Rheumatology international
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). ⋯ Fibromyalgia is a common finding in patients with types 1 and 2 diabetes, and its prevalence could be related to control of the disease. As with other diabetes complications, FM might be prevented by improved control of blood glucose levels.
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Postural changes are sometimes a risk factor for low back pain. Abnormal posture creates a strain on ligaments and muscles that indirectly affects the curvature of the lumbar spine. This study was planned to investigate the relationship between the angles of the lower lumbar spine and spinal mobility in acute and chronic low back pain patients. ⋯ The value of the sacral inclination angle was significantly higher and correlated with lumbar extension in chronic low back pain patients ( P<0.005, r=0.32). There was no statistical difference or correlation in lumbosacral and sacral horizontal angles and spinal mobility between the two groups ( P>0.05). Chronic low back pain affects the lower lumbar spine and limits the maximal range of;lumbar extension.
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Pulmonary vascular endothelium damage in 34 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was measured by technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (Tc-99m HMPAO) lung scan. The degree of damage was represented as lung/liver uptake (L/L) ratio. ⋯ The results show (a) no significant statistical differences in the degree of pulmonary vascular endothelium damage (the L/L ratio on Tc-99m HMPAO lung scan) between the two subgroups according to clinical features or chest X-ray findings and (b) no good correlation between the degree of pulmonary vascular endothelium damage and lung inflammation (GUI on Ga-67 lung scan). In conclusion, the change in pulmonary vascular endothelium damage in SLE may be unrelated to the clinical presentation or chest X-ray findings, and its degree is not related to the severity of pulmonary inflammation.
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Technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (Tc-99m ECD) brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was used to detect abnormal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 32 female patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) showing definite neuropsychiatric symptoms/signs and normal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. It demonstrated hypoperfusion brain lesions in 18 (56.3%) of the patients, most frequently in the parietal lobes, and appears to be a sensitive tool for this clinical application.