To study the prevalence major rheumatic diseases in western Turkey. This survey was conducted in Havsa which have a total population of 18,771. Physicians and interns visited every household, interviewed face to face a questionnaire about the symptoms of rheumatic disorders. The individuals replied positively to any question were examined at the nearest health center. Those have no objective findings related to any rheumatic diseases were excluded. People could not be clinically diagnosed were asked to come to the hospital for further evaluation. A total 17,835 of 18,771 residents participated. We estimated the prevalence of Behçet's Disease (BD) as 0.019%; ankylosing spondylitis: 0.120%; rheumatoid arthritis: 0.321%; knee osteoarthritis (OA): 5.351%; hand OA: 1.110%; hand and knee OA: 1.958%; total OA: 8.420%; primary Raynaud's: 1.192%; psoriasis: 0.424 %; psoriatic arthritis: 0.050%; rheumatic fever: 0.318%; rheumatic heart disease: 0.200%; inflammatory bowel disease: 0.023%; lupus: 0.059%; gout: 0.018%; systemic sclerosis: 0.022%; juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: 0.032%; temporal arteritis: 0.020%, and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) as 0.006%. Figures were adjusted for age-sex of the general Turkish population. The prevalence's of BD and FMF are considerably lower in Havsa as compared to other regions in Turkey.

No abstract

ABSTRACT.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ocular pulse amplitude changes in patients with Graves' disease. Methods: The pulse amplitudes of 31 patients with Graves' disease were measured with the OBF-Tonograph (OBF Labs UK). All patients were in the euthyroid phase of the disease. 17 patients (Group I) had no ocular involvement or only mild lid retraction. 14 patients (Group II) had either proptosis and/or extraocular muscle involvement. Only the worst involved eye of each patient was included into the study. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups among the parameters which might influence the pulse amplitude measurement. The pulse amplitude was statistically significantly lower in Group II than in Group I (2.34∫0.79 and 3.22∫0.94 mmHg respectively, p∞0.013). Conclusion: Pulse amplitude measurements may be an important discrimination and classification parameter for patients with ophthalmic Graves' disease.

There is no difference in the long-term success of trabeculectomy between PEG and POAG patients whose clinical characteristics are otherwise the same.

The possible mechanisms of this complication were discussed.