Turk J Med Sci
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Tinnitus is seen in 15% of the general population; in 1%–6% of this number, the quality of life is seriously affected by this chronic condition. Chemical, oxidative, and emotional stressors are important in terms of the clinical course of tinnitus. Apelin is an endogenous peptide which is an oxidative stress mediator. It has been shown that the apelin/APJ (apelin junction receptor) system plays various roles in the physiology and pathophysiology of many organs. However, the role of the apelin/APJ system as an oxidative stress mediator in tinnitus is unknown. We investigated the level of apelin in patients with normal hearing and bilateral tinnitus. ⋯ In our study, we found a negative correlation between apelin and tinnitus severity. Thus, apelin may play a role in the pathophysiology of idiopathic tinnitus, and may be prescribed during follow-up to reduce oxidative stress in the future. Further clinical studies on the effects of the apelin/APJ (apelin junction receptor) system and the effects of antioxidants in patients with inflammatory diseases are required.
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Stigma can be defined as a negative perception of chronically ill patients by their relatives or by society, or a similar self-perception by the patients themselves. We aimed to validate the Turkish version of the Neuroquality of Life (Neuro-QoL)-Stigma Scale for neurologic diseases. ⋯ The Turkish version of Neuro-QoL-Stigma has satisfactory content validity and high internal consistency. Neuro-QoL-Stigma is suitable for understanding stigmatization in different neurological disorders in the Turkish population. The scale is available for use at http://www.healthmeasures.net/explore-measurement-systems/neuro-qol.
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In COPD patients, various inflammatory markers such as cytokines and acute phase proteins, which show systemic inflammation in the circulation, increase during exacerbations. In our study, we aimed to determine the relationship between serum SP-D levels and exacerbation severity, clinical course of the disease, and early mortality after discharge. ⋯ Our study showed that serum SP-D was found to be a useful biomarker in predicting emergency admission and predictor of the health status of COPD patients but did not predict early mortality after the exacerbation.
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Evaluating the relationship of patellar chondromalacia with obesity, infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) volume and popliteal artery intima-media thickness (IMT). ⋯ This study demonstrates the relationship among obesity, IMT and chondromalacia and highlights this potential circle to develop effective treatments and inhibit the progression of chondromalacia.