This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was designed to investigate the short-term efficacy of ultrasound therapy in 90 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Patients were randomly assigned to three groups: group 1 received continuous ultrasound, group 2 received pulsed ultrasound, and group 3 received a 'sham' (placebo) ultrasound for 5 min each session. All treatments were applied once a day for 5 days a week for 2 weeks, i.e. a total treatment duration of 10 days. Compared with baseline, significant improvements were observed in the visual analogue scale pain scores and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) scores in all three groups. The reductions in pain and WOMAC scores were significantly higher in patients treated with pulsed ultrasound than in the placebo group. In conclusion, pulsed ultrasound therapy is a safe and effective treatment modality in patients with knee OA. Further research is required to investigate the long-term efficacy of pulsed ultrasound therapy in knee OA.

Both the CPM and CPT therapies seemed to be beneficial for the treatment of AC in DM patients, however CPM revealed more distinctive improvements in the function and pain levels of the AC patients.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between atherosclerosis and knee osteoarthritis grade in women as assessed by both ultrasonography and radiography. [Subjects and Methods] Seventy women diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis were classified into two groups according to cartilage grading/radiographic grading. Patients with Kellgren-Lawrence grades 1 and 2 were included in group 1, while those with Kellgren-Lawrence grades 3 and 4 were included in group 2. Patients with cartilage grades 1–3 were included in group 1, while those with cartilage grades 4–6 were included in group 2. Patients were clinically assessed using a visual analog scale and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index. Radiographic osteoarthritis grade was scored using the Kellgren and Lawrence grading system. Using ultrasonography, symptomatic knees were graded and evaluated for distal femoral cartilage thickness. Carotid intima-media thickness and serum lipid levels were measured to assess atherosclerosis. [Results] Carotid intima-media thickness measurements were higher in group 2 than in group 1 as determined by the Kellgren-Lawrence and cartilage grading systems. Carotid intima-media thickness measurements were positively correlated with both the ultrasonographic cartilage grade and Kellgren-Lawrence. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that osteoarthritis as assessed by ultrasonography was successful and comparable to assessment with radiography. We showed a correlation between atherosclerosis and ultrasonographic knee osteoarthritis grade.

ÖZETAMAÇ: İnme sonrası üst ekstremitede görülen fonksiyonel yetersizliğin tedavisinde çeşitli yöntemler kullanılmaktadır. Son yıllarda inme rehabilitasyonunda uygulanan yeni bir tedavi yaklaşımı ayna tedavisidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, subakut inmeli hastalarda klasik inme rehabilitasyon programı ile kombine uygulanan motor hayal eğitimi yoluyla gerçekleştirilen ayna tedavisinin üst extremite motor iyileşmesi ve fonksiyonel düzelme üzerine etkinliğini değerlendirmektir. GEREÇ ve YÖNTEM: Bu çalışma prospektif, randomize, tek kör, kontrollü bir çalışmadır. Çalışmaya inme tanısı alan 20 hasta dahil edildi. Hastalar rastgele olarak iki gruba ayrıldı; birinci gruba klasik rehabilitasyon programı, ikinci gruba ise klasik rehabilitasyon programıyla kombine edilen 15 dakikalık periyodlar halinde günde 4 kez paretik olmayan taraftaki üst extremite el bilek extansiyon hareketinden oluşan ayna tedavisi programı uygulandı. Her iki gruptaki hastalara klasik rehabilitasyon programı 4 hafta, haftada 5 gün, günde 1-2 saat olacak şekilde düzenlendi. Hastalar tedavi başlangıcında ve bitiminde (4.hafta) değerlendirildi. Değerlendirmede Brunnstrom Evrelemesi, Fugl Meyer Motor Fonksiyon Skalası (FM), el bilek ekstansiyonunun gonyometrik ölçümü ve Barthel İndeksi (Bİ) kullanıldı. BULGULAR: Tedavi öncesi ile sonrası karşılaştırıldığında her iki grupta Brunnstrom Evrelemesi (p<0,01), FM total skorda ve Bİ 'de (p<0,01) düzelme gözlenmekle birlikte II. grupta FM el bileği ve el bilek ekstansiyonunun gonyometrik ölçümünde anlamlı iyileşme saptandı. Tedavi sonrasında gruplar arasında değerlendirme parametreleri açısından istatistiksel olarak faklılık gözlenmedi. SONUÇ: Çalışmamızda, klasik rehabilitasyon programı ile kombine edilen ayna tedavisinin üst ekstremite motor ve fonksiyonel düzelme üzerine klasik rehabilitasyon programına üstünlüğü olmadığı görüldü. Anahtar Sözcükler: Ayna tedavisi, inme. THE EFFICACY OF MIRROR THERAPY COMBINED WITH CONVENTIONAL STROKE REHABILITATION PROGRAM ON MOTOR AND FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: A variety of methods is used in the treatment of upper extremity functional impairment after stroke.In recent years, a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of stroke rehabilitation is the mirror therapy.The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of mirror therapy,which is applied through motor imagination training, combined with conventional stroke rehabilitation program on upper extremity motor and functional recovery in patients with subacute stroke. MATERIAL and METHODS: This is a randomized,prospective,controlled single-blind trial.The study included 20 patients who were diagnosed with stroke.Patients were randomly divided into two groups:first group received conventional rehabilitation program and the second group received conventional rehabilitation program plus mirror therapy on nonparetic upper extremity consisting of wrist extension daily 4 times for 15minutes per session. Both groups received the conventional rehabilitation program for 4 weeks, 5 days a week and daily 1-2h. All pat...

Objective: Osteoporosis (OP) is a major cause of disability, morbidity and mortaliy. Causes are significant economic burden with fractures. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the only technique that is defined as the gold standard that the World Health Organization currently recommends in determining the fracture risk. The use of direct radiographic examinations is recommended for the causes of false negative results in densitometric examination and for the detection of fracture presenting as OP indicator in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is a retrospective investigation of the need for DXA methodology, which we routinely use for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of OP, in patients with fractures by direct radiography. Materials and Methods: The data of 189 postmenopausal women with DXA, lateral thoracic and lumbar graphy without trauma history, retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups according to DXA results, group 1 consisted 167 postmenopausal women with OP and group 2 consisted 22 postmenopausal women with no OP. In both groups, patients who have at least one fracture according to thoracic and lumbar graphy were evaluated. Results: At least one vertebrae height loss was detected in 61 (32.28%) of 189 postmenopausal women included in the study. At least one fracture was detected in 49 (29.34%) of 167 patients with OP according to DXA results and 12 (54.55%) of 22 patients without OP. Conclusion: With this study; retrospectively demonstrated the need for follow-up of patients with fractures by direct radiography in conjunction with DXA, the gold standard for OP diagnosis and treatment planning in postmenopausal women. ÖzAmaç: Osteoporoz (OP) önemli bir disabilite, morbidite ve mortalite nedenidir. Neden olduğu kırıklarla önemli bir ekonomik yüke sebep olmaktadır. Dual enerji X-ray absorsiyometri (DXA), Dünya Sağlık Örgütü'nün günümüzde kırık riskinin belirlenmesinde önerdiği, altın standart olarak tanımlanan tek tekniktir. Dansitometrik incelemede yalancı negatif sonuçlara sebep olabilecek nedenleri ve klinik uygulamada OP'nin göstergesi olan kırık varlığının saptanmasında direkt radyografik incelemelerin kullanımı önerilmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı; OP tanı, tedavi ve takibinde rutin kullandığımız DXA yönteminin beraberinde, direkt radyografi ile hastaların kırık varlığı bakımından değerlendirilmesi gerekliliğinin retrospektif olarak araştırılmasıdır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Travma hikayesi olmayan, DXA ve lateral torakal ve lomber direkt grafileri bulunan, 189 postmenapozal kadının verileri retrospektif olarak değerlendirmeye alındı. Kayıtlı DXA sonucu ile OP tanısı alan 167 postmenapozal kadın (grup 1) ve OP tanısı almayan 22 postmenapozal kadın (grup 2) iki gruba ayrıldı. Torakal ve lomber lateral grafide en az bir kırığı olan hastaların gruplara göre dağılımı incelendi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya dahil edilen 189 postmenapozal kadının 61'inde (%32,28) en az bir vertebrada yükseklik kaybı tespit edildi. DXA sonucuna göre OP tespit edilen 167 hastanın 49'unda (%29,...

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OBJECTIVE: In this study, the relationship between osteoporotic vertebral fractures and 9041 Guanine/Adenine and 3673 Guanine/Adenine polymorphisms related to the vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit-1 (VKORC1) gene in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis was investigated. METHOD: DNA was isolated from blood samples collected from 150 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Genotyping of the two polymorphic regions (9041 Guanine/Adenine and 3673 Guanine/Adenine) in VKORC1 was performed using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The presence of radiographic fractures among the 150 patients was ascertained by using the Genant method. RESULT: At least one fracture was detected in 98 patients, and no fracture was observed in 52 patients on radiological images. We found no association between the 9041 Guanine/Adenine ( p =0.283) and 3673 Guanine/Adenine ( p =0.232) polymorphisms of the VKORC1 gene and the development of secondary postosteoporotic fractures in our study. CONCLUSION: There was no relationship between osteoporotic vertebral fracture and VKORC1 gene polymorphism in a postmenopausal Turkish population.