Pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with cerebral palsy: a pilot cross-sectional study.

Pelvic floor symptoms may occur in women with low back pain due to dysfunction of the spinal stabilization muscles. Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem experienced by the mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Therefore, our aim in this study was to examine pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with CP. The study included 48 mothers of children with CP (n = 23) or without neurodevelopmental problems (n = 25). The mothers' pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life were evaluated with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7). PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 scores did not differ between the two groups of mothers (p > .05). Additionally, moderately significant positive correlations were found between the age of the child with CP and duration of carrying and the PFDI-20 (r = 0.419, p = .047) and PFIQ-7 (r = 0.427, p = .042) scores. Pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with CP were similar to those in the mothers of children without neurodevelopmental problems. As the age of the child with CP and duration of carrying increase, the urinary symptoms and urinary and colorectoanal symptoms-related quality of life in their mothers may worsen.

SAA1 alpha/alpha alleles in Behçet's disease related amyloidosis.

Behçet's disease (BD) related amyloidosis is relatively rare. Serum amyloid A protein (SAA) protein gene polymorphism is one of the factors implicated in the pathogenesis of AA type amyloidosis. The aim of this study is to investigate SAA1 gene polymorphism in different patient groups: (1) BD related amyloidosis, (2) BD without amyloidosis, and (3) healthy controls. One hundred eleven patients from three main groups were included in the study: (1) BD related amyloidosis (n = 9), (2) BD without amyloidosis (n = 39), and (3) healthy controls (n = 63). Homozygous alpha/alpha is present in 78% of patients with BD and amyloidosis. The SAA1 alpha/alpha genotype is significantly more common among patients with BD and amyloidosis. This study demonstrated increased frequency of alpha/alpha genotype in BD related amyloidosis. To our knowledge, the relationship between alpha/alpha genotype and BD related amyloidosis was not studied previously. In conclusion, the SAA1 alpha/alpha genotype is a risk factor for amyloidosis in BD.