that total HBQOL score increased when antiviral treatment was used. However, HRQOL of CHB patients varied according to their socio-demographic properties. Regarding total HBQOL score, a higher significant level of HRQOL was determined in inactive HBV patients when matched controls with the associated factors were provided. Conclusions: The HRQOL score of CHB patients was higher than expected and it can be worsen when the disease becomes active. Use of an antiviral therapy can contribute to increasing HRQOL of patients