The Effect of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy on The Plasma Atherogenic Index in Rheumatic Diseases.

Background: The risk of atherosclerosis is increased in individuals with rheumatological disease. The objective of this study is to examine the heightened susceptibility to atherosclerosis in persons afflicted with rheumatological disorders. This study aimed to assess the impact of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) medication on the plasma atherogenic index (PAI) in persons diagnosed with rheumatological disease. Methods: This study used a retrospective cross-sectional design to investigate a cohort of 136 patients with rheumatological disease who were undergoing anti-TNF therapy (Group 1), as well as a comparison group of 117 patients getting conventional therapy (Group 2). Measurements of PAI were conducted at the initial baseline and again at the sixth month of treatment. Results: Initially, there was no statistically significant disparity observed in PAI values between the two cohorts. After a period of 6 months, a notable reduction in PAI was identified in the group receiving anti-TNF medication (P = 0.01), while no significant alteration was detected in the group receiving conventional treatment. Conclusion: It provides findings showing that anti-TNF therapy can reduce the PAI in individuals with rheumatological disease. This may indicate a potential cardiovascular protective effect of anti-TNF therapy.

Another side of lupus: A case report of lupus presenting with cutaneous vasculitis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune complex disease that affects any organ, characterized by immune complex formation and autoantibody production. Lupus vasculitis begins at a young age. These patients generally have a longer disease duration. Ninety percent of cases in lupus-associated vasculitis present with cutaneous vasculitis. Disease activity, severity, organ involvement, response to treatment and drug toxicity determine the frequency of outpatient control in lupus. Depression and anxiety are observed more frequently in SLE than in the normal population. Our case, it is an example of the patient's disruption of controls due to psychological trauma and that lupus can cause serious cutaneous vasculitis. In addition, psychiatric evaluation of lupus cases from the time of diagnosis may have a positive effect on the prognosis.

The development of ankylosing spondylitis in a patient with familial hemophilia.

Hemophilia is a rare inherited disease which causes bleeding due to Factor VIII or Factor IX deficiency. It is usually X-linked recessive and typically affects males. Arthropathy occurs as a result of cartilage damage and chronic synovitis due to recurrent intra-articular bleeding in hemophilic patients and is mostly seen in the knee, shoulder, hip and ankle joints. There are many other diseases that cause chronic synovitis ankylosing spondylitis (AS), which is a subtype of spondyloarthropathies that cause chronic low back pain, more common in men younger than 45 years of age. In addition to axial involvement, peripheral arthritis, uveitis, enthesitis and dactylitis can be seen. Although the etiology is not fully known, genetic and environmental factors are responsible for the pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to present congenital hemophilia and AS coexistence in a 22-year-old male patient.

Management of Patients with Connective Tissue Disease-associated Interstitial Lung Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is similar to connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung diseases (CTD-ILD) in many aspects. However, patients with CTD-ILD have required particular attention during the pandemic since they are at high risk due to -immunosuppressive treatments. Thus, prompt decisions for diagnosis and treatment initiation have become more important than earlier for these patients during the pandemic. Radiological perspectives have become inevitable for the differential diagnosis of this group ¬during the pandemic, particularly to obtain rapid and accurate results that allow the physicians to start treatment immediately. However, in addition to radiological images, a definitive diagnosis also requires access to extensive information regarding patient history, including characteristics of comorbidities, and clinical and serological findings. Consequently, the differential diagnosis of COVID-19 and CTD-ILD can yield accurate treatment regimens that differ greatly between the 2 diseases, and also prevent the spread of the outbreak with COVID-19 patients treated under isolation.

Incisional hernia as an unusual cause of hepatic encephalopathy in a 62-year-old man with cirrhosis: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic encephalopathy may be initiated by many factors such as gastrointestinal bleeding, infections, fluid and electrolyte disturbances. Hypokalemia is one of the most commonly encountered electrolyte abnormalities causing hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 62-year-old Caucasian man with decompensated liver cirrhosis having multiple episodes of hepatic encephalopathy precipitated by vomiting. He had an incisional hernia at the right lumbar region. A barium contrast study of the small intestine and magnetic resonance imaging showed that the hernial sac included gastric antrum and bowel. We observed that hepatic encephalopathy coincided with hypokalemia as a result of a large volume of vomiting triggered by the collapsed hernial sac. Hepatic encephalopathy was resolved by administration of intravenous potassium. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates that a hernia causing a large volume of vomiting may be a precipitant factor in the development of hepatic encephalopathy.

Can the Function-Morphology Association Be a Model for the Early Detection of COPD in Asymptomatic Smokers?

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the morphological and functional characteristics in symptomatic and asymptomatic smokers in comparison to nonsmokers in order to gain better understanding of the pathogenesis and early diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Randomized, double-blind, placebo -controlled, parallel-group trial vas performed. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: A total of 50 male patients (40 smokers and 10 non-smokers) who completed a questionnaire, between the ages of 18-60 (mean age 32), were included the study. Of the smokers, 23 were symptomatic, and 17 were asymptomatic. High-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed in all cases. RESULTS: In the evaluation of all smokers, a comparison of the PFTs and morphological changes revealed a significant correlation between all morphological parameters and ΔN2/l. Although a relationship was found between the smoking score and the closing volume (CV), ΔN2/l and anatomic dead space (ADS) in all cases, the smoking score was significantly correlated with only the CV in symptomatic cases and with only the ADS in asymptomatic cases. There was a positive correlation between the emphysema parameters on HRCT and smoking, but no correlation was found between the parameters and the pulmonary function tests. CONCLUSION: The relationship between morphology and function is better, although different, in the asymptomatic period of lung injury caused by smoking compared with the symptomatic period, and the relationship is increasingly weakened in the further stages of the disease.