The goal of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of hyaluronan (HA) with/without corticosteroid in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). In a 1-year, randomized, single-blind trial, 24 patients were treated with HA weekly for 3 weeks, then three injections on the 6th month for a total of six injections. Sixteen patients were treated the same but with the addition of 1 ml triamcinolone acetonide prior to the first and fourth HA injection. The treatment was repeated at the sixth month. The patients were evaluated with the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the visual analog pain scale (VAS). After 1 year, progression of OA was evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During the study, pain relief was marked in patients who received combined treatment with respect to WOMAC pain and VAS (p<0.05). At the first year, no progression was observed in either treatment group. Although all patients had improvement for both pain and function, HA together with corticosteroid was superior to HA alone for early pain relief. The MRI findings showed that neither treatment showed a progression on the damage of the cartilage.

The combination of NS with PR resulted in improvements particularly in lean body mass and mid-thigh CSA. This study suggests combining NS with PR in reversing weight loss and muscle wasting in COPD.

No abstract

To compare the bone mineral density (BMD) and determine the frequency of osteoporosis in mild and advanced ankylosing spondylitis (AS) cases. Seventy three patients with AS were enrolled in this study. The BMD was analyzed at the lumbar spine and hip by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The patients were diagnosed as being "normal, osteopenia, or osteoporosis" according to the WHO classification. Using the BASRI-lumbar and BASRI-hip scores, the patients were grouped in mild and advanced AS categories. The mean BMD in the lumbar spine and hip of patients with mild and advanced AS was similar (p > 0.05). While 61.6% of the patients were found to have osteopenia or osteoporosis in the lumbar spine, 46.6% had osteopenia or osteoporosis in the total hip. Of the patients with advanced AS 54.3% had osteopenia or osteoporosis in the lumbar spine, 75% in the total hip. Of the patients with mild AS patients had 68.4% osteopenia or osteoporosis in the lumbar spine, and 42.3% in the total hip. The osteopenia or osteoporosis frequency of the mild and advanced cases of AS in the lumbar spine was similar (p > 0.05). In the advanced AS patients, osteopenia or osteoporosis frequency was significantly higher in the total hip than in the mild AS patients (p < 0.05). In conclusion, there was evidence of osteoporosis in both the advanced AS and mild AS patients. The reason why the anteroposterior lumbar DXA results in the advanced AS patients were similar to the mild ones may be due to the existence of syndesmophytes and ligament calcification. In these cases, it is more convenient to use a hip DXA for assessing the extent of osteoporosis.

Malignant transformation of fibrous dysplasia is very rare. The frequency is increased in polyostotic forms, in McCune-Albright and Mazabraud's syndromes and previously irradiated cases. Pain, which is rapidly becoming worse over a short period unrelated to trauma is the most alarming symptom. Early radiological features of sarcomatous transformation are moth-eaten or cystic areas of osteolysis, cortical destruction and gradual formation of a soft tissue mass. The prognosis is unfavorable as most of the cases are in an advanced stage in the time of diagnosis. We present an unusual case of unsuspected secondary osteosarcoma arising in a previously unirradiated, monostotic fibrous dysplasia. A 46-year-old woman was admitted with hip pain, which worsened after a minor trauma occurred 1 year ago. Plain graphies of left femur showed a well-delineated lesion with endosteal scalloping and areas having a ground-glass appearance. The MRI revealed minimal contrast enhancement but no heterogenous signal intensity, cortical destruction, periost reaction or accompanying soft tissue component was noted. The lesion was initially curetted. But being diagnosed as osteosarcoma histologically, classical osteosarcoma protocol pre and postoperative chemotherapy was applied. Resected femur showed areas of fibrous dysplasia admixed with osteosarcoma having fibroblastic, chondroblastic and osteoblastic areas that were focally invading the soft tissue. Tumor viability was estimated as 95%. The clinical course worsened rapidly after the operation. She did not respond to postoperative chemotherapy and lost with pulmonary metastases less than a years' time after the operation. The case is presented to increase awareness on the possibility of malignant transformation in an otherwise unsuspected fibrous dysplasia.

No abstract

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a clinical entity which occurs mainly in children and adolescents with recurrent episodes of pain occurring over several years. Cause and physiopathology of disease is still uncertain. We aim to assess clinical characteristics and treatment options, need and response to anti-inflammatory therapies in children diagnosed chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis Demographic data and clinical features of seventeen children diagnosed with CRMO in 2 pediatric rheumatology centers in Turkey were reviewed retrospectively. The diagnosis was based on clinical findings, radiological images and histopathological and microbiological studies. A total of 17 patients were included in the study. The median age of diagnosis was 9.6±4.2 years. The mean follow-up time was 31.6 months (range 6-35 months). Most patients (n: 10) had a recurrent multifocal disease course (>6 months), 6 patients had a persistent course and a patient had only one episode of CRMO. MEFV gene mutations were detected in 4 patients whose clinical features reduced with colchicine therapy. All patients had received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs but only one had complete response. Thirteen children with NSAID failure subsequently received corticosteroids, sulfasalazine, methotrexate, Anti TNF α drugs, or a combination of these drugs. This study is the largest cohort of pediatric CRMO patients in our country. Clinical evolution and imaging investigations should be closely done to avoid delays in diagnosis. Ethnic differences create changes in the presentation of the disease and response to treatment

Acromegaly is a chronic endocrinopathy characterized by the hypersecretion of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. Musculoskeletal pain is a frequent problem encountered in acromegaly and is associated with a reduction in the quality of life. In this study, the presence of inflammatory and degenerative rheumatologic diseases in acromegaly has been retrospectively evaluated. Forty patients with acromegaly who were in remission according to laboratory findings, but still having joint and back pain problems, were referred to rheumatology outpatient clinic and all the patients were examined by clinical, radiological, and laboratory data. Mean age was 47.1 years (22-75). When the radiological data were evaluated, erosions of the left sacroiliac joint were found by means of magnetic resonance imaging in 1 patient and degenerative joint changes were observed in 24 patients by X-ray imaging. However, there was no pathology in the radiological data of 15 patients. Laboratory data revealed antinuclear antibody positivity (3 nucleolar and 1 homogeneous) in 4 patients, rheumatoid factor positivity in 4, and cyclic citrullinated peptide positivity only in 1 patient. The diagnosis of an inflammatory rheumatologic disease, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or undifferentiated connective tissue disease was made in 3 patients. Besides, the diagnosis of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis was also established in 6 patients. While degenerative joint diseases were frequently observed in our group similar to the literature, inflammatory rheumatologic diseases were also found in three patients. Distinguishing these two diseases is important because response to medical treatment is dramatically better in inflammatory diseases than in degenerative pathologies. A multidisciplinary approach is imperative for appropriate management of these patients.