Comparison of OMERACT-RAMRIS scores and computer-aided dynamic magnetic resonance imaging findings of hand and wrist as a measure of activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

The purpose of this study was to compare the value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) finding of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and computer-aided dynamic MRI measurements in predicting the activity of disease. The activity of the disease in 40 RA patients was evaluated by the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28). The conventional MRI of the wrists of all patients were scored for bone edema, synovitis and erosions, according to the criteria of RA-MRI scoring system (RAMRIS) developed by Outcome measures in rheumatology clinical trials (OMERACT) MR Imaging Group. Synovitis was also quantified by dynamic postcontrast MRI imaging using color coded maximum slope of increase maps and measurements of early enhancement rate (EER) and relative enhancement (RE). Twenty-two (55 %) patients with a score higher than 5.1 constituted the high disease activity group, 18 (45 %) patients with a score of 5.1 or less constituted moderate disease activity group. The dynamic MRI-EER score was the most significant parameter to differentiate between the groups (p = 0.001). Among OMERACT scores, only bone edema [p = 0.020 for wrist and p = 0.037 for metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP)] had a significant difference between the two groups. Dynamic MRI RE score and OMERACT scores for erosions and synovitis for both the wrist and MCP joints did not differ significantly between the two groups. Computer-aided dynamic MRI is a reliable, noninvasive method of evaluating the RA patients, which correlates with the DAS28 scores, at a higher significance than the OMERACT-RAMRIS scores.

Evaluation of nutritional status in Turkish adolescents as related to gender and socioeconomic status.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nutritional status of Turkish high school adolescents using anthropometric indicators and to determine the relationship of nutritional status with gender and socioeconomic status (SES) in adolescents. METHODS: Six hundred eighty adolescent students (n=284 males, 396 females) aged 14-18 years were selected from 6 high schools of different regions. Nutritional status was evaluated according to the anthropometric indicators, which were based on the WHO criteria. Adolescents were grouped into three SES categories. RESULTS: The rates of being stunted, underweight, and overweight/obesity were 4.4%, 5.0% and 16.8%, respectively. Height and weight standard deviation scores (SDS) were significantly lower in adolescents with low SES (p<0.05). The frequency of stunting was significantly higher in adolescents with low SES (p=0.012). Frequency of underweight, overweight and obesity did not differ significantly between socioeconomic groups and genders (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Adolescents of low SES were shorter and thinner than those of other SES categories. Undernutrition needs to be addressed in low SES. Among all Turkish adolescents, the major nutritional problems were overweight and obesity. There were no SES and gender differences in prevalence of overweight and obesity among the Turkish school adolescents living in urban areas. Prevalence of obesity is rising, regardless of differences in SES and gender, in developing countries too.