Comparative Effectiveness of Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy and Ultrasound-Guided Local Corticosteroid Injection Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis.

BACKGROUND: We compared the long-term clinical and ultrasonographic effects of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) versus ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection treatment in patients with plantar fasciitis unresponsive to conservative therapy. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with unilateral plantar fasciitis were randomized to receive either rESWT (three times once per week) (n = 36) or corticosteroid treatment (a single 1-mL dose of betamethasone sodium plus 0.5 mL of prilocaine under ultrasound guidance by injection into the plantar fascia) (n = 36). The primary outcome measures were visual analog scale (VAS) and Foot Function Index (FFI) scores. Secondary outcome measures included the heel tenderness index (HTI) score and plantar fascia thickness (PFT) as obtained by ultrasound examination. All of the assessments were performed at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in the rESWT group in VAS, HTI, and FFI scores and PFT at the end of treatment and were maintained during follow-up. Posttreatment improvements in VAS, HTI, and FFI scores and PFT were also seen in the corticosteroid group but were not maintained for VAS and FFI scores after the completion of therapy and were lost at 1 and 6 months, respectively. No serious treatment-related complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Both rESWT and corticosteroid injection therapy are effective modalities for treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis. However, rESWT seems to be superior to corticosteroid injection therapy due to its longer duration of action.

Unusual Presentation of Hydatid Cyst in Breast with Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings.

We report a case of 59-year-old woman with a painful left breast mass, compatible with types II-III hydatid cyst. Lesion was evaluated with mammography, ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging modalities. Magnetic resonance imaging had important diagnostic role with demonstrating characteristic features of the lesion and had capability of showing complications. Surgery also confirmed the diagnosis of a hydatid cyst.

Evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness in children with migraine: a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Migraine is a commonly seen neurovascular disorder during childhood. Inflammation induced by the activation of cytokines and neuropeptides is implied in its pathophysiology. There is an association between inflammation and atherosclerosis in patients with migraine. In addition, there is a strong correlation between early atherosclerotic wall lesions and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). The study population consisted of 57 migraine patients aged 5-17 years, as well as 47 healthy children who served as the control group. Those migraine patients who were not receiving any medications at the interictal period were compared to healthy controls in terms of their measured lipid levels, thyroid function, vitamin B12 levels, serum iron levels, iron binding capacity, complete blood count, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) scores, which may comprise risk factors for atherosclerosis. When children in the migraine and control groups were compared in terms of those risk factors that are known to be related to vascular changes, no significant differences were found. However, a significant difference was detected in CIMT values (P < 0.05). Atherosclerosis commences in childhood, and there is a long period of time before the onset of ischemic symptoms occurs. In children with migraine, an evaluation of CIMT can be used as a non-invasive imaging modality to detect atherosclerosis, which develops in the context of chronic inflammation. In this way, measures to reduce morbidity and mortality, which may result from cardiovascular diseases, can be implemented.

Hypopituitarism and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease related to difficult delivery.

Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP) disease is characterized by idiopathic avascular osteonecrosis of the epiphysis of the femur head. The main factor that plays a role in the etiology of the disease is decreased blood flow to the epiphysis. Many predisposing factors have been suggested in the etiology of LCP disease, and most have varying degrees of effects. Here we present the case of a boy aged 4 years and 10 months with complaints of short stature and a diagnosis of multiple hypophyseal hormone deficiency, in whom LCP disease and difficult birth-related pituitary stalk interruption syndrome were identified by anamnesis. The present case revealed that LCP disease and hypophyseal hormone deficiency could be secondary to difficult birth and that LCP disease could be secondary to insulin-like growth factor 1 deficiency. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge there is no published case on the relation between LCP disease and insulin-like growth factor 1 deficiency. Therefore, we believe that this case is worthy of presentation.

The effect of isotretinoin on ovarian reserve based on hormonal parameters, ovarian volume, and antral follicle count in women with acne.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUD/AIMS: Widely prescribed in routine practice, isotretinoin has an unknown impact on ovarian reserve. With a long history in acne treatment and numerous potential side effects, it is surprising that very few prospective studies have investigated its effect on ovarian reserve. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the impact of oral isotretinoin on ovarian reserve based on hormonal parameters, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), ovarian volume (OV), and antral follicle count (AFC) in women of reproductive age with acne. METHODS: Our study group consisted of 82 women of reproductive age with acne who were treated with oral isotretinoin. The patients were evaluated for ovarian reserve prior to therapy and reevaluated 6 months after isotretinoin treatment with regard to hormonal parameters, AMH, OV, and AFC. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the pre- and posttreatment period for AMH [2.20 ng/ml (25th-75th percentile 1.14-4.07) vs. 1.31 ng/ml (0.32-2.28)], total AFC [16 (14-18.25) vs. 12.5 (10-15)], and total OV [23 ml (18-29) vs. 15 ml (13-18); p < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to analyze the levels of serum AMH, AFC, and OV together in patients treated with oral isotretinoin for acne. The results of our study demonstrated that oral isotretinoin had a significant negative effect on ovarian reserve.

Crystallized phenol treatment of pilonidal disease improves quality of life.

The effects of crystallized phenol treatment of pilonidal sinus on quality of life has not been investigated before. This study aimed to compare the phenol treatment with surgical excision plus primary closure technique in terms of life quality by means of a life quality questionnaire. This is a prospective randomized clinical study. The study was conducted at Training and Teaching Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey. In total, 40 patients with pilonidal disease were randomly assigned into 2 clinically comparable groups between September 2010 and June 2011. Cristallyzed phenol application was done to 20 patients and surgical excision plus primary closure was done to 20 patients for the treatment of pilonidal disease. Data regarding demographic variables were recorded. To evaluate quality of life and patient comfort all patients asked to fill the questionnaire after complete healing occurred. There was no difference between the groups in age, sex and occupation. Two of the 20 patients in the excision and primary closure group had complication of wound dehiscience and needed prolonged wound care. There was significant differences in favor of the phenol group in all terms of life quality except for complete healing time. As a first degree treatment, phenol treatment is better than the other treatment choices of pilonidal disease in terms of time off work perioperative pain, being away from school and social life. Also phenol treatment can be done without any pretreatment laboratory examination. Further studies will be needed about cost-effectivity of phenol treatment.

Sonographic evaluation for predicting the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between age, sex, obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and both the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and their predictive value for the presence and severity of CAD. METHODS: Our study population consisted of 136 patients who underwent coronary angiography for various reasons. Gensini scoring was used to determine the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Carotid intima-media thickness was estimated by carotid duplex ultrasound. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as kilograms divided by meters squared. RESULTS: Coronary artery disease was detected in 74 patients (54%). In the whole group, patients with CAD had significantly higher CIMT measurements compared with those without CAD (0.93 [SD, 0.14] and 0.72 [SD, 0.12] mm, respectively, P < 0.001). Carotid intima-media thickness was correlated with BMI (P < 0.001, r = 0.453), age (P = 0.001, r = 0.389), and grade 2-3 NAFLD (P < 0.001, r = 0.356). In the multiple logistic regression model, CIMT (odds ratio, 1.189; 95% confidence interval, 1.122-1.261; P < 0.001) was the only independent predictor of the presence of CAD. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, optimal cutoff value of CIMT to predict the presence of CAD was found as greater than 0.75 mm with 93.2% sensitivity and 71% specificity. In CAD group patients, Gensini score was correlated with CIMT (P < 0.001, r = 0.604), grade 2-3 NAFLD (P < 0.001, r = 0.534), BMI (P < 0.001, r = 0.498), and age (P = 0.001, r = 0.385). In the multiple stepwise linear regression model, CIMT (ß = 0.444, P < 0.001) and grade 2-3 NAFLD (ß = 0.353, P < 0.001) were associated with severity of CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that CIMT is a strong independent predictor for the presence and severity of CAD. Furthermore, moderate to severe hepatosteatosis is also significantly associated with the severity of CAD. Therefore, detection of CIMT and NAFLD by ultrasonography, which is a very cheap, safe, and noninvasive radiological modality, can be used to improve CAD risk prediction.

Analysis of the volumes of the posterior cranial fossa, cerebellum, and herniated tonsils using the stereological methods in patients with Chiari type I malformation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the posterior cranial fossa volume, cerebellar volume, and herniated tonsillar volume in patients with chiari type I malformation and control subjects using stereological methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: These volumes were estimated retrospectively using the Cavalieri principle as a point-counting technique. We used magnetic resonance images taken from 25 control subjects and 30 patients with chiari type I malformation. RESULTS: The posterior cranial fossa volume in patients with chiari type I malformation was significantly smaller than the volume in the control subjects (P < 0.05). In the chiari type I malformation group, the cerebellar volume was smaller than the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In the chiari type I malformation group, the ratio of cerebellar volume to posterior cranial fossa volume was higher than in the control group. We also found a positive correlation between the posterior cranial fossa volume and cerebellar volume for each of the groups (r = 0.865, P < 0.001). The mean (±SD) herniated tonsillar volume and length were 0.89 ± 0.50 cm(3) and 9.63 ± 3.37 mm in the chiari type I malformation group, respectively. Conclusion. This study has shown that posterior cranial fossa and cerebellum volumes can be measured by stereological methods, and the ratio of these measurements can contribute to the evaluation of chiari type I malformation cases.

Case report of a patient with osteopoikilosis.

Osteopoikilosis (OPK) is an uncommon osteosclerotic dysplasia. There is no exact evidence of its etiology and pathogenesis. Usually, it is an asymptomatic disease, and the diagnosis is made incidentally from radiographs, which show multiple, small, well-defined, variably shaped and widely distributed sclerotic areas over the skeleton. In this study, we report a 54-year-old man who suffers from back and leg pain and was diagnosed OPK by radiologically and review literature.