Effects of onabotulinum toxin-A injection on sexual function in women with refractory interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: A prospective study.

Objectives: To determine the effect of intravesical onabotulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) treatment on sexual functions in female patients with refractory interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).

Methods: Female patients with IC/BPS refractory to previous treatments were included in the study between January 2020 and April 2022. Patients were treated with the trigone-sparing injection (Group 1) or trigone-included injection (Group 2) techniques.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy practices and course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients during COVID-19.

Background: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is accepted as the only disease-modifying therapy for IgE-mediated allergic airway diseases and hymenoptera venom allergy. AIT requires repeated contact between patient and physician or nurse in the hospital. Because it is a long-term treatment, compliance is essential issue to obtain maximal efficacy.

Abdominal palpation and percussion maneuvers do not affect bowel sounds.

Objectives: Medical textbooks suggest that the frequency of bowel sounds may be altered by performing auscultation after palpation or percussion. We hypothesize that the frequency of bowel sounds is not affected by the order of abdominal examination.

Material And Methods: Both healthy volunteers (n= 80) and patients (n= 100) were enrolled in this crossover randomized study.

Prevalence and characteristics of bone disease in cirrhotic patients.

Background And Aim: Chronic liver disease is a risk factor for osteoporosis, osteopenia and bone fractures. In this study, prevalence and risk factors of osteoporosis and vitamin D deficiency and also their effects on survival were investigated in 218 patients with chronic liver disease.

Materials And Methods: Prevalence of osteoporosis and vitamin D levels was calculated.

Rasch analysis of the Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire: Turkish version, validity, and reliability study.

Background/aim: The multidimensional evaluation of patients with chronic neck pain is important for planning the treatment program. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire (NBQ).

Materials And Methods: The internal construct validity of the NBQ was examined by the fit of the data to the Rasch measurement model.

Neuro-Ophthalmologic MRI Findings in the Detection of Rhinorrhoea Aetiology.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the importance of neuro-ophthalmological magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in the identification of the aetiology of rhinorrhoea, and the differentiation of spontaneous rhinorrhoea from non-spontaneous rhinorrhoea. MR images of 25 patients with spontaneous and 21 patients with non-spontaneous rhinorrhoea were evaluated for the presence of neuro-ophthalmological findings of intracranial hypertension (IHT). These include optic nerve vertical tortuosity, optic nerve sheath enlargement, flattening of the posterior sclera and optic nerve protrusion, as well as other MRI findings of ICH, such as partial empty sella, dilatation of Meckel's cave and the presence of arachnoid pits.

Fall of another myth for colon cancer: Duration of symptoms does not differ between right- or left-sided colon cancers.

Background/aims: Patients with colorectal cancer continue to present with relatively advanced tumors that are associated with poor oncological outcomes. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between localization, symptom duration, and tumor stage.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, multicenter cohort study was conducted on patients newly diagnosed with a histologically proven colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Individual mesh size for open anterior inguinal hernia repair: an anthropometric study in Turkish male patients.

Purpose: To conduct a study to determine the measurements of the inguinal region in male patients with inguinal hernias to reveal the proper mesh size for each patient.

Methods: In this prospective study, the anthropometric measurements were obtained from 100 consecutive adult male patients with unilateral primary inguinal hernias. First, the distance between the pubic tubercle and the medial border of the deep inguinal ring was measured (x).

Mortality of adult intensive care units in Turkey using the APACHE II and SOFA systems (outcome assessment in Turkish intensive care units).

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate intensive care unit (ICU) performance using risk-adjusted ICU mortality rates nationally, assessing patients who died or had been discharged from the ICU. For this purpose, this study analyzed the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) databases, containing detailed clinical and physiological information and mortality of mixed critically ill patients in a medical ICU at secondary and tertiary referral ICUs in Turkey.

Material And Methods: A total of 690 adult intensive care units in Turkey were included in the study.

Kinaesthetic ability training improves unilateral neglect and functional outcome in patients with stroke: A randomized control trial.

Objective: To investigate the effects of kinaesthetic ability training with the Kinesthetic Ability Trainer (KAT) on unilateral neglect and functional outcomes in stroke patients.

Study Design: An assessor-blinded, randomized controlled, clinical trial.

Methods: A total of 64 stroke patients with unilateral neglect (mean age 61 (standard deviation (SD) 12) years, 60.

Inter-rater agreement of the Turkish version of the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale-Revised form.

Objectives: This study aims to adapt the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale-revised form (NBRS-R) for Turkish traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and to investigate the inter-rater agreement of the Turkish revised scale.

Patients And Methods: A total of 45 patients (36 males, 9 females; mean age 31.1±13.

Effects of Hysterectomy on Pelvic Floor Disorders: A Longitudinal Study.

Background: Hysterectomy might adversely affect pelvic floor functions and result in many different symptoms, such as urinary and anal incontinence, obstructed defecation, and constipation.

Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the influence of hysterectomy on pelvic floor disorders.

Design: This was a prospective and longitudinal study.

Exhaled carbon monoxide is a marker of heavy nicotine dependence.

Background/aim: Exhaled CO level provides an objective measure of a patient's smoking status. The relationship between CO levels and nicotine dependence is controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between exhaled CO levels and nicotine dependence as well as to demonstrate that exhaled CO levels may be used as a marker of nicotine dependence.

Phenol Injection Versus Excision With Open Healing in Pilonidal Disease: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

Background: Minimally invasive procedures may be an alternative to surgical excisions for pilonidal disease.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare phenol injection versus excision with open healing technique.

Design: This is a prospective randomized study (ACTRN12612000868886).

The airway device preference may affect the overlapping of the common carotid artery by the internal jugular vein.

Background: Anatomical variation in the internal jugular vein (IJV), as well as its small size, tendency to collapse, and proximity to the common carotid artery (CCA) makes central venous cannulation via the IJV a technically challenging procedure, especially in pediatric patients.

Aim: We evaluated the effects of laryngeal mask airway insertion and endotracheal intubation (ETT) on the anatomical relationship between the IJV and the CCA in neutral and 40° head away positions.

Method: After parental consent 92 patients with ASA physical status I-II, aged 0-17, undergoing elective urological surgery were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the airway management device used for anesthesia: Group laryngeal mask airway (n = 63) and Group ETT (n = 29).

Clinical Characteristics and Low Vision Rehabilitation Methods for Partially Sighted School-Age Children.

Objectives: To determine the clinical features and the distribution of diagnosis in partially sighted school-age children, to report the chosen low vision rehabilitation methods and to emphasize the importance of low vision rehabilitation.

Materials And Methods: The study included 150 partially sighted children between the ages of 6 and 18 years. The distribution of diagnosis, accompanying ocular findings, visual acuity of the children both for near and distance with and without low vision devices, and the methods of low vision rehabilitation (for distance and for near) were determined.

Treatment-associated change in apelin concentration in patients with hypertension and its relationship with left ventricular diastolic function.

Objective: We examined the change in apelin concentration and its relationship with left ventricular diastolic function in patients treated for hypertension.

Methods: Ninety treatment-naive patients with newly diagnosed hypertension and 33 age- and sex-matched control subjects were prospectively enrolled. Patients with hypertension were randomized to treatment either with telmisartan 80 mg or amlodipine 10 mg.

The Relationship Between Glutathione S-Transferase-P1 and Beta-2 Adrenoreceptor Genotypes with Asthmatic Patients in the Turkish Population.

Background: Individual differences in the activity of enzymes that metabolize xenobiotics can impact health and disease. Beta-2 adrenoreceptor (ADRB2) is a functional G-coupled protein expressed in the vascular endothelium of lungs, alveolar walls, and the ganglions of cholinergic nerves which induces bronchodilation in response to catecholamines. Glutathione S-Transferase-P1 (GSTP1) is a candidate pi class GST gene, which controls pi class glutathione S-transferase activity.

Maternal Diabetes as an Independent Risk Factor for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Infants With Birth Weight of 1500 g or More.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between maternal diabetes and the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in infants with a birth weight of 1500 g or more.

Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Methods: Data of 78 premature infants from diabetic mothers were compared with data of 258 controls.

Quality-of-life in insect venom allergy: validation of the Turkish version of the "Vespid Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire" (VQLQ-T).

Purpose: "Vespid Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire (VQLQ)" has been used to assess psychological burden of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate validity, reliability and responsiveness to interventions of the Turkish version.

Methods: The Turkish language Questionnaire (VQLQ-T) was administered to 81 patients with bee allergy and 65 patients with vespid allergy from different groups to achieve cross-sectional validation.

Current Status of Hernia Centres Around the Globe.

Institutions specifically dedicated to treatment of abdominal wall hernias have gained popularity over the last years. This study aimed to determine the current situation of hernia centres worldwide. A web-based search was conducted using the common search engines Google and PubMed.

Medical students' self-efficacy in problem-based learning and its relationship with self-regulated learning.

Background: Problem-based learning (PBL) is most commonly used in medical education to enhance self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. Self-efficacy beliefs affect students' motivation through self-regulatory processes. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between medical students' self-reported SRL skills and their self-efficacy in PBL.

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence.

Introduction: The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), modified from Fagerström Tolerance Questionnairre (FTQ), is used to determine whether a smoker trying to quit will need nicotine replacement therapy to treat with drawal symptoms. The FTND has been translated into many languages and has been referred to in the smoking literature worldwide. However, only a few studies have examined the psychometric propertiesof the non-English FTND versions.

Immunologic alterations and efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in monosensitized and polysensitized patients.

Background: There is a continuing debate about whether monoallergen subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is able to modulate immune and clinical responses toward main causal allergen in polysensitized patients.

Objective: To investigate short-term immunologic changes and clinical effectiveness of SCIT with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in monosensitized and polysensitized patients who have rhinitis with or without asthma.

Methods: Nineteen monosensitized and 24 polysensitized patients participated in this prospective, self-placebo-controlled, interventional study.

The predictive value of noninvasive serum markers of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: This study aims to show the predictive value of noninvasive serum markers on the hepatic fibrosis level.

Materials And Methods: This cross sectional study involves 120 patients with chronic hepatitis C. The noninvasive markers used were as follows: age-platelet index (AP index), cirrhosis discriminant score (CDS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (AAR), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, AST-platelet ratio index (APRI), Goteborg University Cirrhosis Index (GUCI), FibroQ, King's score, platelet count.