Isokinetic Evaluation of Knee Extensor/Flexor Muscle Strength in Behcet's Patients.

BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease (BD) is an idiopathic, multisystemic, progressive disease. The purpose of this study is to compare the knee flexor and extensor isokinetic muscle strengths of Behcet's patients with that of healthy subjects. METHODS: Twenty-five (13 male and 12 female) patients with BD and 25 (15 male and 10 female) healthy individuals were included in the study. Velocities of 90°/sec, 120°/sec, and 150°/sec were used for the isokinetic muscle strength testing. Patients with active inflammatory knee arthritis were excluded. Peak torque (Nm) and peak torque adjusted to body weight (%) were taken into consideration for comparison between study groups. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, there was a statistically significant decrease in both the bilateral knee extensor and flexor muscle isokinetic peak torques(Nm) as well as the peak torques adjusted to body weight (%) at velocities of 90°/sec, 120°/sec and 150°/sec in patients with BD (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the agonist-antagonist ratio of the isokinetic peak torques of knee muscles between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In light of these findings, we have concluded that both knee flexor and extensor isokinetic muscle strengths are lower in BD. We therefore recommend careful monitoring of patients with BD in terms of muscle strength.

Can the patient-reported outcome instruments determine disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis?

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the indicative value of the patient-reported outcome instruments (PROs) on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Three hundred sixty eight patients with RA were included in this cross-sectional study. Disease activity was evaluated using both the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28) and the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI). Patients who had DAS 28 score < 3.60 points and CDAI score <10.00 points were allocated into the "low disease activity" group and those who had DAS 28 score > or = 3.60 points and CDAI score > or = 10.00 points into the "moderate or high disease activity" group. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQoL), and Short Form 36 (SF 36) were used as PROs. Logistic regression analysis was used to find variables, which had an indicative value for disease activity. RESULTS: HAQ, pain and emotional reaction subscales of NHP, and bodily pain, general health and social functioning subscales of SF 36 had independent indicative values, when DAS 28 was used as dependent variable. On the other hand, HAQ, pain and emotional reaction subscales of NHP, and general health and emotional role limitation subscales of SF 36 had indicative values when CDAI was used as dependent variable. DAS 28 and CDAI both showed HAQ as the parameter with the highest odds ratio (OR). But RAQoL had shown no independent indicative value for projecting disease activity. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that HAQ could determine disease activity in RA better than other PROs included in this study (Tab. 4, Ref. 36).

Vitamin D and muscle strength, functional ability and balance in peritoneal dialysis patients with vitamin D deficiency.

25(OH)D deficiency has been associated with significantly worse physical performance in individuals with normal renal function. We examined the physical function, muscle strength and balance in age- and gender-matched 25 Stage 3 - 4 CKD patients and 47 Stage 5 CKD patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) with vitamin D deficiency by objective methods and evaluated the effect of vitamin D replacement on physical performance tests: the "timed up and go" (TUG) test, gait velocity test, timed chair stand test, stair climb test, dynamic balance tests (TUG test, dynamic postural stability test), static balance test (functional reach test) and muscle strength in these two groups. At baseline 25(OH)D in the Stage 3 - 4 CKD patients and patients on PD were 6.9 ± 3.5 ng/ ml (17.2 ± 8.7 nmol/l) and 5.7 ± 3.3 ng/ml (14.2 ± 8.2 nmol/l), respectively (p > 0.05). Mean (± SD) 25(OH)D in Stage 3 - 4 CKD patients and those on PD were 52.0 ± 40.9 ng/ml (129.7 ± 102.2 nmol/l) and 41.9 ± 21, ng/ml (104,5 ± 52,6 nmol/l) respectively after vitamin D replacement (p > 0.05). When both Stage 3 - 4 CKD and dialysis patients became vitamin D-sufficient after vitamin D replacement, they took a significantly shorter time to complete the TUG test, gait velocity test, the timed chair stand test and stair climb test. Results of physical performance tests, static and dynamic balance tests and isometric strength tests improved in both groups after the treatment (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our results show that vitamin D supplementation improves muscle strength, functional ability and balance in both CKD and dialysis patients.

Gain in visual acuity after cataract surgery improves postural stability and mobility.

OBJECTIVES: Vision plays an important role in postural stability. It has also been shown that visual information from the environment and visual cues significantly contribute to balance skills. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of visual acuity on postural stability and mobility before and after cataract surgery. METHODS: The study group was composed of 25 male and 11 female patients (age 57-84, mean 66.6 +/- 4.7) who had been operated for age-related cataract. Postural stability and mobility were assessed before and four weeks after the surgery by means of Biodex stability system (BSS), Tinetti, Time up and go (TUG) and Functional reach (FR) tests, as well as by gait analysis (gait velocity, step length, step width, cadence, stride length). RESULTS: Postoperative visual acuity was significantly improved. Gait velocity and cadence increased significantly but step length, stride length, and step width did not change significantly. Postoperative improvement of Tinetti balance, TUG and FR tests were significant. Similarly, antero-posterior stability index (APSI), mediolateral stability index (MLSI) and overall stability index (OSI) that were examined with BSS improved significantly after the cataract surgery. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that gain in visual acuity after cataract surgery improves the postural stability and mobility of patients (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 29). Full Text in free PDF www.bmj.sk.

Characteristics and medical management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are chronic, progressive, systemic inflammatory rheumatic diseases that lead to serious disability. The objective of this study was to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients with RA and AS who were treated in tertiary hospitals in Turkey and to analyze their current medical management. A total of 562 RA and 216 AS patients were evaluated. The mean age of RA patients was 52.1 +/- 12.6 years. The female to male ratio was 3.7:1. Of the RA patients, 72.2% had positive rheumatoid factor (RF), 62.9% had high C-reactive protein, and 75.2% had radiological erosion. The ratio of patients with Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28 >3.2 was 73.9% and of those with Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) > or =1.5 was 20.9%. There was a statistically significant increase in RF positivity and HAQ scores in the group with higher DAS 28 score. Frequency of extraarticular manifestations was 22.4%. The ratio of the patients receiving disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) was 93.1%, and 6.9% of the patients were using anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocking agents. In AS, the mean age of the patients was 38.1 +/- 10.6, and the female to male ratio was 1:2.5. The time elapsed between the first symptom and diagnosis was 4.3 years. The ratio of peripheral joint involvement was 29.4%. Major histocompatibility complex, class I, B 27 was investigated in 31.1% of patients and the rate of positivity was 91%. In 52.4% of the patients, Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was > or =4. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Bath AS Functional Index, and peripheral involvement were significantly higher in the group with BASDAI > or =4. Frequency of extraarticular involvement was 21.2% in AS patients. In the treatment schedule, 77.5% of AS patients were receiving sulphasalazine, 15% methotrexate, and 9.9% anti-TNF agents. Despite widespread use of DMARD, we observed high disease activity in more than half of the RA and AS patients. These results may be due to relatively insufficient usage of anti-TNF agents in our patients and therefore these results mostly reflect the traditional treatments. In conclusion, analysis of disease characteristics will inform us about the disease severity and activity in RA and AS patients and could help in selecting candidate patients for biological treatments.

Comparison of three conservative treatment protocols in carpal tunnel syndrome.

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the therapeutic effect of three different combinations in the conservative treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) by means of clinical and electrophysiological studies. The combinations included tendon- and nerve-gliding exercises in combination with splinting, ultrasound treatment in combination with splinting and the combination of ultrasound, splinting, tendon- and nerve-gliding exercises. A total 28 female patients (56 wrists) with clinical and electrophysiologic evidence of bilateral CTS were studied. In all patient groups, the treatment combinations were significantly effective immediately and 8 weeks after the treatment. The results of the long-term patient satisfaction questionnaire revealed that symptomatic improvement is more prominent in the group treated with splinting, exercise and ultrasound therapy combination. Our results suggest that a combination of splinting, exercise and ultrasound therapy is a preferable and an efficacious conservative type of treatment in CTS.

Serum nitrate and nitrite levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare serum nitrate and nitrite levels in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Thirty five patients with RA, 32 patients with AS, and 36 patients with OA were entered into this study. In addition, 30 healthy volunteers acted as a control group. Concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in serum were determined by direct and indirect Griess reactions. C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels were determined as markers of systemic activity of disease (SAD) in RA and AS groups. RESULTS: Serum nitrate and nitrite levels were found to be higher in patients with AS and RA than in the OA group (p<0.01). In addition, serum nitrate and nitrite levels were higher in all three groups than in the control group (p<0.01). Moreover, serum nitrate and nitrite levels were higher in patients who had SAD than in those who had not in the RA and AS groups (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively), and there was a correlation between serum nitrate and nitrite concentrations and SAD variables in patients with RA (Spearman's r(s)=0.414, p<0.05 and r(s)=0.408, p<0.05, respectively) and AS (r(s)=0.421, p<0.05 and r(s)=0.412, p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that nitrate and nitrite production is enhanced in patients with inflammatory arthritis compared with OA. In addition, serum nitrate and nitrite levels are enhanced in patients with RA, AS, and OA compared with healthy subjects. Furthermore, there is a correlation between the SAD variables and serum nitrate and nitrite levels in patients with RA and AS.