Aim: The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the incidence of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and identify FMS-related clinical symptoms in hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients.Methods: One hundred and eighteen HBV surface antigen (HbsAg)-positive patients (40 with chronic active hepatitis B, 40 hepatitis B carriers and 38, all of whom had been antiretroviral-treated for at least 3 months) were included in this study. In addition, 60 age-and gender-matched HbsAg-negative healthy controls were included in the study.Results: There was no significant difference in age, gender or body mass index (BMI) between the two groups (P > 0.05). Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly higher in HBV patients relative to the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of FMS, widespread body pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, morning stiffness, arthralgia was significantly greater among HBV patients relative to the control group. Additionally, the mean tender point counts and the visual analog scale values were significantly higher among the HBV patients (P < 0.05). Conclusions:The results of the present study demonstrate that FMS incidence is greater among HBV patients relative to control subjects. However, there were no differences in FMS incidence among the subgroups of HBV diagnoses.

Purpose: Micronised purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) is a phlebotropic drug improving venous tone, elasticity and lymphatic drainage, decreasing venous distensibility, venous emptying times, reflux time of venous blood and capillary hyperpermeability, and having antioxidant activities. Since varicocele is a venous pathology, we evaluated the effects of MPFF on pain, spermiogram and color Doppler parameters in patients with painful varicocele. Material and Methods: Semen analyses and Doppler sonography were performed in 16 patients (aged 20–62 years, mean 31.2 ± 10.9) before and after 1,000 mg/day MPFF treatment. Pain change was assessed with visual analogue scale scored between 0 and 10. Patient satisfaction with outcome and side effects were recorded. Results: Mean pain scores at 1, 3, and 6 months were 1.25 ± 1.34, 0.25 ± 0.68, and 0.12 ± 0.34, respectively, all being significantly lower (p < 0.001 for each) than baseline (4.93 ± 1.77). Mean score at 12 months (0.93 ± 1.06) was still lower than baseline (p < 0.001) but higher than at 6 months (p = 0.019). Respectively, 14 (87.5%) and 2 (12.5%) patients reported complete and very significant resolution of pain at the 6th month. All patients were very satisfied with the outcome. While semen volume, total sperm count, sperm concentration and morphology did not change significantly, motility increased significantly (p = 0.009) due to decrease of grade 0 sperms (p = 0.006) and increase of grade 3 + 4 sperms (p < 0.001). Reflux time of left spermatic vein during the Valsalva maneuver decreased significantly (p = 0.003). No significant change occurred in reflux time of the right spermatic vein. No side effect was recorded. Conclusions: Results of this preliminary study suggest the safety and efficacy of MPFF in the treatment of varicocele-associated pain. However, no recommendation for the use of MPFF in the treatment of pain associated with varicocele can be made before these preliminary results are confirmed by a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: In the present study, evaluation of knowledge levels of the physicians practicing in different services of our hospital about notifiable infectious diseases (NID). Methods:The present study was a questionnaire and applied to 105 volunteer individuals including academic personnel and residents in Dicle University Medical Faculty Hospitals in 2015.Results: Volunteer physician participants of our study consisted of 77 (73.3%) males and 28 (26.7%) females. When the physicians were evaluated according to the age range, 63 (60%) were between 24-30, 21 (20%) were between 31-35, 14 (13.3%) were between 36-40 and 7 (6.7%) physicians were at 41 years and over. We detected that 90 (85.7%) physicians felt themselves ineligible about NIDs. In the present research, no significant statistical difference was detected between the age group, title, practice period and knowledge level (p>0.05). When knowledge level of the physicians based on the departments, a statistically significant difference was found in knowledge of the departments of which in-service training about NIDs were provided such as Medical Microbiology, Chest Diseases and Public Health departments when compared with other departments (p<0,05). Conclusion:Longer professional experience, title, age and gender factors are not effective on the knowledge level about NIDs; however, higher knowledge level about NIDs in the departments interested in this subject of which in-service training was provided about NIDs reveals the supporting fact that knowledge level is associated with training. Including NIDs into the topics of top priority for orientation training topics and in-service trainings will be useful.