Demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of extrapulmonary tuberculosis: Eight-year results of a multicenter retrospective study in Turkey.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is an important public health problem due to its diverse clinical presentations, diagnostic complexities, and significant impact on patient outcomes and public health. Our study aimed to understand the sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics as well as diagnostic and treatment modalities of adult patients with EPTB. This is a multicentric retrospective study that covers patients with EPTB cases followed up from January 2015 to December 2022 among tuberculosis (TB) dispensaries and Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology clinics of 15 hospitals located in various regions of Turkey.

Hematologic Inflammation Indices for Differentiating between Brucella, Pyogenic, and Tuberculous Spondylodiscitis.

Infectious spondylodiscitis is a life-threatening disease and has some challenges in terms of diagnostic, differentiative, and therapeutic processes. Therefore, rapid and effective management of infectious spondylodiscitis is necessary. Hematological inflammation indices (HIIs) such as the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and aggregate index of systemic inflammation are derived from blood cells and used as diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, and treatment monitoring indicators.

Evaluating the gonads of left-handed children using ultrasonography and comparing the findings with those of right-handed ones.

Unlabelled: Hand use varies according to which brain hemisphere is dominant. Early androgen exposure causes right hemisphere dominance. This study is aimed at comparing the testes and ovary sizes of healthy left-handed girls and boys with those of healthy right-handed children and investigating whether or not lateralization affects the gonads.

To prescribe or not: a two-center retrospective observational study of antibiotics usage and outcomes of COVID-19 in Turkey.

This retrospective cohort study conducted in Turkey between December 2020 and June 2022 aimed to assess antibiotic use, bacterial co-infections, and the associated factors on mortality in hospitalized patients with mild-to-severe COVID-19. Among the 445 patients, 80% received antibiotics, with fluoroquinolones being the most common choice, followed by beta-lactams and combinations. Various clinical and laboratory parameters, including symptoms, comorbidities, CCI, oxygen requirements, and CRP levels were observed to be elevated in the antibiotic group.

Possible drug-drug interactions among elderly patients receiving antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: To identify possible drug-drug interactions in patients taking medications for other comorbidities while on antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: The study enrolled patients with chronic hepatitis B aged ≥60 years who were treated with antiviral therapy in five hospitals in Turkey between January 1 and March 1, 2023. The Lexicomp® Drug Interactions program was used to identify possible drug-drug interactions.

Mortality risk factors for crush syndrome after an earthquake in Türkiye: Do systemic inflammatory parameters play any role?

Background: The aim of our study is to assess the prognostic impact of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) on 28-day mortality in patients admitted to the intensive care unit with crush syndrome following the Kahramanmaraş earthquake in Türkiye.

Methods: A total of 63 adult patients with crush syndrome admitted to the intensive care unit after the earthquake were enrolled in this study. The medical records of the patients were examined using follow-up forms and the hospital data system.

Investigation of hematologic findings related to brucellosis in Anatolian region.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of hematologic findings and the relationship between hemogram parameters and brucellosis stages in patients.

Methods: This multi-center study included patients older than 16 years of age who were followed up with a diagnosis of brucellosis. Patients' results, including white blood cell, hemoglobin, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, mean platelet volume, platelet and eosinophil counts were analyzed at the initial diagnosis.

The predictive role of carotid artery flow time for anesthesia-induced hypotension in high-risk elderly patients.

Hypotension induced by general anesthesia is associated with postoperative complications, increased mortality, and morbidity, particularly elderly patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of corrected carotid artery flow time (FTc) for predicting hypotension following anesthesia induction in patients over 65 years old. After faculty ethical committee approval and written informed consent, 138 patients (65 years and older, ASA physical status I-III) who scheduled for elective surgery were included in this study.

6 February 2023, orthopedic experience in Kahramanmaraş earthquake and surgical decision in patients with crush syndrome.

Background: The decision of fasciotomy or amputation in crush syndrome is controversial and challenging for surgeons. We aimed to share our experiences after the Kahramanmaraş earthquake, to predict the severity of crush syndrome and mortality, and to guide the surgical decision.

Methods: The clinical data of patients during their first week of hospitalization were analyzed retrospectively.

Brucellosis-associated hepatitis.

Aim: Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection that can affect almost every organ. A mild elevation of aminotransferase levels is usually observed in liver involvement. However, the development of clinical hepatitis is rare.

The effects of metyrosine on ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative ovarian injury in rats: Biochemical and histopathological assessment.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of metyrosine on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) induced ovarian injury in rats in terms of biochemistry and histopathology. Rats were divided into: ovarian I/R (OIR), ovarian I/R+50 mg/kg metyrosine (OIRM) and sham (SG) operations. OIRM group received 50 mg/kg metyrosine one hour before the application of the anesthetic agent, OIR and SG group rats received equal amount of distilled water to be used as a solvent orally through cannula.

COVID-19 infection during pregnancy: A retrospective study in a city in the Southeastern region of Turkey.

Objectives: To evaluate the maternal and fetal clinical outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women during the whole period of the pandemic in a single province in the southeast of Turkey.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who were screened from the medical registration system and found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus during pregnancy. The demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological features of all the patients were obtained and compared between groups classified as severe-critical and mild-moderate disease severity.

Decline in the Age of Menarche in Istanbul Schoolgirls Over the Last 12 Years.

Objective: Menarche is the endpoint of a sequence of maturational events of female puberty. The timing of menarche is a strongly heritable trait. However, secular trends suggest that lifestyle and environmental factors are important.

The effects of sorafenib in healthy and cisplatin-treated rats.

Background: Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor currently used in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma and thyroid cancer.

Objectives: The literature on this agent is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sorafenib when administered to both healthy and cisplatin-induced rats.

Effect of age on computed tomography findings: Specificity and sensitivity in coronavirus disease 2019 infection.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in 2019. Although the real-time reverse tr-anscription PCR test for viral nucleic acids is the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnosis, computed tomography (CT) has grown in importance.

Aim: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of thoracic CT findings of COVID-19 pneumonia according to age groups.

The role of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in distant organ (lung) oxidative damage of liver ischemia/reperfusion and the protective effect of rutin.

Background: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) can cause damage to distant organs. Rutin is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and inhibits cytokine and polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) infiltration. It may prevent the development of reperfusion injury.

Limonin relieves TGF-β-induced hepatocyte EMT and hepatic stellate cell activation in vitro and CCl-induced liver fibrosis in mice via upregulating Smad7 and subsequent suppression of TGF-β/Smad cascade.

Liver fibrosis is a pathological process as a result of intrahepatic deposition of excessive ECM. EMT of hepatocytes and activation of HSCs both play important roles in the etiology of liver fibrosis. Here, we found that limonin repressed TGF-β-induced EMT in AML-12 hepatocytes and activation of LX-2 HSCs.

Re-infection in COVID-19: Do we exaggerate our worries?

Background: Protective long-term immunity following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. The study evaluated the relationship between the vaccination status and risk factors in the re-infection of patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 who reported to the Public Health Management System in a province in south-eastern Turkey.

Methods: Patients with positive results for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test in respiratory samples were defined as confirmed cases.

Predictors of Severity and Mortality in COVID-19: A Retrospective Study from Batman, Turkey.

Objective: It is increasingly important to identify risk factors for COVID-19-associated mortality to provide access to early treatment. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 severity and laboratory data and demographic characteristics of hospitalized patients and to identify factors predicting mortality in COVID-19.

Materials And Methods: The study is a retrospective and single-center study.

Evaluation of the effects of total intravenous anesthesia and inhalation anesthesia on postoperative cognitive recovery.

Objective: To compare the effects of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and inhalation anesthesia (IA) used in lumbar disc herniectomy on postoperative cognitive recovery based on the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels.

Material And Methods: The study sample consisted of 80 patients aged 18-65 years who were scheduled for elective lumbar disc herniectomy. The patients were divided into two groups according to the anesthesia technique applied, such as TIVA or IA.

The role of protein oxidation in the development of diabetic microvascular complications.

Objective: The role of protein oxidation in the development of diabetic microvascular complications was investigated.

Methods: In total, 266 participants were split into five groups: Group 1; diabetes mellitus for at least 10 years without any complications, Group 2; diabetic nephropathy, Group 3; diabetic neuropathy, Group 4; diabetic retinopathy, and Group 5; control group. Thiol, disulfide, ferroxidase, and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels were analyzed in the serum.