Sacral stress fracture and sacroiliitis are two conditions that present with pain. Sacral stress fractures are a rare cause of lumbar and hip pain. Sacral insufficiency fractures are a type of sacral stress fractures. Sacroiliitis represents inflammation of the sacroiliac joints. Coexistence of sacroiliitis and sacral insufficiency fracture (SIF) has not been reported before. Case 1: A 39-year-old woman reporting inflammatory back pain. Imaging revealed bilateral chronic sacroiliitis and bilateral SIF. Case 2: A 31-year-old woman presenting with left hip and inguinal pain. Imaging revealed left sacroiliitis and ipsilateral SIF. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation together with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment were given. Sulfasalazine was added to the treatment of the second patient who developed peripheral arthritis during follow-ups. Early diagnosis is best made with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) since roentgenograms may be negative initially. Furthermore, MRI findings of both entities share common features leading to a diagnostic dilemma. Interpretation of radiological findings assisted by detailed history and clinical findings is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study is to investigate the differences between hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke patients in terms of clinical and functional features.METHODS:Medical records of the patients with stroke were analyzed retrospectively. The patients’ demographic characteristics, stroke etiology, time interval after the event, comorbid illness and functional status were recorded.RESULTS:The stroke etiology was ischemia for 60 (36 male/24 female) (75%) patients, and haemorrhage for 20 (10 male/10 female) (25%) patients. Patients with ischemic stroke were classified as Group 1, and patients with hemorrhagic stroke were classified as Group 2. The mean age for Group 1 was 62.2±13.2, and 55.8±17.1 years for Group 2 (p=0.592). In Group 1, 33 (55%) patients, and in Group 2, 11 (55%) patients were primary school graduates (p=0.984). Localization of the lesion was in the right side for 33 (55%) patients in Group 1, and for 15 (75%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.372). The mean time interval after event for Group 1 was 7 months (0-211 days), and for Group 2 it was 14.5 (1-420 days) months (p=0.592). FIM score for Group 1 was 71.9±28.0, and 68.1±21.0 for Group 2 (p=0.575). The mean Brunnstrom score for upper extremity was 3.5 for Group 1, 3 for Group 2, (p=0.866), and for lower extremity, it was 3.5 for Group 1, and 3 for Group 2 (p=0.143). Spasticity was present in 45 (75%) patients in Group 1, and in 12 (60%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.311). In Group 1 51 (85%) of the patients and 18 (95%) patients had a history of comorbid disease (p=0.554).CONCLUSION:Etiology of stroke is thought to be not effective on the patient’s clinical and functional status.

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Background -Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation. The pathophysiology of the primary and secondary Raynaud's Phenomenon (RP) have not been completely established. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between MPV and RP. Materials and Methods -Our study was a prospective randomized study carried out from January 2011 to March 2012. The study group consisted of 39 patients: 27 (70%) patients having primary, 12 (30%) patients having secondary RP. An age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched control group consisted of 40 healthy participants. We compared the MPV in patients with RP and control participants statistically. Results -MPV of RP group was 8.79±1.37 femtoliter (fL) while MPV of control group was 8.39±1.36 fL.Comparison of MPV of RP group and control group showed no difference (p=0.274). The mean of MPV was significantly higher among patients with secondary RP (9.76±1.68 fl) when compared with patients with primary RP (8.37±0.96 fl) (p=0.018). Conclusion -The results of our study suggest that MPV may be used as a marker in secondary RP.

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