Ultrasonographic Assessment of the Distal Femoral Cartilage Thickness in Patients with Homozygous Sickle Cell Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the distal femoral cartilage thickness of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) with those of healthy subjects using ultrasonography. METHODS: The study comprised 30 patients with SCD (16 male, 14 female; mean age, 30.1 years) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Demographic features and medications of the patients were recorded. With the knees held in maximum flexion, the femoral cartilage thickness was measured bilaterally with a 7- to 12-MHz linear probe. Using ultrasonography, 3 midpoint measurements were taken from both knees: lateral femoral condyle (LFC), intercondylar area (ICA), and medial femoral condyle (MFC). RESULTS: Patients with SCD had thinner femoral cartilage thickness values at LFC (P = 0.004), at MFC (P = 0.000), and ICA (P = 0.002) when compared with those of the healthy subjects. Patients with SCD also had lower Hb levels (P = 0.000) levels. Weak positive correlations were determined between Hemoglobin (Hb) levels and ultrasonographic measurements in the SCD group at MFC (r = 0.331, P = 0.010), and ICA (r = 0.289 , P = 0.025 ). Low levels of Hb seem to affect the femoral cartilage thickness. CONCLUSION: These preliminary findings of decreased femoral cartilage thickness in SCD patients should be complemented with future studies. The possibility of early knee joint degeneration and eventual osteoarthritis in SCD should be kept in mind.

Isokinetic Assessment of the Wrist Muscles in Females With Fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate wrist muscle strength and muscle fatigue in females with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and compare the results with those of healthy controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty consecutive female FMS patients (mean age 39.8±6.7 years; range 25 to 49 years) and 50 age and body mass index similar healthy females (mean age 35.4±7.9 years; range 27 to 48 years) were enrolled. Patients' clinical characteristics were recorded and symptoms were evaluated by the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. In addition to the demographic characteristics, physical activities of all subjects were questioned, isokinetic muscle performance was measured, and fatigue index was calculated by endurance test. RESULTS: The peak torque values of the wrist extensor and flexor muscles (at an angular velocity of 90°/second) were higher in the control group than in the FMS group (both p<0.01). There were no differences between the groups in terms of the fatigue indexes of the flexor and extensor muscles of the wrist (both p>0.05). While there were differences between the groups regarding weekly hours of walking (p=0.01) and house cleaning (p<0.001), no differences were determined for weekly hours of bicycling, gardening, doing sports, or total physical activity. There was no correlation between the peak torque values and clinical characteristics in FMS group. CONCLUSION: Patients with FMS had decreased muscle strength compared to healthy controls. Further studies with larger participants are needed to explain the relationship between upper limb muscle performance and FMS, as well as the underlying pathogenesis.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with ankylosing spondylitis without clinically overt cardiovascular disease by speckle tracking echocardiography.

The aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular systolic and diastolic function using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in order to detect subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Twenty-six AS patients (age 43.7 ± 11.8 years, disease duration 11.83 ± 10.98 years) and 26 healthy controls, matched for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. All patients underwent two-dimensional, Doppler, tissue Doppler, and speckle tracking echocardiography. The mitral early/late diastolic inflow velocity ratio (1.0 ± 0.4 vs. 1.5 ± 0.5; p < 0.001) and the mitral E-wave velocity (8.1 ± 2 vs. 11.1 ± 3; p < 0.001) were lower in the AS patients than in the controls. The ejection fraction did not differ between the patients and controls (64 ± 4.2 vs. 64.8 ± 2.3; p = 0.402). All segments showed a significant decrease in left ventricular diastolic and systolic strain values in the patients with AS when compared with the healthy controls (p < 0.001). Despite no clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, patients with AS may have impaired left ventricular systolic function as assessed by STE.

Thymoquinone attenuates trauma induced spinal cord damage in an animal model.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most devastating conditions leading to neurological impairment and disabilities. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) histopathologically in an experimental model of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Twenty-four male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group; SCI group; SCI-induced and 10 mg/kg/day TQ administered group; SCI-induced and 30 mg/kg/day TQ administered group. TQ was given as intraperitoneal for three days prior to injury and four days following injury. Spinal cord segment between T8 and T10 were taken for histopathologic examination. Hemorrhage, spongiosis and liquefactive necrosis were analyzed semiquantatively for histopathological changes. RESULTS: Administration of TQ at a dose of 10 mg/kg did not cause any significant change on the histological features of neuronal degeneration as compared to the SCI group (p=0.269); however, 30 mg/kg TQ significantly decreased the histological features of spinal cord damage below that of the SCI group (p=0.011). CONCLUSION: Data from this study suggest that TQ supplementation attenuates trauma induced spinal cord damage. Thus, TQ needs to be taken into consideration, for it may have a neuroprotective effect in trauma induced spinal cord damage.

Efficacy of EMLA cream phonophoresis comparison with ultrasound therapy on myofascial pain syndrome of the trapezius: a single-blind, randomized clinical study.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) cream phonophoresis superior to conventional US over the trigger points (TPs) in terms of improvements of pain, range of motion and disability in myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Fifty patients (42 female, 8 male) diagnosed with MPS were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned into two treatment groups including phonophoresis (PH) group (n = 25) and ultrasound (US) group (n = 25). PH group received EMLA cream phonophoresis (2.5 % lidocaine, 2.5 % prilocaine); US group received conventional ultrasound therapy over the all active TPs on trapezius muscle for 10 min a day for 15 sessions. Outcome measures were performed before the treatment course and at the end of a 15-session course of treatment. Student T, Mann-Whitney U, chi-square and Wilcoxon tests were used for statistical analysis. At the end of the therapy, there was statistically significant decrease in both PH group and US group in terms of number of trigger point (NTP) (p = 0.001, p = 0.029), pain intensity on movement (p = 0.001 vs. 0.002) and right/left cervical lateral ROMs (p = 0.001/p = 0.001, p = 0.009/p = 0.020) relative to baseline. The NTP decrease in PH group was significantly higher than that in US group (1.84 ± 1.46 vs. 0.72 ± 1.45; p = 0.01). Pain intensity at rest (p = 0.001) and NPDI scores (p = 0.001) were statistically improvement in only PH group. EMLA cream phonophoresis is more effective than conventional ultrasound therapy in terms of pain and associated neck disability, and it seems the complementary treatment option for MPS.

Ultrasound-guided vs. blind steroid injections in carpal tunnel syndrome: A single-blind randomized prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and the safety of ultrasound (US)-guided vs. blind steroid injections in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). DESIGN: This prospective randomized single-blind clinical trial included 46 patients with CTS (46 affected median nerves). The subjects were randomized-to either the US-guided or the blind injection group-before they received 40 mg of methylprednisolone. They were evaluated using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire symptom/function at baseline and at 6 wks and 12 wks after injection, and the side effects were noted. RESULTS: The symptom severity and functional status scores improved significantly in both groups at 6 wks after treatment, and these improvements persisted at 12 wks after treatment (all P < 0.05). The improvement in symptom severity scores in the US-guided group at 12 wks was higher than in the palpation-guided group (P < 0.05). Average time to symptom relief was shorter in the US-guided group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of side effects (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although both US-guided and blind steroid injections were effective in reducing the symptoms of CTS and improving the function, an earlier onset/better improvement of symptom relief suggests that US-guided steroid injection may be more effective than are blind injections in CTS.

The evaluation of efficacy and tolerability of Hylan G-F 20 in bilateral thumb base osteoarthritis: 6 months follow-up.

The aims of this randomized controlled trial were to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular Hylan G-F 20 on the pain, pinch strength, and functional status in patients with thumb base osteoarthritis (OA). Sixty-six hands of 33 female patients (mean age, 62.6 +/- 6.4 years) with bilateral clinical and radiological thumb base OA were included into this study. Hands of the same patient were divided to Hylan G-F 20 and saline-injection groups. VAS pain 100 mm, pinch strength (key, tripod and pulp to pulp pinch) and functionality (Dreiser functional index) were assessed at baseline, at sixth and 24th weeks. Statistically significant improvements were detected in function (p = 0.001), VAS pain (p = 0.002), and pinch strength (p = 0.004) at the 24th week in the Hylan G-F 20 group. However, only VAS pain scores decreased temporarily in control hands at the 6th week (p = 0.02). Although short-term placebo analgesic effect could not be ignored, intra-articular hylan was effective on pain, pinch strength, and function at the 24th week.

Evaluation of pulmonary function and bicycle ergometry tests in patients with Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) has well-defined pulmonary complications, but cardiopulmonary exercise testing and the strength of the respiratory muscles have not been studied in detail. We aimed to investigate the pulmonary functions tests, inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength and endurance, cardiopulmonary exercise test response, and the relationship of these parameters in patients with BD. Forty BD patients and 20 healthy control subjects were recruited for this study. Mean age was 32.95 +/- 7.66 years for the BD group and 33.85 +/- 6.63 years for the control group with no statistically significant difference. The ratios of slight obstructive ventilatory impairment were 32.5% for the BD group. When the values of pulmonary function tests were compared, no statistically significant difference was found in FEV(1)/FVC (Forced expiratory volume during the first second/forced vital capacity), or maximal midexpiratory flow rate (all in percent) values between patient and control groups. Maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, peak expiratory flow rate (in percent) and maximal voluntary ventilation (in percent) values were significantly lower than those of the control group. Body's consumption of peak oxygen (VO(2peak)), oxygen consumption (milliliters per kilogram per minute), anaerobic threshold (AT), maximum exercise ventilation (VE(max)), work load values, and exercise test time in the bicycle exercise test were significantly higher in control groups than in patients with BD. The values of heart rate reserve, breathing reserve, and VE/VCO(2) at the AT of BD patients were within normal limits We conclude that respiratory and aerobic exercise may be recommended to improve respiratory muscle strength and endurance as well as the aerobic capacity and maximal ventilatory capacity in patients with BD.

Pulmonary involvement in lifelong non-smoking patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis without respiratory symptoms.

Pulmonary involvement seen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has been detected increasingly by using highly sensitive diagnostic techniques such as high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). However, HRCT findings in healthy controls and the effects of smoking and drugs have not been well studied. The aim of this controlled study was to evaluate the relationships between disease-specific clinical, laboratory, HRCT and pulmonary function test (PFT) findings in 20 RA patients using methotrexate (MTX) and 20 AS patients using sulphasalazine who were non-smokers and exhibited asymptomatic respiratory signs. For this purpose, a total of 60 persons (40 patients and 20 healthy controls) were included in this study. A restrictive pattern on PFT was detected in four patients (20%) with AS, one patient with RA and one control (p<0.05). Fourteen patients (70%) with RA and ten patients (50%) with AS had positive HRCT findings. Only one patient (5%) in the control group had abnormal HRCT findings (p<0.05). Interstitial lung disease (ILD) was the most frequently seen HRCT finding in both the RA (35%) and AS (20%) groups. The chest expansion measurement, the score of the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were statistically significantly better in patients with AS having normal HRCT than in those with abnormal findings (p<0.05). There was no correlation detected between HRCT and duration of disease, disease activity markers, functional indexes and PFT in patients with RA and AS. HRCT is a sensitive tool in detecting ILD in patients with RA and AS with no signs and symptoms of pulmonary involvement and may be an integral part of such work-up. However, future prospective studies are needed to better determine if HRCT is in fact a predictor of subsequent MTX toxicity.