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Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of fibromyalgianess, fibromyalgia syndrome (FS), and widespread pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their relationship with clinical and demographic parameters. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional multicenter trial was performed in 14 centers across Türkiye between June 2018 and November 2019. Out of 685 patients recruited from the accessible population, 661 patients (342 RA, 319 AS; 264 males, 397 females; mean age: 48.1±12.9 years; range, 17 to 88 years) met the selection criteria. In these cohorts, those who did not meet the criteria for FS and had widespread pain (widespread pain index =7) were evaluated as a separate group. Clinical status and demographic parameters of patients in both cohorts were evaluated as well as the evaluations of RA and AS patients with widespread pain (widespread pain index =7) and RA and AS patients with FS groups. In addition, correlations between polysymptomatic distress scale (PSD) scores and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and Disease Activity Score using 28 joint counts for RA patients and VAS, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) for AS patients were analyzed. Results: Frequencies of patients with FS and patients who had PSD scores =12 were 34.1% and 44.4% in all RA patients, respectively. Moreover, FS and PSD scores =12 were found in 29.2% and 36.9% of all AS patients, respectively. PSD scores of RA patients with FS were higher than all RA patients and RA patients with widespread pain. SDAI and CDAI scores of RA patients with FS were higher than all RA patients and RA patients with widespread pain. Similarly, PSD scores of AS patients with FS were higher than all AS patients and AS patients with widespread pain. ASDAS-erythrocyte sedimentation rate and BASDAI scores of AS patients with FS were found higher than all AS patients and AS patients with widespread pain. Conclusion: Disease activity scores, including pain in RA and AS, were higher in the presence of FS or fibromyalgianess. It may be related to clinical parameters, but cohort studies with long-term follow-up are needed to reveal causality. Additionally, to avoid overtreatment, coexistence of fibromyalgianess should be kept in mind in patients who have inflammatory diseases such as RA and AS, particularly with intractable widespread pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a common health problem worldwide with significant burden on the individual and the society. It is a local form of OA that affects hand joints. Although the prevalence of hand OA increases with age, most middle-aged people also have radiographic OA affecting at least one hand joint. In general, 3%-16% of the patients become symptomatic and the disorder has a variable clinical course. Frequently reported symptoms are; pain, stiffness, functional impairment which gradually cause the limitation of the activities of daily life and diminished quality of life. Hand OA can be diagnosed clinically and/or radiologically. Despite the higher prevalence of hand OA, there is a lack of effective therapeutic modalities in the management of the disorder. In recent years more attention focused on the management of hand OA. A number of clinical guidelines including European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), The American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/Arthritis Foundation (AF) recommendations have been published. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments of hand OA mainly include; patient education and selfmanagement, orthosis, exercise, physical therapy modalities, topical or systemic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, oral corticosteroids and different intra-articular therapies. Although newer treatment options have been suggested in the literature, there is no enough evidence about these modalities and it should be evaluated carefully in the clinical practice. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options with recent developments concerning the management of hand OA is reviewed in the current article in order to guide to health professionals involving this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cukurova Medical Journal / Çukurova Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Cukurova University, Faculty of Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to compare low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and local corticosteroid injection in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Patients and methods: This retrospective study was performed with 56 patients (6 males, 50 females; mean age: 44.7±10.1 years; range, 18 to 65 years) between January 2015 and March 2016. The patients were equally divided into two groups: Group 1, comprising patients who underwent a one-time local corticosteroid injection into the heel by the same physician, and Group 2, including patients who had gallium arsenide laser therapy at a wavelength of 904 nm lasting 10 sessions. Evaluations were done at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and two weeks, one month, and three months after the post-treatment evaluation. The post-treatment evaluation was accepted as the 10th day after the injection in Group 1 and as the time after the last session of the laser treatment in Group 2. Each visit was compared with the previous visit for within-group analysis. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Heel Tenderness Index (HTI), and Foot Function Index (FFI) were assessed. Results: Pain scores in Group 1 and Group 2 were not associated with statistically significant differences (p>0.05). Within-groups analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences concerning VAS subgroups (p<0.05), except for Group 2's resting VAS values (p=0.159). No statistically significant differences were found between groups in the means of FFI scores (p>0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed regarding within-group analyses for all subscores (p<0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups for all visits regarding HTI scores (p>0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between baseline and the first after-treatment visit in all groups (p<0.05). Statistically significant differences were found in the first (p=0.020) and third (p=0.010) months compared to the one-week follow-up in Group 2 regarding HTI scores. Conclusion: Both LLLT and local corticosteroid injection for plantar fasciitis have positive effects for three months after treatment. However, LLLT is more effective than local corticosteroid injection at the end of the third month in local tenderness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) has been described as a painful condition with the appearance of trophic, vasomotor, and sudomotor changes. Most of the predisposing factors causing CRPS are classified. However, the definite cause of this syndrome is yet to be clearly specified in some cases. In this report, we presented a case with hand edema along with severe pain, diagnosed as CRPS type 1, coexisting with hepatitis B infection. Case Report: This study presents a case of a 65-year-old man who had hand edema, severe pain, and decreased range of motion of the wrist without any constitutional symptoms and no history of trauma. He was diagnosed as CRPS type 1 after a detailed physical examination and diagnostic procedures. Ruling out other causes related to CRPS type 1, it is suggested that coexisting hepatitis B infection might be a possible triggering factor for this syndrome. Conclusion: Hepatitis B infection may be a possible causative factor for CRPS type 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of electrical stimulation to agonist muscles after injection of Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP). Patients and methods: Between October 2009 and October 2010, 38 patients with SDCP (19 males, 19 females; mean age 6.3 years; range, 4 to 10 years) were included. The patients were able to walk independently or with minimal assistance by foot equine and had spasticity in the calf muscles between Grades 1+ and 3 according to the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The patients received either BTX-A injection + electrical stimulation (Group 1, n=19) or BTX-A injection alone (Group 2, n=19). All patients were evaluated using the MAS, Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS), Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) (Dimensions D and E), and walking velocity. Results: A decrease in spasticity was evident for the right, left, and bilateral lower extremities for both groups (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the MAS, PSFS, GMFM-88 (Dimensions D and E), and walking velocity between the groups. Conclusion: Our study results showed that both patient groups benefited from the treatment and the administration of electrical stimulation to the gastrocnemius motor points produced no additional benefit for patients with SDCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of alternative point exercises applied to ballet students. Materials and Methods: This study included ballet students who have studied full time and have not started point in Cukurova University State Conservatory Ballet Main Art Branch. Alternative exercises were enforced with the specified instruments to the half of these students for six months and this group was designated as the experimental group and the other half as the control group. Alternative exercises were made for students outside the ballet curriculum and used devices are superior arch foot stretcher and elgin archxerciser foot strengthening device. Results: In this study 5 female students with standard training average age of 10.9 ± 0.1, body mass index of 16.78 ± 0.92 and 5 female students with alternative training average of 10.2 ± 0.44, body mass index of 15.76 ± 1.5 kg/m2 were compared. At the end of six months of training, significant differences were found in right, left eversion muscle strength, right hip internal rotation muscle strength and foot plantar flexion range of motion. Conclusion: Similar results were obtained in the measured values before and after of the six months training. Statistical difference was not observed because of the small number of participants but the results of those with alternative training showed a positive increase. New studies with greater sample size may provide clearer results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrous dysplasia is a rare bone disease which has a wide spectrum of symptoms depending on the involvement area such as pain, deformity, fracture, dyspnea or visual loss. One of the rare involvement areas is the bones around the shoulder. Fibrous dysplasia presents in two forms named monostotic or polyostotic. In this article, we present a case with monostotic fibrous dysplasia of the humeral head who admitted to our clinic with shoulder pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a progressive inflammatory disease (IBD) of the bowel which can be accompanied by extraintestinal findings such as peripheral and axial arthropathies. Patients with UC sometimes display rheumatoid pattern polyarthropathy which is challenging to differ from rheumatoid arthritis. We describe a case with rheumatoid pattern polyarthropathy complicating UC and her favourable response to infliximab therapy. A 25-year-old female with a diagnosis of UC was admitted due to swelling and pain in multiple joints. Laboratory tests revealed elevated acute phase reactants. Since the patient was refractory to the combination therapy comprising methotrexate, sulphasalazine and steroid, she was started on an infliximab regimen. She experienced an improvement both in terms of pain scores and biochemical findings. The patient was asymptomatic with reduced acute phase reactants following a 6-monthcourse of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy. Infliximab serves as an effective treatment option for the management of rheumatoid pattern peripheral polyarthritis associated with UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To investigate the relationship between enthesitis and disease activity, functional status, fatigue, joint mobility, radiological damage, laboratory parameter and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods. A total of 421 patients with AS (323 male and 98 female) who were included in the Turkish League Against Rheumatism Registry were enrolled in the study. The Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), fatigue, the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI), the Maastricht AS Enthesitis Score (MASES), AS quality of life (ASQoL), the Bath AS Radiology Index (BASRI) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were evaluated. Results. Enthesitis was detected in 27.3% of patients. There were positive correlations between MASES and BASDAI, BASFI and fatigue ( p < 0.05). MASES was not correlated with BASRI, BASMI, ASQoL and ESR. The mean MASES score was 1.1 ± 2.4. The most frequent regions of enthesopathies were right iliac crest, spinous process of L5 and proximal to the insertion of left achilles tendon, respectively. Conclusions. Enthesitis was found to be associated with higher disease activity, higher fatigue, worse functional status and lower disease duration. As enthesitis was correlated with BASDAI, we conclude that enthesitis can reflect the disease activity in patients with AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation / Turkiye Fiziksel Tip ve Rehabilitasyon Dergisi is the property of Turkish Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation / Turkiye Fiziksel Tip ve Rehabilitasyon Dergisi is the property of Turkish Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Amaç: Kompleks bölgesel ağrı sendromu (KBAS) inflamasyon ve otonomik özelliklerin görüldüğü şiddetli ağrı, trofik ve sudo-motor değişiklikler ve motor disfonksiyon ile karakterize bir kliniktir. Sıklıkla artrit ile karışabilmektedir. En sık nedeni minör travma olmakla beraber hepatit C, herpes zoster ve leprosi gibi enfeksiyonlar da KBAS neden olabilmektedir. Olgu: 65 yaşında erkek hasta sol el ve el bileğinde şişlik ve ağrı şikayeti ile başvurdu. Hastanın öyküsünden, şikayeleriıün 1.5 aydır olduğu, fakat başka eklemlerde şişlik ve ağrının olmadığı, inflamatuvar bel ağrısı, topuk ağrısı, göz şikayeti, daktilit, üveit öyküsü, aile öyküsü olmadığı öğrenildi. Öz geçmişinde hastanın kronik hepatit B enfeksiyonu ve Tip 2 diyabeti olduğu öğrenildi. Fizik muayenesinde; sol el bilek, sol 2. ve 3. metakarpofalen-geal ekleminde şişlik ve hassasiyet ile allodini mevcuttu. Hipo-estezi veya anestezi yokty. Laboratuvar tetkiklerinde; açlık kan şekeri 135 mg/dl, HbAlc %7.3 idi. Tam kan sayımı, karaciğer ve böbrek fonksiyonları, eritrosit sedimentasyon hızı, C-reaktif protein normaldi. FfBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAg ve HBV DNA pozitifti, Anti-HBs negatifti. ANA, ENA, Anti-CCP, HLA-B27, brucella ve salmonella negatifti. Nöropatik şikayetleri olmayan hastaya EMG incelemesi yapıldı, sinir hasarı bulunmadı. Ultra-sound ve el AIR görüntülemelerinde sinovit saptanmadı. Uç fazlı kemik sintigrafisi KBAS ile uyumlu olarak raporlandı. Hastaya, Budapest kriterleri (2) ve destekleyici görüntüleme bulguları doğrultusunda KBAS tanısı konuldu. KBAS etiyoloji-si açısından tetkik edilen hastada, diyabetin zemininde hepatit B aktivasyonuna bağlı KBAS geliştiği düşünüldü. Hastaya prega-balin başlandı. Ayrıca, fludoterapi, desensitizasyon masajı ve eklem hareket açıkkğı egzersizleri verildi. 2 hafta sonunda hastalım ödemi ve ağrısı %50 azaldı ve kortikosteroid tedavisi son-landırıldı (Şeldl PS-180). 2 ay sonra ağrısı %80 azalan hastanın pregabalin tedavisi sonlandınldı. 6 ay sonraki kontrolde ağrısı tamamen düzeldi. Sonuç: KBAS'ın diyabetik hastalarda daha sık olduğu düşünülmekle beraber, literatürde bu iki hastalık arasındaki ilişkiyi açıklayabilecek yeterli çalışma bulunmamaktadır. Ayrıca, hepatit B aşısı sonrası KBAS gelişimi ile ilgili vakalar bulunmakla beraber, bildiğimiz kadarı ile hepatit B enfeksiyonu ile ilişkili KBAS bulunmamaktadır. Bu vaka aracılığı ile, tip 2 diyabet zemininde, hepatit B aktivasyonunun KBAS'na yol açmış olabileceği düşünülmektedir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Rehabilitation of the patients with congenital muscular torticollis," by Erkan Kozanoğlu is presented.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of fibromyalgianess, fibromyalgia syndrome (FS), and widespread pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their relationship with clinical and demographic parameters., Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional multicenter trial was performed in 14 centers across Türkiye between June 2018 and November 2019. Out of 685 patients recruited from the accessible population, 661 patients (342 RA, 319 AS; 264 males, 397 females; mean age: 48.1±12.9 years; range, 17 to 88 years) met the selection criteria. In these cohorts, those who did not meet the criteria for FS and had widespread pain (widespread pain index ≥7) were evaluated as a separate group. Clinical status and demographic parameters of patients in both cohorts were evaluated as well as the evaluations of RA and AS patients with widespread pain (widespread pain index ≥7) and RA and AS patients with FS groups. In addition, correlations between polysymptomatic distress scale (PSD) scores and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and Disease Activity Score using 28 joint counts for RA patients and VAS, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) for AS patients were analyzed., Results: Frequencies of patients with FS and patients who had PSD scores ≥12 were 34.1% and 44.4% in all RA patients, respectively. Moreover, FS and PSD scores ≥12 were found in 29.2% and 36.9% of all AS patients, respectively. PSD scores of RA patients with FS were higher than all RA patients and RA patients with widespread pain. SDAI and CDAI scores of RA patients with FS were higher than all RA patients and RA patients with widespread pain. Similarly, PSD scores of AS patients with FS were higher than all AS patients and AS patients with widespread pain. ASDAS-erythrocyte sedimentation rate and BASDAI scores of AS patients with FS were found higher than all AS patients and AS patients with widespread pain., Conclusion: Disease activity scores, including pain in RA and AS, were higher in the presence of FS or fibromyalgianess. It may be related to clinical parameters, but cohort studies with long-term follow-up are needed to reveal causality. Additionally, to avoid overtreatment, coexistence of fibromyalgianess should be kept in mind in patients who have inflammatory diseases such as RA and AS, particularly with intractable widespread pain., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024, Turkish League Against Rheumatism.)

Objectives: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) in Turkey using the same telephone questionnaire developed for screening RA and SpA in France and used in Serbia and Lithuania., Material and Methods: The study was performed in two steps. In step I, the French questionnaire was translated into Turkish and validated through a group of 200 patients (80 males, 120 females; mean age 44.0±13.1 years; range 19 to 75 years) followed up at the rheumatology departments of University Hospitals in Antalya and Ankara. In step II, the validated Turkish questionnaire was administered face-to-face to randomly selected 4,012 subjects (1,670 males, 2,342 females; mean age 41.5±16.8 years; range 16 to 97 years) by trained general practitioners across the country, in 25 prov- inces for case detection. The subjects who were suspected of having RA or SpA in accordance with the questionnaire were invited to the nearest university hospital for rheumatologic examination in order to confirm the diagnosis., Results: In step II, a total of 25 subjects (2 males, 23 females) were diagnosed as RA. The standardized RA prevalence for the general population of Turkey was calculated as 0.56% (95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.33-0.79), 0.10% (95% CI; -0.05-0.25) for males and 0.89% (95% CI; 0.51-1.27) for females. A total of 18 subjects (3 males, 15 females) were diagnosed as SpA. The standardized SpA prevalence for the general population of Turkey was 0.46% (95% CI; 0.25-0.67), 0.17% (95% CI; -0.03-0.37) for males and 0.65% (95% CI; 0.32-0.98) for females. The prevalence of RA was highest in the Northern region (2.00%) and the prevalence of SpA was highest in the Central region (1.49%)., Conclusion: The prevalences of RA and SpA in Turkey are close to each other and there are significant inter-regional variations in prevalences of both RA and SpA., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.