Search

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund:: Ankylosierende Spondylitis (AS) ist eine multisystemische Erkrankung, bei der die Lungenfunktion hauptsächlich durch die Restriktion der Brustwandbeteiligung beeinträchtigt wird. Vielfach wurde über einen restriktiven ventilatorischen Defekt berichtet, der vermutlich die Folge einer reduzierten Beweglichkeit des Brustkorbs ist. Bei AS zeigt die Atemfunktion ein typisch restriktives Muster, wobei die Dehnbarkeit der Lunge, die Diffusionskapazität und die arteriellen Blutgase unauffällig sind.Ziel:: Ziel der Studie war ein Vergleich der Lungenfunktionstests (PFT), Atemmuskelkraft (MIP, MEP) und Ausdauer (MVV) bei AS im Früh- und Spätstadium.Methode:n: In die Studie wurden 35 Patienten aufgenommen (30 Männer, 5 Frauen). Alle Patienten erfüllten die New Yorker Kriterien für AS. Sie wurden je nach Dauer der Erkrankung (<10 Jahre: Frühstadium, 20 Patienten; >10 Jahre: Spätstadium, 15 Patienten) eingeteilt und dann hinsichtlich PFT, MIP, MEP und MVV, Atemnot-Score, Erweiterung des Brustumfangs und BASFI-Score verglichen.Zusätzlich wurden 21 gesunde Probanden mit den AS-Patienten verglichen. Bei allen wurde die Erweiterung des Brustkorbs gemessen. Die Lungenfunktion wurde durch Spirometrie untersucht. Die Messung der Atemmuskelkraft erfolgte durch ein Munddruckmessgerät (MPM). Bei allen AS-Patienten wurde der funktionale Status durch BASFI erhoben.Ergebnisse:: Der Body Mass Index (BMI) unterschied sich bei allen Gruppen nicht signifikant. FVC und FEV1waren bei AS im Spätstadium signifikant niedriger (p=0,003, p=0,03, restriktiver ventilatorischer Defekt). Die Erweiterung des Brustkorbs war bei AS im Spätstadium signifikant geringer (p<0,05). Kein statistisch signifikanter Unterschied bestand bei MIP- und MEP-Werten zwischen AS im Spätstadium, AS im Frühstadium und gesunden Probanden (p>0,05). Die MVV war bei langjährigen AS-Patienten (p=0,05) signifikant vermindert. Obwohl BASFI und Atemnotwerte bei AS-Patienten im Spätstadium erhöht waren, erreichten sie keine statistische Signifikanz. Das Alter korrelierte negativ mit MIP- und MEP-Werten bei Patienten im Spätstadium (r=–0,733; p=0,02, r=–0,667; p=0,05).Schlussfolgerung:: Unsere Studie zeigt, dass FVC, FEV1(als Kennzeichen eines restriktiven Musters), MVV und Erweiterung des Brustumfangs bei langjähriger AS besonderes beeinträchtigt sind. Daher sollte man besonders bei Patienten im Frühstadium vor allem bestrebt sein, den Status des Brustkorbs zu verbessern. Diese Patienten sollten zu regelmäßigen Atemübungen angeregt werden, um die Einschränkung der Brustkorberweiterung zu verhindern und die kardiorespiratorische Fitness und Atemausdauer zu verbessern.

We evaluated the acute electrophysiological effects of low-energy pulsed laser irradiation on isolated frog sciatic nerve measured by extracellular recording technique. A pulsed gallium–arsenide (GaAs) laser (wavelength: 904 nm, pulse duration 220 ns, peak power per pulse: 27 W, spot size: 0.28 cm2, total applied energy density: 0.005–2.5 J/cm2) was used for the experiment. Sixty isolated nerves were divided into six groups (n=10), each of which received a different laser dose. In each group, action potentials were recorded before laser irradiation which served as the control data. The extracellular action potentials were recorded for each combination of 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13 and 15 minutes of irradiation time and 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 repetition frequency by using a BIOPAC MP 100 Acquisition System Version 3.5.7 (Santa Barbara, USA). Action potential amplitude, area, duration and conduction velocity were measured. Statistical evaluation was performed using repeated measures variance analysis by SPSS 9.0. There were no statistically significant differences for action potential amplitude, area and conduction velocity among the laser groups and control data (p>0.05). The study showed that low-energy GaAs irradiation at 4–128 Hz repetition frequencies administered for irradiation times of 1–15 min generates no effect on action potential amplitude, area, duration and conduction velocity in isolated frog sciatic nerve.

It has been reported by our group that some benzoxazolone and benzothiazolone derivatives showed significant anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity [Doğrueret al. 1997].

Abstract:: The aim of this study was to determine the rates, types, clinical features and treatment of osteoarthricular involvement of brucellosis in Turkey. In a restrospective study in adults, we investigated 238 patients diagnosed with brucellosis over a period of 6 years. A diagnosis of brucellosis was established by isolation of Brucella species in blood or by a compatible clinical picture together with a standard tube agglutination titre of ≥1/160 of antibodies for brucellosis and/or demonstration of an at least four-fold rise in antibody titre in serum specimens taken over 2 or 3 weeks. Osteoarthricular involvement was defined by inflammatory signs in peripheral joints or by unrelieved pain at rest together with radiological alterations and/or radionuclide uptake in any deep joint. Eighty-seven patients (36.5%) had osteoarthricular involvement (58.6% female, 41.4% male), 47 (54.1%) of whom were reported to consume unpasteurised dairy products. The mean age was 32.3 � 16 years. Sacroiliitis was the most common involvement (n= 53, 60.9%) followed by peripheral arthritis (n= 17, 19.5%), spondylitis (n= 12, 13.8%) and bursitis (n= 5, 5.7%). During the observation period, 60 (69%) patients with osteoarthricular involvement and radiographic abnormalities. A bone scan was positive in 15 patients with no radiographic abnormalities. All patients received merely medical treatment and relapse occurred in five (5.7%) patients. Sacroiliitis has been determined as the most frequently observed type of osteoarthricular involvement in brucellosis in Turkey.

Abstract: Neopterin and biopterin are two products of the pteridine pathway. Even though their roles and interrelationships have not been exactly clarified, neopterin is known as a biomarker of cell-mediated immunity. In this case, the highly elevated neopterin levels are parallel to the slightly elevated biopterin levels. On the otherhand, the reduced form of biopterin-tetrahydrobiopterin is an essential cofactor of aromatic monoxygenases that leads to synthesis of tyrosine, tryptophan and dopamine neurotransmitters and its concentration in body fluids and tissues is maintained by the enzyme dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR). Increased numbers of activated lymphocytes can be found in peripheral blood, in the synovial fluid and synovial membranes or patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Since the present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of the pteridine pathway in RA, we measured urine neopterin levels and dried blood DHPR activities in 36 patients with RA and in 20 healthy volunteers, in parallel with other clinical parameters. We found that neopterin excretion was significantly increased in RA patients compared with controls. The means were 433±216, 153±43 and 111±34 μmol/mol creatinine for patients in active stage, in remission and controls, respectively. Our results suggest that urine neopterin levels were strongly dependent on the stage and activity of RA. Either as an effect of the disease itself or of drug administration, slightly reduced DHPR activities were detected (3.484± 0.304 for control, 2.974±0.255 in active stage RA, and 3.048±0.302 red cytochrome C/min/5 mm disc in remission).