Filiz Eser

The effects of balance training on gait late after stroke: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: To investigate the effects of balance training, using force platform biofeedback, on quantitative gait characteristics of hemiparetic patients late after stroke. Design: Randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded trial. Setting: Rehabilitation ward and gait laboratory of a university hospital. Subjects: Forty-one patients (mean (standard deviation; SD) age of 60.9 (11.7) years) with hemiparesis late after stroke (median time since stroke six months) were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. Interventions: The control group (n = 19) participated in a conventional stroke inpatient rehabilitation programme, whereas the experimental group (n = 22) received 15 sessions of balance training (using force platform biofeedback) in addition to the conventional programme. Main outcome measures: Selected paretic side time-distance, kinematic and kinetic gait parameters in sagittal, frontal and transverse planes were measured using a three-dimensional computerized gait analysis system, one week before and after the experimental treatment programme. Results: The control group did not show any statistically significant difference regarding gait characteristics. Pelvic excursion in frontal plane improved significantly (P = 0.021) in the experimental group. The difference between before-after change scores of the groups was significant for pelvic excursion in frontal plane (P = 0.039) and vertical ground reaction force (P = 0.030) in favour of experimental group. Conclusion: Balance training using force platform biofeedback in addition to a conventional inpatient stroke rehabilitation programme is beneficial in improving postural control and weight-bearing on the paretic side while walking late after stroke.

Etiological factors of traumatic peripheral nerve injuries

BACKGROUND Traumatic injury of peripheral nerves is a worldwide problem and can result in significant disability. Management of peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) requires accurate localization and the assessment of severity of the lesion. AIM The purpose of this study is to analyze the data of patients with PNIs referred for electromyography to a tertiary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retrospective study of clinical and electromyographic data of patients with PNIs seen over a period of eight-years (1999-2007) in a tertiary hospital. The data collected included: Demographic data, cause, type of lesion, anatomical location of the lesion, and the mechanism of lesion. RESULTS During the study period 938 patients were seen with nerve injuries and the distribution of nerve injuries was: PNIs: 1,165; brachial plexus lesions: 76; and lumbar plexus lesions: 7. The mean age was 31.8 years (range 2-81 years) and the male to female ratio was 2.4:1. The most frequent nerve injuries were ulnar nerve in the upper extremity and sciatic nerve in the lower extremity. The most common cause of nerve injury was motor vehicle accidents. Two-thirds of the PNIs were partial. CONCLUSION This study can serve as a guide to determine the epidemiology and classification of traumatic peripheral and plexus injuries.

Health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis: comparison of RAQoL with other scales in terms of disease activity, severity of pain, and functional status

Quality of life (QoL) is the gratification taken from life, happiness, and the way human beings perceive their situation within the system of culture and values. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is among the main conditions in which QoL is decreased. The aim of this study was to evaluate QoL and related variables in patients with RA. A total of 153 RA patients were included in the study. All patients were evaluated by the rheumatoid arthritis quality of life (RAQoL), Nottingham health profile (NHP), and the health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) scales. Disease activity score 28 (DAS28) was used for measuring disease activity, while the modified Sharp score developed by Van der Heijde was used for evaluating the radiological damage, and visual analog scale-pain (VAS-pain) was used to determine the level of pain. RAQoL had linear relations at high levels with VAS-pain, HAQ, DAS28, and the modified Sharp score (r values 0.86, 0.82, 0.82, and 0.38, respectively) and at a moderate level with disease duration (r 0.18). VAS-pain showed the highest correlation with the pain subgroup of NHP (r 0.91) and the second highest correlation was with RAQoL (r 0.86). As a result, it is concluded that in RA patients RAQoL is an important scale reflecting QoL related with pain, disease activity, functional status, and radiological progression. In our study pain ranked first among the variables that influenced QoL, and this was followed by disease activity and functional status.

Coexistence of familial Mediterranean fever and psoriasis in a patient with seronegative spondyloarthropathy

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a self-limited disease characterized by fever and polyserositis attacks. Arthritis caused by synovitis is either in acute monoarthritis or chronic mono-oligoarthritis form, usually affecting the lower extremities. Another potential but rare form of involvement is spondyloarthropathy (SSpA). Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is inflammatory arthropathy of peripheral joints, spine and enthesis areas. Some PsA cases are classified as psoriatic spondyloarthropathy. A 43-year-old male patient with concomitant FMF and psoriasis presenting with bilateral sacroiliitis, chronic hip and knee arthritis has been presented along with follow-up findings and treatment options used.

Infliximab-induced lupus-like syndrome in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis.

Infliximab is a chimerical monoclonal antibody currently used in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. Lupus-like syndrome is a rarely reported adverse event, and generally observed in rheumatoid arthritis cases. We hereby define and describe a case of a lupus-like syndrome, which developed following the 4th infliximab infusion in a 62-year-old patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). As far as we acknowledge, the present case is the third AS case with infliximab-induced lupus.

A comparison of four different HRQoL generic questionnaire in five different patient groups

Most of musculoskeletal diseases involve pain and reduced physical functioning. Recognition of the coexistence of more than one musculoskeletal disease is important because they are relatively common and has a substantial impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Our aim was to compare the results of four generic QoL questionnaires—QoL-5, Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Short Form (SF)-6D, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)—in five different patient groups. Two hundred and one patients representing five different disease groups (knee osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis), randomly selected through the Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic, were included in the study. Scores indicating low QoL for each of the five diseases compared are reported. Patients in each disease group stated high disability. No strong correlation between any of the scales could be determined, and NHP was identified as the only scale able to differentiate between the diseases. Many instruments are available for measuring HRQoL. The QoL-5, NHP, SF-6D, and VAS are four commonly used generic (i.e., not disease-specific) measures for quantifying HRQoL in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Most studies have focused on only one musculoskeletal disease, but comorbidity of musculoskeletal disorders is common. We emphasize in this study the effect of multiple musculoskeletal diseases on HRQoL.

Health related quality of life in Turkish polio survivors: impact of post-polio on the health related quality of life in terms of functional status, severity of pain, fatigue, and social, and emotional functioning

OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of postpolio-syndrome on quality of life in polio survivors. METHODS Forty polio survivors were included in the study. Twenty-one patients fulfilling the Halsteads postpolio-syndrome criteria participated in postpolio-syndrome group. The remaining nineteen patients formed non-postpolio-syndrome group. Control group was composed of forty healthy subjects. Quality of life was evaluated by Nottingham Health Profile, depression by Beck Depression Scale and fatigue by Fatigue Symptom Inventory. Isometric muscle strength was measured by manual muscle testing. RESULTS Total manual muscle testing score was 26.19±13.24 (median: 29) in postpolio-syndrome group and 30.08±8.9 (median: 32) in non-postpolio-syndrome group. Total manual muscle testing scores of non-postpolio-syndrome group were significantly higher than that of postpolio-syndrome group. Patients with postpolio-syndrome reported significantly higher levels of fatigue and reduced quality of life in terms of physical mobility, pain and energy when compared with patients without postpolio-syndrome and control group. It was not reported a statistically significant difference in social and emotional functioning and sleep quality between postpolio-syndrome, non-postpolio-syndrome and control groups. Also it was not found any statistically significant difference in Beck Depression Scale scores among the groups. CONCLUSIONS Postpolio-syndrome has a negative impact on quality of life in terms of functional status, severity of pain and energy. The identification, early recognition and rehabilitation of postpolio-syndrome patients may result in an improvement in their quality of life.

On the Severity of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Diabetes or Metabolic Syndrome

Background and Purpose Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy. Although its etiology is unknown, certain conditions are commonly associated with CTS, such as obesity, arthritis, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, trauma, mass lesions, amyloidosis, and sarcoidosis. We aimed to determine the association between metabolic syndrome and CTS, and we compared the severity of CTS between patients with diabetes (and no concomitant metabolic syndrome) and patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods Two hundred patients with a clinically and electrophysiological confirmed diagnosis of CTS were included in the study. Their demographic characteristics and severity of CTS were analyzed according to the presence or the absence of metabolic syndrome. Differences in the electrophysiological findings were evaluated between the following four groups: 1) metabolic syndrome alone (n=52), 2) diabetes alone (n=20), 3) combined metabolic syndrome and diabetes (n=44), and 4) no metabolic syndrome or diabetes (n=84). Results CTS was more severe in the patients with metabolic syndrome than those without this syndrome. The electrophysiological findings were worse in patients with metabolic syndrome alone than in those with diabetes alone and those without diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Conclusions CTS appears to be more severe in patients with metabolic syndrome than patients with diabetes. Diabetes is one of the well-known risk factors for CTS, but other components of metabolic syndrome may have a greater effect on the severity of CTS.

Pain and quality of life in postmenopausal osteoporotic women without vertebral fractures

Our study aimed to evaluate severity of pain and quality of life in terms of physical, social and emotional functions among the osteoporotic women without vertebral fractures. A total of 40 postmenopausal osteoporotic women without vertebral fractures and 40 age-matched controls were included in the study. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) values at lumbar spine (L2-4) and femoral neck, performed in our hospital in the last 6 months (retrospective data) were recorded. Quality of life was assessed with Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life in Osteoporosis (ECOS-16). Severity of pain was measured with Visual Analog Scale (VAS). ECOS-16, VAS scores and pain, physical mobility, energy and sleep subscores of NHP were found as higher in the patient group than in the controls (p<0.05). Bone mineral density (BMD) lumbar spine and femoral neck values were found to be negatively correlated with VAS, ECOS-16, and energy, pain, physical mobility, and sleep subgroups of NHP (p<0.05). Pain and deterioration in quality of life in the osteoporotic women should be taken into consideration regardless of presence of vertebral fractures. A better understanding of pain mechanisms in postmenopausal osteoporosis will help us find more effective treatment strategies.

Neuropathic pain in pregnant Turkish women with lumbopelvic pain and its impact on health-related quality of life

Objectives To investigate the prevalence of neuropathic pain in pregnant women and to state its influence on the functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in terms of physical, social, and emotional functioning. Methods A total of 90 pregnant women with lumbopelvic pain (LPP) and non-pregnant and healthy controls were included. The presence of neuropathic pain was determined using the Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs (LANNS) questionnaire. The HRQoL was assessed using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), and the functional status was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The severity of pain was measured using a visual analog scale. Results The LANNS score was ≥12 in 34 pregnant women (37.8%). The prevalence of neuropathic pain was higher in pregnant women with LPP (odds ratio=6.22; 95% confidence interval=2.68-14.44) (p<0.001) than in controls. The LANNS score was found to be correlated with the physical mobility subgroup in the NHP at high levels (p=0.002, r=0.32) and with the ODI and pain subgroup in the NHP at moderate levels (p=0.013, r=0.26 and p=0.038, r=0.22, respectively). Conclusion The present study is the first to demonstrate that neuropathic pain is associated with pregnancy-related LPP and strongly correlated with functional impairment and deterioration in the HRQoL. A better understanding of neuropathic pain mechanisms in pregnancy-related LPP will help us find more effective treatment strategies.