Biomedical subjects

Omer Aydemir

Publications and source records attributed to Omer Aydemir.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Developing a quality of life instrument in patients with psoriasis: the Psoriasis Quality of Life Questionnaire (PQLQ).

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease which causes psychological, social and physical problems and affects quality of life. The aim of this study was to develop a quality of life instrument for patients with psoriasis which is suitable for Islamic populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The psychosocial and daily life problems defined by 75 patients with psoriasis, their relatives and physicians were used to construct a questionnaire, the reliability and validity of which were determined in a group of 156 patients with psoriasis. RESULTS: For reliability, Chronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.87, and item-total correlations were between 0.37 and 0.60 for internal consistency. There was high test-retest reliability (r = 0.98, P < 0.001). For validity, three factors were extracted in the principal components method for construct validity. The maximum factor loadings of each item were between 0.456 and 0.681. For convergent validity, all patients' self-ratings and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) were correlated with the questionnaire score (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The questionnaire consisting of 17 items was found to be suitable for both epidemiologic and clinical trials.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Sexual dysfunction in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

BACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunction in chronic diseases has recently attracted attention owing to its impact on quality of life (QoL). Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) affects QoL, causing limitations in many areas. However, there has not been research on changes in sexual function in patients with ARC. OBJECTIVE: To report the effect of ARC and its treatment on sexual function in men and women. METHODS: Forty-three sexually active patients with seasonal ARC aged 22 to 49 years were included in the study. The control group was composed of 40 healthy individuals aged 22 to 46 years. Conjunctival symptom scores (CSSs) and nasal symptom scores (NSSs) of patients with symptomatic ARC were determined, as were sexual function scores (SFSs) using the Female Sexual Function Index and the International Index of Erectile Function during allergen exposure in the pollination period and after treatment with oral desloratadine, 5 mg/d, for 30 days. The SFSs were evaluated in the control group. RESULTS: The CSSs and NSSs significantly improved in treated ARC (P < .001). In women, Female Sexual Function Index results in symptomatic ARC were significantly lower than in treated ARC and controls (P = .003). In men, International Index of Erectile Function results in treated ARC (P = .001) and controls (P < .001) were significantly higher than in symptomatic ARC. Furthermore, correlation between improvement in CSSs and NSSs and that of SFSs was determined (P = .007 for women; P = .001 for men). CONCLUSION: Improvement in sexual function as a variable of QoL may accompany the treatment of symptoms in patients with ARC.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

The effect of chronic antidepressant treatment on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in depressed patients: a preliminary study.

Recent studies suggested a role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in depression. While BDNF levels are lower in depressed patients, antidepressant treatment increases serum BDNF levels of depressed patients. Our study aims to test the effect of chronic venlafaxine treatment on serum BDNF levels in patients with a major depressive disorder. Ten patients diagnosed as major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV are included in the study. Two of the patients had their first episode and were drug-naive, the other eight patients were drug-free for at least 4 weeks. The severity of depression was assessed with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The control group consisted of ten age- and sex-matched subjects without any psychiatric disorder. Blood samples were collected at the baseline and after 12 weeks of antidepressant treatment (during remission). At the baseline the mean serum BDNF level was 17.9+/-9.1 ng/ml and the mean HDRS score was 23.2+/-4.6. Serum BDNF levels of the study group were significantly lower than in the control group (31.6+/-8.6 ng/ml). At the end of the study, the mean serum BDNF level was 34.6+/-7.1 ng/ml whereas the mean HDRS score was 8.2+/-3.9. From the baseline to the remission after 12 weeks of treatment, the increase in serum BDNF level and the decrease in HDRS score were statistically significant, respectively. When we compared the serum BDNF level of depressed patients at remission to that of the controls, there was no statistically significant difference. This study shows that venlafaxine treatment of depression improves serum BDNF level which may be considered as a nonspecific peripheral marker of depression.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Public attitudes to schizophrenia in rural Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the public's attitudes and their correlates towards patients with schizophrenia in rural areas. METHODS: The study was carried out in a village near Manisa City, Turkey. Two hundred and eight subjects completed the public survey form which consists of ten items screening demographic and health status and 32 items rating attitudes towards schizophrenia. RESULTS: Half of the subjects stated that persons with schizophrenia are aggressive and that they should not be free in the community. More than half of the subjects stated that they would be irritated about having a neighbour with schizophrenia (61.5%), that they would not rent their home to a person with schizophrenia (58.2%), that they do not want to work with a person with schizophrenia (61.1%), and that they would not get married to a person with schizophrenia (85.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The public in rural areas sufficiently recognises schizophrenia but has a tendency to stigmatise schizophrenic patients. Their attitudes are generally negative and rejective. They do not want close contact with schizophrenic patients. Interpretation of schizophrenia as a mental illness leads to more negative attitudes and increases the social distance.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

[Distinguishing depressive from nondepressive patients in schizophrenia in terms of symptomatology].

OBJECTIVE: Schizophrenia is a syndrome with five dimensions and it contains positive symptoms, negative symptoms, disorganization, depression, and cognitive symptoms. Depression which is one of these dimensions can be seen with every dimension and in every phase of schizophrenia. In this study our aim was to examine the overlapping features and the discriminating symptoms of depression comorbid with schizophrenia. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 30 patients diagnosed as schizophrenic with a concurrent depression, disorder, and 30 patients diagnosed as schizophrenic without a concurrent depression, admitted to the outpatient department of two university hospitals. Patients were assessed using the following measures: Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Scales for Assessment of Positive and Negative Symptoms (SAPS and SANS respectively), and Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS). RESULTS: For determining the overlapping features of schizophrenia with depression, symptoms drawn from SAPS, SANS and ESRS were correlated with CDSS score, and affective flattening, apathy, attention, and delusions were significantly correlated with total score of CDSS. By Wilks' Lambda method, the discriminating symptoms of the depressive and schizophrenic patients from the only schizophrenic patients were found to be depressive mood and feelings of worthlessness. CONCLUSION: The shared nature of the overlapping features and discriminating symptoms is the emotional component affecting the presence of depression comorbid with schizophrenia. Negative affectivity is the dominance of negative-loaded feelings in the emotional component. In symptomatology, the presence of negative affectivity in the emotional component is suggested to be a specifier for depression in schizophrenia.

English Abstract↗

PubMed2002

[The public attitudes towards schizophrenia in a rural area in Turkey].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the public's attitude about schizophrenia and its related factors in a rural population. METHODS: This study was carried out in a village of Manisa. Of the 245 subjects which met the inclusion criteria, 230 subjects were reached and 208 of them constituted the sample of this study. The subjects filled out the sociodemographic information form and the 32-item subscale for schizophrenia of a public survey form which was developed by Psychiatric Research and Education Center. RESULTS: Of the 208 subjects, 76.3% appraised the schizophrenia as an illness, 62.0% considered it as a mental disease, 76.9% noted that social problems were the most frequent etiological factor, 66.8% denoted that the patient should consult with a psychiatrist for the treatment, 61.5% indicated that they would feel uncomfortable with a neighbor with schizophrenia, 61.1% declared that they didn't want to work with anyone with schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: The majority of subjects in rural population recognize the schizophrenia as a mental disease. Social problems are determined as the first-rank etiological factor by the subjects. The public has an adequate knowledge about the treatment of schizophrenia. However they hesitate to apply to psychiatric treatment because of the fear of stigmatisation. The public has a reluctant attitude in becoming close to the patients and has a rejective attitude in keeping a certain distance with the patients. The sociodemographic factors do not seem to have any influence on the attitudes towards the schizophrenia.

English Abstract↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of co-morbid conditions on the SF-36: a primary-care-based study among hypertensives.

BACKGROUND: Comorbidities in hypertension complicate the course causing more symptoms and deterioration in a patient's daily life. The aim of this present study is to describe the effect of comorbid conditions on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in hypertensive patients. METHODS: The study was carried out in four different regions of Turkey by 156 general practitioners between October 1999 and April 2000. In addition to cardiological evaluation, SF-36 health survey questionnaire was used for quality of life measurement. Diagnosis of comorbid conditions were anamnesis based. RESULTS: The mean age of the group (n=938) was 58.1 +/- 11.2, and 58.6% (n=550) of the group was female. Total scores of the eight domains of SF-36 were lower than the normal population scores. Age and gender affected every domain of SF-36 scale negatively. Heart failure affected four of the domains, primarily physical domains. Previous transient ischemic attack was responsible for low HRQL in emotional role difficulties, vitality, and mental health, but previous stroke had an impact on physical functioning and emotional role. Previous myocardial infarction affected emotional role difficulties negatively whereas previous CABG surgery had a positive impact on the same domain. Obesity and angina pectoris affected physical functioning negatively, whereas peripheral arterial disease caused low general health perception. Nephropathy, retinopathy and diabetes had no impact on HRQL in hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: When the contribution of comorbid conditions is taken into consideration, it can be noticed that the impact of every other condition is similar to the same condition when it is pure. Hypertension per se seems to cause less impairment than expected in HRQL.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Depression and anxiety in hyperthyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to determine symptomatology of depression and anxiety in patients with untreated hyperthyroidism and compare with euthyroid patients. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with hyperthyroidism (high free T3 and free T4, and suppressed TSH) and 30 euthyroid (normal free T3, free T4, and TSH) controls attending the Endocrinology Out-Patient Department at Celal Bayar University Hospital in Manisa, Turkey were included in the study. Hormonal screening was performed by immunoassay and hemagglutination method. For psychiatric assessment, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HAD], Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAM-D], and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HAM-A] were used. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of demographic features. RESULTS: Total scores obtained both from HAM-D and HAM-A were significantly greater in the hyperthyroidism group than that of the euthyroid group (p <0.05); there was no difference in terms of HAD. When compared in terms of symptomatology, early insomnia (HAM-D#6), work and activities (HAM-D#7), psychic anxiety (HAM-D#10), weight loss (HAM-D#16), insomnia (HAM-A#4), and cardiovascular symptoms (HAM-A#8) were significantly more frequent in the hyperthyroidism group. By Wilks lambda discriminant analysis, psychomotor agitation (HAM-D#9), weight loss (HAM-D#16), and insomnia (HAM-A#4) were found as the discriminating symptoms for the hyperthyroidism group, whereas somatic anxiety (HAM-A#11) and loss of interest (HAD#14) were distinguishing symptoms of the euthyroidism group. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperthyroidism and syndromal depression-anxiety have overlapping features that can cause misdiagnosis during acute phase. For differential diagnosis, one should follow-up patients with hyperthyroidism with specific hormonal treatment and evaluate persisting symptoms thereafter. In addition to specific symptoms of hyperthyroidism, psychomotor retardation, guilt, muscle pain, energy loss, and fatigue seem to appear more frequently in patients with comorbid depression and hyperthyroidism; thus, presence of these symptoms should be a warning sign to nonpsychiatric professionals for the need for psychiatric consultation.

Adult↗