Publications by authors named "Erkan Cakir"

Background/aim: Innate-like T lymphocytes are a recently defined group of T cells comprising mainly mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. The relationship between MAIT cells and childhood asthma is controversial. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of MAIT cells in patients with allergic asthma (AA) and nonallergic asthma (NAA).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Pulmonary exacerbations increase the requirement of aminoglycoside (AG) antibiotics in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Several studies have shown that AGs have a cumulative effect on ototoxicity. We aimed to investigate the relationship between AG exposure and ototoxicity by using 3 different methods in patients with CF.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzes data from the CF Registry of Turkey to measure the rate of decline in pulmonary function (ppFEV1) among cystic fibrosis patients and identifies risk factors related to this decline.
  • It found that patients with more severe disease (ppFEV1 < 40) had poorer nutritional status and a higher prevalence of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection compared to those with better lung function.
  • The results emphasize the need for regular monitoring of patients with normal initial ppFEV1 and early treatment for P. aeruginosa infections, highlighting the crucial role of proper nutrition in managing cystic fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator drugs target the underlying defect and improve CFTR function. They are a part of standard care in many countries, but not all patients are eligible for these drugs due to age and genotype. Here, we aimed to determine the characteristics of non-eligible patients for CFTR modulators in the CF registry of Turkey (CFRT) to highlight their clinical needs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Azithromycin is used for children with cystic fibrosis (CF) for its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory action. This study investigated the short-term alterations in QTc interval associated with azithromycin prophylaxis in pediatric patients with CF.

Methods: This study included 121 patients with mild CF, of whom 76 received azithromycin (patient group) and 45 did not receive azithromycin (control group).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The number of children requiring long-term invasive home ventilation (LTIHV) has increased worldwide in recent decades. The training of physicians caring for these children is crucial since they are at high risk for complications and adverse events. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a comprehensive high-fidelity simulation-based training program for physicians caring for children on LTIHV.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The Syrian civil war has led to a significant increase in the population of Arab refugees in Turkey, prompting a study to analyze cystic fibrosis (CF) among this group, particularly focusing on demographic, clinical, and genetic data from 87 Arab refugee patients (92% Syrian) diagnosed with CF in Turkey between 2011 and 2021.
  • The study found that the median age at diagnosis was 22.33 months, with newborn screening identifying cases much earlier (median 4.2 months). Notably, parental consanguinity was observed in about 60% of the patients, indicating a potential genetic link.
  • The most common CF mutation identified was F508del, found in
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cargo handling operations on board tankers pose a significant threat to the cleanliness and health of the ocean ecosystem. Incidents originating from these operations are often attributed to human error, as widely acknowledged. Therefore, it is crucial to control the human factor involved in these operations to enhance ship safety and foster a sustainable, clean marine environment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Children with tracheostomies are at increased risk of tracheostomy-related complications and require extra care. Standardized training programs for caregivers can improve tracheostomy care and reduce complications. In this study, we compared caregiver knowledge and skill scores after a standardized theoretical and practical training program on tracheostomy care (IStanbul PAediatric Tracheostomy (ISPAT) project) immediately and 1 year post-training and evaluated how this training affected the children's clinical outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The childhood interstitial lung diseases (chILD) Turkey registry (chILD-TR) was established in November 2021 to increase awareness of disease, and in collaboration with the centers to improve the diagnostic and treatment standards. Here, the first results of the chILD registry system were presented. In this prospective cohort study, data were collected using a data-entry software system.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Plastic bronchitis (PB) is a rare disease characterized by obstruction of the airway by fibrinous mucus plugs. The etiology can be idiopathic or secondary to systematic diseases such as congenital heart diseases. Definitive diagnosis is made by pathological examination of the sputum or bronchial sample taken by bronchoscopy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that can make it hard for people to breathe, and some medicines called CFTR modulators can help them feel better.
  • This study looked at CF patients in Turkey who needed these medicines but couldn't get them in 2018 and 2019.
  • After a year, the patients who missed out on treatment got worse, having more issues with their lungs and needing extra help to breathe and eat.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: We aimed to determine the number of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients recorded in the Cystic Fibrosis Registry of Türkiye (CFRT) who were in need of lung transplantation (LT) referral and examine clinical differences between patients who were LT candidates due to rapid forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) decline and LT candidates without rapid FEV₁ decline in the last year to identify a preventable cause in patients with such rapid FEV₁ decline.

Methods: All CF patients recorded in the CFRT in 2018 were evaluated in terms of LT. Patients were divided into those with FEV₁ below 50% and in need of LT due to a decrease of 20% or more in the previous year (Group 1) and those who did not have FEV₁ decline of more than 20% in the previous year but had other indications for LT (Group 2).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Port State Control (PSC) is a crucial process that controls the compatibility of ships with maritime standards and regulations. PSC's duty is to provide a safe and secure maritime environment, as well as the protection of coastal regions, through inspections. After the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the PSC inspection process, and the number of inspections and detentions, has changed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study aimed to assess the ventricular anatomy, function of the right ventricle, and the haemodynamic findings of pulmonary artery in children with cystic fibrosis using cardiac MRI.

Patients: This prospective study consisted of 32 children with mild cystic fibrosis and 30 age-matched healthy control participants.

Methods: Cardiac MRI was used to assess right ventricular volumes, anatomy, and function and to assessment of haemodynamic findings of pulmonary artery in the control and study groups.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Video game-based systems have been proposed to improve effectiveness and compliance with exercise training in children and adolescents with noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB). This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic and breathing video game-based exercises (VGE) on pulmonary function, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, functional capacity, and balance in children and adolescents with NCFB.

Method: Thirty-nine children and adolescents aged between 8 and 18 years with NCFB were randomly allocated into three groups as "home-based chest physiotherapy group" (CP), "aerobic VGE given in addition to home-based chest physiotherapy group" (CP + aerobic VGE), and "breathing VGE given in addition to home-based chest physiotherapy group" (CP + breathing VGE).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Bronchiectasis is a form of airway damage as a consequence of endobronchial infection and inflammation and may be present in different diseases. The underlying aetiologies include both cystic fibrosis (CF) and a group of non-cystic fibrosis diseases (NCFB) such as immunodeficiency, primary ciliary dyskinesia, or severe pulmonary infection. Although children with CF and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) have many similar clinical features, their responses to exercise may be different.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on asthma exacerbations and to compare the severity of symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection of asthmatic children with those of healthy children.

Methods: The clinical course of COVID-19 was compared among 89 children with asthma and 84 healthy children with age- and gender-matched. Demographic factors, severity of asthma, duration of asthma, presence of atopy, type of treatment, and compliance to treatment in asthmatic children on clinical course of infection and to determine the risk factors for severe course for asthma exacerbation during COVID-19 were evaluated retrospectively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Sleep is one of the important measurements of the quality of life for children especially suffering from a chronic illness such as cancer. Our aim was to determine the changes in sleep quality and to investigate the effect of virtual reality-based exercise (VRBE) approaches on sleep in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) off treatment.

Method: The participants (ALL and healthy siblings) were evaluated for sleep quality with polysomnography and "Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire" before and after 12 weeks.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis is difficult and most of the patients are diagnosed clinically. The objective of this study is to reveal the diagnostic and therapeutic components of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis and to analyze the changes that occurred in our country over the years.

Methodology: All patients diagnosed with tuberculosis between 2006 and 2016 were included.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) registries play an essential role in improving disease outcomes of people with CF. This study aimed to evaluate the association of newly established CF registry system in Turkey on follow-up, clinical, growth, treatment, and complications of people with this disease.

Methods: Age at diagnosis, current age, sex, z-scores of weight, height and body mass index (BMI), neonatal screening results, pulmonary function tests, history of meconium ileus, medications, presence of microorganisms, and follow-up were evaluated and compared to data of people with CF represented in both 2017 and 2019 registry data.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Patients exhibited distinct clinical presentations, including recurrent pneumonia and hemorrhagic colitis, with the loss of the iRHOM2 protein impairing immune responses tied to cytokine release.
  • * Mouse models showed that the absence of iRHOM2 resulted in increased severity of infections like pneumonia and colitis, highlighting the impact of local gut bacteria on disease outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Tracheostomy care in children may be challenging, due to lack of knowledge of healthcare providers (HCPs). The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of HCP who follow patients with tracheostomy and to increase this level with theoretical training and training in a simulation laboratory.

Materials And Methods: ISPAT (IStanbul PAediatric Tracheostomy), a multidisciplinary team for tracheostomy care was established and a training program was prepared.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Juvenile dermatomyositis associated interstitial lung disease, rarely seen in pediatric age groups, has adverse effects on survival. Anti-melanoma differentiation associated gene 5, one of the identified autoantibodies in juvenile dermatomyositis, preferentially affects the lung tissue and may cause rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease. It is a major cause of mortality in juvenile dermatomyositis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In our previous published study conducted in 2006 before the national tobacco control program (NTCP), we found that working adolescents (WA) more frequently consumed cigarettes than high school students (HSS). The objective of the present study was to compare the smoking status of WA and HSS before and after the NTCP.

Methods: A questionnaire including questions about the participant`s socio-economic level and smoking status was administered.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF