relationship between hypomagnesemia and pulmonary function tests in patients with chronic asthma

Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum values of magnesium and the parameters of the pulmonary function tests [PFT] in patients with chronic asthma

Subjects and Methods: This study recruited 50 patients with chronic stable asthma and 40 healthy individuals as a control group. Data on age, sex, severity of asthma, PFT, and details of drug therapy were obtained from each group. Serum magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and sodium levels were also measured. To evaluate differences between groups, the Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test was performed for continuous variables, and the X[2] test for categorical variables

Results: In the asthma group, 10% [n = 9] of the patients had hypomagnesemia and 5.5% [n = 5] had hypophosphatemia. Patients with asthma were divided into two groups: the hypomagnesemic group [n = 9] and the normomagnesemic group [n = 41]. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV[1]], FEV[1]%, peak expiratory flow [PEF], and PEF% were lower in the hypomagnesemic group than in the normomagnesemic group [p = 0.02]. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a statistically significant association between hypomagnesemia and PFT in the hypomagnesemic asthmatic group. The correlations of age with FEV[1], FEV[1]%, PEF, and PEF% were as follows: p = 0.00, r = 0.29; p = 0.00, r = 0.43; p = 0.03, r = 0.22; p = 0.00, r = 0.38; and p = 0.03, r = 0.22, respectively. The correlation of serum magnesium levels with PFT [FEV1, FEV1%, PEF, PEF%] were as follows: p = 0.001, r = 0.29; p = 0.001, r = 0.43; p = 0.03, r = 0.22; and p = 0.001, r = 0.38, respectively. The other electrolytes were within the normal range in both groups

Conclusion: In this study, hypomagnesemia and hypophosphatemia were found to be the most common electrolyte abnormalities in patients with chronic stable asthma. FEV[1], FEV[1]%, PEF, and PEF% were significantly lower in asthmatic patients with hypomagnesemia compared to asthmatic patients with normomagnesemia

On the Severity of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Diabetes or Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy. Although its etiology is unknown, certain conditions are commonly associated with CTS, such as obesity, arthritis, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, trauma, mass lesions, amyloidosis, and sarcoidosis. We aimed to determine the association between metabolic syndrome and CTS, and we compared the severity of CTS between patients with diabetes (and no concomitant metabolic syndrome) and patients with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Two hundred patients with a clinically and electrophysiological confirmed diagnosis of CTS were included in the study. Their demographic characteristics and severity of CTS were analyzed according to the presence or the absence of metabolic syndrome. Differences in the electrophysiological findings were evaluated between the following four groups: 1) metabolic syndrome alone (n=52), 2) diabetes alone (n=20), 3) combined metabolic syndrome and diabetes (n=44), and 4) no metabolic syndrome or diabetes (n=84). RESULTS: CTS was more severe in the patients with metabolic syndrome than those without this syndrome. The electrophysiological findings were worse in patients with metabolic syndrome alone than in those with diabetes alone and those without diabetes and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: CTS appears to be more severe in patients with metabolic syndrome than patients with diabetes. Diabetes is one of the well-known risk factors for CTS, but other components of metabolic syndrome may have a greater effect on the severity of CTS.

Comparative Analysis of Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty for Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and outcome of vertebroplasty compared with unipedicular and bipedicular kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in terms of pain, functional capacity and height restoration rates. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The vertebroplasty procedure was first performed in 1984 for the treatment of a hemangioma at the C2 vertebra. Kyphoplasty was first performed in 1998 and includes vertebral height restoration in addition to using inflation balloons and high-viscosity cement. Both are efficacious, safe and long-lasting procedures. However, controversy still exists about pain relief, improvement in functional capacity, quality of life and height restoration the superiority of these procedures and assessment of appropriate and specific indications of one over the other remains undefined. METHODS: Between 2004 and 2011, 296 patients suffering from osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture underwent 433 vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures. Visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and height restoration rates were used to evaluate the results. RESULTS: Mean height restoration rate was 24.16%+/-1.27% in the vertebroplasty group, 24.25%+/-1.28% in the unipedicular kyphoplasty group and 37.05%+/-1.21% in the bipedicular kyphoplasty group. VAS and ODI scores improved all of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are both effective in providing pain relief and improvement in functional capacity and quality of life after the procedure, but the bipedicular kyphoplasty procedure has a further advantage in terms of height restoration when compared to unipedicular kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty procedures.

effect of gene polymorphisms [ENOS G894T, PON1 and catalase -262C-T] on fertility and sperm parameters in Turkish men with clinical varicocele: a pilot study

Scrotal varicocele is found to be associated with increased spermatozoal reactive oxygen species [ROS] production and decreased seminal plasma antioxidant activity. Our objective was to search for an association between male infertility and gene polymorphisms [PON1, ENOS G894T and Catalase -262C-T]. Controlled prospective study. Ataturk and Yuksek Ihtisas Education and Training Hospitals, Ankara, Turkey. Forty primary infertile men and forty healthy men were included in the study. Patients with clinical varicocele in the study group had no endocrinopathy, no surgery for varicocele / inguinal hernia, and / or no leukospermia. They were non-smokers. Doppler ultrasonography [USG] was performed for the patients. For genetic analysis, 5 ml of venous blood was drawn into tubes containing EDTA from each patient. Gene polymorphism, progressive sperm motion and vein diameter. Existence of gene polymorphisms was statistically important in patients who had clinical varicocele with affected progressive forward motion. We determined statistically significant rate of gene polymorphisms in enzymatic antioxidant defence systems in patients with clinical varicocele, with a diameter of spermatic vein above 2.2 mm and forward progressive sperm motion below 32% [p < 0.001]. These polymorphisms might represent risk factors for Turkish men with clinical varicocele and forward progressive sperm motion defect. This is a pilot study. We intend to continue these studies with larger sample sizes to confirm these findings