Objective. The length ratio of the index finger (2D) to the ring finger (4D) (2D : 4D ratio) is considered a biomarker of prenatal sex hormone exposure. The 2D : 4D ratio is influenced by prenatal androgen and estrogen levels. Because ankylosing spondylitis (AS) influences men more frequently and severely than women, androgens are proposed to be related to AS pathogenesis. Estrogens have immune-modulating effects and reduce AS disease activity. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between 2D : 4D ratio and AS disease activity. Material and Methods. In this study, 167 (43 female) patients diagnosed with AS were studied. The lengths of the second and fourth fingers were measured using a digital caliper. The 2D : 4D ratio was found by dividing the length of the second finger by the length of the fourth finger. AS disease activity was assessed with the Turkish version of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). AS functional status was assessed with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). L-Schober, tragus to wall distance, finger to floor distance, and chest expansion were used to evaluate mobility. Results. In female patients, the right hand 2D : 4D ratios were higher than those in male patients. Biologic drug use was more frequent in males. The BASDAI scores were higher in female patients than in male patients. There were significant negative correlations between right and left hand 2D : 4D ratio and BASFI and BASDAI in female patients. There was no significant correlation between the 2D : 4D ratio and BASFI or BASDAI in male patients. We found a positive correlation between L-Schober and right hand 2D : 4D and a negative correlation between the left hand 2D : 4D ratio and finger to floor distance in female patients with AS. Conclusion. The 2D : 4D ratio of the right and left hand was low in female patients with high BASFI and BASDAI and low spinal mobility (L-Schober) was also linked to low female 2D : 4D. The lack of strong associations between 2D : 4D and AS in male patients may have resulted from their higher use of biologics.

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Background Iron overloaded Beta Thalassemia major (β-TM) patients have a high risk of liver problems. In recent years studies revealed that vitamin D level is decreased in chronic liver diseases. The present study was designed to find the association between the serum vitamin D levels and the liver iron deposition in patients with β-TM. Materials and methods A total of 101 patients with a diagnosis of β-TM were included into this study. The patients were divided into four groups according to liver T2* MRI scores (group 1: normal, group 2: mild iron load, group 3: moderate iron load and group 4: severe iron load). Serum vitamin D was measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay method. Results The vitamin D level was median 14 (4–91) ng/mL. There was a positive correlation between vitamin D levels and liver T2* MRI scores (r = 0.31, p < 0.05). There is a significant difference between groups 1 and 4 for vitamin D level (p < 0.05). Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) was observed 71% in group 1, 67% in group 2, 80% in group 3 and 100% in group 4. Conclusions Vitamin D monitorization and supplementation should be routine in β-TM patients to prevent both skeletal and non-skeletal complications.

Two Sibling Cases who were Diagnosed with Sjögren Syndrome and were Positive for Anti-DFS70 Antibodies ÖZ Sjögren sendromu sistemik otoimmün bir hastalıktır ve sicca semptomlarına neden olur. Sjögren sendromlu hastaların Sjögren sendromlu yakınları olabilir. Anti-yoğun ince benekli 70 (Anti-DFS70) antikor pozitifliği anti nükleer antikor pozitif (ANA) sağlıklı bireylerde sık görülür. Biz bu raporda, anti-DFS70 antikoru pozitifliği olmasına rağmen Sjögren sendromu tanısı alan iki kız kardeşi sunmayı amaçladık.

ÖzAmaç: Romatoid artrit (RA)'te kardiyovasküler komplikasyonlar sık ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu komplikasyonlar arasında perikardit, miyokardit, kardiyak amiloidoz, koroner vaskülit, aritmi ve kapak hastalığı olduğu gibi konjestif kalp yetmezliği ve iskemik kalp hastalıkları da bulunmaktadır. Bu nedenle romatoid artritli hastalarda normal popülasyona göre mortalite ve morbidite daha sık görülmektedir. Son yıllarda N terminal pro beyin natriüretik peptid (NT-proBNP) kardiyak yetmezliğinin tanısında kullanılmaktadır. Biz bu çalışmada RA'li hastalarda hastalık aktivitesi ile NT-proBNP seviyeleri arasındaki ilişkiyi belirlemeyi amaçladık.Gereç ve Yöntem: Kalp hastalığı öyküsü olmayan 77 RA'li hasta ve 31 sağlıklı kontrol grubunda serum NT-proBNP, eritrosit sedimentasyon hızı, C reaktif protein düzeyleri ölçüldü. DAS 28 skoruna göre NT-proBNP düzeyleri karşılaştırıldı.Bulgular: Hastaların NT-proBNP düzeyleri ile yaş, beden kitle indeksi ve C reaktif protein düzeyleri arasında pozitif korelasyon vardı. NT-proBNP düzeyleri ile hastalık aktivitesi arasında anlamlı bir farklılık tespit edilmedi.Sonuç: NT-proBNP düzeyleri ile C reaktif protein düzeyleri arasında korelasyon vardır. Hastalık aktivitesi ile arasındaki ilişkiyi değerlendiren çok sayıda hasta ve spesifik gruplarda yapılmış çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

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