Educational status and knowledge level of pre- and postmenopausal women about osteoporosis and risk factors: a cross-sectional study in a group of Turkish female subjects.

BACKGROUND: Most women are unaware of the risk factors for osteoporosis (OP). In an effort to prevent the development of OP, women need to have a raised awareness on this issue. The aims of this study were to determine any differences in the level of awareness and knowledge about OP between pre- and postmenopausal women. METHODS: Three hundred and six women who presented to the outpatient clinic of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department were included into the study. Demographic characteristics of the subjects were recorded. The participants were interviewed via an OP awareness questionnaire, which was designed to determine their knowledge of OP and risk factors. RESULTS: The mean ages of the 126 pre- and 180 postmenopausal women were 41.3 ± 5.9 and 58.9 ± 8.1 years, respectively. Thirty-two percent of premenopausal and 51% of postmenopausal women had heard about OP (p< 0.001), but the mean scores of OP knowledge according to the OP questionnaire were not different between the groups (p> 0.05). Both pre- and postmenopausal women with a higher level of education demonstrated better knowledge of OP based on their awareness questionnaire score (p< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although half of the pre- and postmenopausal women reported having some awareness of OP, their level of knowledge was poor, particularly with regard to the risk factors associated with the condition and its complications. Having information about the risks of OP and a better understanding of the health beliefs of those at risk are important, as both may play a major role in influencing an individual's OP-preventing behaviors.

The relationship between serum trace elements, vitamin B12, folic acid and clinical parameters in patients with myofascial pain syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is characterized by myofascial trigger points in a palpable taut band of skeletal muscle. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate serum trace elements, vitamin B12, folic acid levels and their correlations with clinical findings and functional status in patients with MPS. METHODS: Thirty eight patients with at least one trigger point located on shoulder muscles, and at least 6 months duration, were included in this study. The demographic data, disease duration of patients were noted. Serum copper, zinc, magnesium and iron levels, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels were measured. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was implemented to estimate daily severity of pain. Pain pressure threshold of subjects and control groups were assessed by using Fischer's tissue compliancemeter. The Turkish version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered for the presence of any depressive disorder. RESULTS: The mean age of patients in MPS group and control group were 33.1 and 37.8 years respectively. Serum levels of zinc (p< 0.006) were significantly decreased in patients with MPS. VAS, total myalgic and BDI scores of patients were significantly higher than the control group (Respectively p< 0.000, p< 0.012, p< 0.000). Association between TMS and magnesium, vitamin B12 levels was found statistically significant. BDI score correlated significantly with the serum zinc level (r:-0.548, p< 0.001) and VAS in patients with MPS (r:0.641, p< 0.000). CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, it was asserted that trace elements, vitamins may play an important role in the pathophysiology of MPS and psychological factors may also have additional effect.

Muscle performance in patients with fibromyalgia.

INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a syndrome expressed by chronic widespread body pain which leads to reduced physical function and frequent use of healthcare services. This study was performed to examine the muscle performance comprising abdominal and lumbar muscle strength, and measurement of chest expansion in osteoporotic patients with FMS; to evaluate the relation between muscle performance, pain severity, clinical findings and physical activity; and to compare the results with the osteoporotic control group. METHODS: 44 osteoporotic women with FMS and 46 osteoporotic women who were physically inactive underwent measurements of three parameters: abdominal and lumbar muscle strength, and chest expansion. Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The strength of lumbar muscles and measurement of chest expansion were significantly decreased in the FMS patients as compared to the controls (p-value is less than 0.001). However, lumbar and abdominal muscles strength was low in both patients and controls. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that osteoporotic patients with FMS have impairment in strength of lumbar and abdominal muscles and in measurement of chest expansion. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanism of reduced muscle performance and the effects of aerobic exercise in this patient group.

Effects of acetate or bicarbonate dialysis solutions on serum HDL and HDL subfractions of patients undergoing haemodialysis.

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of acetate- and bicarbonate-containing dialysis solutions (buffers) on serum lipid (triglyceride and total cholesterol) and lipoprotein (LDL, HDL and its subfractions as HDL2 and HDL3', Apolipoprotein A1 and Apolipoprotein B) values in patients undergoing haemodialysis. Lipid concentrations in 16 patients on bicarbonate and in 18 patients on acetate haemodialysis were investigated initially and after four weeks of dialysis treatment. Over four weeks of treatment both acetate and bicarbonate dialysis treatments had no negative effects on either HDL or HDL subfractions, and these buffering systems were indistinguishable from each other. We confirm that HDL is the major factor that is changed in the lipid profile in haemodialysis patients undergoing acetate or bicarbonate dialysis and suggest that the relation between LDL and HDL subfractions may be useful for monitoring the lipid changes in haemodialysis patients at risk of atherogenesis.

Urinary gamma-glutamyl transferase activity in rats with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced nephrotoxicity.

Excretion of urinary gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was studied in rats following p.o. application of high doses (10 mg/kg/day) of indomethacin, diclofenac sodium or piroxicam for 28 days. Measurements of 24 h urinary GGT activity and urinary creatinine were carried out on 29th day. Histological examinations of kidneys were performed on day 29. The mean value for urinary GGT was found to be 0.77 +/- 0.05 U/mg creatinine (n = 16) in the control group. The mean activities in the treated groups were as follows: 1.30 +/- 0.15 U/mg creatinine (n = 17, indomethacin); 1.22 +/- 0.25 U/mg creatinine (n = 4, diclofenac); 1.54 +/- 0.39 U/mg creatinine (n = 5, piroxicam). The mean enzyme activities in indomethacin and piroxicam treated groups were significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.02 and p < 0.03, respectively), while no significant difference has been found between the group treated with diclofenac and control group (p > 0.05). Histological examinations of renal tissues of indomethacin, piroxicam and diclofenac treated groups showed minimal glomerular abnormalities. Thus, determination of urinary GGT may be useful to investigate the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) related renal toxicity in rats.

Acute acetaminophen nephrotoxicity and urinary gamma-glutamyl transferase activity in rats.

In order to determine the relationship between the nephrotoxicity of acetaminophen and urinary gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) excretion, a single dose of 900 mg/kg acetaminophen (APAP) was administered to rats intraperitoneally. Following drug administration, 24 hour urine was collected and the kidneys were removed under ether anesthesia for histological examination. GGT activity measurements and quantitative analysis for creatinine was carried out on urine samples. Urinary GGT activity in the APAP administered group (n = 12) (1.88 +/- 0.21 U/mg creatinine) was significantly higher than in the control group (n = 16) (0.77 +/- 0.05 U/mg creatinine) (p < 0.0002). Histological examination of the kidneys under light microscopy showed only very slight tissue damage. Further use of urinary GGT activity measurements in experimental nephrotoxicity studies has been suggested.

Study on the role of urine gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity during investigation of nephrotoxicity.

In this study, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities of the 24 h urine samples taken at the end of the fourth day from the rats to which 160 mg/kg/day gentamicin was applied i.p. for 4 days, were measured. Glucose determination in urine by the use of the glucose hexokinase method was also applied in order to control the reabsorption potentials of the tubules. The formation of necrosis in the kidneys was investigated by histological examinations of the damage occurred by the nephrotoxic effect. All the results were compared with the values obtained from the control group. The average gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity for the control group (n = 22) was determined as 5.68 +/- 0.26 IU/24 h whereas this level was detected as 15.6 +/- 1.0 IU/24 h in the drug applied group (n = 15). The measurement of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in urine can be applied as a useful parameter on determination of nephrotoxicity, especially for indicating the dimensions of this toxic effect.