Browsing by Author "Gulcu, Elif"

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The Effect of Anti-Ccp Antibodies on Synovial Fluid Oxidant and Anti-Oxidant Activities in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
(Oxford Univ Press, 2011) Ediz, Levent; Tuluce, Yasin; Ozkol, Halil; Hiz, Ozcan; Gulcu, Elif; Toprak, Murat
Effects of Behcet's Disease on Sexual Function and Psychological Status of Male Patients
(Wiley-blackwell, 2011) Hiz, Ozcan; Ediz, Levent; Gulcu, Elif; Tekeoglu, Ibrahim
Introduction. There are no studies on the sexual function of male patients with Behcet's disease (BD), but it is probable that male sexual dysfunction may be seen in this chronic condition. Aim. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of BD on male sexual function and psychiatric status, and to examine the relationship between sexual function and depression in this population. Methods. Patients with a diagnosis of BD for at least one year were included in the study. The patients' age, educational level, and duration of disease were recorded. A healthy control group was selected with highly similar characteristics to the patient group. The sexual functions of the patient and the control groups were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Functions (IIEF), and their emotional status was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Main Outcome Measures. The results of the questionnaires in patient and control groups were compared. The relationship between the clinical findings and questionnaire scores was assessed in the patient group. Results. Forty-two patients with BD and 42 healthy individuals were included in the study. The mean subscale scores of the IIEF for erectile function were significantly lower in the patient group compared to the control group (P<0.001). The IIEF score was not related to active skin findings, active oral ulcers, active genital ulcers, eye involvement, or medication for BD, but it was related with history of arthritis. The BDI and IIEF scores were negatively correlated in the patient group. Conclusion. BD has a negative impact on men's psychological state and sexual function. We recommend that depression and sexual dysfunction be investigated and treated while assessing patients with BD. Hiz O, Ediz L, Gulcu E, and Tekeoglu I.. Effects of Behcet's disease on sexual function and psychological status of male patients. J Sex Med 2011;8:1426-1433.
Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm in a Patient With Rheumatoid Arthritis
(Turkish Soc Cardiology, 2011) Gulcu, Erden; Saglam, Enis; Gulcu, Elif; Emiroglu, Mehmet Yunus
A 52-year-old men with rheumatoid arthritis of 12-year history presented with severe chest pain. The electrocardiogram was consistent with acute inferior myocardial infarction. Transthoracic echocardiography showed increased left ventricular dimensions and hypokinesia in the inferolateral wall. Coronary angiography performed for percutaneous coronary intervention showed aneurysmatic dilatation (15-16 mm) and total occlusion of the right coronary artery by a large thrombus. As there was no stent available for dilated right coronary artery and due to the large thrombus burden, medical therapy was decided and tissue plasminogen activator infusion was started. The patient's chest pain progressively decreased. Coronary angiography performed on the fifth day of admission showed TIMI 3 flow in the right coronary artery. Warfarin was added to standard anti-ischemic treatment with a target INR of 2.5-3.0. Our literature search yielded no reported case of such aneurysmatic dilatation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Overlap of Multiple Sclerosis and Antiphospholipid Syndrome
(Turkish League Against Rheumatism, 2009) Tekeoglu, Ibrahim; Tombul, Temel; Hiz, Ozcan; Gulcu, Elif; Toprak, Murat
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are two diseases that may show similar clinical and radiological findings and sometimes cause confusion. In the presence of thrombosis, repetitious abortion history, and lupus anticoagulant antibodies or anticardiolipin antibodies, APS should be considered. However, in previous studies, autoantibody levels were detected as being high in MS patients when compared to the normal population. Laboratory study of a patient with fever, fatigue, joint pain and cyanosis in the ankles since 1995 and history of two abortions at 6 weeks gestation revealed: C-reactive protein: (++++), erythrocyte sedimentation rate: 70 mm/hour, antinuclear antibodies: 1/1000 homogeneous, and LE cell positivity. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, visual evoked potantial, somatosensorial evoked potential, and oligoclonal band investigations of the patient, who applied to the Neurology Clinic of the hospital in 1999 with complaints of disruption in walking, imbalance and fatigue, were found compatible with MS. The patient had suffered from recurrent attacks and had been directed to our clinic with probable diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus when pain in knees and macular style skin lesion on the right ankle finally developed in 2007. Investigations conducted at six-month time intervals revealed anticardiolipin IgG: positive, anticardiolipin IgM: negative and antinuclear antibody (ANA): positive. When ANA and anticardiolipin IgG positivity and abortion history of the patient were evaluated together, APS accompanying MS was diagnosed and 100 mg aspirin was added to the treatment. In conclusion, MS and APS can not only appear together but may also imitate each other. Thus, cases diagnosed as MS should be carefully evaluated in terms of clinical and laboratory findings of APS. (Turk J Rheumatol 2009; 24: 106-9)
Pleuropericarditis Associated With Sulphasalazine in a Case of Rheumatoid Arthritis: a Drug-Induced Lupus-Like Syndrome
(Turkish League Against Rheumatism, 2011) Hiz, Ozcan; Gulcu, Elif; Ozkan, Yasemin; Tekeoglu, Ibrahim; Aladag, Nesim
Pericarditis, a life-threatening condition, can be seen in rheumatic diseases. It may occur secondary to rheumatic diseases or drugs used in the treatment. In this article, we present a case of 47-year-old female, who had joint complaints for 15 years and had treatment of methotrexate and corticosteroid for six years. In the last three months, after the addition of sulphasalazine to her treatment, she developed chest pain, palpitations, rash, fever, and pleuropericarditis and was subsequently diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus induced by sulfasalazine. When cardiac disease is seen in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, medication should be discontinued immediately, and it should be kept in mind that cardiac involvement may be associated with drugs.
The Prevalence of "mefv" Gene Mutations in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Inhabiting the Van Province and Surroundings
(Baycinar Medical Publ-baycinar Tibbi Yayincilik, 2014) Ozkol, Halil; Yildirim, Ibrahim Halil; Tuluce, Yasin; Ediz, Levent; Delen, Veysel; Gulcu, Elif
Objective: An inhibitory protein of inflammation pyrin/marenostrin is encoded by the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene. Mutations of this gene are known to cause familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) disease. A relation between mutations of the MEFV gene and rheumatic diseases was also suggested. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency of four common mutations of the MEFV gene in 110 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 98 healthy controls (HC) inhabiting a region of eastern Turkey. Material and Methods: DNA extraction was realized by salting out method from peripheral blood lymphocytes of all subjects included in the study. Polymerase chain reactions (PCR) amplification of exon 10 was performed by the appropriate primers, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected by specific restriction endonucleases recognizing the mutational DNA or wild-type DNA regions. Results: Mutation frequency of RA patients was higher than in HC, but this result was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: The MEFV mutation rate of RA patients living in eastern Turkey was not significantly different from HC. Further studies are needed to investigate other gene mutations that may affect RA etiopathogenesis.
Relationship Between Anti-Ccp Antibodies and Oxidant and Anti-Oxidant Activity in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
(Ivyspring int Publ, 2011) Ediz, Levent; Hiz, Ozcan; Ozkol, Halil; Gulcu, Elif; Toprak, Murat; Ceylan, Mehmet Fethi
Objective/Aim: A new group of autoantibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies directed to citrulline-containing proteins, which are of value for the severity of RA. Up to date, the relationship between anti-CCP antibodies and oxidant, anti-oxidant activity in patients with RA has not been elucidated in the previous studies. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of anti-CCP antibodies in the circulation on whole blood, serum and synovial fluid oxidant and anti-oxidant activity in patients with RA. Materials and Methods: RA patients with anti-CCP (+) (n=25) and anti-CCP (-) (n=24) were recruited into the study. All patients had a positive rheumatoid factor (RF). The patients who were under treatment with only non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) at the study time included in the study. Catalase (CAT), Glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities and the levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in whole blood, serum and synovial fluid in both groups. Results: There were no significant differences in terms of the mean whole blood and serum antioxidative activity (CAT, GSHpx) and the mean blood and serum MDA and MPO values (oxidative activity), between the patients with anti-CCP(+) and those with anti-CCP(-). There was increased synovial oxidant activity (MDA and MPO levels) (p<0.05) in anti-CCP(+) RA patients with or without ESR negativity when compared with anti-CCP(-) RA patients. There was positive correlation between anti-CCP antibody levels and synovial MDA and MPO levels (r=0.435, p<0.05, r=0.563, p<0.05 respectively) in anti-CCP (+) group. Conclusions: In conclusion, anti-CCP antibody positivity seems to be associated with increased synovial fluid oxidant activity (increased MDA and MPO levels) in patients with RA. These conclusions need to be validated in a larger controlled study population.