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BACKGROUND: Many formulations and dosing regimens are available for hyaluronic acid (HA). OBJECTIVE: To compare different doses of linear, high-molecular weight (HMW) HA injections among patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Hundred patients were included in this randomized, single-blinded trial and randomly divided into three HA injection groups. The first group received five weekly 20 mg HA injections, the second group received three weekly 32 mg HA injections, and the third group received a single 48 mg HA injection. Patients were evaluated at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months after the last injection for pain, stiffness, and function using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. Quality of life, patient's global assessment, and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test scores were also evaluated. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in the WOMAC, VAS-pain, quality of life, patient's global assessment, and TUG test mean scores at all follow-up time points (p < 0.001). However, the groups showed no significant differences in WOMAC, VAS-activity pain, and patient global scores at any follow-up point. CONCLUSION: Intra-articular injections of different doses of linear HMW HA can improve pain, stiffness, function, and quality of life in patients suffering from knee OA over a six-month period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between vitamin D and cognitive status remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D replacement on cognitive functions in healthy and cognitively intact vitamin D deficient older females. Methods: This study was designed as a prospective interventional study. A total of 30 female adults aged ≥60 with a serum 25 (OH) vitamin D level of <10 ng/ml were included. Participants were administered 50 000 IU vitamin D3 weekly for 8 weeks followed by a maintenance therapy of 1000 U/day. Detailed neuropsychological assessment was performed prior to vitamin D replacement and repeated at 6 months by the same psychologist. Results: Mean age was 63 ± 6.7 years and baseline vitamin D level was 7.8 ± 2.0 (range: 3.5–10.3) ng/ml. At 6 months, vitamin D level was 32.5 ± 3.4 (32.2–55) ng/ml. The Judgement of Line Orientation Test (P = 0.04), inaccurate word memorizing of the Verbal Memory Processes Test (P = 0.02), perseveration scores of the Verbal Memory Processes Test (P = 0.005), topographical accuracy of the Warrington Recognition Memory Test (P = 0.002), and the spontaneous self‐correction of an error in the Boston Naming Test (P = 0.003) scores increased significantly, while the delayed recall score in the Verbal Memory Processes Test (P = 0.03), incorrect naming of words in the Boston Naming Test (P = 0.04), interference time of the Stroop Test (P = 0.05), and spontaneous corrections of the Stroop Test (P = 0.02) scores decreased significantly from baseline. Conclusion: Vitamin D replacement has a positive effect on cognitive domains related to visuospatial, executive, and memory processing functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Low back pain affects 80% of people worldwide at least once in a lifetime and reduces the quality of life and causes absence from work. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pain and functional status of patients with lumbar disc disease who received blind caudal epidural injections (CEI) for pain relief. METHODS: The records of 107 patients who had been given CEI between September 2017 and January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The inclusion criteria were age > 18 years, > 3-month history of low back pain, and diagnosis of lumbar disc disease by magnetic resonance imaging. The epidural injection solution consisted of 2 mL of betamethasone sodium and 8 mL saline. Follow-up examinations were conducted 3 and 6 months post-injection and the patients were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS: The most common disc pathology was at the L4–L5 level. The VAS and ODI scores indicated significantly reduced pain at 3 and 6 months compared with the pre-injection baseline. Two patients experienced total anesthesia and paresis of the lower limbs, but recovered fully after 2 weeks. Blood was aspirated during the injection in two patients, but second-attempt injections were successful in both cases. No other complications were observed. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the blind method is safe for administering CEI to patients with chronic low back pain in the absence of radiological screening and results in significant pain relief with improved functional capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of dry needling therapy combined with exercise and exercise treatment alone for alleviating the dizziness caused by cervical myofascial pain syndrome. Design This was a prospective randomized clinical study that included 61 women who had dizziness and myofascial trigger points on the neck muscles. The patients were randomized into a dry needling + exercise group (N = 31) and an exercise only group (N = 30). Results The mean age of the patients (±SD) was 38.4 ± 8.3 years. The intragroup comparisons of the severity of neck pain, algometric measurement, number of dizziness attacks per week, severity of the dizziness, fall index, and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory were improved in both groups at the first and fourth months (P  < 0.05). The intergroup comparisons of the severity of neck pain, algometric measurement, number of dizziness attacks per week, the severity of the dizziness, and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory were more improved in the dry needling + exercise group at the first or fourth month compared with their inital assessments (P  < 0.05). There was no diffence in fall index scores between the groups (P  > 0.05). Conclusions Both dry needling + exercise therapy and exercise therapy alone were effective in treating dizziness caused by cervical myofascial pain syndrome. However, dry needling + exercise treatment was superior to exercise treatment alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation / Turkiye Fiziksel Tip ve Rehabilitasyon Dergisi is the property of Turkish Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Osteoporosis / Turk Osteoporoz Dergisi is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Amaç: Romatoid artrit (RA), dünyada ve ülkemizde sık rastla-nılan kronik enflanıatuar hastalıklardan biridir. Özellikle eklemleri tutması yanmda sistemik bulgulara da yol açması mor-talite ve morbidite açısından oldukça önemlidir. Bu durum, hastalarda işlevsellik-fonksiyonellik ve yetiyi timi alanlarında çeşitli bozukluklara yol açabilmektedir. Hastaların, primer hastalığın medikal tedavisi yanmda, ortaya çıkan problemlerin çözümü için genel, ayrıntılı değerlendirilmesine ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. İşlevsellik, Yetiyitimi ve Sağlığın Uluslararası Sınıflandırılması, IGF (International Classification Of Functioning Disabi-lity And Health) kapsamında oluşturulmuş IGF Çekirdek Dizisi (IGF Göre Set), bireyin fonksiyonelliği ve yetiyitimi hakkında bilgi sağlamak ve bu bilgileri kaydetmek açısından pratik bir değerlendirme aracıdır. Elde edilen bilgi olgu kayıtlarının tutulması için özetlenebilir niteliktedir (örneğin klinik pratikte veya sosyal hizmetlerle ilgili durumlarda). Bu çalışmada amacımız RA'lı hastalarda sık rastlanılan sağlık sorunlarının IGF kapsamında değerlendirilmesidir. Yöntem: Çalışmamız, prospektif, kesitsel bir ön çalışma olarak planlanmıştır. Çalışma için Ağustos 2017-Mart 2018 tarihleri arasında fiziksel tıp ve rehabilitasyon polikliniğine başvuran yeni tam konulmuş RA hastalarına 16 ayrı kategoride (vücut işlevleri için 6, etkinlikler ve katıluıı için 8 ve çevresel faktörler için 2 kategori) hastaların değerlendirilmesini sağlayan IGF Çekirdek Dizisi uygulandı. IGF içeriğinde yer alan yapısal faktörler görüntüleme tekniklerini gerektirdiğinden çalışma kapsamına alınmadı. Bulgular: Çalışmaya alman kadın hasta sayısı 103 (%76.9), erkek hasta sayısı 31 (%23.1) idi. Vücut işlev bozukluklarına bakıldığında orta ve ciddi bozukluk tespit edilen durumlar b280 (ağrı), b455 (egzersiz toleraası), b710 (eklem mobilitesi), b730 (kas kuvveti), b780 (kas hareket algısı) olarak belirlendi. Etkin-Iikler ve katılım açısından yapılan değerlendirmede d230 (günlük yaşam aktivitelerini yerine getirme), d410 (yer değiştirme), d440 (el kullanımı), d450 (yürüme), d850 (işe başlama) alanla-nnda orta ve ciddi düzeylerde problemler tespit edildi. Sonuç: Çalışmamız RA'lı hastalardaki işlevsellik ve yetiyitimi-ninin genel değerlendirilmesine olanak sağlamış ve sorunlarının kısa sürede özetlenmesine yardımcı olmuştur. Hastaların genel tedavisinin düzenlenmesinde belirlenen sorunların tek tek ayrın ulandı rinasının ve çözümünün hastanın yaşam kalitesini ar-uracağı kanaatincyiz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of dry needling therapy combined with exercise and exercise treatment alone for alleviating the dizziness caused by cervical myofascial pain syndrome., Design: This was a prospective randomized clinical study that included 61 women who had dizziness and myofascial trigger points on the neck muscles. The patients were randomized into a dry needling + exercise group (N = 31) and an exercise only group (N = 30)., Results: The mean age of the patients (±SD) was 38.4 ± 8.3 years. The intragroup comparisons of the severity of neck pain, algometric measurement, number of dizziness attacks per week, severity of the dizziness, fall index, and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory were improved in both groups at the first and fourth months (P < 0.05). The intergroup comparisons of the severity of neck pain, algometric measurement, number of dizziness attacks per week, the severity of the dizziness, and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory were more improved in the dry needling + exercise group at the first or fourth month compared with their inital assessments (P < 0.05). There was no diffence in fall index scores between the groups (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Both dry needling + exercise therapy and exercise therapy alone were effective in treating dizziness caused by cervical myofascial pain syndrome. However, dry needling + exercise treatment was superior to exercise treatment alone.