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Objective: The present research evaluated the use of muscle ultrasonography in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RAs) who were starting therapy with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b-DMARDs). Methods: A total of 56 individuals diagnosed with RAs, who had not yet received b-DMARDs, were included in the current prospective study. The control and baseline muscular strength, physical performance tests, ultrasonographic muscle parameters, and disease activity scores were analyzed in a group of 40 patients under controlled conditions. Results: Rectus abdominis muscle’s thickness, rectus femoris (RF) muscle’s cross-sectional area (RFCSA), external oblique muscle’s thickness, and transverse abdominis muscle’s thickness all showed substantial improvements. Additionally, Clinical Disease Activity Index scores showed significant associations with the percentage variations in RF muscle thickness, RFCSA, and gastrocnemius medialis muscle thickness in those who had achieved remission or had low disease activity. Conclusion: Ultrasonographic muscle imaging can assist clinicians in monitoring both patients and disease activity scores during the treatment of RA.

Abstract Background Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that is characterized by increased vulnerability to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors due to decreased biologic reserves. Muscle ultrasound (US) is a valid and reliable method for assessing muscle quantity in older adults. The study aims to examine the relationship between frailty definitions and US-derived muscle parameters. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with type 2 diabetes mellitus outpatients in a tertiary hospital, and all participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment. For frailty assessment, the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP), the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), and the Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS) were performed. Muscle US measurements included Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM) muscle thickness, GM fascicle length, GM pennation angle, Rectus Femoris (RF) muscle thickness, Rectus Femoris cross-sectional area (RFCSA), Rectus Abdominis (RA) muscle thickness, External Oblique (EO) muscle thickness, Internal Oblique (IO) muscle thickness, and Transverse Abdominis (TA) muscle thickness. Results In all, 373 participants were included in the study. The median age of participants was 72.7 ± 5.9 years, and 64.6% of them were female. According to the FFP, 18.2% of the participants were living with frailty, 56% of them were pre-frail; 57.4% of them were living with frailty according to the CFS; 25.2% of them were living with frailty, and 20.6% of them were pre-frail according to the EFS. The FFP, CFS, and EFS scores were related to muscle thickness of GM, RF, and RA, fascicle length of GM, and pennation angle of GM and RFCSA. Particularly, GM pennation angle, RF muscle thickness, and RFCSA were associated with an increased risk of frailty. Besides muscle thickness of GM, RF, and RA, fascicle length of GM, pennation angle of GM, and RFCSA were significant for predicting the presence of frailty. Conclusions US-derived regional muscle measurements are associated with frailty definitions (in both physical, cumulative deficit, and multidimensional models) in a diabetic geriatric population.

Background: Limited number of studies have been conducted to determine the ethnobotanical uses of geophytes and to scientifically document traditional knowledge associated with them. Questions: What is the ethnobotanical usage culture of geophytes in Sakarya province? Studied species: Geophytes. Study site and dates: Sakarya, Turkey; 2017 to 2020. Methods: Information in the local community was obtained through face to face or collective interviews. In addition, cultural importance index (CII) and the informant consensus factor (ICF) values were calculated. Results: In this study, the knowledge of the local public about 115 geophytes (107 natural and eight cultivated) belonging to 26 families was revealed. The most common families are Asparagaceae (23 taxa), Iridaceae (20 taxa) and Amaryllidaceae (14 taxa). The most common genera are Crocus (12 taxa), Orchis (7 taxa) and Allium (6 taxa). Out of a total of 115 taxa, 226 uses are reported, including 128 folk remedies, 47 ornamental plants, 48 food and three the other uses. The most widely used plant according to cultural importance index is Leucojum aestivum (Gölsoğanı, CII: 2.57). Conclusion: Our interviews revealed that the geophytes in the study area are still widely used by people in their daily lives for medicinal, food and floricultural purposes. In addition, the ethnobotanical uses of Crocus speciosus subsp. sakariensis, Crocus keltepensis, Fritillaria bithynica and Muscari pamiryigidii are reported for the first time in Turkey.