Is the periodontal status a risk factor for the development of psoriasis?

Background and Objectives: Psoriasis is a common, chronic, inflammatory, and hyperproliperative skin disease. It has been known that the infectious agents play a role in triggering and exacerbation of the disease. Periodontal diseases are chronic inflammatory gum diseases initiated by microorganisms in dental plaques. This study intended to determine the role of periodontal diseases, as chronic infective foci in psoriasis.Materials and Methods: A total of 76 patients, who applied to Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, İnönü University, diagnosed as psoriasis and a control group consisting of 76 dermatologic patients without any systemic disease at similar age and gender were included the study. The dental examinations of the subjects were done by the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs index system, using a periodontal probe.Results: Significant difference was identified between the patients with psoriasis and control group, in terms of CPI (Community Periodontal Index), oral hygiene habits, frequency of tooth brushing and flossing (P = 0.01, P = 0.001, P = 0.01, P = 0.05, respectively). A positive correlation between the severities of psoriasis and dental disease was determined, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.204).Conclusion: The periodontal disease may affect psoriasis as a chronic infectious focus and probably through proinflammatory cytokines. In order to clarify the exact role of periodontal disease in psoriasis, the issue should be studied in larger series with serum cytokine levels.Keywords: Dental disease, periodontal disease, psoriasi

Stressful life events, anxiety, depression and coping mechanisms in patients with Behcet's disease

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MR spectroscopy features of normal appearing white matter in patients with lung cancer

Context: Spectroscopic imaging can be helpful to identify metabolite changes in a normal appearing brain parenchyma after MR imaging in patients with lung cancer. Aims: To detect metabolic changes in the cerebellar and cerebral normal appearing white matter with single-voxel H-MR spectroscopy (MRS) in patients with lung cancer. Methods and material: MRS was performed in the Cerebellar White Matter (CWM) and Parietal White Matter (PWM) of patients with lung cancer (n=38; age range: 44-82 y; mean age: 66.1 ± 8.7) and an age-matched control group (n=32; age range: 42-80 y; mean age: 62.9 ± 8). Biopsies of lung masses showed 25 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and 13 Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC). NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho and Cho/Cr ratios were calculated. Statistical analysis used: The unpaired-t test was used for the assessment of metabolite ratio differences between patients and control subjects. Mann-Whitney U test was used among SCLC, NSCLC, and control group for the evaluation of metabolite ratio differences. Results: The Cho/Cr ratios in the CWM were significantly lower in the patients compared to controls (p=0.03). The Cho/Cr ratio of patients with SCLC was significantly lower in PWM than both NSCLC (p=0.02) and control group (p=0.03). Conclusion: Decreased Cho/Cr ratio possibly represents increased uptake of Cho or reduced brain function. These results may be important in assessing patients with lung cancer in order to help with treatment planning and prognosis. © 2017, Scientific Publishers of India, All rights reserved

IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SERUM IGF-1 AND THYROID NODULE, THYROID OR OVARIAN VOLUME IN POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME?

Context. Studies investigating the association between serum IGF-1, and thyroid nodule, ovarian or thyroid volume in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are limited

Doppler waveforms and blood flow parameters of the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries in patients having Behcet disease with and without gastrointestinal symptoms -: Preliminary data

Objective. To evaluate hemodynamic changes in mesenteric arteries in patients with Behcet disease with and without gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods. Doppler sonography of mesenteric arteries was performed in 25 symptomatic and 15 asymptomatic patients having Behcet disease and in 25 healthy control subjects. The peak systolic, minimal, and mean velocities, resistive and pulsatility indexes, inner diameter, cross-sectional area, and blood flow volume of mesenteric arteries were evaluated. The results were compared between patient groups and controls. Results. The mesenteric artery flow was significantly greater in patients in the symptomatic group than in those in the asymptomatic group or in controls. In the superior mesenteric artery, mean velocity and mean blood flow volume (0.35+/-0.18 m/s and 711+/-404 mL/min, respectively; P<.0001) in the symptomatic group were significantly higher than in the asymptomatic group (0.16±0.07 m/s and 305±168 mL/min, respectively) or in controls (0.15±0.07 m/s and 290±123 mL/min, respectively). The mean peak systolic velocity (1.23±0.47 m/s; P<.005) in the symptomatic group was significantly higher than in controls (0.93+/-0.23 m/s). In the inferior mesenteric artery, mean velocity and mean blood flow volume (0.25+/-0.10 m/s and 139+/-79 mL/min) in the symptomatic group were significantly higher than in the asymptomatic group (0.16+/-0.07 m/s; P<.006; and 78±26 mL/min; P<.007) or in controls (0.17+/-0.07 m/s; P<.0031; 83±48 mL/min; P<.004). Conclusions. In this study, symptomatic patients with gastrointestinal Behcet disease were associated with a significant increase in mesenteric artery flow that could be evaluated easily on spectral patterns of arteries during Doppler sonography. The Doppler sonographic findings also revealed that intestinal involvement in patients with Behcet disease without gastrointestinal symptoms is not significantly different from that of healthy controls

Effect of Combined Treatment With Melatonin and Methylprednisolone on Neurological Recovery After Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in the loss of function below the lesion. Secondary injury following the primary impact includes a number of biochemical and cellular alterations leading to tissue necrosis and cell death. Methylprednisolone (NIP), by reducing edema and protecting the cell membrane against peroxidation, is the only pharmacological agent with a proven clinically beneficial effect on SCI. Melatonin, known as a free radical scavenger, has been shown to have an effect on lipid peroxidation following experimental SCI. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of MP and melatonin on neurological, ultrastructural, and electrophysiological recovery. Female albino rats weighing 200-250 g were randomized into five groups of 18 rats each and six rats for the control group. Weight-drop trauma was performed for each group and a 30-mg/kg single dose of NIP for rats in group 1, a 10-mg/kg single dose of melatonin for rats in group 2, and MP and melatonin in the same doses for rats in group 3 were administered immediately after trauma. The rats in group 4 were the vehicle group (treated with ethanol) and group 5 was the trauma group. The motor and somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded at the 4th hour, the 24th hour, and on the 10th day of the study for six rats in each group. Posttraumatic neurological recovery was recorded for 10 days using "motor function score" and inclined plane test. After electrophysiological study the rats were terminated for an analysis of lipid peroxidation level of the injured site of the spinal cord. Electron microscopic studies were performed to determine the effects of melatonin, MP, and the combined treatment with MP and melatonin on axons, neurons, myelin, nucleus, and intracytoplasmic edema. The groups treated with MP, melatonin, and a combination of both had significantly enhanced electrophysiological, biochemical, and neurological recovery and also showed better ultrastructural findings than the trauma and vehicle groups. Although combined treatment was significantly more effective on lipid peroxidation than melatonin or MP treatments alone, at the 10th day, neurobehavioral, electrophysiological, and ultrastructural recovery were at the same level. In conclusion, MP, melatonin, and MP and melatonin combined treatment modalities improved functional recovery at the same level. Future studies involving different doses of melatonin and different dose combinations with MP could promise better results since each drug has a different anti-oxidative mechanism of action.Wo