Adiponectin: is it a biomarker for assessing the disease severity in knee osteoarthritis patients?

AIM: The results of previous studies regarding the role of adiponectin in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) are controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the relation of plasma adiponectin levels with clinical and radiological disease severity in knee OA patients. METHOD: Sixty patients with knee OA and 25 healthy controls were included in the study. Patients were divided into two subgroups: lean (Group 1, n = 30) and obese (Group 2, n = 30). Healthy controls were accepted as Group 3 (n = 25). Pain intensity was measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS), functional disability with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Quality of Life (QoL) with Short Form-36 (SF-36). Also all patients were radiologically evaluated and graded according to Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) scale. Plasma concentrations of adiponectin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Serum adiponectin levels were higher in OA patient subgroups than those in the control group but the difference did not reach a significant level after adjustments for age, gender and body mass index (P = 0.078). There was a positive correlation between adiponectin concentration and KL grading scores. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between adiponectin levels and clinical variables (VAS and WOMAC total scores) in patient subgroups (r = 0.326 P = 0.012, r = 0.583 P < 0.001, respectively). SF-36 scores were inversely associated with adiponectin levels. CONCLUSION: Plasma adiponectin concentrations were associated with both clinical and radiological disease severity in knee OA patients. Thus, adiponectin hormone might be a potential clinically useful biomarker while assessing disease severity in the future.

Investigation of the H reflexes, F waves and sympathetic skin response with electromyography (EMG) in patients with stroke and the determination of the relationship with functional capacity.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between sympathetic skin responses (SSR), electrodiagnostic reflex activities (F wave, H reflex), and functional capacity in post-stroke patients. The study comprised 40 hemiplegia patients (mean age 57.8 ± 10.9 years) and 40 healthy volunteers (mean age 557 ± 85 years). In electrophysiological studies, SSR, F wave and H reflex were evaluated and for the functional capacities of patients, FIM scores and Brunnstrom stages were calculated. There was no statistical significant difference between SSR latency and amplitude in the hemiplegic and non-hemiplegic extremities of patients (p > 0.05). SSR latency values of patients were higher than those of controls (p < 0.05). Amplitude values of paretic arms were significantly lower than the control group extremities (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between SSR amplitude values and FIM scores. A significant increase in H max/M max amplitude rate was detected in the affected side (p < 0.05) and F-wave mean latency values of the affected side were found to be significantly lower in the control group (p < 0.05).