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Introduction: Patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD) who receive intravenous therapy requiring hospitalization are likely to be more affected than those with receiving oral therapy during COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on adherence to treatment in patients with CIRD receiving intravenous treatments.

Introduction. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) comprises general body pain, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. Vitamin B12 (VB), vitamin D (VD), and iron deficiencies lead to similar complaints. First, this study aimed to evaluate the VB, VD, and ferritin levels of patients with FS. Second, it aimed to investigate whether there was a relationship between these parameters and FS severity.

Background. Oxidative stress may play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) etiopathogenesis. The thiol group is a very strong antioxidant. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of oxidative stress in patients with RA by evaluating thiol/disulfide homeostasis.

Background: Inappropriate medication prescribing in older patients increases the risk of poorer health outcomes and increased costs. The IMMENSE trial, integrated a clinical pharmacist into the health care team, to improve medication therapy among older patients, and to investigate the impact on acute revisits to hospital. Objectives: This study investigated the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and prescribing omissions (PPOs) at hospital admission and discharge. It also explored the impact of the pharmacist intervention on PIMs and PPOs, and other factors associated with PIMs and PPOs at discharge. Design: The STOPP/START criteria version 2 were retrospectively applied at admission and discharge. PIM and PPO changes were compared, and Poisson regression was used to assess factors influencing prevalence at discharge. Results: At hospital admission, PIM prevalence was 58.6% among intervention patients and 64.8% among control patients. PPO prevalence was 55.3% and 55.5%, respectively. A larger proportion of PIMs identified at admission were resolved by discharge in the intervention group (42.9%) compared to the control group (27.4%). No difference was seen for PPOs. Poisson regression identified a significantly higher risk for PIMs at discharge in the control group compared to the intervention group (IRR 1.255; 95% CI 1.063–1.480, p = 0.007), but no effect for PPOs. Patients living in a nursing home, a home care facility, or an institution showed a higher risk of PPOs at discharge compared to patients living at home (IRR 1.378; 95% CI 1.156–1.644, p

Background: We aimed to investigate coronavirus diease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes in patients with amyloid A protein (AA) amyloidosis secondary to rheumatic diseases and discuss factors associated with disease course. Methods: A retrospective cohort was formed from adult patients with a diagnosis of AA amyloidosis. In patients with a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and mortality due to COVID-19 were collected from medical records. Data regarding to demographics, comorbidities, laboratory tests, medical treatments, adherence to previous treatments during COVID-19 and treatment administered for COVID-19 were collected from hospital databases and patient reviews. Results: In 96 patients with AA amyloidosis, 16 had COVID-19 with a positive PCR. Ten (62.5%) patients were hospitalized, 2 (12.5%) were admitted to ICU, 1 (6.25%) was died. Hospitalized patients tended to be older. Comorbidities seemed to be more frequent in hospitalized patients. None of the patients had rapid progression to end-stage renal disease post-COVID-19. Seven patients had pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 proteinuria levels. Three had notable increase in proteinuria after COVID-19 in 2 of which amyloidosis treatment was revised accordingly. Conclusion: Despite high rates of hospitalization in AA amyloidosis patients, mortality was observed only in 1 patient. Progression of proteinuria requiring treatment adjustment may be an issue in these patients.

IgA vasculitis (IgAV) is a leukocytoclastic vasculitis affecting small vessels and is more common in children than in adults. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of oxidative stress in adult IgAV patients by Dynamic Thiol Disulfide Homeostasis (DTDH) and Ischemia Modified Albumin (IMA) levels. We also aimed to correlate the presence of inflammation detected by C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Highly Sensitive C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) with these oxidative stress parameters. Forty-one IgAV patients and forty-five controls were included in the study. Patients were classified as "active" or "in remission" according to the British Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS). Measured parameters were compared between the groups. DTDH, IMA, CRP and hsCRP parameters were analyzed in both patient and control groups. According to our results, disulfide (p=0.047), index 1 (p [Med-Science 2023; 12(3.000): 758-63]

Antioxidants, which have long been deemed an indispensable guardian of human health, play a pivotal role in bolstering the body's defense against a plethora of diseases. Three well-recognized seaweeds in Bangladesh, including Caulerpa racemosa, Padina tetrastromatica, and Hypnea musciformis, were subjected to meticulous analysis to reveal their phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial efficacy using advanced spectroscopic and disc diffusion methods. Intriguingly, we observed that C. racemosa emerges as frontrunners, possessing a substantial arsenal of phenol (143.08 ± 18.51 mg gallic acid equivalent g─1) and flavonoid (63.79 ± 2.16 mg rutin equivalent g─1). More fundamentally, C. racemosa exhibits a notable enrichment in the content of tannin (73.58 mg RE g─1) and chlorophyll (13.50 mg g─1), as well as, antioxidant capacity (4457.67 μg g─1). P. tetrastromatica, on the other hand, displayed commendable effectiveness in scavenging the DPPH radical, with percentages ranging from 53.98 to 62.17%. In terms of hydroxyl radical (OH•) scavenging activity, C. racemosa exhibited the highest efficacy at 400 g mL─1. Fascinatingly, C. racemosa exhibited an impressive antioxidant potential, as evidenced by its exceptionally low IC50 value of 5.58 μg mL−1 for OH• scavenging, whereas P. tetrastromatica showed impressively low value of 0.96 μg mL−1 for DPPH scavenging. Although the three seaweeds demonstrated limited efficacy against a spectrum of five human pathogenic bacteria, their potential as abundant sources of antioxidants remains unscathed. Notably, heatmap and PCA analysis revealed that C. racemosa and P. tetrastromatica emerge as the leading contender for studied antioxidant compounds, demonstrating their proclivity for antioxidant extraction, a trait that could be exploited for large-scale production of these valuable compounds.

Background. Inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) are often associated with multiple comorbidities. Managing comorbidities now seen as important as management of primary IRDs. The aim of this study was to analyse the profiles and prevalence of comorbidities in patients with IRDs and also to highlight the critical need for comprehensive and routine screening for comorbidities. Methods. This study was a retrospective single-center study conducted between 2019 and 2023. IRDs were classified according to the following categories: rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, connective tissue diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, Behçet’s disease, large vessel vasculitis (LVV), small vessel vasculitis (SVV), and crystal deposition diseases (CDD). The demographic characteristics and comorbidities (including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, obesity, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, asthma, osteoporosis, thyroid diseases, demyelinating diseases, depression, and malignancies) were obtained from the electronic patient files. Results. The study included 10 417 patients with IRDs (mean age 50.9 ± 14.5 years; 66.8% female). The five most prevalent comorbidities were hypertension (34.8%), obesity (29.1%), diabetes mellitus (14.1%), hyperlipidemia (12.1%), and osteoporosis (9.2%). The Poisson regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between the total number of comorbidities and CDD, LVV, and SVV. The most prevalent comorbidities were cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, the prevalence of osteoporosis was high in LVV, and the prevalence of chronic kidney disease and asthma was high in SVV. Conclusion. Our study not only presents observational data but also highlights the critical need for comprehensive and routine screening for comorbidities in patients with rheumatic diseases. We found that CDD followed by LVV and SVV were identified as the rheumatic conditions most associated with comorbidities, and these diseases are most commonly accompanied by cardiovascular risk factors. Additionally, our findings suggest that patients with rheumatological conditions may be underscreened, leading to potential underdiagnosis of comorbidities such as hyperlipidemia, osteoporosis, and possibly malignancies.

Background: We aimed to investigate the frequency of Demodex infestation and clinical implications in connective tissue disease patients with facial erythema. Methods: Patients diagnosed with a connective tissue disease and had facial erythema were consecutively enrolled in the study from 2019-2020. An age and gender matched control group was formed from healthy volunteers. Presence of Demodex was investigated by standardized skin surface biopsy. Number of Demodex mites over 5 per centimeter square was considered meaningful for infestation. Topical or systemic metronidazole treatment was given to the connective tissue disease patients with Demodex infestation. Facial erythema visual analog scale was questioned in patients at treatment onset and one month after. Results: A total of 31 connective tissue disease patients with facial erythema were enrolled. Control group included 31 healthy volunteers. Demographics and comorbidities were similar between groups. Demodex infestation was present in 58.1% of the disease group and in 25.8% of the control group (P=0.01). Pruritus was the most common symptom in patients with infestation. Median (IQR) facial erythema visual analog scale score was 6 (3) at treatment onset and was 2 (2.5) one month later (P

INTRODUCTION: Gout is a common and easily treated disease characterized by the accumulation of monosodium urate crystals in both joints and other tissues. Monosodium urate crystals are the main stimulants for initiating and maintaining an inflammatory response. Oxidative stress is also an early change in gout pathogenesis together with inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the presence of oxidative stress in gout together with thiol–disulfide homeostasis and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels. We aimed to compare these parameters with inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). METHODS: Levels of native thiol, total thiol, disulfide, IMA, CRP, and hsCRP were detected in patients with gout (n=50) and healthy subjects (n=50). Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used for istatistical analysis. RESULTS: Native thiol, total thiol, and index 3 (native thiol/total thiol×100) were significantly lower in the patient group, while disulfide, index 1 (disulfide/native thiol×100), index 2 disulfide/total thiol×100), IMA, CRP, and hsCRP were significantly higher. In addition, elevation in native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels was detected as disease duration increased. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The present study has shown the role of oxidant damage in gout disease. Additional studies are needed to identify sources of oxidative stress in gout.

Aim:Microvasculopathy is one of the suspected complications in Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Nailfold capillaroscopy is a noninvasive method used to evaluate microvascularity. It can be a guide in detecting endothelial dysfunction and microvasculopathy in COVID-19 patients.Materials and Methods:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction positive 54 patients were evaluated. The 2nd-5th digits of both hands were investigated by nailfold capillaroscopy. Capillary density, capillary architecture and capillary morphology were recorded. Patients with abnormal and normal nailfold capillaroscopy findings were compared in terms of COVID-19 clinical symptoms.Results:Of the patients included in the study, 72% were male and the mean age was 35.6±11.6 years. In total, 22 patients (41%) had at least 1 abnormal capillaroscopy change. Diffuse capillaroscopic abnormalities were as follows: pericapillary edema 43%, enlarged and dilated capillaries 24%, and tortiosteal capillaries 22%. Hyperinflammatory response was observed in 17% of the patients and intensive care was required in only 1 patient. The frequency of hyperinflammatory response, anticytokine use and thrombosis increased in patients with abnormal capillaroscopyConclusion:Abnormal capillaroscopy findings were found to be frequent in COVID-19 patients. Higher rates of the hyperinflammatory response and anticytokine drug use in patients with abnormal nailfold findings suggest that there may be a relationship between hyperinflammation and microvasculopathy in COVID-19. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical relevance of nailfold abnormalities with clinical manifestations of COVID-19 disease.

Objectives: Breast cancer is a type of cancer caused by the uncontrolled growth of cells in the breast tissue. In a few cases, erroneous diagnosis of breast cancer by specialists and unnecessary biopsies can lead to various negative consequences. In some cases, radiologic examinations or clinical findings may raise the suspicion of breast cancer, but subsequent detailed evaluations may not confirm cancer. In addition to causing unnecessary anxiety and stress to patients, such diagnosis can also lead to unnecessary biopsy procedures, which are painful, expensive, and prone to misdiagnosis. Therefore, there is a need for the development of more accurate and reliable methods for breast cancer diagnosis. Methods: In this study, we proposed an artificial intelligence (AI)‐based method for automatically classifying breast solid mass lesions as benign vs malignant. In this study, a new breast cancer dataset (Breast‐XD) was created with 791 solid mass lesions belonging to 752 different patients aged 18 to 85 years, which were examined by experienced radiologists between 2017 and 2022. Results: Six classifiers, support vector machine (SVM), K‐nearest neighbor (K‐NN), random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), logistic regression (LR), and XGBoost, were trained on the training samples of the Breast‐XD dataset. Then, each classifier made predictions on 159 test data that it had not seen before. The highest classification result was obtained using the explainable XGBoost model (X2GAI) with an accuracy of 94.34%. An explainable structure is also implemented to build the reliability of the developed model. Conclusions: The results obtained by radiologists and the X2GAI model were compared according to the diagnosis obtained from the biopsy. It was observed that our developed model performed well in cases where experienced radiologists gave false positive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a frequent and important consequence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for Behcet's disease (BD) patients. Although various clinical scales are used to diagnose PTS, Villalta scale was accepted as the standard tool to diagnose and grade the severity of PTS. Poor quality of life (Qol) in the general population was defined for patients with PTS, however, studies in BD patients with PTS is limited. Our aim was to compare the performance of different scales to assess venous disease in BD patients with a history of DVT and to assess the relationship with quality of life. Methods: Patients with BD (n = 194, M/F:157/37, age:39.1 ± 9.5 years) with a DVT history were investigated. Villalta, VCSS,CEAP scale and SF 36,Veines scales were used to assess venous disease and QoL respectively. Results: Among BD patients, 120 (61.9 %) patients were classified as having PTS by Villalta and of patients 18% had severe PTS. Half of patients with CEAP score <4 were classified as having PTS. Also, 42% of patients with CEAP>4 and almost two third of VCSS classified severe CVD patients was grouped in severe PTS by Villalta scale. VCSS and Villalta classified PTS patients had decreased disease specific and general Qol scores compared to the patients without PTS. Also, severe PTS group (by VCSS) had decreased veines QoL scores and PCS compared to mild/moderate group. Conclusion: BD patients with DVT have a high risk of PTS. Our results show that both Villalta scale and VCSS should be used to assess venous disease BD patients with DVT. However, VCSS classified severity of PTS can show better correlation with venous disease -specific QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate post-COVID-19 antibody titers in patients who received convalescent plasma (CP) in addition to standard-of-care treatment. Materials and Methods: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who received CP in addition to standard care were retrospectively investigated. Patients who received CP with a recorded total COVID-19 antibody test result after treatment were included. From among hospitalized COVID-19 patients who received only standard care with a recorded total COVID-19 antibody test result, a control group matched for age, gender, and comorbidities was formed. Total COVID-19 antibody index levels were compared. Results: Thirty-three CP recipients were enrolled in the study. The control group consisted of 34 age-, gender-, and comorbiditymatched standard-care patients. Median total COVID-19 antibody index levels were significantly reduced in the CP group. Conclusion: Although CP therapy may have benefits for disease outcome, its potential ability to hamper long-term immunity may be a problem.

Abstract Carbonate rocks undergo low-temperature, post-depositional changes, including mineral precipitation, dissolution, or recrystallisation (diagenesis). Unravelling the sequence of these events is time-consuming, expensive, and relies on destructive analytical techniques, yet such characterization is essential to understand their post-depositional history for mineral and energy exploitation and carbon storage. Conversely, hyperspectral imaging offers a rapid, non-destructive method to determine mineralogy, while also providing compositional and textural information. It is commonly employed to differentiate lithology, but it has never been used to discern complex diagenetic phases in a largely monomineralic succession. Using spatial-spectral endmember extraction, we explore the efficacy and limitations of hyperspectral imaging to elucidate multi-phase dolomitization and cementation in the Cathedral Formation (Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin). Spectral endmembers include limestone, two replacement dolomite phases, and three saddle dolomite phases. Endmember distributions were mapped using Spectral Angle Mapper, then sampled and analyzed to investigate the controls on their spectral signatures. The absorption-band position of each phase reveals changes in %Ca (molar Ca/(Ca + Mg)) and trace element substitution, whereas the spectral contrast correlates with texture. The ensuing mineral distribution maps provide meter-scale spatial information on the diagenetic history of the succession that can be used independently and to design a rigorous sampling protocol.