Integrating Pilates Exercise into an Exercise Program for 65+ Year-Old Women to Reduce Falls

The purpose of this study was to determine if Pilates exercise could improve dynamic balance, flexibility, reaction time and muscle strength in order to reduce the number of falls among older women. 60 female volunteers over the age of 65 from a residential home in Ankara participated in this study. Participants joined a 12-week series of 1-hour Pilates sessions three times per week. Dynamic balance, flexibility, reaction time and muscle strength were measured before and after the program. The number of falls before and during the 12-week period was also recorded. Dynamic balance, flexibility, reaction time and muscle strength improved (p < 0. 05) in the exercise group when compared to the non-exercise group. In conclusion, Pilates exercises are effective in improving dynamic balance, flexibility, reaction time, and muscle strength as well as decreasing the propensity to fall in older women.

Key points

• Pilates-based exercises improve dynamic balance, reaction time and muscle strength in the elderly.
• Pilates exercise may reduce the number of falls in elderly women by increasing these fitness parameters.

Key words: Pilates, elderly women, balance, reaction time, muscle strength     

Relationship between plasma total antioxidant capacity and thoracic aortic intima-media thickness

It is known that antioxidants have an important role in the prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD). Low total antioxidant capacity (TAC) is a risk factor for ischemic heart disease. However, no data are available concerning the relationship between TAC and severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis. This study using multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examined the relationship between atherosclerotic thoracic aortic intima-media thickness (TAIMT) and TAC. Twenty-nine patients (17 male, 12 female; mean age 36 +/- 8 years) without a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease referred for TEE were included. The patients with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and CAD were excluded. The TAC was measured for each patient using a more recently developed method. TAIMT and grade of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis were evaluated in each patient by using TEE. Mean TAC level was 1.91 +/- 0.53 mmol Trolox equiv/l. There was a negative and significant correlation between the TAC levels and TAIMT and grade of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis (r = -0.799, P < 0.001 versus r = -0.827, P < 0.001, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that TAIMT was independently associated with TAC (beta = -0.734, P < 0.001). The mean values of TAC in grade I, II, and III were 2.23 +/- 0.31, 1.58 +/- 0.31, and 1.04 +/- 0.27 mmol Trolox equiv/l, respectively (ANOVA P < 0.001). This study indicates that the TAC is an independent variable for TAIMT and it has a potential for an independent variable for atherosclerotic lesions in the major arterial locations.     

Unidirectional communication between the circumflex and right coronary arteries: a very rare coronary anomaly and cause of ischemia

Intercoronary communication is an exceptionally rare congenital malformation. A 43-year-old male was admitted to our cardiology department with symptomatic stable angina. ECG and echocardiography was normal. Exercise electrocardiography showed ST depression in inferior leads. No atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries was detected on coronary angiography. However, a unidirectional intercoronary communication between the circumflex and right coronary arteries, which was leading a coronary steal from right to left, was observed. Although intercoronary communication is generally not related with ischemia, ischemic symptoms and exercise ECG changes of this case suggested that unidirectional flow might cause myocardial ischemia via coronary steal. Consequently, intercoronary communication, a very rare coronary anomaly and a cause of ischemia, is discussed in this case report.     

Prevalence of multiple sclerosis door-to-door survey in Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Istanbul, Turkey, is unknown. We investigated the prevalence of MS in the district of Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional field research study using door-to-door sampling. Maltepe is a district of Istanbul beside the sea of Marmara (population 359,298 from 2000 census). The two-phase study screened 32,531 subjects using the Poser criteria for clinical diagnosis. The chi(2) test was used for analyses of frequency distributions. RESULTS: 33 of 32,531 people were diagnosed with MS. Their average age was 41 +/- 12.0 years (43 +/- 12.7 years for females and 37 +/- 9.6 years for males). The prevalence of MS in Maltepe was 101.4/100,000 within the total population (118.7/100,000 in the female and 76.0/100,000 in the male populations). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rates of MS in the Turkish population living in a district of Istanbul are considerably higher than we thought. And the prevalence rate is much higher than neighboring countries. They are similar to those recently recorded in Sicily and Germany. These figures suggest that the prevalence rate of MS is not totally dependent upon geographical variation. However, the research of our results needs to be confirmed with further investigations in order to determine the prevalence of MS in Turkey with confidence.     

Oxidative Stress in Smokers and Non-smokers

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of some diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and atheroscleorosis. Smoking may enhance oxidative stress not only through the production of reactive oxygen radicals in smoke but also through weakening of the antioxidant defense systems. In this study, we investigated the effects of smoking on lipid peroxidation and paraoxonase activity in a healthy population. The study consisted of (n = 30) smokers and (n = 30) nonsmokers. The age of the population which is studied was 44.74 ± 10.59 yr. The levels of serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and paraoxonase (PON1) activities were measured by the modified Buege method and the Eckerson method, respectively. Student's t-test was used to analyze the data. The serum MDA levels were significantly higher (p < .05) and serum PON1 activities were significantly lower (p < .001) in smokers than in nonsmokers. Thus, increased levels of serum MDA and decreased PON1 activities may be important in determining the oxidant/antioxidant imbalance in smokers.     

Comparison of Carotid Artery Stenting and Carotid Endarterectomy in Patients with Symptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis: A Single Center Study

Introduction

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is believed to be an alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA); however, recent studies have demonstrated an increase of complications with stenting that does not reflect our experience. We thus wanted to compare the periprocedural and 1-year follow-up outcomes of CAS with those of CEA among patients with symptomatic extracranial carotid stenosis in a population from eastern Turkey.

Methods

The hospital records of all patients who underwent carotid artery revascularization were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups based on the type of carotid revascularization performed, namely CEA or CAS. Comparisons were made with respect to 30-day and 1-year outcomes of transient ischemic attack (TIA), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and all-cause death rates. Composite endpoints for both groups were also analyzed.

Results

Thirty-two CEA and 33 CAS procedures were performed for symptomatic occlusive carotid disease. Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups except for the incidence of diabetes mellitus. No significant differences were found with respect to 30-day mortality, MI, and neurologic morbidity endpoints for CEA and CAS procedures. In the postprocedural 1-year follow-up, only TIA was observed to be significantly higher in the CAS group; the other endpoints did not differ significantly. One-year composite endpoints did not differ between both groups (log-rank P = 0.300).

Conclusion

In our trial of patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, no significant difference could be shown in periprocedural outcomes, postprocedural outcomes except TIA, and in composite endpoints between the CEA and CAS groups. CAS is a safe and efficacious alternative for the treatment of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis.     

Effect of Resveratrol on Treatment of Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Rats

Resveratrol has a preventive potential on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in prophylactic use; however, it was not studied in the treatment of the fibrosis. This study investigated the role of resveratrol on the treatment of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Intratracheal bleomycin (2.5?mg/kg) was given in fibrosis groups and saline in controls. First dose of resveratrol was given 14?days after bleomycin and continued until sacrifice. On 29th day, fibrosis in lung was estimated by Aschoft's criteria and hydroxyproline content. Bleomycine increased the fibrosis score (3.70?±?1.04) and hydroxyproline levels (4.99?±?0.90?mg/g tissue) as compared to control rats (1.02?±?0.61 and 1.88?±?0.59?mg/g), respectively. These were reduced to 3.16?±?1.58 (P?=?0.0001) and 3.08?±?0.73 (P?>?0.05), respectively, by resveratrol. Tissue malondialdehyde levels in the bleomycin-treated rats were higher (0.55?±?0.22?nmol/mg protein) than that of control rats (0.16?±?0.07; P?=?0.0001) and this was reduced to 0.16?±?0.06 by resveratrol (P?=?0.0001). Tissue total antioxidant capacity is reduced (0.027?±?0.01) by bleomycine administration when compared control rats (0.055?±?0.012?mmol Trolox Equiv/mg protein; P?=?0.0001) and increased to 0.041?±?0.008 (P?=?0.001) by resveratrol. We concluded that resveratrol has some promising potential on the treatment of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. However, different doses of the drug should be further studied.