Our results contribute to the idea that vitamin D deficiency and acute manic episode may have interactions with many pathways. Future trials may investigate this association with longer follow up. We recommend that serum vitamin D levels should be measured in patients with bipolar disorder especially in long term care.

The present study is the first to demonstrate that neuropathic pain is associated with pregnancy-related LPP and strongly correlated with functional impairment and deterioration in the HRQoL. A better understanding of neuropathic pain mechanisms in pregnancy-related LPP will help us find more effective treatment strategies.

In this study, our aims were to identify vitamin D levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) individuals as compared to controls and the impact of vitamin D levels on both objective and subjective assessments in RA patients. Methods: The current study was a prospective case-control study conducted on 108 RA patients and 50 agegender matched healthy controls. We first compared the levels of vitamin D among the RA patients and controls. Demographic and clinical data, parameters of disease activity, inflammatory markers, rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide seropositivity and radiological damage scores were recorded in RA patients. These patients were also demanded to complete RA Quality of Life Questionnaire (RAQoL), fatigue severity scale (FSS) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Results: D vitamin levels in RA patients were significantly lower than healthy controls (p=0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was determined in 73% of the RA patients and 52% of the controls. Vitamin D deficiency was not associated with disease activity (p=0.862). There was no significant relationship among vitamin D levels and all subjective and objective assessments (p>0.05 for all). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was common in RA participants than normal population. However, it was not shown that there was a significant relationship between vitamin D levels and objective and subjective assessments of disease, including disease activity, inflammatory markers, rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide seropositivity, radiological damage scores, RAQoL, FSS and HAQ.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) incidence based on 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and the association between FMS with disease activity, functional status and quality of life (QoL). Patients and methods:The study included 151 RA patients (32 males, 119 females; mean age 52.4±12.7 years; range 21 to 82 years) and 77 controls (13 males, 64 females; mean age 53.7±10.2 years; range 33 to 73 years). Individuals were classified into four groups based on presence of RA and FMS. Group 1 included patients with both RA and FMS (n=53), group 2 included patients with RA and without FMS (n=98), group 3 included controls with FMS (n=15), and group 4 included controls without FMS (n=62). Demographic characteristics, morning stiffness (MS), pain, Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), functional and QoL scores were compared among the groups.Results: No significant differences were found between the four groups as regards the mean age and gender distribution (p>0.05). Higher pain, MS, DAS28, and QoL scores in the groups with FMS drew attention. While FMS was found in 8.1% of RA patients with remission, it was found in 53.9% of patients with active RA, and in 19.5% of controls. Conclusion:Although FMS incidence in patients with RA was higher compared to controls without inflammatory disease, FMS evaluated with 2010 ACR diagnostic criteria was found to be common in the general population. DAS28 and inflammatory markers were higher in RA patients with FMS; thus, it has been concluded that sleep disorder and widespread pain caused by active disease may facilitate the diagnosis of FMS.

Objectives:We aimed to evaluate comorbidities and their association with clinical parameters in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Patients and Methods:A hundred and ten AS patients were included. Disease activity was evaluated by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), functional status by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), spinal mobility Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) and quality of life by Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).Results: Comorbidities were detected in 28.18% of the patients. These were peptic ulcer (20.91%), hypertension (20%), lung disease (15.45%), diabetes mellitus (13.64%), osteoporosis (10.91%), ischemic heart disease (10%), renal diseases (Ig A nephropathy and renal papillary necrosis, 1.82%) and cancers (papillary thyroid carcinoma and renal cell ca, 1.82%), respectively. Patients with comorbidities scored significantly higher in BASDAI, BASMI, BASFI, VAS-pain, and pain, physical mobility, and energy subgroups of NHP (p<0.05). Peripheral involvement was observed in 27.27% of the patients. The frequency of comorbidities was higher in the patients with peripheral involvement (Pearson X 2 =54.725, p<0.01). Conclusion:Comorbid conditions of AS are associated with more active disease, functional impairment and deterioration in quality of life. Therefore, comorbidities should be detected and treated earlier in order to reduce their negative impact on disease outcome.