This prospective, randomized study included 77 women divided randomly into two groups .To investigate the effect of Kinesio taping on nausea and vomiting in women with Emesis Gravidarum.The study group received standard medications as metaclopramide(10 mg) twice in a day and vitamin B6(30 mg) single dose in a day and was performed Kinesio taping on the stomach region over the abdomen, while the control group received only the standard medications for treatment of emesis gravidarum.The degree of nausea a nd vomiting was evaluated by a 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS) and Pregnancy unique quantification of emesis (PUQE) scoring.There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding mean of age, gravidity, parity, body mass index, gestational weeks at admission.Both groups showed a significant reduction in nausea and vomiting after the treatments.However, when considering the decrease in PUQE scores and VAS scores in groups from baseline at admission to the fifth day of treatment, the Kinesio tape group was significantly superior than the control group (p=0.048).This randomized, preliminary study demonstrates that Kinesio taping can be a useful and novel treatment option as supplement to the standard medication in the management of emesis gravidarum.
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an inherited disorder characterized by lifelong recurrent, self-limiting attacks of fever and systemic inflammation.Rheumatoid arthritis is an erosive, chronic, inflammatory disease that affects mainly the wrists and joints of the hands.Development of rheumatoid arthritis in a patient with FMF is extremely rare.To our knowledge, this condition has been reported only once previously.Here, we present a 31-year-old female patient who developed rheumatoid arthritis during the course of FMF.In the patient, while the FMF was under control with regular use of colchicine, the rheumatoid arthritis was resistant to conventional therapies.Etanercept treatment provided complete remission in our patient.
To evaluate the relationship between disease activity and levels of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and pentraxin 3 in patients with Behçet's disease (BD).Forty-eight patients with BD and 29 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects were included in the study. Serum pentraxin 3 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ng/ml), and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein levels were measured using nephelometry (mg/dl). Disease activity was assessed using the BD Current Activity Form (BDCAF).Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels were significantly higher in patients with BD compared to the control group (P = 0.048). There were no significant differences between two groups in terms of levels of pentraxin 3 (P = 0.697). According to Pearson's analysis, alpha 1-acid levels are significantly positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and skin lesions and arthritis of BDCAF scores. Pentraxin 3 levels did not correlate with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, or any domains of BDCAF scores.The results of the present study demonstrate that serum levels of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein were significantly higher in patients with BD relative to the control group. Alpha-1 acid glycoprotein is greatly associated with skin lesions and arthritis in patients with BD. We did not find high serum levels of PTX3 in patients with BD compared to healthy controls, and pentraxin 3 is not associated with disease activity in BD.
Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily of cytokines, plays an important role in cell growth, signal transduction, and apoptosis regulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum GDF-15 levels and their relationships with disease-related variables in patients with Behçet's disease (BD). Forty-six patients diagnosed with BD and 30 demographically matched healthy control subjects participated in the study. GDF-15 levels were measured in blood samples from patients and controls. The Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF) was used to evaluate the disease activity of BD. There were no significant differences between the two groups in C-reactive protein (CRP) level, mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), age, body mass index, and mean GDF-15 levels (P > 0.05). Serum GDF-15 levels were positively correlated with findings for peripheral arthritis and CRP, and with BDCAF erythema nodosum, BDCAF arthralgia, and BDCAF arthritis scores. Patients with BD were divided into two groups according to the presence of peripheral arthritis; nine subjects (20%) were positive for peripheral arthritis. Serum ESR, CRP, white blood cell counts, and GDF-15 levels were significantly higher in the group that was positive for peripheral arthritis (P < 0.05). GDF-15 may play a role in the progression and pathway of Behçet's joint involvement and erythema nodosum that is independent of classic inflammatory response measures.
Background: Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that plays essential roles in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, bone formation and mineralization homeostasis, also has a role in the maintenance of immune-homeostasis.Objective: We aimed to investigate seasonal serum vitamin D levels and seasonal disease activity in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Osteoarthritis.Methods: Seventy-one Rheumatoid Arthritis patients, 72 Ankylosing Spondylitis patients, 74 knee Osteoarthritis patients and 70 healthy controls were recruited for the study. Bi-seasonal measurements of serum 25(OH)D vitamin were checked in either in July or August or September for summertime and either in December or January or February for wintertime. Disease activity were evaluated by Disease Activity Score-28, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index in groups of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Osteoarthritis respectively.Results: We did not find any correlation between serum 25(OH)D levels and Disease Activity Score-28, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores in winter and summer. The difference of Disease Activity Score-28 and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores between winter and summer seasons were not significant in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis patients (p>0.05). The mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score was significantly higher in winter than in summer (p<0.05). Consequently we did not find any correlation between variations of seasonal serum 25(OH)D and the disease activity in the patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Osteoarthritis. Conclusion: These results suggest that vitamin D does not have an important role in the seasonal disease activity of these diseases and that seasonal changes in disease activity may play an important role in evaluating Ankylosing Spondylitis patients rather than Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis patients and should be taken into account when examining these patients. These conclusions need to be validated in multicenter studies with high number of patients.Key words: ankylosing spondylitis, disease activity, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, season, vitamin D
