Browsing by Author "Ercan, M."

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

Investigation Into the Possibilities of Using Ear Acupressure for Increasing the Pain Threshold During Athletic Training
(1998) Tekeoglu, I.; Adak, B.; Ercan, M.
In order to investigate the possibilities for increasing the pain threshold of athletes, 60 healthy volunteers were divided equally into a test and a placebo group. Pressure sensitivity on the dorsal surface of the toe was measured with an algometer before and after manual stimulation of the 'ear' point in the test group and before and after mock stimulation in the placebo group. Results showed a statistically significant (P<0.05) increase in the pain threshold in the test group. These results suggest possible applications of ear acupressure in athletic training, especially in the prophylactic treatment of the minor aches and pains associated with the struggle for higher performance.
Sleep Quality and Pain Threshold in Patients With Fibromyalgia
(W.B. Saunders, 1999) Aǧargün, M.Y.; Tekeoǧlu, I.; Güneş, A.; Adak, B.; Kara, H.; Ercan, M.
The purpose of the study was to examine the association between the subjective sleep quality and pain threshold in fibromyalgia. Sixteen patients with fibromyalgia were included in the study. The pain threshold was determined using a manual algometer. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality. The pain threshold was negatively correlated with the scores for subjective sleep quality, habitual sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbance and the PSQI global score. We conclude that there is a negative correlation between pain and sleep disturbance: increased pain sensitivity is associated with greater sleep disturbance.
Suppression of Experimental Pain by Auriculopressure
(BMJ Publishing Group, 1996) Tekeoglu, I.; Adak, B.; Ercan, M.
In a controlled trial at a University Clinic of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, healthy student volunteers were given auriculopressure to investigate its analgesic effect. There were two study groups, each containing 30 volunteers. The first group was given auriculopressure to the toe somatic point on the ear, with pressure sensitivity being measured on the skin of the toe with an algometer device before and after ear stimulation. The control group had the same measurements with placebo stimulation to the ear. In the auriculopressure group the increase in pain threshold was statistically significant. In the placebo control group there was no significant change. These results suggest that auriculopressure could be a useful method for suppression of post-traumatic somatic pain.
Value of Fibrinogen as a Marker in Gastrointestinal Cancers
(1997) Turkdogan, M.K.; Akman, N.; Ercan, M.; Tuncer, I.; Algun, E.
Increase of some coagulation factors and tendency to venous thrombosis have been reported in gastrointestinal cancers. In this study, plasma fibrinogen levels have been investigated in 24 patients with gastrointestinal cancer (esophageal, gastric and pancreatic cancer). Significant increase has been found in the esophageal cancer group (p < 0.01). Plasma fibrinogen levels were also elevated in two pancreatic cancer patients (9.52 and 6.45 gr/lt) but they were normal in gastric cancer patients. These results suggest that fibrinogen may be a useful tumor marker in some gastrointestinal cancers and further investigations are required in a large number of patients.
Within- and Between-Subject Biological Variation Estimates of Serum Free Light Immunoglobulin Chains in Healthy Individuals in Turkey
(Elsevier B.V., 2026) Ercan, M.; Fırat Oğuz, E.; Özcan, M.; Alp, H.H.
Serum light immunoglobulin chains (LCs) are critical biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response monitoring in monoclonal plasma cell dyscrasias. Robust performance standards based on biological variation (BV) data are essential for optimizing patient care. This study aimed to provide updated BV estimates for serum free LCs (κ and λ) as well as their κ/λ LC ratio. Serum samples from 25 healthy volunteers (10 men, 15 women) were collected weekly over approximately 9 weeks. Serum free LCs were measured in duplicate using the Roche Cobas c501 analyzer. BV estimates with 95 % confidence intervals were calculated using coefficient of variation (CV) in ANOVA for the entire group and by sex, following assessments for outliers, normality, steady-state conditions, and variance homogeneity. The within-subject BV (CVI) estimates were 9.2 %, 8.6 %, 6.6 % for free κ, free λ, free κ/λ ratio, respectively. The between-subject BV (CVG) estimates were 24.6 %, 26.6 %, and 17.5 %for free κ, free λ and free κ/λ ratio, respectively. No significant sex differences were observed for CVI with the exception of free κ and free κ/λ ratio or CVG in serum free LCs and their ratio. Free LCs and their κ/λ ratio exhibited marked individuality. Analytical performance specifications (APSs) for desirable imprecision and bias ranged 3.9 %–5.4 %, 4.3 %–5.8 % and 2.9 %–4.6 % for free κ, free λ and free κ/ λ ratio, respectively. This study provides updated, well-characterized BV estimates for serum free (κ and λ) and free κ/λ ratio, providing essential data to define APSs. The individuality of κ and λ underscores the importance of prioritizing reference change values over traditional reference intervals for improved diagnosis and monitoring in clinical practice. © 2025