Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of kinesio taping (KT) treatments and conventional physical therapy (PT) modalities that are applied to reduce pain and improve physical movements and functions of patients with sub acromial impingement syndrome (SIS). Materials and Methods: Forty patients were randomly divided into two equal groups. The first group was assigned KT plus home exercise program (HEP) for 15 days. The second group was given 15 sessions of PT and HEP. Patients were assessed using active joint range of motion (ROM), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS; rest, movement, and night pain), the Society of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Evaluation (ASESS-100), Constant–Murley (C–M) scale, and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index at before and after treatment and at the end of the study (first month control visit). Results: Physical therapy was found to be more effective than KT when these two treatment modalities were assessed based on ASESS-100, WORC index values, night pain, and movement pain. PT and KT treatments have similar effects in active ROM, rest pain, and C–M scale. At the end of the study, they were found to have similar effects except the night pain value. PT was found to be more effective for night pain than KT. Conclusion: Physical therapy was concluded to be more effective after treatment. The application of KT does not appear to be an alternative treatment method for SIS, but it can provide a potential supportive care for SIS. However, the outcomes suggest that KT can provide a remarkable benefit. Cite this article as: Kul A, Ugur M. Comparison of the Efficacy of Conventional Physical Therapy Modalities and Kinesio Taping Treatments in Shoulder Impingement Syndrome. Eurasian J Med 2019; 51(2): 138-43.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationships between serum endocan, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in active Behçet disease. Patients and methods: Forty patients with active Behçet disease (24 males, 16 females; mean age 37.6±8.7 years; range 20 to 50 years) and 40 healthy controls (22 males, 18 females; mean age 38.8±7.9 years; range 21 to 52 years) were included in this study. Both patient and control groups underwent a complete systemic and ophthalmic examination by the same specialist. Endocan, VEGF, and TNF-α levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit in all subjects. Results: Serum endocan levels were 775.2±479.3 ng/mL and 275.8±145.8 ng/mL in the patient and control groups, respectively. VEGF levels were 1768.2±900.5 pg/mL and 980.2±135.3 pg/mL in the patient and control groups, respectively. TNF-α levels were 22.4±74.3 pg/mL-1 and 11.4±16.9 pg/mL-1 in the patient and control groups, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between groups in terms of serum endocan, VEGF, and TNF-α levels. There was a significant positive correlation between serum endocan and VEGF levels in the patient group (r=0.630; p

Objective: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a syndrome usually occurring in one extremity and characterized by pain, tenderness with palpation, and symptoms of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. An essential factor in the etiology of CRPS is immobilization of the extremity as a result of a fracture. Delaying the start of physical medicine and rehabilitation program after removal of the plaster or splint may increase the rates of CRPS development in patients with fractures. This study aims to determine a direct relationship between delay time in rehabilitation and CRPS development. Materials and Methods: Patients admitted to our physical therapy and rehabilitation outpatient clinic within the last 3 years (January 2016 to January 2018) for orthopedic rehabilitation following fractures were retrospectively analyzed. CRPS development status, the delay time for the rehabilitation program was determined in 38 CRPS patients of 91 patients with fractures. Probit regression was used to reveal the relationship between delay time for rehabilitation and CRPS development. Results: CRPS development rates were decreased by years (48.71% in 2016, 43.47% in 2017, and 31.03% in 2018). When cases in 2016 were taken as a reference, it was seen that cases in 2017 and 2018 were exposed to CRPS approximately 0.03% and 16% lower than the reference year, 2016. A delay of one day exposes the patient to approximately 0.35% more CRPS. Conclusion: As the delay time for rehabilitation in our clinic decreased, the incidence of CRPS decreased. The awareness of physicians and patients about the importance of early rehabilitation should be improved. Cite this article as: Baygutalp F, Kul A. Effect of Early Orthopedic Rehabilitation on Development of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1. Eurasian J Med 2020; 52(2): 110-4.

Angiogenic T (Tang) cells and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a role in maintaining vascular integrity and repair. This study considers the association between them and Behçet disease (BD) and disease activity. Fifty patients with BD and forty-five age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included in the study. The participants’ demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were recorded, and their blood Tang cell and EPC counts were determined. Fifty patients were diagnosed with BD, consisting of 24 females and 26 males. The blood Tang cell (3.5 ± 1.2 cells/μL in patients, 4 ± 0.9 cells/μL in controls, p = 0.046)) and EPC (2.9 ± 0.9 cells/μL in patients, 3.7 ± 1 cells/μL in controls, p = 0.001) counts were significantly lower for the patient group with BD than for the control group. The blood Tang cell (42.5 ± 4.9% in active patients, 48.9 ± 7.9% in inactive patients, p = 0.001) and EPC (35.5 ± 6.4% in active patients, 41.2 ± 6.3% in inactive patients, p = 0.004) levels were lower for the patient group with active BD than for the inactive patient group. A weak positive correlation was present between the blood Tang cell and EPC percentage values in BD (r: 0.318, p = 0.002). It was determined that Tang cell and EPC counts are lower in BD, and these reductions become more profound with increasing disease activity. This situation may prevent the development of a sufficient immune response against a disease with a course of chronic inflammation or may trigger the formation of autoreactive immunity. A reduction in Tang cells and EPCs may serve as a marker or predictor of vascular damage in BD patients and represents the progression of vascular injury.

There are no studies evaluating the possible association between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and apical periodontitis (AP). The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the possible association between AS and AP. Fifty patients diagnosed with AS, receiving treatment at the Rheumatology Clinic in Erzurum, Turkey, were included in the experimental group. Another 50 ageand gender-matched individuals without any history of systemic disease were included in the study as the control group. All patients were examined radiographically and clinically to diagnose the presence of AP. The following data was recorded for all patients: the smoking habit, the number of teeth present, the number of teeth with AP, the number of root canal-treated (RCT) teeth, and the number of RCT teeth with AP. There were 1,283 teeth in the AS group and 1,305 in the control group. There was a significant association between teeth with AP and AS, as the prevalence of teeth with AP was significantly lower in the control group (1.3%) than in the AS group (2.9%) (OR (odds ratio) = 2.250; p = 0.005). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the number of RCT teeth and RCT teeth with AP (p > 0.05). Ankylosing spondylitis is significantly associated with an increased prevalence of AP. It can be concluded that patients with AS can be more prone to develop AP. However, AS does not reduce the success rate of endodontic treatment, because there was no significant difference between the AS and control groups in terms of RCT teeth with AP.