Gülnur Taşcı Bozbaş

The frequency of hypermobility and its relationship with clinical findings of fibromyalgia patients

The etiology and pathogenic mechanisms of fibromyalgia (FM) are unknown. A number of studies have suggested that there was a link between hypermobility and FM. In this study, we aimed to expose the frequency of hypermobility in FM patients and its relation with clinical findings. For this reason, 236 women (118 FM women as study group and 118 healthy women as control group) were enrolled in the study. Joint hypermobility was evaluated in the participants by using Beighton scoring system. The rate of joint hypermobility among FM patients (Beighton score of at least 4 or more) was found to be higher than the control group (46.6 vs 28.8%). This result was also statistically meaningful (p<0.05). In addition, the mean Beighton score of FM group was observed to be higher than the control (3.68 vs 2.55, p<0.001). Although not reaching statistical difference (p>0.05), more severe clinical findings were observed in FM patients with hypermobility when compared with ones without.

Frequency of joint hypermobility in Turkish patients with knee osteoarthritis: a cross sectional multicenter study

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is one of the major causes of joint dysfunction and physically disabling conditions in the older population. The risk factors for the development of knee OA are very diverse. We aimed to determine the frequency of joint hypermobility in patients with knee OA.

Primary knee osteoarthritis increases the risk of falling

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of primary knee osteoarthritis on the risk of falling. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred participants (50 with knee osteoarthritis and 50 healthy controls) were included in this study. Primary knee osteoarthritis was diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. Patients who were grade 2 or 3 by Kellgren-Lawrence criteria according to weight-bearing knee radiographs were included in this study. The risk of falling was evaluated by the interactive balance and coordination device both in the osteoarthritis and control groups. The functional status and pain were evaluated with respectively Lequesne Index and Visual Analogue Scale. RESULTS No statistically significant differences were found between the group of primary knee osteoarthritis and control in terms of age, BMI, and gender. The median falling index was 52 in the group with knee OA, whereas it was 31 in the control group. It was determined that primary knee osteoarthritis increased the risk of falling significantly and grade 3 primary knee osteoarthritis was statistically significantly higher than grade 2 (p < 0.001). The pain and functional status did not appear to be effective on the risk of falling in those patients (p > 0.05). DISCUSSION Falling is among the important causes of mortality and morbidity in advanced age. Therefore, assessment of risk factors for falling and the strategies to prevent it are important. Primary knee osteoarthritis is one of the risk factors associated with falling. Therefore, medical approaches, proprioception training, balance-gait training, muscle strengthening exercises, and arrangements to prevent domestic injurious falling should be planned to reduce the risk of falling in the presence of primary knee osteoarthritis.

Benign rheumatoid nodules in childhood.

Correspondence: Assistant Professor Gulcan Gurer, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Adnan Menderes Uni versity Medi cine School Hospital, 09100 Aydin, Turkey. Email: gulcangurer70@hotmail.com Received 21 September 2004; revised 27 December 2004; accepted 30 January 2005. Benign rheumatoid nodules in children are uncommon and are considered to be a variant of granuloma annulare. 1 Lesions resembling rheumatoid nodules may appear among children from time to time without any relation to rheumatoid disease. The laboratory tests are usually normal. The children with rheumatoid nodule have no greater risk of rheumatic disease. 2

The relation between joint erosion and forearm bone mineral density in female patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Gülnur Taşçı Bozbaş Yazışma Adresi: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Adnan Menderes University Medical School, Aydın. e-mail: gulnurtb@yahoo.com Abstract Purpose: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that characterized by joint damage including periarticular osteoporosis and focal bone erosion. Despite the fact that periarticular osteoporosis and erosions are known as radiographic hallmarks of RA, there is a lack of data on the relationship between forearm bone loss and radiographic damage. For this reason, we aimed in this study to determine whether there is a relationship between focal erosions and OP in RA patients. Materials and methods: We evaluated 49 female patients with RA. Anteroposterior hand and foot radiographs and bone mineral density measurement of forearm, hip and lumbar spine with dual x-ray absorptiometry of all patients were taken at simultaneously. Radiographs were analyzed using the Larsen method. Disease activity was evaluated by DAS-28 and functional ability was measured with Health Assessment Questionnaire and Duruöz Hand Index. Results:Patients had the mean age 53.9±11.8 and an average disease duration of 7.9±5.9 years. The erosion score was correlated with bone mineral density of forearm, but not with lumbar spine and hip. The disease activity and functional ability were not correlated with Larsen score. Both osteoporosis in all evaluated area and correlations were not affected by the menopause status and disease duration. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that bone mineral density of forearm indicate the erosion severity in female patients with RA.

Seronegative brucellosis of the spine: A case of psoas abscess secondary to brucellar spondylitis

Brucellosis is an infectious disease that affects many organ systems. Osteoarticular involvement, especially spondylitis, is the most common complication of brucellosis, but psoas abscess is very rare. Serological tests at diagnosis of the disease are very valuable and most widely used. Herein, we report a case of psoas abscess secondary to brucellar spondylitis. In this case, interestingly, the serological test results were negative, and the diagnosis could be made by abscess culture. In patients, particularly those who live in areas endemic for brucellosis, as in our case, it should be kept in mind that a negative serological test result should not exclude the diagnosis of brucellosis.