The frequency and characteristics of idiopathic osteosclerosis and condensing osteitis lesions in a Turkish patient population

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the frequencies of idiopathic osteosclerosis (IO) and condensing osteitis (CO) in a Turkish patient population with respect to age and sex, in addition to shape, localization, and the dental relationship of IO and CO lesions. Patients and methods: A retrospective study was performed using panoramic radiographs of 6,154 patients ranging in age from 5 to 69 subjected to dental treatment. Descriptive characteristics of radiopacities, including shape, localization, and dental relationship were recorded. The Chi-squared test was used. Results: There were 238 radiopacities detected, 185 IO lesions in 150 (2.44 %) subjects (96 female, 54 male and mean age: 26.2), and 53 CO lesions in 50 (0.81 %) subjects (27 female, 23 male and mean age: 32.8). Both IO and CO lesions were found to be higher in number among females when compared to males. However, this difference was statistically significant only for IO lesions (p<0.001). The frequency of IO lesions was found to be significantly higher in the 3rd and 4th decades of life (20-39 years) than in other decades (p<0.001). On the other hand, the frequency of CO lesions was the similar in the age ranges of 20-39 years and 40-69 years, and its frequency in these periods was statistically higher than in the 1st and 2nd decades of life (p<0.01). Conclusion: Our results point to the low IO and CO frequency among the Turkish population. In addition, our findings support the theory that IO lesions are developmental variations of normal bone architecture unrelated to a local stimulant and CO lesions could be considered reactive formations related to teeth with severe caries, restoration, or pulpitis

An objective structured biostatistics examination: a pilot study based on computer-assisted evaluation for undergraduates

We designed and evaluated an objective structured biostatistics examination (OSBE) on a trial basis to determine whether it was feasible for formative or summative assessment. At Ataturk University, we have a seminar system for curriculum for every cohort of all five years undergraduate education. Each seminar consists of an integrated system for different subjects, every year three to six seminars that meet for six to eight weeks, and at the end of each seminar term we conduct an examination as a formative assessment. In 2010, 201 students took the OSBE, and in 2011, 211 students took the same examination at the end of a seminar that had biostatistics as one module. The examination was conducted in four groups and we examined two groups together. Each group had to complete 5 stations in each row therefore we had two parallel lines with different instructions to be followed, thus we simultaneously examined 10 students in these two parallel lines. The students were invited after the examination to receive feedback from the examiners and provide their reflections. There was a significant (P=0.004) difference between male and female scores in the 2010 students, but no gender difference was found in 2011. The comparison among the parallel lines and among the four groups showed that two groups, A and B, did not show a significant difference (P>0.05) in either class. Nonetheless, among the four groups, there was a significant difference in both 2010 (P=0.001) and 2011 (P=0.001). The inter-rater reliability coefficient was 0.60. Overall, the students were satisfied with the testing method; however, they felt some stress. The overall experience of the OSBE was useful in terms of learning, as well as for assessment

The incidence and severity of pulmonary hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea with hypothyroidism

Background: Hypothyroidism and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are both common health problems and can be seen together. Each of these 2 diseases can cause pulmonary hypertension (PH). We aimed to determine whether hypothyroidism with OSA has a significant effect on the frequency and severity of PH. Material/Methods: A total of 236 patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into 3 groups: Group I, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (n=149); Group II, Hypothyroidism (n=56); and Group III, Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypothyroidism (n=31). All patients underwent polysomnography and echocardiography and serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine 4 (FT4) were analyzed. Results: There were 167 male and 69 female participants, and the mean age was 47.8 +/- 11.5 (Group I: 81.9% male, 18.1% female; Group II: 44.6% male, 55.4% female; Group III: 64.6% male, 35.4% female). Distribution of mean pulmonary arterial pressure on echocardiography was statistically different among the 3 groups (x(2)=14.99, p=0.006). When adjusted according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), age, and body mass index (BMI), a significant relation with PH was determined (p=0.002). Conclusions: The combination of hypothyroidism with OSA is associated with an increased frequency and severity of PH. When PH is found out of line with the severity of OSA, thyroid dysfunction should be investigated

Impact of pharmaceutical promotion on prescribing decisions of general practitioners in Eastern Turkey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Commercial sources of information are known to have greater influence than scientific sources on general practitioners' (GPs) prescribing behavior in under developed and developing countries. The study aimed to determine the self-reported impact of pharmaceutical promotion on the decision-making process of prescription of GPs in Eastern Turkey.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional, exploratory survey was performed among 152 GPs working in the primary health centers and hospitals in Erzurum province of Eastern Turkey in 2006. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used. The questionnaire included questions regarding sociodemographics, number of patients per day, time per patient, frequency of sales representative visits to GPs, participation of GPs in training courses on prescribing (in-service training, drug companies), factors affecting prescribing decision, reference sources concerning prescribing and self-reported and self-rated effect of the activities of sales representatives on GPs prescribing decisions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 152 subjects, 53.3% were male and 65.8% were working at primary health care centers, respectively. Mean patient per day was 58.3 ± 28.8 patients per GP. For majority of the GPs (73.7%), the most frequent resource used in case of any problems in prescribing process was drug guides of pharmaceutical companies. According to self-report of the GPs, their prescribing decisions were affected by participation in any training activity of drug companies, frequent visits by sales representatives, high number of patient examinations per day and low year of practice (p < 0.05 for all).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that for the majority of the GPs, primary reference sources concerning prescribing was commercial information provided by sales representatives of pharmaceutical companies, which were reported to be highly influential on their decision-making process of prescribing by GPs. Since this study was based on self-report, the influence reported by the GPs may have been underestimated.</p

Levels of Health Care Utilization in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: A diabetic patient should be provided a planned care and professional help throughout his life. Although sustained health-care is important for the disease, few patients, especially in developing countries, can reach health-care facilities and treatment. In the planning of the health-care policies, it is very important to know how many patients can reach these facilities. Aim of the study was to determine and compare the level of health care facility use by the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus among the patients who use various health care facilities. Materials and Methods: The data was obtained via structured questionnaire which were filled by face to face interviews made between October 2002 and December 2002. The level of health care facility use was measured according to the Diabetes Care Scale and the affecting factor of using were studied. Results: Generally, level of health care facility use was found to be low among diabetics; moreover, chronic complications were high among diabetics and they were not appropriately advised by the health care professionals. The Diabetic Care Scale score was found to be significantly higher in the patients who admit to university hospital (43.3 +/- 19.3) compared with those who admit to other health care centers (30.3 +/- 19.1)(p=0.0001). Of the patients, 79.6% had at least one chronic complication, the 13.6% had no problem to reach the diabetes nurse, and 59.6% had no problem to reach the doctor. But it was found that 47.6% of the patients were not using their drugs regularly. In our study, 52% of patients were able to be evaluated for HbA1c. Conclusion: In Diyarbakir, the place of the study, the scores show that diabetic patients have difficulties to reach to the health care system. Because effective health care is very important for the diseases like diabetes, the barriers for the patients to use of preventive health care system should be eliminated. National Diabetes control program should be distributed to the general country and the medical service presented to the patients should be effective in all steps. Standard diagnosis and treatment guidelines should be prepared and the patients should be examined according to these guidelines. Once the diabetes diagnosis is confirmed, every patient should be given diabetes education

The prevalence and risk factors associated with benign migratory glossitis lesions in 7619 Turkish dental outpatients

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of benign migratory glossitis (BMG) in a Turkish population with respect to gender, age, smoking, atopic and allergic diseases, dermatological diseases (psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis), systemic diseases, and fissured tongue (FT)

Prognosis of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy due to hippocampal sclerosis

Purpose: Hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is the most common pathology in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). There are a few reports concerning prognosis in patients with MTLE-HS treated medically. The study was carried out to determine the clinical risk factors affecting prognosis