Electrodiagnostic methods to verify Guillain-Barré syndrome subtypes in Istanbul: A prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics and electrodiagnostic subtypes of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Istanbul. METHODS: Patients with GBS were prospectively recruited between April 2019 and March 2022 and two electrodiagnostic examinations were performed on each patient. The criteria of Ho et al., Hadden et al., Rajabally et al., and Uncini et al. were compared for the differentiation of demyelinating and axonal subtypes, and their relations with anti-ganglioside antibodies were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-seven patients were included, 69 before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (April 2019-February 2020) and 108 during the pandemic (March 2020-March 2022), without substantial changes in monthly frequencies. As compared with the criteria of Uncini et al., demyelinating GBS subtype diagnosis was more frequent according to the Ho et al. and Hadden et al. criteria (95/162, 58.6% vs. 110/174, 63.2% and 121/174, 69.5%, respectively), and less frequent according to Rajabally et al.'s criteria (76/174, 43.7%). Fourteen patients' diagnoses made using Rajabally et al.'s criteria were shifted to the other subtype with the second electrodiagnostic examination. Of the 106 analyzed patients, 22 had immunoglobulin G anti-ganglioside antibodies (14 with the axonal subtype). They had less frequent sensory symptoms (54.5% vs. 83.1%, p = 0.009), a more frequent history of previous gastroenteritis (54.5% vs. 22.9%, p = 0.007), and a more severe disease as compared with those without antibodies. INTERPRETATION: Serial electrodiagnostic examinations are more helpful for accurate subtype diagnosis of GBS because of the dynamic pathophysiology of the disease. We observed no significant increase in GBS frequency during the pandemic in this metropolis.

Association of physical activity and nutrition with telomere length, a marker of cellular aging: A comprehensive review.

The aging of the population has great social and economic effects because it is characterized by a gradual loss in physiological integrity, resulting in functional decline, thereby loss of ability to move independently. Telomeres, the hallmarks of biological aging, play a protective role in both cell death and aging. Critically short telomeres give rise to a metabolically active cell that is unable to repair damage or divide, thereby leading to aging. Lifestyle factors such as physical activity (PA) and nutrition could be associated with telomere length (TL). Indeed, regular PA and healthy nutrition as integral parts of our lifestyle can slow down telomere shortening, thereby delaying aging. In this context, the present comprehensive review summarizes the data from recent literature on the association of PA and nutrition with TL.

The effects of supervised versus home Pilates-based core stability training on lower extremity muscle strength and postural sway in people with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Pilates-based core stability training (PBCST) is a controlled form of exercise that may improve the transmission of torque from the upper extremities and trunk to the lower extremities by enabling the core muscles to activate effectively. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PBCST given as supervised or home-based on lower extremity strength and postural control in multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Fifty individuals were enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups. Primary outcome measures were knee muscle strength and postural sway in different conditions. The supervised group received PBCST 2 days per week for 8 weeks at the clinic, and the other group performed PBCST at home. Exercises were progressed every 2 weeks in both groups. RESULTS: Between groups, the supervised group was mostly superior to the home group (p < 0.05). A significant improvement was noted in all parameters in both groups, except some sub-parameters of postural sway in home PBCST (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Supervised PBCST was determined to be more effective than home PBCST in improving strength, postural control, core stability, physical capacity, and fatigue. Although supervised training is the primary choice, home training can be recommended to patients who have limitations attending supervised sessions.

Perspectives of EFL teacher trainers and pre-service teachers on continued mandatory distance education during the pandemic.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the world experienced a fast transition to online education, starting in March 2020. This study aimed to review the process from the perspectives of prospective teachers and teacher trainers in a foreign language teacher education program after two semesters of mandatory distance education to make adjustments and take precautions for online possibilities in the future. Data was collected through questionnaires composed of open- and closed-ended items. A range of themes emerged from the responses, presented in terms of participants' preferences, their perceived benefits and challenges and recommendations for the future.

The effects of pelvic floor muscle therapy on symptoms, voiding, and pelvic floor muscle activity parameters in children with overactive bladder.

INTRODUCTION: Refractory overactive bladder (OAB) in children can be treated with second line modalities such as as biofeedback, transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS), and botulinum toxin. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle therapy (PFMT) on symptoms, bladder capacity, uroflowmetry, and pelvic floor muscle activity (PFMA) in children with resistant OAB or dysfunctional voiding (DV) with associated seconder bladder overactivity (DV/SBO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 children with resistant OAB were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups as: group-1 pure OAB and group-2 DV/SBO. Children were evaluated with voiding diary, uroflowmetry-EMG, PFMA before and after treatment. All patients were treated with PFMT. RESULTS: Urgency cured or improved in 12 of 17 (71%) of children in group-1 and in six of seven (86%) children in group-2 (P < 0.0001 and 0.031, respectively). Other symptoms cured or improved with 64%-100% recovery rates in group-1 and 50%-80% in group-2. Maximum voided volume (maxVV) in voiding diary increased from 81.6 to 150.9 mL in group-1 and from 115.6 to 175.7 mL in group-2 (P < 0.0001 and 0.063, respectively). Mean work value of PFMA increased and mean rest value of PFMA decreased significantly (P < 0.0001, 0.018 and P = 0.002 and 0.018, respectively). CONCLUSION: The measurement of PFMA in children with refractory OAB or DV/SBO gives information on the strength and endurance of PFMs. In children with refractory OAB or DV/SBO, biofeedback-assisted PFMT provides symptomatic improvement and increases functional bladder capacity.

Evaluation of Airway Volume in Cleft Lip and Palate Following Nasoalveolar Molding.

Patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) have commonly reduced nasal airways and are more prone to snoring, mouth breathing and hypopnea during sleep. Therefore, the morphometric evaluation of pharyngeal airway in patients with CLP is crucial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pharyngeal airway volumes of patients with CLP who underwent nasoalveolar molding (NAM) and to compare them with a well-matched control group without NAM. The study consisted of 40 patients with CLP divided into 2 main groups (26 with NAM; 14 without NAM) and 4 subgroups (15 unilateral CLP [UCLP] with NAM, mean age: 10.13 ±â€Š1.30 years; 11 bilateral CLP [BCLP] with NAM, mean age: 10.55 ±â€Š1.51 years; 7 UCLP without NAM, mean age: 9.86 ±â€Š1.68 years; 7 BCLP without NAM, mean age: 10.28 ±â€Š1.89 years). Nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and total airway volumes of all the patients were calculated 3-dimensionally with cone-beam computed tomography. There were statistically significant differences in nasopharyngeal volume (P < 0.05) of NAM group compared to control group; however, volumetric differences in oropharyngeal and total pharyngeal airway were not significant (P > 0.05). The amount of nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and total pharyngeal airway size in the BCLP with NAM group was significantly larger compared to BCLP without NAM group (P < 0.05). However, UCLP did not show any significant difference in NAM group (P > 0.05). This study implies that NAM can effectively enlarge the nasopharyngeal airway size in patient with CLP. In addition, the pharyngeal airway volume enlargement is more apparent in BCLP than UCLP individuals.

Simultaneous head tissue conductivity and EEG source location estimation.

Accurate electroencephalographic (EEG) source localization requires an electrical head model incorporating accurate geometries and conductivity values for the major head tissues. While consistent conductivity values have been reported for scalp, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, measured brain-to-skull conductivity ratio (BSCR) estimates have varied between 8 and 80, likely reflecting both inter-subject and measurement method differences. In simulations, mis-estimation of skull conductivity can produce source localization errors as large as 3cm. Here, we describe an iterative gradient-based approach to Simultaneous tissue Conductivity And source Location Estimation (SCALE). The scalp projection maps used by SCALE are obtained from near-dipolar effective EEG sources found by adequate independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of sufficient high-density EEG data. We applied SCALE to simulated scalp projections of 15cm(2)-scale cortical patch sources in an MR image-based electrical head model with simulated BSCR of 30. Initialized either with a BSCR of 80 or 20, SCALE estimated BSCR as 32.6. In Adaptive Mixture ICA (AMICA) decompositions of (45-min, 128-channel) EEG data from two young adults we identified sets of 13 independent components having near-dipolar scalp maps compatible with a single cortical source patch. Again initialized with either BSCR 80 or 25, SCALE gave BSCR estimates of 34 and 54 for the two subjects respectively. The ability to accurately estimate skull conductivity non-invasively from any well-recorded EEG data in combination with a stable and non-invasively acquired MR imaging-derived electrical head model could remove a critical barrier to using EEG as a sub-cm(2)-scale accurate 3-D functional cortical imaging modality.

ICA-derived cortical responses indexing rapid multi-feature auditory processing in six-month-old infants.

The abilities of infants to perceive basic acoustic differences, essential for language development, can be studied using auditory event-related potentials (ERPs). However, scalp-channel averaged ERPs sum volume-conducted contributions from many cortical areas, reducing the functional specificity and interpretability of channel-based ERP measures. This study represents the first attempt to investigate rapid auditory processing in infancy using independent component analysis (ICA), allowing exploration of source-resolved ERP dynamics and identification of ERP cortical generators. Here, we recorded 60-channel EEG data in 34 typically developing 6-month-old infants during a passive acoustic oddball paradigm presenting 'standard' tones interspersed with frequency- or duration-deviant tones. ICA decomposition was applied to single-subject EEG data. The best-fitting equivalent dipole or bilaterally symmetric dipole pair was then estimated for each resulting independent component (IC) process using a four-layer infant head model. Similar brain-source ICs were clustered across subjects. Results showed ERP contributions from auditory cortex and multiple extra-auditory cortical areas (often, bilaterally paired). Different cortical source combinations contributed to the frequency- and duration-deviant ERP peak sequences. For ICs in an ERP-dominant source cluster located in or near the mid-cingulate cortex, source-resolved frequency-deviant response N2 latency and P3 amplitude at 6 months-of-age predicted vocabulary size at 20 months-of-age. The same measures for scalp channel F6 (though not for other frontal channels) showed similar but weaker correlations. These results demonstrate the significant potential of ICA analyses to facilitate a deeper understanding of the neural substrates of infant sensory processing.

Tarsoaponeurectomy as an alternative in difficult blepharoptosis cases.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of tarsoaponeurectomy in patients with unsuccessful results after repetitive surgery or who developed post-traumatic blepharoptosis. METHODS: The files of 107 patients (136 eyes) on whom surgery was performed between January 2010 and December 2014 due to blepharoptosis were scanned retrospectively. Among these patients, the files and operational notes of eight patients who underwent surgery through the method of tarsoaponeurectomy were examined in detail. The epidemiological data, indication for surgery, previous ptosis and/or eyelid surgeries and trauma histories, preoperative and postoperative measurement data (palpebral space (PS), margin reflex distance (MRD1, MRD2), levator muscle function (LMF)) of the patients were recorded. The follow-up time of the patients was 7 to 34 months with an average of 16 months. RESULTS: A total of eight patients consisting of three females and five males were included in the study. The age range was 19 to 63 years with an average of 39 ± 16.2 years. Four patients had traumatic ptosis history whereas four patients had previous multiple levator procedure surgery history. Those patients with a history of ptosis had undergone surgery with levator procedure at least two times. Additionally, one patient had upper eyelid entropion, one had anophthalmic socket syndrome, and one had exposure keratopathy and traumatic dilated pupil. Seven patients had ptosis in the left eye whereas one patient had ptosis in the right eye. All patients were given a tarsoaponeurectomy as the basic surgical procedure while the patient with entropion was given a tarsal fracture and ear cartilage grafting as additional surgery. Two patients with vertical notching were also given a vertical blepharotomy through which a strip of tarsus was removed. CONCLUSIONS: Tarsoaponeurectomy is an alternative method for oculoplastic surgeons used to deal with patients on whom sufficient and desired results have not been achieved despite repetitive surgery and in post-traumatic cases where levator muscle and aponeurosis cannot be dissociated peroperatively.

EEG imaging of toddlers during dyadic turn-taking: Mu-rhythm modulation while producing or observing social actions.

Contemporary active-EEG and EEG-imaging methods show particular promise for studying the development of action planning and social-action representation in infancy and early childhood. Action-related mu suppression was measured in eleven 3-year-old children and their mothers during a 'live,' largely unscripted social interaction. High-density EEG was recorded from children and synchronized with motion-captured records of children's and mothers' hand actions, and with video recordings. Independent Component Analysis (ICA) was used to separate brain and non-brain source signals in toddlers' EEG records. EEG source dynamics were compared across three kinds of epochs: toddlers' own actions (execution), mothers' actions (observation), and between-turn intervals (no action). Mu (6-9Hz) power was suppressed in left and right somatomotor cortex during both action execution and observation, as reflected by independent components of individual children's EEG data. These mu rhythm components were accompanied by beta-harmonic (~16Hz) suppression, similar to findings from adults. The toddlers' power spectrum and scalp density projections provide converging evidence of adult-like mu-suppression features. Mu-suppression components' source locations were modeled using an age-specific 4-layer forward head model. Putative sources clustered around somatosensory cortex, near the hand/arm region. The results demonstrate that action-locked, event-related EEG dynamics can be measured, and source-resolved, from toddlers during social interactions with relatively unrestricted social behaviors.

Comparison of Modifications in Flap Anastomosis Patterns and Skin Incision Types for External Dacryocystorhinostomy: Anterior-Only Flap Anastomosis with W Skin Incision versus Anterior and Posterior Flap Anastomosis with Linear Skin Incision.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of external dacryocystorhinostomy (E-DCR) by using two different flap anastomosis patterns and skin incision types. METHODS: This study included 79 patients (88 eyes) with lacrimal drainage system disorders who underwent E-DCR surgery. Fifty eyes of 44 patients (group A) underwent E-DCR by suturing anterior and posterior flaps (H-flap) of the lacrimal sac with curvilinear skin incision whereas in 38 eyes of 35 patients (group B) DCR was performed by suturing only anterior flaps (U-flap) with W skin incision. RESULTS: The success rate was evaluated according to lacrimal patency and scar assessment scores. Patency was achieved in 78 patients (88.6%). In terms of groups, patency was 44 eyes (88.0%) in group A and 34 eyes (89.5%) in group B. There was no statistically significant difference in the success rates of lacrimal patency between the two groups. Further, there was no statistically significant difference concerning cutaneous scar scores. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that anastomoses of only anterior flaps or both anterior and posterior flaps have similar success rates; suturing only anterior flaps is easier to perform and shortens the operative time. In addition, W skin incision is a reasonable alternative to curvilinear incision for reducing scar formation.

Comparison of Medpor coated tear drainage tube versus silicon tear drainage tube in conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy: problems and solutions.

PURPOSE: This study aims at comparing two different types of drainage tubes in conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy, which are used for upper lacrimal system obstruction or damage, with respect to their respective postoperative problems and solutions. METHODS: Nineteen eyes of 17 patients who underwent conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR) or conjunctivorhinostomy (CR) surgery with a Medpor coated tear drainage tube or silicon tube placement between October, 2010, and February, 2014, were included in this retrospective comparative study. RESULTS: In the initial surgery, Medpor coated tear drainage tubes were used in 11 eyes by CDCR, whereas silicon tear drainage tubes were implanted into 2 eyes by CR and 6 eyes by CDCR. In group 1, proximal and distal obstructions developed postoperatively in 4 eyes, while 1 eye showed tube malposition and 3 eyes developed luminal obstruction by debris 3 times. In group 2, tube extrusion developed in 4 eyes, whereas tube malposition developed in 6 eyes and luminal obstruction by debris developed in 6 eyes at different times, for a total of 20 times. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the most significant complication we observed in the use of silicon tear drainage tubes was tube extrusion,whereas the leading complication related to the use of Medpor coated tear drainage tubes was tube obstruction.

Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of myopic children and adolescents with acute acquired comitant esotropia.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) is becoming increasingly common in young children. Understanding clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes can inform future practice. BACKGROUND: To evaluate clinical characteristics of myopic children and adolescents with AACE, and the outcomes of varying treatments. METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records was conducted to identify patients diagnosed with AACE and diplopia between 2016 and 2020. The duration of smartphone use, angle of deviation, refractive error, stereopsis, and treatment options were analysed. The motor outcomes were evaluated at the earliest 6-month postoperative visit (6-30 months), and orthotropia or esodeviation ≤10 prism dioptres (PD) was defined as success. Successful sensory outcomes were defined as the elimination of diplopia in primary gaze or the presence of stereoacuity. RESULTS: Twelve patients diagnosed with AACE were identified. Ages were between 9 and 19 years (15.6 ± 3.3 years). All patients showed convergent and comitant esotropia ranging from 12 to 40 PD at distance fixation that was nearly equivalent for distance and near fixation. The mean age at the initial visit was 15.6 ± 3.3 years. Post-treatment esodeviations were significantly lower at both distance and near compared to pretreatment (p < 0.001, for both). Eight patients required surgery and were treated with bilateral medial rectus muscle recession, two patients were treated with botulinum toxin, and two patients were followed with prismatic glasses. Nine of 10 patients (%90) treated with either surgery or botulinum toxin had successful motor and sensory outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is the most efficient treatment option; botulinum toxin and prismatic glasses could be useful treatment options in patients who refuse to have surgery or for whom the amount of deviation is small and variable.

Congenital superior oblique palsy in a patient with VACTERL association.

Different types of ophthalmological defects have been reported to be accompanying vertebral anomalies, anal atresia, cardiac malformations, tracheoesophageal fistula, renal anomalies, and limb anomalies (VACTERL) association. A 7-year-old girl with a history of VACTERL association presented with upward drifting of the left eye and anomalous head posture to the right side and was diagnosed with congenital fourth nerve palsy. We report the first case representing a combination of congenital fourth nerve palsy with VACTERL association.

Neurological and Visual Outcomes in Infants and Toddlers Following Therapeutic Hypothermia for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: The majority of studies have investigated neurodevelopmental outcomes, whereas visual impairment is less explored in children with a history of neonatal (hypoxic-ischemic) encephalopathy. Our aim was to perform a detailed neurological and visual assessment and also to investigate the presence of cerebral visual impairment in infants and toddlers with neonatal encephalopathy. METHODS: Thirty participants with a history of neonatal encephalopathy, who had been hospitalized for therapeutic hypothermia, underwent a detailed neurological examination at age five to 36 months. Age-matched, 30 healthy children were also enrolled as a control group. All children in the study and control groups received neurological and a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination, including visual field and visual acuity. Presence of cerebral visual impairment was also evaluated clinically. RESULTS: Rates of cerebral palsy, severe motor impairment, cognitive impairment, epilepsy, and cerebral visual impairment were found to be 20%, 10%, 15.3%, 10%, and 20%, respectively. When compared with healthy controls, oculomotor functions, pupillary light response, refractive parameters, anterior/posterior segment examinations, ocular visual impairment rates, and last, visual acuities were found similar. However, we found a statistically significant increase in visual field defects in our study group. CONCLUSIONS: It could be better to perform a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination including visual field, visual acuity, and oculomotor functions by a pediatric ophthalmologist to accurately diagnose neurovisual deficits in infants following therapeutic hypothermia. Early identification and rehabilitation of the visual deficits might improve the neurodevelopment in these children.

Effects of forward model errors on EEG source localization.

Subject-specific four-layer boundary element method (BEM) electrical forward head models for four participants, generated from magnetic resonance (MR) head images using NFT ( www.sccn.ucsd.edu/wiki/NFT ), were used to simulate electroencephalographic (EEG) scalp potentials at 256 recorded electrode positions produced by single current dipoles of a 3-D grid in brain space. Locations of these dipoles were then estimated using gradient descent within five template head models fit to the electrode positions. These were: a spherical model, three-layer and four-layer BEM head models based on the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) template head image, and these BEM models warped to the recorded electrode positions. Smallest localization errors (4.1-6.2 mm, medians) were obtained using the electrode-position warped four-layer BEM models, with largest localization errors (~20 mm) for most basal brain locations. When we increased the brain-to-skull conductivity ratio assumed in the template model scalp projections from the simulated value (25:1) to a higher value (80:1) used in earlier studies, the estimated dipole locations moved outwards (12.4 mm, median). We also investigated the effects of errors in co-registering the electrode positions, of reducing electrode counts, and of adding a fifth, isotropic white matter layer to one individual head model. Results show that when individual subject MR head images are not available to construct subject-specific head models, accurate EEG source localization should employ a four- or five-layer BEM template head model incorporating an accurate skull conductivity estimate and warped to 64 or more accurately 3-D measured and co-registered electrode positions.

Determination of national midwifery ethical values and ethical codes: in Turkey.

It is important to define and practice ethical rules and codes for professionalisation. Several national and international associations have determined midwifery ethical codes. In Turkey, ethical rules and codes that would facilitate midwifery becoming professionalised have not yet been determined. This study was planned to contribute to the professionalisation of midwifery by determining national ethical values and codes. A total of 1067 Turkish midwives completed the survey. The most prevalent values of Turkish midwives were care for mother-child health, responsibility and professional adequacy. The preferred professional codes chosen by Turkish midwives were absence of conflicts of interest, respect for privacy, avoidance of deception, reporting of faulty practices, consideration of mothers and newborns as separate beings and prevention of harm. In conclusion, cultural values, beliefs and expectations of society cannot be underestimated, although the international professional values and codes of ethics contribute significantly to professionalisation of the midwifery profession.

Isolated Sudden-Onset Trochlear Nerve Palsy Associated with Mild Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Infection.

PURPOSE: To present a case of sudden isolated unilateral trochlear nerve palsy of new onset associated with a COVID-19 infection without a severe course. METHODS: A 49-year-old previously healthy man suddenly noticed seeing double while going down the stairs to go out for the first time the day after the completion of medical treatment and home isolation for COVID-19. There was no systemic disease or history of trauma. RESULTS: Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and orbits was normal and the neurology examination revealed no pathology. The acute onset of the diplopia, the small vertical fusion amplitude, and the lack of facial asymmetry supported acquired trochlear nerve palsy. CONCLUSIONS: Trochlear nerve palsy has rarely been reported in association with the various types of viral infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of isolated unilateral trochlear nerve palsy with no additional neurological finding or any radiological finding that is possibly associated with mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Developmental and Behavioral Consequences of Intrauterine Anti-Seizure Medication Exposure.

Introduction: In this cross-sectional study, whether there is a difference in the prevalence of developmental/behavioral problems in children of those who received mono/polytherapy during pregnancy; How Valproic Acid (VPA) exposure affects developmental/behavioral characteristics compared to other antiseizure medications (ASM) was also investigated. Method: 64 children of 46 women with epilepsy (WWE) with children aged 0-18 years were included. Ankara Development and Screening Inventory (ADSI) for their children up to the age of six and The Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 4-18-CBCL/4-18 scale was applied for the ages of 6-18. Children exposed to prenatal ASM were divided into two groups as polytherapy and monotherapy. Children exposed to monotherapy were investigated by drug exposure, as well as exposure to VPA and other ASMs. Chi-square test was used to compare qualitative variables. Results: When monotherapy and polytherapy groups were compared, a significant difference was found in the language cognitive development area of the ADSI (p=0.015) and in terms of the sports activity variable in CBCL/4-18 (p=0.039). When the VPA monotherapy and other ASM monotherapy groups were compared, a significant difference was found in terms of sports activity in CBCL-4-18 (p=0.013). Conclusion: It was found that language and cognitive development can be delayed, the level of engagement in sports activities can be reduced in children exposed to polytherapy. The rate of doing sports activities in valproic acid monotherapy exposure may decrease.

Decrease of over-elevation in adduction after surgery of medial rectus muscles in partially refractive accommodative esotropia.

SIGNIFICANCE: The course of over-elevation in adduction after strabismus surgery has been evaluated in a small number of research in the literature, we believe our study is the first to report the results in a specific group of esotropia (ET) patients. AIM: To report the course of postoperative over-elevation in adduction in patients who underwent surgery for horizontal deviation on the medial recti in partially accommodative ET. METHODS: The medical charts of patients who had partially accommodative ET with over-elevation in adduction were reviewed retrospectively. A scale from -4 to +4 was used to grade the oblique muscle function. Among these, 17 patients who were operated solely on the horizontal rectus muscles were identified. The primary outcome measure was the degree of improvement in over-elevation in adduction after medial rectus surgery. RESULTS: Nine (52.9%) of the 17 patients (mean age: 5.18 ± 2.24 months) were males and 8 (47.1%) were females. The mean follow-up period was 17.06 ± 15.32 months. Overall, 15 patients (88.2%) achieved surgical success. The mean inferior oblique overaction was found 1.44 ± 0.56 preoperatively and the final postoperative mean inferior oblique overaction was 0.53 ± 0.51 (P = 0.001). Postoperative over-elevation in adduction after 3 months was significantly decreased compared to the preoperative value (P = 0.003, P = 0.001, P = 0.001 at 3rd and 6th months and final visits respectively). CONCLUSION: Over-elevation in adduction accompanying partially refractive accommodative ET seems to regress after medial rectus weakening surgery. This finding should be considered in the presurgical evaluation of these patients.