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In the current study, we synergistically evaluated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression levels and signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE1) gene expression levels in diabetic patients without retinopathy, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Objective: This study aimed to measure the functional exercise capacity of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT), and to determine the factors associated with this test. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 54 patients with AS (29 males, 25 females). The ISWT was performed to determine functional exercise capacity. The number of completed shuttles was recorded, and the total incremental shuttle walk distance (ISWD) was calculated. Disease activity was assessed with the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), physical functioning was assessed with the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), and spinal mobility was assessed with the Bath AS Mobility Index (BASMI). Upper body and core endurance were assessed by sit-up and push-up tests. Tests were performed in a single session in the order listed. Results: The mean ISWD of the patients was 462.41 ± 97.96 m, and the subjects reached 50.48% of the predicted ISWD. The ISWD of male subjects was significantly higher than that of females (p <.05). At the end of the test, male subjects reached 60.87% of the age-predicted maximal heart rate, and female subjects reached 55.25%. There was a significant positive moderate correlation between ISWD and height (r = 0.535, p <.01), sit-up test (r = 0.617, p <.01), and push-up test (r = 0.495, p <.01), while there was a negative weak correlation between BASFI (r = -0.344, p =.011) and BASMI (r = -0.280, p =.040). Conclusion: The study showed that functional exercise capacity as assessed by the ISWT decreased in patients with AS. ISWT performance was associated with sex, height, functionality, spinal mobility, and muscular endurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Secukinumab is a monoclonal antibody against interleukin 17 approved for patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and psoriasis. Treating axSpA and PsA patients with a history of malignancy is a challenge. While initial results on the applicability of secukinumab in this patient group are positive, the number of studies on this topic remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the drug's survival time and the efficacy and safety of secukinumab treatment in this specific patient group. Methods: This retrospective study included 30 patients with a history of malignancy who were followed up in rheumatology outpatient clinics in 12 centers throughout Turkey and treated with secukinumab between May 2018 and March 2024 with a diagnosis of axSpA and PsA. Results: The mean follow-up time was 29.8 ± 19.3 months. The drug retention rate was 89.7% after 12 months and 80.6% after 24 months. The most common tumor in our study was papillary thyroid carcinoma (n = 5, 16.7%). During follow-up, local tumor recurrence was observed in a patient with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Conclusions: In the largest cohort reported to date, treatment with secukinumab in axSpA and PsA patients with a history of malignancy was not shown to cause oncologic recurrence except for one local tumor recurrence. Drug retention rates were also high, and disease activation and function improved compared to baseline. Therefore, secukinumab could be a safe and effective option for this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to compare serum HMGB-1, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), TAS, TOS, and OSI levels in Wettype Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) patients and healthy controls to determine the correlation of these parameters with each other. Methods: Thirty patients with Wet-type Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) and 27 healthy adults, as controls were enrolled in the study. We determined the TAS and TOS levels in serum samples of both groups using commercial kits on a microplate reader. Serum HMGB-1 and 3-NT levels were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results: HMGB-1 levels were significantly higher in the patient group (137.51 pg/mL, p=0.001), while there was no difference between the two groups in serum 3-NT levels (p = 0.428). A statistically significant difference found in the levels of TOS and OSI (p = 0.001 and p = 0.045, respectively) between the patients and controls, however, no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of TAS levels (p = 0.228). Conclusions: Oxidative stress and HMGB-1 levels were increased in wAMD patients and enhanced oxidative stress may be associated with increased tissue necrosis and inflammation. Thus administration of antioxidant treatment in addition to routine therapy should be considered in wAMD.

Flare Assessment in Rheumatoid Arthritis (FLARE-RA) is a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) to evaluate the flare-related symptoms of individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in the last three months. The present study aimed to demonstrate the translation, cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the FLARE-RA. A cross-sectional psychometric analysis study was conducted with a total of 80 patients (61 Women, 19 Men; 49.6 ± 15.4 years). Patients filled-out the Global Health Assessment (GHA), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28), Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (RAQoL), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) in addition to the Turkish FLARE-RA. In addition, participants' Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were recorded. Thirty patients refilled the FLARE-RA again, one-week later. In the cross-cultural adaptation, translation procedures and pilot study, each item of the Turkish version of the FLARE-RA was found to be comprehensible. The ICC (two-way random-effect, single-measure model) and alpha values of the Turkish FLARE-RA were 0.97 and 0.96, respectively. The MDC95 values calculated for the FLARE-RA, FLARE-RA-arthritis, and FLARE-RA-symptoms scores were 2.01, 1.60, and 1.18, respectively. FLARE-RA, FLARE-RA-arthritis, and FLARE-RA-symptoms scores were highly correlated with VAS-rest, VAS-activity, DAS-28, RAQoL, and HAQ scores (r > 0.50). On the other hand, scores of FLARE-RA, FLARE-RA-arthritis, and FLARE-RA-symptoms were moderately correlated with the GHA-patient subscale, GHA-clinician subscale, ESR, and duration of morning stiffness (0.35 < r < 0.50). The present study results demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Turkish FLARE-RA. FLARE-RA is a practical tool to assess the flare of RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) have antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and organ protective properties and their circulation levels are related to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and preeclampsia. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) catalyses the degradation of EETs to less biologically active dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids. Here, we sequenced the promoter region of EPHX2 to investigate the association between promoter sequence alterations that we thought to affect the expression levels of the enzyme and preeclampsia (PE). Methods: Nucleotide sequencing of the promoter region of the EPHX2, spanning from position -671 to +30, was performed on 100 pregnant women with PE and, 20 or more weeks pregnant normotensive, healthy women (n=100). Results: Pregnant women who carry rs4149235, rs4149232, rs73227309, and rs62504268 polymorphisms have 4.4, 2.4, 2.3, and 2.8 times significantly increased risk of PE, respectively. CCGG (OR: 3.11; 95% CI: 1.12-8.62) and CCCA (OR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.36-0.55) haplotypes were associated with an increased and decreased risk of PE, respectively. Conclusions: Four SNPs (rs4149232, rs4149235, rs73227309, and rs62504268) in the promoter region of the EPHX2, and CCGG and CCCA haplotypes of these 4 SNPs were significantly associated with PE. These SNPs in the promoter region may affect sEH expression and thus enzyme activity and may play a role in PE pathogenesis by causing individual differences in EET levels. However, future studies are needed to confirm our findings and examine the effect of these SNPs on the sEH expression and/or enzyme activity.

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Objective: Vedolizumab is a novel anti-inflammatory molecule that is currently being used in the treatment of refractory inflammatory bowel disease. The mode of action is inhibiting the binding of activated T lymphocytes to the adhesion molecule 1 of intestinal mucosal cells. Due to its local effect, systemic immunosuppression is not expected, and this may have a negative effect on the extra-intestinal symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, particularly spondyloarthritis. Currently, there is limited data regarding the effect of vedolizumab on spondyloarthritis symptoms. We aimed to investigate whether vedolizumab has an effect on the occurrence of rheumatological symptoms and the clinical course of patients who have spondyloarthritis. Methods: Thirty-nine adult inflammatory bowel disease patients who were followed up in the Gastroenterology Clinic and treated with vedolizumab were included in the study. Patients were reviewed in terms of rheumatological manifestations. The occurrence of new musculoskeletal findings during the vedolizumab treatment was recorded. Patients with a former diagnosis of spondyloarthritis were evaluated for the activity of axial and peripheral manifestations during the vedolizumab. Results: There were 39 inflammatory bowel disease patients (29 Crohn's disease, 10 ulcerative colitis, 48.7% (n = 19) male) who had been treated with vedolizumab. The mean age of the patients was 41.4 ± 15.7 years, and the duration of inflammatory bowel disease was 10.4 ± 7.5 years. A total of 17 (44%) patients had accompanying spondyloarthritis findings (mean age 47.08 ± 15.325 years and 58.8% M). Seven patients had axial dominant symptoms and 6 of them were in an active disease state before vedolizumab. During vedolizumab, all but 1 continued to be active. There were 14 patients with arthritis/arthralgias before vedolizumab and only 3 had improvement with therapy. On the other hand, there were 3 patients who had new-onset arthralgias/arthritis with vedolizumab. In total, 6 patients needed to stop vedolizumab because of spondyloarthritis activation (n = 2) and uncontrolled inflammatory bowel disease (n = 4), respectively. Conclusion: Treatment with vedolizumab seems no effect on both the occurrence and the course of rheumatological manifestations in inflammatory bowel disease patients. Further studies are required to replicate our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]