Emine Handan Tüzün

A comparison study of quality of life in women with fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome

Purpose: To compare the quality of life scores of fibromyalgia patients with myofascial pain syndrome patients. Method: Thirty-three fibromyalgia patients, 33 myofascial pain syndrome patients, and 33 age-matched controls completed Beck Depression Inventory and Short Form-36 questionnaires. Results: Compared with myofascial pain syndrome patients, fibromyalgia patients reported significantly more often fatigue, numbness, tingling, gastrointestinal discomfort, and poor sleep. The mean scores on VAS and on Beck Depression Inventory were significantly higher in fibromyalgia patients than myofascial pain syndrome patients. Patients with fibromyalgia had significantly poorer health than the patients with myofascial pain syndrome in pain, general health, vitality, and role emotional subscales. Conclusions: The quality of life profile of fibromyalgia patients is quite different from those in the myosfascial pain syndrome group. Myofascial pain syndrome impacted mostly on physical health whereas fibromyalgia impacted on both physical and mental health.

Effectiveness of two different physical therapy programmes in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis

Abstract Combined physical therapy interventions traditionally are frequently used in clinical practice for pain relief and to improve physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two different physical therapy programmes on patients with knee osteoarthritis. A total 62 patients who fulfilled clinical and radiological criteria of the American College of Rheumatology for primary knee osteoarthritis were randomly allocated to two groups. After hot pack and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation applications, the first group was treated with isokinetic exercises and the second group with isotonic exercises. Both groups showed marked decreases of pain and increases of physical function, according to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index, immediately after treatment and three months later. The patients in both groups also showed a significant improvement in mental health scale of the Medical O...

Nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy in Turkey.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status, and provide information regarding anthropometric measurements of cerebral-palsied children living in the city of Ankara, Turkey. Method: A total of 447 children with cerebral palsy (CP) were participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants were assessed for functional motor impairment by the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS). Assesment of nutritional status was based on the triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), arm fat area (AFA) estimates derived from TSF and mid-upper arm circumference measurements. TSF and AFA Z-scores were computed using reference data. Results: Cerebral-palsied children had lower TSF and AFA Z-scores compared to reference data from healthy children. The prevalence of underweight and overweight among boys was 8.3 and 9.5%, respectively, whereas it was 19.0 and 0.5% for girls. Underweight was more prevalent in the low functioning children than in moderate functioning children. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that cerebral-palsied children face nutritional challenges. Underweight is more prevalent than overweight among cerebral-palsied children. To optimize the outcomes of rehabilitation and prevention efforts, an understanding of the heterogeneity of nutritional status among children with CP is required. Implications for Rehabilitation Compared with their healthy peers, cerebral-palsied children, especially girls and those who are low functioning, frequently show poor growth. Growth and nutritional status should be monitored regularly as part of rehabilitation program for cerebral-palsied children.

Effects of two different quadriceps strengthening exercise approaches on cardiovascular fitness in healthy female subjects: a single blind randomized study.

OBJECTIVE There are limited number of documents showing the relations between cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. This study aimed to determine the effects of two different quadriceps strengthening exercise approaches on cardiovascular fitness in healthy female subjects. METHODS Forty female university students participated in this study on a voluntary basis. The participants were randomly assigned to do either isokinetic exercise (IE) or progressive resistive exercise (PRE) in two different groups. Both training schemes were performed three times a week for a period of two weeks. The subjects were given a maximum symptom limited exercise test on a treadmill before and after (each) training period. RESULTS Total exercise duration increased and Borg scale level decreased significantly after training in the two groups (p < 0.05). Maximal systolic blood pressure, recovery heart rate, and recovery diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the IE Group (p < 0.05). Resting and recovery systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the PRE Group (p < 0.05). Compared to PRE group, improvement for Borg Scale level, recovery heart rate and recovery diastolic blood pressure were more obvious in IE Group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that both quadriceps strengthening methods have displayed improvements in cardiovascular fitness. Further research with larger sample groups may need to be carried out.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of headache in university students in Turkey

AbstractHeadache is one of the most common somatic complaints in general practice. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rates of the various causes of headache and to explore the differences in prevalence by gender, and age, as well as to describe the characteristics of headaches among university students. A total of 932 students who entered the English Preparatory School at Bas¸kent University were selected as subjects. The participation rate was 82.1%. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Diagnoses of migraine and tension-type headache were based on the International Headache Society criteria. Four hundred and fifty-nine of the 765 participants (60.0%) reported one or more headache episodes in the previous year. The one-year headache prevalence was significantly higher in women (71.5%) than in men (48.7%). No significant differences were found between age groups for headache prevalence. The one-year prevalence of tension-type headache and migraine was 11.0% and 6.4%...

The Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI): Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the Turkish version

BACKGROUND Turkish version of the Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI) may help to assess shoulder function in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome (SAIS). OBJECTIVE To translate and cross-culturally adapted UEFI into Turkish and to assess its acceptability, reliability, validity in patients with SAIS. METHODS This study conducted with 93 SAIS participants. UEFI, the short version of the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scale (Quick DASH), the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) were administered. Acceptability was assessed in terms of refusal rate, rates of missing responses, and administration time. Test-retest reliability was assessed with intra class correlation coefficient (ICC), internal consistency was assessed with Cronbachs alpha coefficient. Validity was assessed by floor and ceiling effects, skew of distributions and Pearsons correlation coefficients. RESULTS Cronbachs alpha coefficients for the UEFI at Time 1 and Time 2 were as follows: α = 0.89 and α = 0.89. Average measure ICC was 0.80. The UEFI score demonstrated strong negative correlations with SPADI total score and Quick DASH score. There was not a significant correlation between the UEFI and mental health subscale score derived from SF-36. CONCLUSIONS The Turkish version of UEFI is acceptable, valid, and reliable.

KRONİK KAS-İSKELET SİSTEMİ HASTALIĞI OLAN HASTALARDA YETERSİZ SAĞLIK OKURYAZARLIĞININ YAYGINLIĞI VE İLİŞKİLİ FAKTÖRLER

Amac: Yetersiz saglik okuryazarliginin boyutlarinin bilinmemesi, sadece saglik calisanlari icin degil tum toplum icin onemli bir halk sagligi sorunudur. Bu yuzden politikacilarin bunu bir yatirim olarak gormesini saglamak ve etkin kaynaklara hizmeti tesvik etmek gerekmektedir. Yeni ve farkli stratejiler gelistirmek icin yetersiz saglik okuryazarligininin farkinda olmak onemlidir. Bu calismanin amaci, yetersiz saglik okuryazarligi yayginligini belirlemek ve saglik okuryazarliginin kronik kas-iskelet hastaliklari olan hastalarda sosyodemografik ozellikler ile iliskisini incelemekti. Yontem: Calismaya cesitli kronik kas-iskelet sistemi hastaliklari olan 423 hasta alindi. Saglik okuryazarligi duzeyi Tipta Yetiskin Okuryazarligi Hizli Tahmini ve En Yeni Yasamsal Bulgu anketleri kullanilarak olculdu. Katilimcilarin bilissel duzeyi Mini Mental Durum Degerlendirme Testi ile belirlendi. Sonuclar: Tipta Yetiskin Okuryazarligi Hizli Tahmini ile degerlendirilen hastalarin yaklasik % 17,3’unde yetersiz saglik okur yazarligi oldugu belirlendi. En Yeni Yasamsal Bulgu anketi kullanilarak degerlendirilen hastalarin % 27,2’den fazlasinda yetersiz saglik okuryazarligi ve dusuk aritmetik beceriler oldugu bulundu. Tartisma: Kronik kas-iskelet sistemi hastaliklari olan kisilerde yetersiz saglik okuryazarligi ve aritmetik beceriler yaygindir. Bu durum ileri yas, dusuk egitim duzeyi ve dusuk bilissel duzeyi ile iliskilidir. Saglik hizmetlerinde cesitli stratejiler ile saglik okuryazarligi gelistirilerek tedavide daha basarili sonuclar elde edilebilir.