Clinical Course of Coronavirus disease 2019 C-19 in Patients with Bronchiectasis.

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the whole world and caused the death of more than 6 million people. The disease has been observed to have a more severe course in patients with chronic lung diseases. There are limited data regarding COVID-19 in patients with bronchiectasis.

Predictivity of the Prognostic Nutritional Index and Systemic Inflammation Index for All-Cause In-Hospital Mortality in Geriatric and Adult COVID-19 Inpatients.

The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) have been used as simple risk-stratification predictors for COVID-19 severity and mortality in the general population. However, the associations between these indices and mortality might differ due to age-related changes such as inflammaging and several comorbid conditions in older patients. Therefore, we aimed to compare the predictivity of the PNI and SII for mortality among hospitalized older patients and patients under 65 years old.

Are omicron infections more frequently associated with bacterial co-infections?

Introduction: Clinical observations suggest that Omicron infections may present with different radiographic findings and be more frequently associated with bacterial co-infections, but there is a paucity of published data. This study aimed to compare the clinical and radiographic findings of patients hospitalized with Omicron versus alpha-delta infections.

Materials And Methods: Between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021 (alpha and delta period) and between January 1, 2022 and July 31, 2022 (Omicron period), respectively 149 and 163 COVID-19 PCR-positive patients who were followed up in the COVID-19 ward and intensive care unit of a tertiary care center were included in the study.

Bronchiectasis in Türkiye: Data from a Multicenter Registry (Turkish Adult Bronchiectasis Database).

Background: Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease characterized by permanent bronchial wall dilatation. Although it has been known as an orphan disease, it has recently gained attention because of registry-based studies and drug research.

Aims: We aimed to use a multicenter database to analyze and compare data regarding the etiology, associated comorbidities, microbiological characteristics, and preventive strategies of bronchiectasis in Türkiye to those of other countries.

Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap: Results from a national-multicenter study.

Introduction: Patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO) have a greater disease burden than those with COPD or asthma alone. In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical features of ACO because there are limited national data in Türkiye.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted in a cross-sectional design in nine tertiary-care hospitals.

Effectiveness of a Program to Raise Awareness About Pneumococcal Vaccination Among Physicians and Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Objective: There is a need to increase patient and clinician awareness on the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination in at-risk groups. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of reminders for physicians and patients using the vaccination tracking system created in the hospital information management system (HIMS) on the vaccination rate, and the effect of pneumococcal vaccination on pneumonia-related hospitalization and mortality over a 12-month period.

Material And Methods: This prospective observational cohort study was undertaken during a 2-year period in 3 tertiary care centers.

Association between Increased Risk of Pneumonia with ICS in COPD: A Continuous Variable Analysis of Patient Factors from the IMPACT Study.

Introduction: Despite the proven benefits of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-containing triple therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), clinicians limit patient exposure to ICS due to the risk of pneumonia. However, there are multiple factors associated with the risk of pneumonia in patients with COPD. This post hoc analysis of IMPACT trial data aims to set the risks associated with ICS into a context of specific patient-related factors that contribute to the risk of pneumonia.

Delphi Consensus on Clinical Applications of GOLD 2023 Recommendations in COPD Management: How Aligned are Recommendations with Clinical Practice?

Introduction: The objective of this Delphi study was to understand and assess the level of consensus among respiratory experts on the clinical application of GOLD 2023 recommendations in management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: The study comprised two online surveys and a participant meeting with 34 respiratory experts from 16 countries. Responses of 73 questions were recorded using a Likert scale ranging from 0 (disagreement) to 9 (agreement).

What is the Optimal Treatment Regimen of Low-MolecularWeight Heparin in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia?

Objective: The optimal anticoagulant treatment regimen in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is uncertain. This study aimed to compare the rates of disease progression and mortality in patients treated with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) according to baseline d-dimer levels and in those who received a fixed-dose regimen irrespective of the d-dimer level.

Material And Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to a university hospital for COVID-19 pneumonia during a 1-year period.

Macrolides for better resolution of community-acquired pneumonia: A global meta-analysis of clinical outcomes with focus on microbial aetiology.

Objectives: This meta-analysis examined the effect of macrolides on resolution of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and interpretation of clinical benefit according to microbiology; emphasis is given to data under-reported countries (URCs).

Methods: This meta-analysis included 47 publications published between 1994 and 2022. Publications were analysed for 30-d mortality (58 759 patients) and resolution of CAP (6465 patients).

Does Pneumococcal Vaccination Have an Effect on Hospital Costs?

Objective: It is known that inpatient hospital costs are much higher than outpatient services. It was aimed to investigate the effect of pneumococcal vaccination on hospitalizations.

Material And Methods: The direct hospitalization costs, length of stay, and factors of the vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in the same hospital during the 12-month follow-up of the patients who received pneumococcal vaccine between November 15, 2018, and November 15, 2020, in 3 chest diseases and thoracic surgery training and research hospitals were analyzed by obtaining Hospital Information Management System records.

DElaying Disease Progression In COPD with Early Initiation of Dual Bronchodilator or Triple Inhaled PharmacoTherapy (DEPICT): A Predictive Modelling Approach.

Introduction: Clinical studies demonstrate an accelerated decline in lung function in patients with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] grade 2) versus severe and very severe COPD (GOLD grades 3 and 4). This predictive modelling study assessed the impact of initiating pharmacotherapy earlier versus later on long-term disease progression in COPD.

Methods: The modelling approach used data on decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV) extracted from published studies to develop a longitudinal non-parametric superposition model of lung function decline with progressive impact of exacerbations from 0 per year to 3 per year and no ongoing pharmacotherapy.

Community-acquired pneumonia - An EFIM guideline critical appraisal adaptation for internists.

Background: In real-life settings, guidelines frequently cannot be followed since many patients are multimorbid and/or elderly or have other complicating conditions which carry an increased risk of drug-drug interactions. This document aimed to adapt recommendations from existing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to assist physicians' decision-making processes concerning specific and complex scenarios related to acute CAP.

Methods: The process for the adaptation procedure started with the identification of unsolved clinical questions (PICOs) in patients with CAP and continued with critically appraising the updated existing CPGs and choosing the recommendations, which are most applicable to these specific scenarios.

The association of antiviral drugs with COVID-19 morbidity: The retrospective analysis of a nationwide COVID-19 cohort.

Background And Objectives: Although several repurposed antiviral drugs have been used for the treatment of COVID-19, only a few such as remdesivir and molnupiravir have shown promising effects. The objectives of our study were to investigate the association of repurposed antiviral drugs with COVID-19 morbidity.

Methods: Patients admitted to 26 different hospitals located in 16 different provinces between March 11-July 18, 2020, were enrolled.

Clinical Predictors of Response to Tocilizumab: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

Objective: A substantial number of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) demonstrate severe infection. Cytokine storm is an underlying condition that worsens clinical outcomes. As an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist, tocilizumab is a promising treatment option for COVID-19.

Favipiravir for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia: Can we predict the response to treatment?

Introduction: Early experience with favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19 is promising, but no clinical data have been published in medical journals. This study aimed to review the experience with favipiravir treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia and to examine whether there are any predictors of treatment response.

Methodology: Fifty-six patients with severe or progressive pneumonia associated with COVID-19 who were treated with favipiravir monotherapy for at least five days were included in this retrospective study.

The Role of Pneumococcal Pneumonia among Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adult Turkish Population: TurkCAP Study.

Objective: To evaluate the rate of pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) among patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Turkey and to investigate and compare features of PP and non-PP CAP patients.

Material And Methods: This multicenter, non-interventional, prospective, observational study included adult CAP patients (age ≥ 18 years). Diagnosis of PP was based on the presence of at least 1 positive laboratory test result for Streptococcus pneumoniae (blood culture or sputum culture or urinary antigen test [UAT]) in patients with radiographic findings of pneumonia.

Clinical Outcome of PCR-Negative COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical features and outcomes of patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but who were not confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity.

Material And Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to two tertiary care centers between March 15 and May 15, 2020, with a diagnosis of COVID-19. From a common database prepared for COVID-19, we retrieved the relevant data and compared the clinical findings and outcomes of PCR-positive patients with those of PCR-negative cases who had been diagnosed on the basis of typical clinical and radiographic findings.

The Efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin Combination Therapy on Hospital Mortality in COVID 19 Pneumonia Patients.

Background/aim: Effective therapeutic approaches for SARS-CoV-2 pandemic are urgently needed. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) alone or in combination with azithromycin has been used in several countries, without any clear evidence. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of hydroxychloroquine as compared to hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin combination in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

The predictors of COVID-19 mortality in a nationwide cohort of Turkish patients.

The COVID-19-related death rate varies between countries and is affected by various risk factors. This multicenter registry study was designed to evaluate the mortality rate and the related risk factors in Turkey. We retrospectively evaluated 1500 adults with COVID-19 from 26 centers who were hospitalized between March 11 and July 31, 2020.

Tuberculosis despite latent infection screening and treatment in patients receiving TNF inhibitor therapy.

Introduction: Although latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment is given before anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment, tuberculosis (TB) still develops in these patients and the risk factors are not well known. Besides, there is little data on the safety of isoniazid (INH) treatment in this group of patients. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for the development of tuberculosis and the safety of LTBI in such patients.

COVID-19 Pandemic and the Global Perspective of Turkish Thoracic Society.

It has been more than 3 months now since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Turkey. Globally, the number of confirmed cases and deaths reached 9,653,048 and 491,128 respectively, as reported by 216 countries by June 27, 2020. Turkey had 1,396 new cases, 194,511 total cases, and 5,065 deaths by the same date.

The Follow-Up of Biomarkers Better Predicts the Poor Outcome in COVID-19 Patients.

Objective: To investigate the course of biomarkers on admission and follow-up in order to identify early predictors for poor outcome in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: In this study, 132 COVID-19 patients were classified as good outcome (n=62) and poor outcome (n=70) groups. Laboratory parameters were evaluated on admission and within 5-7 days after hospitalization.

[Pneumococcal infections and protection with vaccination in adult chronic lung diseases].

Pneumococcal infections are an important cause of mortality and morbidity in Chronic Lung Diseases. However, exacerbations, which make the treatment of diseases very difficult, and corticosteroids used during treatment carry a great risk of pneumococcal infection and adversely affect the treatment. The most rational way to reduce the negative impact of pneumococcal infections on the clinical and economic burden of Chronic Lung Diseases is vaccination of the risky population.