We describe a case of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE syndrome) in a 66-year-old man. This report discusses magnetic resonance imaging findings of RS3PE syndrome and the changes after steroid therapy.

In this prospective study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of simvastatin on bone metabolism and the correlation between changes in bone turnover parameters and serum cytokine levels. For this purpose, 38 postmenopausal subjects with hypercholesterolemia (>240 mg/dl), not on osteoporosis treatment, were studied. Simvastatin was started at a dose of 20 mg daily and continued for 3 months. Six patients were excluded from the study during the follow-up period. Pre- and post-treatment samples were analyzed for bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and osteocalcin (OCL), as markers of bone formation; for carboxyterminal telopeptide of collagen I (CTX), as a marker of bone resorption; and for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) cytokine levels. Total cholesterol level was decreased from 262.1 +/- 30.9 to 210.2 +/- 35.6 mg/dl after simvastatin treatment (P < 0.0001). While no significant change was observed in serum CTX level, BAP and OCL levels were significantly increased (from 120.8 +/- 56.6 to 149.5 +/- 57.6 IU/l [P = 0.008], and from 20.8 +/- 12.6 to 34.7 +/- 18.4 microg/l [P = 0.015], respectively). In the analysis of cytokines, while no significant change was observed in IL-6 levels, the TNF-alpha level was found to be significantly decreased after simvastatin treatment (from 77.9 +/- 31.6 pg/ml to 23.5 +/- 12.6 pg/ml [P = 0.021]). Individual changes in TNF-alpha levels showed a moderate negative correlation with the individual changes in BAP and OCL levels (r = -0.550 [P = 0.001], and r = -0.497 [P = 0.004], respectively). In conclusion; 20-mg daily simvastatin treatment for 3 months significantly increased BAP and OCL levels (markers of bone formation) in hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal subjects, without affecting bone resorption. These findings support the idea that simvastatin has an anabolic effect on bone formation. Additionally, the presence of a negative correlation between TNF-alpha levels and the anabolic bone parameters suggests that a cytokine-lowering effect of simvastatin may also be involved in the remodeling process and could exert some additive beneficial effect on bone metabolism.

A AB BS S T TR RA AC CT T O Ob bj je ec ct ti iv ve e: : To investigate and compare the effects of pulse ultrasound (US) and lowlevel laser therapy (LLLT) on wound healing. M Ma at te er ri ia al l a an nd d M Me et th ho od ds s: : Thirty-two rats were included in the study and two full-thickness skin wounds were made on dorsum area of the rats bilaterally, with a 17 mm hole-punch. The animals were divided into two groups. Pulsed US (with a power of 0.1 W/cm 2 , a frequency of 1 MHz, 5 minutes daily) was applied to to the right sided wounds of Group A (n= 16) and Ga-As laser (830 nm wavelength, 0.5 J/ cm 2 dosage of 1 MHz frequency for 1 minute duration) was applied to right sided wounds of Group B (n= 16). Left sided wound were considered as controls and same procedures were applied without any current (sham). Biochemical and histopathological evaluations were performed in each group on 7 th and 15 th days. R Re es su ul lt ts s: : Inflammatory cells tended to decrease in both treatment groups on the 7 th day, however, this finding did not reach a statistical significance (p> 0.05). Fibroblasts and collagen were found to be significantly increased in the laser group when compared to the other group on the 7 th day (p< 0.05). Angiogenesis was found to be significantly increased only in the laser group when compared to the other group on the 15 th day (p< 0.05). There were no significant differences in tissue nitric oxide values between the groups although the values in the laser group tended to be higher on the 15th day (p=0.058) C Co on nc cl lu us si io on n: : In this comparative study, LLLT was found to significantly accelerate mainly proliferative phase while pulse US had no effect on wound healing. Our results support the consideration that LLLT may constitute a beneficial treatment modality for wound healing.K Ke ey y W Wo or rd ds s: : Laser therapy, low-level; ultrasonography; wound healing Ö ÖZ ZE ET T A Am ma aç ç: : Yara iyileşmesinde düşük enerjili lazer tedavisi (DELT) ve kesikli ultrason (US) tedavilerinin etkinliklerini incelemek ve karşılaştırmak. G Ge er re eç ç v ve e Y Yö ön nt te em ml le er r: : Çalışmaya 32 rat dahil edildi ve deneklerin dorsal bölgesinde bilateral olarak tüm deri tabakalarını kapsayan 17 mm çapında iki yara oluşturuldu. İki gruba ayrılan deneklerin ilk grubunun (Grup A, n= 16) sağ taraftaki yaralarına kesikli US (1 MHz başlık ile 0.1 W/cm 2 şiddetinde, 5 dakika süreyle) uygulanırken ikinci gruba (Grup B, n= 16) DELT (830 nm dalga boyunda 0.5 j/cm 2 dozunda %50 şiddetinde, 1 dakika süreyle) uygulandı. Sol taraftaki yaralar kontrol olarak alındı ve tedaviler aynı şekillerde ancak ışın verilmeksizin uygulandı (sham). Yedinci ve 15. günlerde sakrifiye edilen deneklerde biyokimyasal ve histopatolojik değerlendirmeler yapıldı. B Bu ul lg gu ul la ar r: : Inflamatuvar hücrelerin yedinci günde her iki tedavi grubunda da azalmış olduğu, ancak istatiksel anlamlılığa ulaşmadığı gözlendi (p> 0.05). Bu dönemde yapılan histolojik incelemelerde fibroblast ve kollajen miktarının lazer g...