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OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) levels between patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and healthy controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 40 female patients (mean age 39.9±10.2 years; range, 22 to 52 years) diagnosed with primary FMS according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria (1990) and 40 healthy female volunteers (mean age 40.9±8.3 years; range, 25 to 53 years). The sociodemographic data of both groups were recorded. The disease duration and the number of tender points were recorded for patients with FMS, and venous blood samples were collected from the two groups for the measurement of serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels. RESULTS: The FMS and control groups were comparable in terms of age and body mass index (p>0.05). A comparison of the serum VEGF levels of the FMS and control groups revealed a statistically insignificant difference (p>0.05), while a comparison of the serum VEGF-1 levels of the FMS and control groups revealed a statistically significant difference (p

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate sensorineuralhearing loss (SHNL) and tinnitus in patients with Behcet’s disease (BD), while also determining the association between the clinical symptoms of BD and the disease duration with the development of hearing loss. Materials and methods: The study included 44 patients with BD and 42 healthy volunteers as the control group. The level of tinnitus-induced annoyance and the effects of tinnitus on daily life were evaluated with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire (TRQ). The hearing levels of all participants were measured with high-frequency audiometry and transient auto-acoustic emission tests. Results: The patients with BD were significantly more affected by SNHL and tinnitus than the controls (p < 0.05). The correlation between disease duration and age among those with SNHL was statistically significant (p < 0.05). No association was found between the clinical findings and SNHL and tinnitus (p > 0.05) in the BD patients. Conclusion: In the present study, high-frequency SNHL was found to be common in among the patients with BD. SNHL in BD is positively correlated with the patients’ age of the and the disease duration. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

WOS: 000438530500024, Background: The aim of the study is to identify the kind of traditional practices used for the rheumatic diseases in the central Anatolia. Materials and Methods: A total of 440 volunteer patients with chronic rheumatic diseases including osteoarthritis (OA), fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthropathy (SpA), familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), Behcet's disease (BD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) were enrolled in the study. All patients were administered a 36-item questionnaire. Results: Of the patients, 49.3 % were using CAM. Herbal medicine was the most commonly (58.1 %) preferred methods. The CAM was used by 86 (48%) of 179 patients with OA and by 51 (60%) of 85 patients with RA. The difference in the CAM use across the disease groups was not statistically significant (chi(2)=7.343; p=0.290). When the patients using or not using CAM were assessed according to their education status, it was found that CAM was used by 59 (66.3%) of 89 patients with university degree and indicating a statistically significantly higher number of patients from higher education status among the CAM users (chi(2)=17.651; p=0.001). Conclusions: Our study results suggest that among patients with rheumatic disease, patients with RA more commonly resort to the methods of CAM.

WOS: 000391751500003, OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the effects of extra corporeal shock-wave therapy (ESWT) on the calcaneal spur length and pain severity in overweight and obese patients with symptomatic calcaneal spur. METHODS: In eighty patients with symptomatic calcaneal spur, ESWT was administered on days 0 and 7, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores and calcaneal spur lengths (CSLs) before and 3 months later after treatment were recorded. A lateral heel radiograph was used for computer-aided linear measurements of CSL. RESULTS: Of 80 patients, 59 (73.7%) were female and 21 were male (26.3%); age was 45.9 +/- 8.3 years; BMI was 31.6 +/- 4.4 kg/m(2); and symptom duration was 2.3 +/- 2.4 years. The CSL and VAS score after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (CSL before vs. after: 5.7 +/- 1.0 vs. 4.4 +/- 0.9, p = 0.001; VAS score before vs. after: 8.3 +/- 1.4 vs. 4.6 +/- 2.2; p = 0.03). The CSLs before and after treatment had a significant strong correlation (r = 0.832, p = 0.001). The VAS scores before and after treatment presented a significant mild correlation (r = 0.242, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In overweight and obese patients with symptomatic calcaneal spur, ESWT reduces the CSL and pain severity during a follow-up of three-month duration.

WOS: 000401073400003, The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of clinical features including duration of FM and sexual partnership, and severity of pain, anxiety, and depression on the severity of sexual dysfunction in women with Fibromyalgia (FM). This cross-sectional study was conducted on 130 female patients with FM, who were admitted to Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Polyclinic in August and September 2015, and 60 healthy controls. The data was collected with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Women Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Evaluating FM and control group according to the FSFI Score, it was found that 103 (84.4%) and 19 (15.6%) had sexual dysfunction, respectively. The median scores of FSFI scale and subscale, and VAS in the FM patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The mean scores of FIQ, BAI, and BDI in the FM patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The FSFI score was significantly predicted by FIQ, BAI, duration, and duration of partnership. FSFI score has a negative correlation with BAI score, disease duration and duration of partnership. This study supports that FM may affect all domains of sexual function. In our clinical settings, multiple regression analysis reveals that the duration and severity of FM and duration of sexual partnership, and severity of anxiety but not severity of pain and depression can increase the severity of sexual dysfunction. Knowledge about meaningful contributing factors of duration of FM and sexual partnership, and severity of FM and anxiety may be helpful for physicians for determining correct strategies for prevention and management of sexual dysfunction in FM.

WOS: 000406096700003, PubMed ID: 30375572, Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level with obstructive sleep apnea, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), age, body mass index, and fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients. Patients and methods: A total of 105 female patients (mean age 41.8 +/- 9.0 years; range 26 to 55 years) with fibromyalgia (FMS group) who were diagnosed according to 2010 American College of Rheumatology criteria, and 51 female patients (mean age 39.9 +/- 10.8 years; range 24 to 54 years) with mechanical low back pain (MLBP) (control group) were included in the study. Age, smoking, educational status, tender point number, body mass index, duration of disease, FIQ, PSQI, and polysomnographic assessment of both FMS and control groups were recorded. Results: Sleep disorder was detected in 88 patients in FMS group and 15 patients in control group (p< 0.05). The PSQI score was higher in the FMS group compared to the control group (9.9 +/- 4.6 vs 5.7 +/- 3.5). The FIQ score was higher in the FMS group compared to the control group (53.4 +/- 17.4 vs 26.4 +/- 13.9; p

WOS: 000376607900010, PubMed ID: 27146618, Objectives: To investigated serum cortisol and serum dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S) levels between fibromyalgia (FMS) patients and a control group, and the effect of balneotherapy (BT) on these hormones. Methods: Seventy-two patients with FMS and 39 healthy volunteers were included in the study. This prospective and cross-sectional study was carried out in the Medical Faculty, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Cumhuriyet University, Cumhuriyet, Turkey between June 2012 and June 2013. Patients were divided into 2 groups. There were 40 patients in the first group, consisting of BT and physical therapy (PT) administered patients. There were 32 FMS patients in the second group who were only administered PT. Thirty-nine healthy volunteers were enrolled as a control group. Result: Cortisol was observed to be lower in FMS patients compared with the controls (10.10 +/- 4.08 mu g/dL and 11.78 +/- 3.6 mu g/dL; p= 0.033). Serum DHEA-S level was observed to be lower in FMS patients compared with the controls (89.93 +/- 53.96 mu g/dL and 143.15 +/- 107.92 mu g/dL; p= 0.015). Average serum cortisol levels of patients receiving BT were determined to be 9.95 +/- 3.20 mu g/dL before treatment and 9.06 +/- 3.77 mu g/dL after treatment; while average serum DHEA-S levels were 77.60 +/- 48.05 mu g/dL before treatment, and 76.84 +/- 48.71 mu g/dL after treatment. No significant changes were determined in serum cortisol and DHEA-S levels when measured again after BT and PT. Conclusion: Low levels of serum cortisol and DHEA-S were suggested to be associated with the physiopathology of FMS.

WOS: 000372275200005, PubMed ID: 26713300, Background: Balneotherapy (BT) is a treatment modality that uses the physical and chemical effects of water, including thermomineral, acratothermal, and acratopegal waters. It has many effects on cardiovascular system. Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of 3-week BT on blood pressure of osteoarthritis (OA) patients with no hypertension (HT), and controlled or uncontrolled HT. Materials and Methods: The OA patients (n = 270) were divided into three groups: No HT, controlled HT, and uncontrolled HT. All the groups received BT in the facilities of our university hospital at the same time every day (10: 00-11: 30 AM) for 10 min per day, 5 days per week, for a total duration of 15 days in a 3-week period. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures and pulse rates were measured before and after BT on daily basis. Results: Overall, (1) the pulse rates of study groups measured after BT were significantly increased compared to before BT; (2) the systolic blood pressures of study groups measured before and after BT were found as comparable; and (3) the diastolic blood pressures of no HT and controlled HT groups measured before and after BT were not statistically significant (P > 0.05); however, in the uncontrolled HT group, the diastolic blood pressure showed a decreasing trend after BT (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In patients with OA, BT can be safely used without resulting in any meaningful changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressures in patients with normal and controlled HT but a decrease in diastolic blood pressure of patients with uncontrolled HT. This may be an advantage in OA patients having HT as comorbid disease.