Publications by authors named "Ilker I Balkan"

Background: Emerging carbapenem-resistant () (CRKP) bacteremias are presenting significant public health risks due to limited treatment options and increased mortality. isolates exhibit carbapenem resistance rates that vary from 25% to 50% throughout the European continent, including our country.

Aims: To assess the characteristics of CRKP bacteremia, a condition that has recently demonstrated an increasing prevalence in our center.

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To reveal factors affecting 2-year mortality in geriatric patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory data, thorax computed tomography (CT) images, second-year survival status, and causes of death were analyzed. The 2-year post-discharge mortality rate of 605 patients was 21.

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Background: Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) is a diagnostic challenge, therefore our objective was to pinpoint high-risk cohorts for BCNE.

Methods: The study included adult patients with definite endocarditis. Data were collected via the Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative (ID-IRI).

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Predicting the need of hospitalization and intensive care in COVID-19 patients has been challenging with current diagnostic tests since the beginning of the pandemic. We aimed to test cell free DNA (cfDNA) as a novel biomarker for COVID-19 disease severity and mortality. cfDNA concentration was quantified by RT-PCR based test.

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Objective: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing and are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Identifying associated factors for ESBL production may contribute to more appropriate empirical treatment.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective observational study.

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Background: Early diagnosis and effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) lead to similar life expectancy in people living with HIV (PLWH) compared to the general population. This population faces problems such as decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in men aged 50 years and over who were PLWH and to determine risk factors and changes in bone metabolism with bone turnover markers.

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Pretreatment and post-treatment performances of noninvasive fibrosis indices were determined in patients with chronic hepatitis B. This was a retrospective, single-center study. The best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values were detected for aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio (0.

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Background/aims: Discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analog is controversial in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients not achieved HBsAg loss. We aimed to evaluate re-treatment rates and risk factors in non-cirrhotic HbeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients for whom nucleosi(t)ides analogs were discontinued.

Materials And Methods: Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data before and at the end after discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analogs were collected retrospectively.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cefiderocol is effective against carbapenem-resistant bacteria, but its susceptibility varies based on different interpretive criteria from EUCAST and CLSI.
  • Researchers tested 254 CRK blood isolates and found significant differences in resistance rates to cefiderocol when applying EUCAST versus CLSI criteria.
  • High cefiderocol resistance rates were especially noted among NDM producers using EUCAST guidelines, leading to the recommendation that these criteria should be prioritized for testing until more clinical data is available.
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Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the in vivo activity of nasal irrigation (NI) with saline, NI with povidone-iodine (PVP-I) 1%, NI with a mix of hypertonic alkaline and PVP-I 1% against Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Design: This study was a prospective randomised clinical trial.

Setting: A multicenter study involving tertiary care centres.

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Article Synopsis
  • Aminoglycosides are important for treating infections caused by carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPK), but resistance to these antibiotics is rising, primarily due to 16S rRNA methyltransferases (RMTs) often found alongside NDM genes.
  • In a study of 181 invasive CPK isolates, 60% were resistant to amikacin, gentamicin, and tobramycin, with most of the resistant isolates carrying RMTs, particularly ArmA and RmtC.
  • The study found that the resistance is largely linked to specific clonal types, particularly ST2096 and ST14, which are associated with certain carbapenemases and other resistance genes, suggesting that clonal spread is a
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Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine is administered for protection against tuberculosis and may also have beneficial effects against some viral respiratory tract infections. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination which is confirmed by BCG scar, and the frequency and course of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Among 490 patients, 400 patients who accepted to participate in the study were included.

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This study aimed to determine the anti-S (receptor binding protein) RBD IgG antibody titers formed against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) and the neutralizing antibody inhibition percentages (nAb IH%) in blood samples taken after two doses of inactive or mRNA-based vaccine and a booster dose. Volunteers with two doses of inactivated CoronaVac (heterologous group; = 75) and BioNTech (BNT)162b2 mRNA vaccine (homologous group; = 75) were included in this study. All participants preferred the BNT162b2 vaccine as a booster dose.

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Background: Abnormal neutrophil extracellular traps are associated with lung diseases, thrombosis, increased mucosal secretion in the airways. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible place of the most specific NETosis marker Cit-H3 protein in diagnostic algorithms by revealing its relationship with the severity, mortality and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Patients And Methods: Patients (n = 78) who applied to the Emergency Department between March 11, 2020 and June 10, 2020, with positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and lung involvement were included in the prospective study.

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Background: COVID-19 causes clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic infection to multi-organ failure. It is reported that those with severe disease have higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers compared to asymptomatic or mild cases. We evaluated the correlation of antibody responses with laboratory and clinical indicators in COVID-19 patients.

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In this single-center study, we analyzed a retrospective cohort of patients with diabetic foot infections (DFIs) between 2011 and 2020. The first and second five-year periods were compared. A poor prognosis was defined as a primary composite end point including re-infection, major amputation, or mortality at six months.

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Purpose: Here , we aimed to assess the frequency and phenomenology of autonomic and neuropathic complaints of long-COVID and to evaluate them by means of electrophysiology.

Methods: Step 1. Patients with prior COVID-19 infection were screened by COMPASS-31 and mTORONTO to create the target population for further evaluation.

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The objective of our study was to evaluate the antibody responses of health care workers (HCWs) who were vaccinated with booster dose BNT162b2 6 months after 2 doses of the CoronoVac vaccine. The study included 318 HCWs vaccinated with inactive CoronaVac SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in 2 doses. Anti-spike/RBD IgG levels were measured immediately before and 1 month after the booster dose.

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Ceftazidime-avibactam exhibits good in vitro activity against carbapenem resistant Klebsiella carrying OXA-48-like enzymes. We tested two hundred unique carbapenem resistant Klebsiella blood stream isolates (71% with single OXA-48-like carbapenemases, including OXA-48, n = 62; OXA-232, n = 57; OXA-244, n = 17; OXA-181, n = 5) that were collected as part of a multicentre study against ceftazidime-avibactam using Etest (bioMérieux, Marcyl'Étoile, France), 10/4 μg disc (Thermo Fisher) and Sensititre Gram Negative EURGNCOL Plates (Lyophilized panels, Sensititre, Thermo Fisher) with the aim of comparing the performances of the Etest and disc to that of Sensititre. Ceftazidime-avibactam MIC was 2/>16 mg/L for the entire collection and was 2/4 mg/L for single OXA-48-like producers.

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Background: Gallbladder and biliary tract infections are diseases with high mortality rates if they are not treated properly. Microbiological evaluation of perioperatively collected samples both ensures proper treatment of patients and guides empirical treatment due to the determination of microorganism susceptibility.

Aims: This study aimed to isolate the microorganisms in bile cultures from patients who underwent cholecystectomy and to determine sensitivity results of these microorganisms.

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Background/aims: We aimed to explore long-term results of oral antiviral agents in treatment-naïve "HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB)" and determine the factors affecting the complete virological response.

Method: Patients with HBeAg-negative CHB who used oral antiviral agents for at least 3 years were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: A total of 173 patients were recorded.

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We aimed to describe the antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 after inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in elderly individuals. SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured in the blood samples of 126 volunteers over the age of 60. The antibody positivity rate was 42.

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Background: Critically ill COVID-19 patients are prone to bloodstream infections (BSIs).

Aim: To evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of BSIs developing in COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Patients staying at least 48 h in ICU from 22 March 2020 to 25 May 2021 were included.

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Aims: Despite high vaccination rates, increasing case numbers continue to be reported with the identification of new variants of concern, and the issue of durability of the vaccine-induced immune response remains hot topic. Real-life data regarding time-dependent immunogenicity of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are scarce. We aimed to investigate the changes in the antibody at the different times after the second dose of the CoronaVac vaccine.

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Background: Real-world studies showed varying levels of effectiveness of CoronaVac vaccine against COVID-19 disease. This study aimed to assess the association between the vaccination with CoronaVac and the COVID-19 infections among the health care workers in a university hospital and to determine the vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 in a period when alpha variant was dominant.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a university hospital in Istanbul, Turkey employs 4067 health care workers.

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