Research Hospital Research Articles

Investigation of the Frequency of Premenstrual Syndrome and Its Effect on Quality of Life in Women Aged 18-45 Years Working in Adana City Training and Research Hospital

Investigation of the Frequency of Premenstrual Syndrome and Its Effect on Quality of Life in Women Aged 18-45 Years Working in Adana City Training and Research Hospital

The association of outdoor temperature and self-reported Raynaud's phenomenon severity among people with systemic sclerosis: a Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Cohort study

Raynaud's phenomenon is the earliest and most common systemic sclerosis manifestation. Episodes can be triggered by cold exposure and ambient temperature changes. Small studies have found that Raynaud's phenomenon outcomes were associated with season. We aimed to map the degree that differences in ambient temperature are associated with Raynaud's phenomenon outcomes across the temperature spectrum. People with Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis in the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Cohort completed past-week Raynaud's phenomenon severity assessments (0-10 numerical rating scale) at enrolment and longitudinally at 3-month intervals. Mean daily temperature and feels like temperature, which incorporates wind chill and humidity, for the week before each assessment were extracted for each participant from a weather site close to the participant's recruiting centre via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. We used linear mixed models with basis splines to flexibly model non-linear changes in Raynaud's phenomenon severity across the temperature spectrum. People with lived experience of systemic sclerosis contributed to the study design and interpretation. Between April 15, 2014 and Aug 1, 2023, we included data on 20 233 Raynaud's phenomenon severity assessments from 2243 participants. 1964 (88%) of 2243 participants were women, 279 (12%) were men, and 1813 (82%) were White. Mean age was 54·8 (SD 12·7) years. The maximum predicted Raynaud's phenomenon severity score was 6·8 points (95% CI 5·6-8·1), which occurred at -25°C. Severity scores decreased minimally from -15°C to 5°C (0·05-0·21 points per 5°C difference), then decreased in larger steps between 5°C and 25°C (0·37-0·54 points per 5°C difference). The minimum predicted score was at 25°C (2·6 points [95% CI 2·5-2·7]). Scores increased at temperatures above 25°C to 3·5 points (3·0-4·1) at 35°C and 5·6 points (4·5-6·8) at 40°C. Results were similar for feels like temperature. Raynaud's phenomenon severity is worst at very cold temperatures but also increases with very warm temperatures, presumably due to air conditioning. Clinical management and Raynaud's phenomenon intervention trial designs should consider temperature patterns. Scleroderma Society of Ontario, Scleroderma Canada, Sclérodermie Québec, Scleroderma Manitoba, Scleroderma Atlantic, Scleroderma Association of BC, Scleroderma SASK, Scleroderma Australia, Scleroderma New South Wales, Scleroderma Victoria, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Arthritis Society, the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research of the Jewish General Hospital, the Jewish General Hospital Foundation, and McGill University.

Pharmacotherapy profile for mothers with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder in a psychiatric mother–baby unit

AbstractBackgroundPharmacotherapy treatment is used to manage women with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder admitted to a mother–baby unit (MBU).AimThe aims of this study were (1) to examine prescribing practices for women with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder in an MBU, (2) to assess alignment with the Mental health care in the perinatal period: Australian clinical practice guideline and (3) to examine the classes of typical and atypical antipsychotics prescribed to mothers with schizophrenia.MethodA retrospective audit of women with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder admitted to a psychiatric MBU, located in Queensland, Australia, was conducted from March 2017–July 2019. The exclusion criteria included women admitted with depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and postpartum psychosis. Pharmacotherapy treatment details were extracted at commencement of admission, mid‐way through admission, and discharge. Descriptive statistics were completed. This project was exempt due to the local policy requirements that constitute research by the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee (Reference no: EX/2023/QGC/102306). The justification for this exemption was as follows: the study was deemed a quality improvement activity and complied with Chapter 2.3 of the National Statement of Ethical Conduct in Research and involved only routinely collected data.ResultsOf the 53 mothers included in the study, 29 (55%) had schizophrenia and 24 (45%) had bipolar affective disorder. In addition, 97% of women with schizophrenia received atypical antipsychotics. Five women (21%) with bipolar affective disorder (mean age = 31.60 years, standard deviation = 6.19 years) were prescribed sodium valproate, with four women given contraception. Sodium valproate or lamotrigine were prescribed to four women (67%) with bipolar affective disorder whilst breastfeeding. Of mothers prescribed lithium, 92% did not breastfeed. Overall, 44% of women involuntarily admitted received antipsychotic depot medication compared with 38% of voluntary patients. Results are discussed in relation to the national guidelines.ConclusionThis is the first naturalistic study to examine the pharmacotherapy management of postpartum women admitted to a psychiatric MBU with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder. The study highlights that prescribing patterns across three time points during admission were generally in alignment with Australian national guidelines.

Cervical sliding sign; does it have a contribution in cases of threatened preterm labor in singleton pregnancies with intact membranes?

ObjectiveTo investigate the contribution of the cervical sliding sign to conventional cervical length measurement in patients at risk of preterm labor. MethodsThe study, performed as a prospective cohort study, included patients admitted to a tertiary research hospital with a diagnosis of threatened preterm labor. The participants were divided into two groups: those who gave birth before and after 37 weeks of gestation. The clinical and demographic characteristics, cervical length, presence of a short cervix (SC), and cervical sliding sign (CSS) were compared between the groups. Furthermore, correlation and regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between the presence of a SC, the presence of CSS, and the coexistence of these two findings with preterm delivery, as well as the interval between the symptoms and delivery being less than four weeks. ResultsThe study included 77 patients who delivered prematurely and 65 patients who delivered at term. The following variables were significantly lower in the preterm delivery group: cervical length, gestational age at delivery, neonatal weight, and time between the first examination and delivery (p = 0.003, <0.001, <0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). A higher percentage of women in the preterm delivery group exhibited a diagnosis of a SC, the presence of CSS, and the coexistence of both conditions (p = 0.002, 0.012 and 0.018, respectively). The results of the logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds ratios for preterm delivery were 3.3 in the presence of a SC alone, 2.67 in the presence of CSS alone, and 2.85 in the association of both findings (p = 0.003, 0.013 and 0.021 respectively). The odds ratios for delivery in less than four weeks were 3.08 in the presence of a SC alone, 3.4 in the presence of CSS alone, and 3.54 in the association of both findings (p = 0.004, 0.002 and 0.005 respectively). ConclusionIn singleton pregnant women presenting with threatened preterm labor, the presence of CSS is associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery and a decreased presentation-to-delivery interval. However, its contribution to conventional cervical length measurement appears to be relatively limited.

Management of Proximal Migrated Biliary Stents: Single Center Experience

Background and Aims: Migration in biliary stents is one of the expected complications of biliary stenting. Since proximally migrated biliary stents may result in serious complications, management of proximally migrated biliary stents are important. In this study we aimed to evaluate our patients with proximally migrated biliary stents and review current medical literature. Materials and Methods: Patients with proximally migrated biliary stents who had endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography application at Health Sciences University, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology between September 2017- November 2022 were included in the study. Patients’ files and electronic database of our hospital were screened and evaluated retrospectively. Patients’ clinic and laboratory data were recorded. Results: The study included 57 patients. Mean age was 60.7 ± 14.5 (29-90) and 30 (52.6%) were male. Thirty four patients were asymptomatic other remaining patients presented with abdominal pain, jaundice, or fever. Fifteen (26.3%) patients had cholangitis and five patients had liver abscess during presentation. One patient died due to cholangitis associated with proximally migrated biliary stents. In 31 patients, proximally migrated biliary stents were removed successfully in our hospital. After stent removal, two patients had post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography complications (post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis and bleeding). Four patients had surgical intervention. In nine patients, stents were removed in external centers. In 13 patients, proximally migrated biliary stents could not be extracted. Conclusions: Proximal migration of biliary stents is an important complication of biliary stenting. Patients may be asymptomatic or symptomatic. Proximally migrated biliary stents may result in serious complications such as cholangitis, liver abscess and even death. Thus, early diagnosis and proper treatment are important in these patients. Proximally migrated biliary stents may be removed in most patients with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

The Phenotype-Genotype Correlations of FMF Patients: A Single Center Study

Purpose: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive, auto-inflammatory disease that is characterized by recurrent fever and polyserositis episodes like peritonitis, arthritis, and pleuritis. The disease occurs most commonly in populations of Jewish, Turkish, Armenian, and Arabian origin. We aimed to show the genotype-phenotype relationship in FMF patients in our centre. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical registries of 200 FMF pediatric patients from Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Nephrology Policlinic between 2011 and 2017. The diagnosis was based on the Tel-Hashomer clinical diagnostic criteria. We used the severity score recommended by Pras in 1998. Clinical data and baseline investigations were collected. Mutation analysis was performed by the amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR method. Findings: Females represented 54% and ages ranged from 40-210 months. The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain, fever, and arthralgia.Among the 200 patients, 41 (20,5%) were homozygous, 63 (31,5%) were compound heterozygous, and 96 (48%) were heterozygous for MEFV mutations. The first 3 most common mutations were heterozygotus R202Q, M694V/R202Q and heterozygotus E148Q respectively., which was statistically significant. M694V mutation was positive in at least one allele in 72 patients studied. The symptom of fever and arthralgia were found to be significantly higher in patients with M694V mutation. Also, the number of episodes in one year before treatment, PRAS score and the values of fibrinogen during episodes were higher in M694V patients as a result, the age at diagnosis was found to be earlier in patients with homozygotus M694V mutation. The ratio of female gender and myalgia was significantly higher in patinets with the mutation of R202Q homozygotus. The number of episodes in one year before treatment was lower in R202Q patients when compared to the M694V carriers, therefore the initiation age to colchicine was later in the R202Q group which was statistically significant. İmplications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Our results support the notion that the genotype influences the phenotype as regards clinical manifestations, disease severity, and colchicine response.

Impact of high triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in non-st segment elevation myocardial infarction

Introductıon: Globally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death. Among these risk factors, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM) are significant pathological disorders that lead to this illness. In addition to being a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance is a prevalent characteristic of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. It has been demonstrated that the triglyceride/HDL ratio is a valid indicator of insulin resistance. In this study, we tried to emphasize the criticality of early intervention in NSTEMI patients by revealing whether the TG/HDL ratio indicating insulin resistance is different between NSTEMI and ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Methods: Patients admitted to a training and research hospital with a prediagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and diagnosed as having NSTEMI or STEMI were included in the study. Our study included 113 NSTEMI and 166 STEMI patients. Results: In NSTEMI patients, the mean HDL value was 39 (25-65) mg/dl, the mean LDL value was 105 (29-244) mg/dl, the mean T. cholesterol value was 180 (78-356) mg/dl, and the mean triglyceride value was 136 (37-360) mg/dl. When NSTEMI patients were compared with STEMI patients in terms of TG/HDL ratio, NSTEMI patients were significantly higher. (p:0.027; p

Evaluation of volume measurements of neuroanatomical structures related to speech in multiple sclerosis patients.

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) may experience various speech-related issues, including decreased speech rate, increased pauses, and changes in speech rhythms. The purpose of this study was to compare the volumes of speech-related neuroanatomical structures in MS patients with those in a control group. The research was conducted in the Neurology and Radiology Departments of Malatya Training and Research Hospital. The records of patients who presented to the Neurology Department between 2019 and 2022 were examined. The study included the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of 100 individuals, with 50 in the control group and 50 patients with MS, who had applied to the hospital in the specified years. VolBrain is a free system that works automatically over the internet (http://volbrain.upv.es/), enabling the measurement of brain volumes without human interaction. The acquired images were analyzed using the VolBrain program. As a result of our research, a significant decrease was found in the volume of 18 of 26 speech-related regions in MS patients. It was determined that whole brain volumes decreased in the MS group compared to the control group. In our study, volume measurements of more speech-related areas were performed, unlike the few related studies previously conducted. We observed significant atrophy findings in the speech-related areas of the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes of MS patients.

Examination of the transport characteristics of pediatric trauma patients.

Injury is an important public health problem in the pediatric age group and one of the leading global causes of morbidity and mortality. The fact that pediatric trauma has a significant impact on patients, families, and countries shows the need for a better understanding of this phenomenon. This study investigates the demographic characteristics, reasons for admission to the hospital, and diagnoses of pediatric trauma patients who received prehospital emergency health services. This study was designed as a retrospective observational study and included all patients under the age of 18 who received emergency healthcare due to trauma and were registered in the Emergency Health Automation System after a call was placed to the emergency call center between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2022. Information such as the reason for calling an ambulance, ICD-10 diagnosis codes, mechanism of injury, time of arrival at the scene, transport duration from the scene to the hospital, and reasons for interfacility transfers were collected for all patients. A total of 37,420 patients were included in the analysis. Seventeen patients were found dead at the scene of the trauma and 35 patients experienced cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital from the scene. The difference between age groups in terms of time from arrival at the scene to arrival at the hospital was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Falls were the most common cause of trauma in all age groups, followed by traffic accidents. Patients requiring a specialist and transferred primarily for fall-related injuries were in direct proportion to the total number of cases (65.0%, n = 1838), followed by cases of traffic accidents and sports injuries. Most of the secondary transports were made to a training and research hospital or state hospital. Targeted preventive measures and community education should address the specific causes of trauma that are more prevalent in certain age groups. Early identification of special patient groups that typically require secondary transport can reduce mortality and morbidity related to trauma by facilitating direct transfers to appropriate hospitals.

Emergency Radiology in the First 24 h of Two Major Earthquakes on the Same Day and Radiologic Evaluation of Trauma Cases.

On 6 February 2023, two major earthquakes occurred in Turkey on the same day. More than 50,000 people died, and more than 100,000 people were injured in these earthquakes. The aim of this study is to contribute to disaster management plans by evaluating the functioning of a radiology department and the imaging examinations performed after this disaster. The functioning of the radiology clinic at Malatya Training and Research Hospital in the first 24 h after the earthquake was evaluated. The images of 596 patients who were admitted to Malatya Training and Research Hospital for earthquake-related trauma between 6 February 2023, at 4:17 a.m. and 7 February 2023, at 4:17 a.m., and who underwent radiography and computed tomography (CT) were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age of the patients was 37.3 ± 20.1 years. A total of 313 (52.5%) patients were male. The most frequently performed imaging test was a CT scan. In total, 437 (73.3%) of 596 patients underwent a CT scan. At least one body part was affected in 160 patients (26.8%). The most commonly affected regions were the thorax, vertebrae, and extremities. Thoracic findings were observed in 52 patients (32.5%), vertebral findings in 52 patients (32.5%), and extremity findings in 46 patients (28.7%). Fractures were the most common finding in our study. Of the 160 patients with pathologic findings, 139 (86.9%) had evidence of fractures. The role of radiology in disasters is important. When disaster preparedness plans are made, radiology departments should be actively involved in these plans. This will ensure the quick and efficient functioning of radiology departments.

Impact of Candidemia on Survival Rates in Major Burn Patients: A Retrospective Study from the South of Türkiye

Abstract Objective In severely burned patients, fungal infections are among the most devastating complications. Candidemia is an important cause of mortality with an increasing incidence despite advances in burn care management. Higher affected body surface area, long intensive care unit (ICU) stay, flame burn, third-degree burn, and previous bacterial infections were associated with the development of candidemia. Candidemia in patients with major burns admitted to an ICU of a tertiary burns center is investigated. Methods Patients hospitalized in the ICU of Adana City Training and Research Hospital from July 1, 2017, to November 10, 2020, were included. The demographic and clinical variables, the Candida species isolated from blood cultures and their antifungal susceptibilities, need for grafting, complications, and rate of mortality are evaluated retrospectively. Patients were grouped as “candidemia” or “noncandidemia” according to whether or not they experienced Candida bloodstream infection. Results A total of 371 patients were included; the mean age was 22.02 ± 20.9 years. Most patients were male (69.5%). The percentage of burned surface area was 25.93 ± 17.6. The mean ICU stay was 16.95 ± 16.3 days. There were 90 candidemia episodes in 69 patients. The most commonly isolated Candida species were C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, and C. albicans. The mortality rates in the candidemia and noncandidemia groups were 24.6 and 5.6%, respectively (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion Adhering to isolation rules, early wound debridement and closure, avoidance of catheters where possible, and avoidance of the early use of broad-spectrum antibiotics are important measures in reducing candidemia in patients with major burns. Candidemia was associated with greater burn surface areas, duration of hospital stay, and larger numbers of interventional procedures. However, previous bacterial infection receiving prolonged antibiotic therapy was the greatest risk factor of candidemia. Culture results are important to select the antifungal agent with high susceptibility, but results are not rapidly available. There is need for early clinical prediction measures to inform early and effective antifungal treatment.

Evaluation of The Relationship Between Communication Skills and Psychosocial Care Skills of Nurses

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between nurses' communication skills and psychosocial care skills. Methods: The study was a descriptive and cross-sectional quantitative research that was conducted with nurses working in a training and research hospital between January and May 2022. Population of the study consisted of 255 nurses working in the related hospital. The study was completed with a total of 180 nurses who were voluntary to participate in the study and met the inclusion criteria, without using sample selection. A Participant Information Form, the Psychosocial Care Competence Self-Assessment Scale (PCCSAS), and the Communication Skills Inventory (CSI) were used to collect data. Results: It was found that the nurses' communication skills inventory total mean score was 169.65±13.72. There was no significant correlation between the total score of communication skills inventory and the socio-demographic and professional characteristics of the nurses (P&amp;gt;.05). The nurses' PCCSAS total mean score was 64.28±13.13. The PCCSAS total score differed significantly only according to the unit worked and the number of patients per nurse (P=.008; P=.040). There was a statistically significant and positive correlation between CSI total score and PCCSAS total score (r=0.242; P&amp;lt;.01). Conclusion: It is thought that training should be organised at regular intervals for nurses to improve their knowledge and skills about communication and psychosocial care, and the efficiency of the training should be evaluated periodically for patient and nurse groups.

Analysis of amputations occurring in the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş: Adıyaman experience.

Amputations are a common surgical procedure resulting from trauma during earthquakes, leading to severe disability. This study aims to investigate surgical outcomes specific to amputations that occurred in Adıyaman after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. This descriptive study included amputees who presented to Adıyaman University Training and Research Hospital. Between March 6, 2024 and March 29, 2024, amputees were contacted by phone and asked the questions in the form. Data analyzed included demographic information, number and level of amputated extremities, phantom limb pain, stump infection, extrication time, time to initiation of rehabilitation, number of revision, and whether a prosthesis was fitted. The study reached 75 amputees. The mean age was 37.9 ± 19.2, and the most frequently amputated age group was adults. Stump infection was observed in 40 amputees (53.3%), phantom limb pain in 47 (62.6%),and revision in 29 (38.7%). The median extrication time was 36h and initiation of rehabilitation time was 45 days. It was noted that 35 amputees (62.5%) used prostheses. A statistically significant relationship was found between fasciotomy and stump infection (p = .000). Infection was detected in 65% of those who underwent fasciotomy. Earthquake-related amputations most frequently affected the adult age group and primarily involved lower extremity amputations, such as transfemoral and transtibial amputations. Phantom limb pain, need for revision, and infection are common in earthquake-induced amputations. Delayed fasciotomy increases the risk of stump infection. The data obtained in this study will help plan local health services to coordinate amputation care in disasters.

The Impact of Legalizing Medical Aid in Dying on Patient Trust: A Randomized Controlled Survey Study.

Background: Some commentators and several professional medical associations have expressed concern that legalizing medical aid in dying ("MAID") will undermine patient trust in the medical profession, particularly among historically disadvantaged patient populations. While this concern remains influential, it has been subject to limited empirical scrutiny. Objectives: This study aims to empirically assess whether MAID legalization undermines patient trust, with considerations of potential trust/demographic correlations in marginalized and minority patient populations. Design: We developed an RCT survey study that assessed patients' trust in the medical professional using the Abbreviated Wake Forest Scale ("AWFS"). Two versions of the survey were used, each distributed at random to half of participants. One survey version included notification that MAID had been legalized in the jurisdiction where patients were receiving care and the other version omitted this information. Setting/Population: We surveyed capacitated, English-speaking adult patients who were receiving care at a not-for-profit, 912-bed academic and research hospital in Washington, D.C. Of those invited to participate, 494 patients (63.2%) completed all AWFS questions, and 70.1% identified as Black or African American and 32.9% as having a physical or mental disability. Conclusions: Most of the participants not notified that MAID was legal in DC were not aware of this fact (92.5%). Patients who were notified that MAID was legal in DC were significantly more likely to report approval of MAID legalization (p = 0.0410), but showed no significant difference in AWFS score for trust in their physicians. The study did not substantiate concerns that legalizing medical aid in dying undermines patient trust in the medical profession.

Mothers' phubbing behaviors and parental role: A cross-sectional correlational study

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to determine the relationship between mothers' phubbing behaviors and the parental role. MethodsThe study was conducted as a cross-sectional correlational design with the mothers of 340 babies hospitalized in the pediatric clinics of a training and research hospital in X between March 2023 and September 2023. An introductory information form, the Generic Scale of Phubbing and the Self-Perception of Parental Scale were used in the study. Mothers filled out the data collection forms face to face within 15-20 minutes. ResultsIt was found that the mean age was 29.65 ± 4.38 years, the mean hours of using social media per day was 6.86 ± 1.64, and the mean hours spent with the baby was 20.40 ± 3.78 for mothers. There was a negative relationship between The Generic Scale of Phubbing- Interpersonal Conflict sub-dimension mean score (−0.264; <0.001), Problem Acknowledgement sub-dimension mean score (−0.118; 0.030) and total mean score (−0.145; 0.007) with the Self-Perception of Parental Scale-Competence sub-dimension mean score. ConclusionThis study found a relationship between mothers' phubbing behavior and their parental roles. It suggests investigating this important issue with different variables. Implications to practicePediatric nurses can provide training to reduce mothers' phubbing behaviors or develop practices to change phubbing behaviors.

Evaluation of Ophthalmic Artery Doppler Parameters in Preeclamptic and Normotensive Pregnant Women.

Preeclampsia, whose pathophysiology is still not fully elucidated today, is a pregnancy-specific disease that affects most organ systems in pregnant women, including the central nervous system. In this context, we aimed to investigate the effects of preeclampsia on blood flow in the ophthalmic artery of the eye, which is considered a part of the central nervous system. This prospective, non-interventional cohort study was conducted between February 2022 and June 2022 at Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istanbul, Turkey. Forty-six normotensive healthy pregnant women constituted the control group and 46 preeclamptic pregnant women constituted the preeclampsia group. Prenatal follow-up and delivery of the participants were carried out in our clinic. First, an obstetric ultrasound was performed on all participants with the same ultrasound device and the same clinician. Then, Doppler measurements of the ophthalmic artery of both eyes were made by the same clinician using the linear probe of the same ultrasound. Both groups were compared in terms of the first peak of systolic velocity (PSV), second PSV, pulsatility index (PI), PSV ratio, end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistance index (RI), and systolic/diastolic ratio (S/D) measurements of the ophthalmic artery. RESULTS : The first PSV, second PSV, PSV ratio, and EDV were significantly higher in the preeclampsia group than in the control group (p=0.001, p<0.001, p=0.019, p<0.001, respectively). According to the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the second PSV with a cut-off value of 43.75 cm/s was the most powerful ophthalmic artery Doppler parameter in detecting preeclampsia with 63% sensitivity and 63% specificity. No significant difference was found between the early and late onset or mild and severe preeclampsia groups in terms of ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters. Although the number of participants was too small to draw a definitive conclusion, the second PSV seems to be the most powerful parameter for the detection of preeclampsia. Studies with larger series are needed to determine the usability of ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters in the routine clinical diagnosis of preeclampsia and follow-up of the disease.

Assessment of physicians’ knowledge, thoughts, and attitudes regarding the phytovigilance system

ABSTRACT Background In this study, physicians’ awareness of phytovigilance and their knowledge of safety processes for herbal products were evaluated for the first time in Türkiye. Research design and methods A descriptive quantitative study was conducted using face-to-face interview techniques with physicians working in a training and research hospital in Türkiye. A total of 268 (35.2%) questionnaires with appropriate data quality were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0. The factors that had the strongest effect on phytovigilance awareness were determined by binary logistic regression analysis. Values of p < 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. Results The survey results revealed that 45.5% of physicians were aware of the concept of phytovigilance. Physicians who knew that adverse effects were reported due to the use of herbal products, physicians who asked about the use of herbal products while taking their patients’ medical history, and specialist physicians had higher awareness of the concept of phytovigilance. Only 30.2% of participants were aware that feedback on adverse reactions from herbal products was being collected and only 27.2% were aware that there was a phytovigilance contact point in the hospital. Conclusion The awareness of physicians regarding phytovigilance should be increased. Physicians should ask about the use of herbal products while taking medical history, identify possible adverse effects associated with herbal products, and provide feedback.

The Association of Depression with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Cystic and Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cystic fibrosis (CF) are chronic conditions that profoundly impact quality of life. OSA, characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway collapse, can exacerbate CF symptoms due to nocturnal airway obstruction. Recent studies highlight the prevalence of OSA in CF patients, especially in adults, and its detrimental effects on health and quality of life. From April 2019 to December 2021, we conducted a study with 104 bronchiectasis patients at Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital. After exclusions, 70 participants (35 CF and 35 non-CF) were included. Sleep parameters were assessed with polysomnography, and depressive mood was evaluated using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Daytime sleepiness was measured using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). The statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Among the CF patients, depressive mood was significantly associated with female sex (OR: 4.28, 95% CI: 1.27-12.04) and anemia (OR: 7.87, 95% CI: 1.50-41.27). Higher ESS scores indicated greater daytime sleepiness in the depressive groups (p = 0.051). Depressive CF patients also had a significantly longer disease duration and more frequent annual exacerbations. No significant differences were found in total sleep time, sleep efficiency, or sleep stages between the depressive and non-depressive groups. A lower forced vital capacity (FVC) was observed in the depressive CF patients, although not significantly. Depression is prevalent among adult CF patients with OSA, with significant associations with female sex and anemia. These findings underscore the need for integrated care addressing both physical and mental health aspects, including interventions for respiratory symptoms, anemia management, and sleep quality enhancement to improve overall quality of life.

Retrospective Radiology Research: Do We Need Informed Patient Consent?

While knowledge of the population's view on the need for informed consent for retrospective radiology research may provide valuable insight into how an optimal balance can be achieved between patient rights versus an expedited advancement of radiology science, this is a topic that has been ignored in the literature so far. To investigate the view of the general population, survey data were collected from 2407 people representative of the Dutch population. The results indicate that for non-commercial institutions, especially hospitals (97.4 per cent), respondents agree with the retrospective use of imaging data, although they generally indicate that their explicit consent is required. However, most respondents (63.5 per cent) would never allow commercial firms to retrospectively use their imaging data. When including only respondents who completed the minimally required reading time of 12.3s to understand the description about retrospective radiology research given in the survey (n = 770), almost all (98.9 per cent) mentioned to have no objections for their imaging data to be used by hospitals for retrospective research, with 57.9 per cent indicating their consent to be required and 41.0 per cent indicating that explicit patient consent to be unnecessary. We conclude that the general population permits retrospective radiology research by hospitals, and a substantial proportion indicates explicit patient consent to be unnecessary when understanding what retrospective radiology research entails. However, the general population's support for the unrestricted retrospective use of imaging data for research purposes without patient consent decreases for universities not linked to hospitals, other non-commercial institutions, government agencies, and particularly commercial firms.

The Effect of Supine, Semi-Fowler’s, and Fowler’s Positions on the Blood Pressure Values of Patients Hospitalized in Surgical Clinics

&lt;b&gt;Aim:&lt;/b&gt; Blood pressure measurement is an integral part of clinical practice in patient care and treatment, as well as being of critical importance in the early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the complications of hypertension. This study was carried out to determine the effect of supine, semi-Fowler’s, and Fowler’s positions on the blood pressure values of patients hospitalized in surgical clinics.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Material and methods:&lt;/b&gt; This quasi-experimental study was carried out with 112 preoperative surgical patients hospitalized in the surgical clinics of a training and research hospital. Using a bedside monitor, the patients' systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured in the supine, Fowler’s, and semi-Fowler’s positions. The Pearson correlation coefficient, Mauchly's sphericity, ANOVA, and Bonferroni correction were used in the data analysis.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;i&gt; &lt;/i&gt;While systolic blood pressure values did not differ between the supine and semi-Fowler’s positions (F = .007, p = .934), there was a significant difference between the semi-Fowler’s and Fowler’s positions (F =5.534, p = .020). Diastolic blood pressure values differed significantly between the supine and semi-Fowler’s (F = 7.406, p = .008) and semi-Fowler’s and Fowler’s (F = 9.038, p = .003) positions.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; It is vital for nurses to establish procedures for blood pressure measurement and evaluation in the clinic and other team members and periodically revise the existing procedures.