To study the prevalence major rheumatic diseases in western Turkey. This survey was conducted in Havsa which have a total population of 18,771. Physicians and interns visited every household, interviewed face to face a questionnaire about the symptoms of rheumatic disorders. The individuals replied positively to any question were examined at the nearest health center. Those have no objective findings related to any rheumatic diseases were excluded. People could not be clinically diagnosed were asked to come to the hospital for further evaluation. A total 17,835 of 18,771 residents participated. We estimated the prevalence of Behçet's Disease (BD) as 0.019%; ankylosing spondylitis: 0.120%; rheumatoid arthritis: 0.321%; knee osteoarthritis (OA): 5.351%; hand OA: 1.110%; hand and knee OA: 1.958%; total OA: 8.420%; primary Raynaud's: 1.192%; psoriasis: 0.424 %; psoriatic arthritis: 0.050%; rheumatic fever: 0.318%; rheumatic heart disease: 0.200%; inflammatory bowel disease: 0.023%; lupus: 0.059%; gout: 0.018%; systemic sclerosis: 0.022%; juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: 0.032%; temporal arteritis: 0.020%, and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) as 0.006%. Figures were adjusted for age-sex of the general Turkish population. The prevalence's of BD and FMF are considerably lower in Havsa as compared to other regions in Turkey.

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TNF-α-308GA and IL-6 -174CC gene polymorphisms are involved in susceptibility to GD in Turkish population. The polymorphism hypothesis in pro-inflammatory cytokines might be involved in predisposition to GD.

Genetic mutations such as C599T polymorphism in glutathione peroxidase [GPX1] gene and polymorphisms in potassium channel (KCNJ11) genes have recently been proposed in the etiopathogenesis of new onset diabetes mellitus after renal transplantation (NODAT). We aimed to examine the association of GPX1 and KCNJ11 polymorphisms in NODAT. This is a monocenter case-control study with a total of 118 renal transplant recipients who were divided into 2 groups; NODAT and normal glucose tolerance. Relation of GPX1 and KCNJ11 polymorphisms were investigated between these groups. PCR-RFLP method was used for genotyping of polymorphisms in the GPX1 (rs1050450) and KCNJ11 (rs1805127) genes. Two alleles were visualized for each gene (C/T for GPX1 and A/G for KCNJ11). NODAT was correlated with age at transplantation (p<0.001, r=0.380), post-transplant systolic blood pressure (BP) (p=0.02, r=0.211), post-transplant non-HDL cholesterol levels (p=0.01, r=0.803), degree of weight change at the end of the first year (p=0.01, r=0.471), presence of pre-transplant hypertension (HT) (p=0.02, r=0.201), family history of diabetes (p=0.01, r=0.29) and dyslipidemia (p=0.012, r=0.362). GPX1 polymorphism of TT (mutant) allele was significantly more frequent in patients with NODAT (p<0.001, r=0.396) independent from other diabetogenic risk factors. KCNJ11 polymorphisms were similar in both groups and did not show any significant association with NODAT (p=0.10). In addition to several diabetogenic risk factors, C599T polymorphisms in GPX1 gene might also contribute to the development of NODAT. Further studies on larger patient series are necessary in order to reach definitive suggestions.

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