OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between serum leptin level, disease activity and inflammation markers in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).METHODS:A total of 48 patients with FMS diagnosed according to the 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria were included in the study, as well as 36 healthy women as controls. The Visual Analogue Scale was used to gauge pain severity, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire was used to assess physical function, the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey was used to examine quality of life, and depression was measured with the Beck Depression Inventory. Blood samples were examined for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein level (CRP), high-sensitivity CRP level (hsCRP), the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the serum leptin level was determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.RESULTS:The serum leptin level in patients with FMS was significantly higher than in the healthy group. However, no significant relationship was found between leptin level and clinical and inflammatory parameters. In addition, there were no significant differences between the patients and the control group in measurements of ESR, CRP, hsCRP, or NLR.CONCLUSION:A higher serum leptin level in patients with FMS suggested that leptin may play role in the pathogenesis of FMS, yet there was no relationship between leptin and clinical and inflammatory parameters, suggesting that leptin is not an indicator of disease activity in FMS. Additional research should be performed with larger patient groups.

OBJECTIVE:In the present study, we aimed to compare serum irisin levels in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and healthy control subjects and also investigate the relationship between irisin, disease activity and inflammation markers in patients.METHODS:A total of 84 women, including 48 patients who were diagnosed with FMS and 36 healthy controls, were included in this study. The demographic characteristics of the patients and control group were recorded. VAS for pain and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire for the assessment of the physical function of the patients, SF36 was used for quality of life, and accompanying Beck Depression Inventory to assess depression was used. Blood samples were taken for analysis that irisin, and inflammatory markers of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLO). Serum irisin levels were determined using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method.RESULTS:Serum irisin level of the patients with FMS had no significant differences compared with the healthy control group. When we compared the values of ESR, CRP, hsCRP, NLO with FMS patients and healthy controls, there was no significant difference found between them (p>0.05). There was no significant correlation between inflammatory markers and level of serum irisin (p>0.05). In patients, there was no significant correlation between inflammatory markers and level of serum irisin (p>0.05).CONCLUSION:Irisin, which is a myokine, was determined to have no significant role in the pathogenesis of FMS. Irisin had no association with disease activity and inflammatory markers. Also, the inflammation hypothesis was not supported, which suggested in FMS.

Objectives: Schizophrenia is a disorder with different clinical features. Schizophrenia may start insidiously and slow and go on for many years. But the negative symptoms and deficiency symptoms leading to social deterioration may come to the forefront. All these factors are taken into consideration, our aim in this study was to examine the demographic and clinical effects of symptoms on schizophrenic patients who have not yet been treated. Methods: Eighty patients who were admitted to the Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic, who did not have any previous antipsychotic medications and who did not use medications at the time of admission and who met the criteria for schizophrenia according to the DSM-5. Sociodemografic Data Form and the PANSS scale were used to assess the clinical status of the patients. Results: When the demographic characteristics of the participants were examined, 33 (41.2%) were female and 47 (58.8%) were male. The mean age of the patients was 31.08±9.37; mean education year was 8.76±3.53. When the patients participating in the study were evaluated in terms of gender, marital status, working status, smoking status, and family history, no statistical differences were found between the groups in terms of their PANSS scores (p>0.05). However, the PANSS Negative subscale scores (p<.001), general psychopathology scores (p=0.006), and total PANSS scores (p=0.003) were statistically significantly different between the three groups when the patients were untreated for 0-1 years, 1-5 years, and 5 years. Conclusions: In this study none of the sociodemographic factors we assessed had any effect on symptom severity. However, there are different results in the literature regarding gender, age, marital status and working status. Besides, it has been determined that the most important clinical manifestation in our study is the period without treatment. Further studies should identify demographic and clinical features that affect schizophrenic symptom changes.

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A case of epidural venous plexus enlargement presenting with radiculopathy and low back pain mimicking lumbar disc herniation Radikülopati ve bel ağrısı ile ortaya çıkan ve lomber disk herniasyonunu taklit eden epidural venöz pleksus genişlemesi olgusu

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuropathic pain component in patients with myofascial pain syndrome, and to examine the effects of neuropathic pain on emotional status, sleep and quality of life. Material and Methods: 73 patients with MPS in their neck or upper back region admitted to the tertiary university hospital were included. Questionnaires were administrated to the patients via face-to-face interviews, and included sociodemographic variables. The patients were evaluated for neuropathic component by DN4 questionnaires, and pain by visual analog scale (VAS). Validated questionnaires measuring emosyonel status, sleep quality and quality of life were used. Results: Of the 73 patients, 48 (65.8%) were female and 25 (34.2%) were male. The mean age of all recruited patients was 38.2±10.6 years. According to the DN4 scale 56.2% of the patients had neuropathic pain. MPS patients were divided into two groups as those with and without neuropathic pain. VAS, BDI, and PSQI scores were significantly higher among MPS patients with neuropathic pain than among MPS patients without neuropathic pain (p<0.01).The patients with neuropathic pain had lower scores for all the parameters of the SF-36. Morever vitality, social function, mental health, and emotional role dimensions scores were significantly lower in MPS patients with neuropathic pain than MPS patients without neuropathic pain (p<0.01). Conclusion: An appropriate diagnosis and treatment of the neuropathic pain plays an important role and can reduce the pain, improve the quality of life and sleep qulity, and decrease the level of depression in treatment of MPS.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of 5% dectrose prolotherapy on low back pain in patients with chronic low back pain without neurological deficits. Material-Method: Prolotherapy with 5% dextrose was applied to patients with localized low back pain, hip pain, spreading pain in the legs for more than six months. Stretching exercises were recommended after prolotherapy and an analgesic containing paracetamol (500 mg) + codeine phosphate (10 mg) + caffeine (30) mg was used for analgesia for the first 3 days. Prolotherapy was planned 3 times with an interval of twenty days. Results: Thirty patients between the ages of 24-73 were included in the study. Eighteen patients received 3 sessions whereas twelve patients received 2 sessions of prolotherapy. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores of all patients decreased. The mean pre-treatment VAS score was 8.43 and it decreased to 2.41 after the treatment. None of the patients had side effects that would terminate the treatment. Conclusion:The data obtained in the study show that prolotherapy is effective in treating chronic low back pain. We did not conduct long-term follow-up in our study. After three sessions and between sessions, we assessed the current state of well-being. More extensive studies will guide clarification of its place in the treatment of long-term low back pain.

Amaç: Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon polikliniğine başvuran hastaların geleneksel ve tamamlayıcı tıp (GETAT) uygulamalarını kullanma durumları sorgulamak ve ayrıca ağrı şikayeti veya romatolojik bir hastalığın bu uygulamaları kullanma durumunu etkileyip etkilemeyeceğini araştırmak amaçlandı. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu araştırma, Düzce Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Araştırma ve Uygulama Hastanesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Polikliniğine 2020 yılı Kasım ayı ile 2021 yılı Nisan ayı arasında başvuran ve araştırmaya katılmayı kabul eden 119 hasta ile gerçekleştirildi. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak; literatür taraması sonucunda araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan ve toplam 26 sorudan oluşan anket formu yüz yüze görüşme tekniği ile uygulandı. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %63,6’sı herhangi bir GETAT uygulamalarını duymuştu ve %17,8’i de bu uygulamalarından en az birini yaptırmıştı. GETAT uygulamalarını duyan katılımcılar arasında en çok duyulan GETAT uygulamaları akupuntur (%74,7), hiruidoterapi (%73,3) ve kupa terapi (%62,7) iken GETAT uygulamalarını yaptıran katılımcılar arasında en çok yaptırılan GETAT uygulamaları ise kupa terapi (%71,4), hiruidoterapi (%23,8), fitoterapi (%19) idi. Katılımcıların cinsiyet, ekonomik durum, çalışma durumu, eğitim durumu, medeni durum, ağrı şikayeti ve süresi, kronik hastalık, romatizmal hastalıklar ile GETAT yöntemlerini kullanma durumlarının ilişkisi incelendiğinde sadece kronik hastalık ve fibromiyalji ile GETAT yöntemlerini kullanma durumları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark bulunmuştur (p