The Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) questionnaire is a disease-specific measure of needs-based quality of life developed in the UK and the Netherlands. This study describes translation, validation, and reliability of the scale into Turkish population. The ASQoL was translated into Turkish using the dual-panel process. Content validity was assessed via cognitive debriefing interviews with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. Patients with AS according to modified New York criteria were recruited into the study from 12 hospitals of all part of Turkey. Psychometric and scaling properties were assessed via a two administration survey involving the ASQoL, the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), and Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). Classical psychometrics assessed reliability, convergent validity (correlation of ASQoL with NHP, BASFI, and BASDAI) and discriminative validity (correlation of ASQoL with perceived AS-severity and general health). Cognitive debriefing showed the new Turkish ASQoL to be clear, relevant, and comprehensive. Completed survey questionnaires were received from 277 AS patients (80% Male, mean age 42.2/SD 11.6, mean AS duration 9.4 years/SD 9.4). Test-retest reliability was excellent (0.96), indicating low random measurement error for the scale. Correlations of ASQoL with NHP sections were low to moderate (NHP Sleep 0.34; NHP Emotional Reactions 0.83) suggesting the measures assess related but distinct constructs. The measure was able to discriminate between patients based on their perceived disease severity (p < 0.0001) and self-reported general health (p < 0.0001). The Turkish version of ASQoL has good reliability and validity properties. It is practical and useful scale to assess the quality of life in AS patients in Turkish population.

Writer's cramp is a focal, task-specific dystonia of the hand and wrist. It primarily affects people who do a significant amount of writing, and causes difficulties in writing. We present five cases with writer's cramp who showed improvement in their writing ability with an applied hand orthosis.

Objective To examine the associations between exercise capacity (EC), cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and disease‐related variables in axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) patients. Methods In this cross‐sectional controlled study, CV risk profile data, physical activity, 10‐year CV event risk estimated by the Framingham model and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score – C‐reactive protein were recorded. A maximal treadmill exercise test by Bruce protocol was administered. Analyses of covariance were performed with adjustments for age, smoking status and physical activity level. Linear regression analysis was performed to study the association between EC and related CV risk factors. Results Thirty‐eight patients and 38 age‐gender matched controls were recruited between May and October 2014. Patients had significantly lower EC than controls (MD 2.2; metabolic equivalents 0.91‐3.49; P = .001). The difference remained significant after adjustments (P = .001). There were significant correlations between EC and age, 10‐year CV event risk, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference for patients and controls (P < .001 and P < .05, respectively). There was a significant relationship between EC and total cholesterol, triglycerides and heart rate recovery (HRR) in patients (P = .04, P < .001 and P = .006, respectively). High‐density lipoprotein ‐ cholesterol was significantly higher, and BMI was significantly lower in nonradiographic AxSpA patients (P = .026 and P = .03 respectively). Age and triglyceride levels were found as the significant predictors for EC in the AxSpa group (for age β = −.105, P = .003; for triglycerides β = −.016 P = .003). Conclusion Exercise capacity was significantly lower and attenuated HRR was significantly associated with low EC and high 10‐year CV event risk in AxSpA patients.

Objective: Plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, is related to increased cardiovascular risks, endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) is closely related to the risk of coronary artery disease. We aimed to investigate plasma ADMA levels and its relation to carotid IMT in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and Methods: Eighteen Turkish patients with RA (16 females, mean age: 49.44±8.88 years) and 18 age-and gender-matched healthy controls (16 females, mean age: 46.28±4.97 years) were included in the study. Measurement of IMT was done by B-mode ultrasound. Plasma ADMA levels and carotid IMT of both sides were measured in all patients and healthy controls, and the means of the two groups were compared. The correlation between ADMA levels and carotid IMT was assessed in patients with RA. Results: Plasma ADMA levels were significantly higher in patients compared to healthy controls. Although the carotid IMT values were relatively higher in the patient group than in the control group, the difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant correlation between ADMA levels and carotid IMT values. Conclusion: Our findings support the notion that plasma ADMA levels are elevated in patients with RA. Despite lack of correlation between ADMA levels and IMT in our study, ADMA levels can be used to evaluate endothelial dysfunction. Turk J Phys Med Re hab 2011;57:114-8. Key Words: Rheumatoid arthritis, ADMA, carotid IMT Özet Amaç: Nitrik oksit sentezinin endojen inhibitörü olan asimetrik dimetilargininin (ADMA) plazma düzeyleri, artmış kardiyovasküler risk, endotelyal disfonksiyon ve ateroskleroz ile ilişkilidir. Karotid arter intima-media kalınlığı (IMT), koroner arter hastalık gelişimi riski ile yakından ilişkilidir. Biz bu çalış-mamızda romatoid artritli hastalarda plazma ADMA düzeylerini belirlemeyi ve bunun karotid IMT ile arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemeyi amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırmamıza romatoid artrit tanısı konulan 18 Türk hasta (16 kadın, 2 erkek; yaş ortalamaları 49,44±8,88 yıl) ve 18 sağlıklı gönüllü (16 kadın, 2 erkek; yaş ortalamaları 46,28±4,97 yıl) dahil edildi. IMT ölçümü B-mode ultrasonografi ile değerlendirildi. Hasta ve sağlıklı gönüllülerin plazma ADMA düzeyleri ile her iki taraf karotid arter intima-media kalınlıkları ölçülerek iki grubun ortalamaları karşılaştırıldı. Ayrıca romatoid artritli hastaların ADMA düzeyle-rinin karotid arter intima-media kalınlıkları ile olan korelasyonu değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Plazma ADMA düzeyleri hasta grubunda kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı derecede yüksekti. Karotid arter IMT değerleri ise hasta grubunda kontrol grubuna göre yüksek olmasına rağmen bu fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlı değildi. Hasta grubunda ADMA düzeyleri ile karotid IMT değerleri arasında korelasyon yoktu. Sonuç: Bizim sonuçlarımız plazma ADMA düzeylerinin romatoid artritli hastalarda daha yüksek olduğunu göstermiştir. ADMA düzeyleri ile karotid IMT değerleri ar...

Objective: The modern treatment approach for osteoarthritis aims at suppressing the inflammation by antagonizing such proinflammatory cytokines. More complicated approaches are expected to come to the forefront in the future that focus on such signals as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily and alleviate or antagonize the destruction process. These proteins are associated with many cellular functions, such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We investigated the BMP levels in the serum and urine samples of patients with osteoarthritis. Material and Methods: A total of 41 patients with gonarthrosis, with grade 3 or 4 knees according to Kellgren-Lawrence Grading, and 50 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Visual analog scale was used for the assessment of pain. Levels of BMP7, BMP6, BMP4, and TGF-β1 were determined by ELISA method based on the serums obtained from the blood samples routinely taken from the patients as well as urine samples of 24 hours. Results: We evaluated the serum and urine samples of 37 patients with gonarthrosis and 29 healthy controls. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to age, weight, and height. Levels of serum TGFβ-1 and BMP6 were significantly higher in the patients compared to healthy controls (p=0.004, 0.002, respectively). As to urine samples, it was found that levels of TGFβ-1 and BMP7 were below the minimum detection limit proposed by the ELISA method in the patients. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to levels of BMP4 and BMP6 in the urine (p>0.05). Conclusion: Levels of TGFβ-1 and BMP6 were higher in the patients compared to the controls. We think that more frequent examination of BMP levels in serum and urine samples, which are closely associated with the overall process of osteoarthritis, may guide future treatment studies.