University Medicine Faculty Research Articles

Assessment of the Distribution of Intestinal Parasites Detected in the Parasitology Laboratory of Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine Between 2017 and 2021.

It is known that protozoa and helminths that cause intestinal infections adversely affect human life. Changing climate and demographic and socio-economic factors worldwide necessitate the determination and updating of the incidence of these parasites. Our study aimed to retrospectively examine the distribution of intestinal parasites detected in the Parasitology Laboratory of Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine between 2017 and 2021. Parasitological examinations were performed using the native-lugol and formol-ether condensation method. Staining method (Modified Ziehl-Neelsen) and cellophane tape method were then applied to evaluate the specimens considered necessary. One or more parasites were detected in 33 of 373 patients (8.8%) evaluated in the study. These were Giardia intestinalis at a rate of 30.5% (11/36), Enterobius vermicularis at a rate of 27.7% (10/36), Blastocystis sp. at a rate of 19.4% (7/36), Entamoeba coli at a rate of 11.1% (4/36), Cryptosporidium spp. at a rate of 8.3% (3/36) and Taenia saginata at a rate of 2.7% (1/36). It was determined that two patients were coinfected by Entamoeba coli and Blastocystis sp. while one patient was coinfected by Entamoeba coli and Giardia intestinalis. It is thought that determining the incidence of intestinal parasites, which are an important public health problem, may help guide studies for preventive health services. Although the five-year laboratory data obtained from the study do not reflect our region, it is thought that intestinal parasites maintain their importance.

RURAL OBSTACLES AND CAREER ANXIETIES: VOCATIONAL CONCERNS AMONG MEDICAL INTERNS

Medical students face a multitude of challenges including rigorous exams, exposure to diseases and death, and the stress and anxiety associated with preparing for the Medical Specialty Exam (MSE). We aimed to determine what are the primary reasons for vocational future concerns among intern doctors, and are there gender differences in the causes and levels of the concerns. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine between July 2019 and March 2020, and 148 interns whose informed consent was obtained were included in the study. The data were collected by 5-point Likert type scale for interns' future concerns, consisted of 15 items, and 3 subdimensions. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.89. Of the 148 participants with a mean age of 23.9 years, 43.9% were male, and 56.1% were female. The main reasons for concern were "inability to prepare for the medical specialty exam (68%)" and "failure to pass the MSE (58%)". These had been followed by concerns about “compulsory service in the eastern regions", “dealing with medical emergencies”, and other professional incompetence. Few interns reported that they were worried about being unemployed (13%). We determined that the vocational concerns of the females were significantly higher than the males, especially about working in the eastern regions, medical emergencies, and clinical skills (p

C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio levels as indicators of chronic inflammation in patients with metabolic syndrome

Aims: Although it has been stated in studies conducted in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) that elevated serum fibrinogen and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) may be due to chronic inflammation, sufficient studies have not been conducted on International normalized ratio (INR) and prothrombin time (PT). The aim of this study is to examine the fibrinogen, INR and PT levels of patients with MetS and to investigate the relationship between these parameters and MetS components. Methods: A total of 56 patients, 19 males and 37 females were included in our study who applied to the Internal Medicine outpatient clinic of Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine and met the MetS diagnostic criteria. The control group consists of a total of 64 people, 35 men and 29 women, who have at least one of the MetS criteria and do not have a chronic disease. Fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (Total-C), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), creatinine, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), PT, INR and fibrinogen levels were examined from the available samples. Data were compared between healthy and patient groups. Results: As a result of our study, it was determined that the CRP level was significantly higher in the patient group (p<0.01). The average fibrinogen level was calculated as 3.56 g/l in the patient group and 2.95 g/l in the control group, and a significant difference was detected when the two groups were compared (p<0.001). The average PT value was 13.1 in the patient group and 12.04 in the control group and a significant difference was detected between both groups (p<0.001). The average INR level was 1.14 in the patient group and 1.04 in the control group and a significant difference was detected between both groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: MetS is associated with high CRP. In patients with MetS, PT, INR and fibrinogen levels are also high. In the follow-up and treatment of patients with MetS, the presence of chronic inflammation and factors affecting the coagulation system should be taken into consideration.

Comparative morphometric analyses of the 2:4 finger ratio and nasal structure in young adults.

The 2:4 finger ratio (2D:4D ratio) refers to the length ratio of the second to the fourth finger of the hand. Studies on the 2D:4D ratio have long established that this ratio tends to be lower in males than in females. Our study aims to investigate the correlation between the 2.4 finger ratio and nasal structure among young adults aged 18-25 through detailed morphometric analysis. The study was conducted on 205 students (Female:127, Male:78) aged between 18 and 25years studying at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Medicine. Morphometric measurements of the hand and nose were also measured and recorded by the same researcher. The volunteers were divided into eight groups for age and four groups for BMI. Statistical analysis was performed and p < 0.05 was considered significant. The evaluation revealed significant differences between sexes and the 2D:4D ratio. While no significant relationship was found between age and the 2D:4D ratio, correlations were present with some nasal parameters. A significant relationship was found between the BMI and the right hand 2D:4D ratio (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between the BMI and certain nasal parameters. Furthermore, significant relationships were identified between the 2D:4D ratio and certain nasal parameters (p < 0.05). The data obtained from our study will contribute to the understanding of nasal development, sex determination in forensic medicine, and the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies related to the nose. Additionally, it will assist clinicians involved in planning any nasal operations in describing anatomical points related to this region.

Violence and bullying at school: 10-year data from the Forensic Medicine Department of a University Hospital in Türkiye.

Violence at school is broadly defined as a range of acts including physical, psychological, and sexual violence, as well as bullying. These can occur at school, in the school environment, on the way to school, or in any school-related environment. Considering the school environment as the place where a child spends most of their daily life, its impact on the child's life cannot be underestimated. This study aims to contribute to the literature by sharing characteristics of school violence and bullying cases with forensic reports prepared in our department, and by presenting solution suggestions for detecting and preventing these issues. Between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2022, a total of 14,330 forensic reports issued by the Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, were analyzed. It was found that 125 cases involved school violence. Five cases involving non-students were excluded, leaving 120 student cases for inclusion in the study. Sociodemographic data, type of violence, incident location, educational stage, injury origin, and psychiatric assessment results were assessed. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the SPSS 29.0 package. Of the 120 cases analyzed, 90 (75%) were male, and 30 (25%) were female. The cases were most frequently subjected to violence at the secondary education stage (n=73, 60.8%) and, secondarily, at the primary education stage (n=36, 30%). When the type of violence was analyzed, it was found that physical violence was the most common (n=96, 80%), followed by sexual violence (n=21, 17.5%). Among these, 91.1% (n=82) of males and 43.3% (n=13) of females were exposed to physical and sexual violence, respectively. A statistically significant relationship was found between the type of violence and gender (p<0.001). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was the most common diagnosis among those who underwent psychiatric assessments after experiencing violence (n=15, 45.5%). To effectively combat violence and bullying, we believe that strategies based on analyzing the causes of bullying in schools across different cultures, planning and implementing appropriate interventions tailored to the problem area, and preventing recurrence by disseminating the results will yield more effective outcomes.

Morphometric Investigation of Nasal Structure with Nasal Septum Deviation in Young Adults and Correlation with 2:4 Digit Ratio

Aim: The nose, both anatomically and esthetically, is a central feature of the human face. This study aims to morphometrically investigate the nasal structure with septal deviation in young adults and examine its correlation with 2:4 digit ratio. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 194 volunteers (female: 100 and male: 94), aged 18–25 years, studying at Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara. Volunteers with nasal septum deviation were included in the study. Initially, participants’ height and weight measurements were taken, followed by morphometric measurements of the nasal and hand regions by the same researcher. Body mass index (BMI) was also calculated. Subsequently, the volunteers were divided into eight age groups for age and four for BMI. The data were analyzed using the Student’s t-test for normally distributed continuous variables and the Mann–Whitney U-test for ordinal or nonnormally distributed continuous variables. P &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Initially, the averages and standard deviations of parametric data taken from the nose and hand according to gender, age, and BMI were calculated. Then, the nasal and hand parameters were statistically evaluated according to gender, age, and BMI. The correlation between nasal parameters and the 2:4 digit ratio was also examined. The evaluation revealed statistically significant differences and correlation relationships between the parameters (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: The data obtained from our study will assist clinicians involved in evaluating nasal development, determining gender in forensic medicine, diagnosing and treating pathologies related to the nose, describing anatomical points in surgical procedures applied to this region, and planning these surgical procedures.

Evaluation of lamina cribrosa curvature index in different types of glaucoma.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the lamina cribrosa curvature index in different types of glaucoma in comparison with clinical findings and conventional measurement methods. Patients older than 18years who were followed up in Glaucoma Unit of Department of Ophthalmology at Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, whose disease had been under control at least for 1year, who had at least three reliable visual fields, whose refractive error was between - 6 and + 5 diopter and who did not have any disease other than glaucoma that would affect the visual field, were included in the study. Clinical and demographic characteristics, visual field, optical coherence tomography and lamina cribrosa curvature index (LCCI) results were evaluated. The study patients were divided into six groups: early-stage primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) as group 1 and intermediate-advanced stage POAG as group 2, pseudo-exfoliation glaucoma (PEXG) as group 3, normal tension glaucoma (NTG) as group 4, ocular hypertension patients whom subsequently developed POAG as group 5 and healthy control as group 6. A total of 189 eyes of 101 patients were included in our study. Forty-seven patients were male (46.5%) and 54 were female (53.5%). The mean age was 62.43 ± 1.49years. LCCI, mean deviation (MD), visual field index (VFI), pattern standard deviation (PSD) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) values were analyzed in all groups and Pearson correlation analysis showed statistically significant correlation between PSD and RNFL measurements with LCCI values in all groups. MD value was correlated with LCCI in groups 2, 3 and 4, while VFI value was correlated with LCCI in all groups except group 5. When the groups were compared with each other according to the Post-Hoc Tamhane test, LCCI measurement showed statistically significant results in accordance with MD, VFI, PSD and RNFL values. The LCCI assessment is mostly consistent with conventional tests. In this study, in which different types of glaucoma and healthy subjects were examined simultaneously, LCCI shows promise as a detailed and reliable assessment method.

A NEEDS-BASED STUDY İN HOSPİTAL STAFF TRAİNİNG

Objective: Education is a continuous and active process and it is important to ensure continuity. Training of healthcare personnel is important to improve efficiency and the first condition is to identify training needs. In this study, our hospital it is intended to analyze the training needs of its employees. Gereç ve Yöntemler: In Hospital of Balıkesir University Faculty of Medicine, employees were included in the survey study, which was conducted to determine the training needs of hospital employees according to the Quality Standards in Health (SKS). Results: According to the survey results with 130 participants, 25.4% of the respondents said they did not need new information in professional matters, they did not feel inadequate, and 74.6% said they needed it. Professional information and training, especially when starting a new job request preferences come first. Employees also stated that they have access to information from the internet, institutional training programs, books, and are most benefited from the institutional guides and resources. In the institutional training programs, the subjects of Patient and Employee Rights, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency situations and Disaster Management have been the most requested training subjects. Conclusion: Every institution should make these evaluations in certain periods and train education accordingly. In this study, the training and preferences of our staff are evaluated and these improvement works are planned. It was concluded that it would be beneficial to provide trainings on the subjects that are needed, to be more active in training especially for those who are new to the profession and to use institutional guides more frequently.

Are Meteorin-Like Peptide and Asprosin Important in the Diagnosis of Breast Tumors?

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common and leading causes of death in women. Therefore, early and accurate diagnosis is vital.In this study, meteorin-like (METRNL) peptide and asprosin levels were examined in breast tissue in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast, and the roles of these molecules in the diagnosis of BC were investigated. In this retrospective study, tissues from patients with BC in the Pathology Department Laboratory of Fırat University Faculty of Medicine,Elazığ, Turkey, were used. Samples from 30 patients were used. The control group consisted of healthy breast tissues from the same patients. The pathology group consisted of breast tissues with IDC from the same patients.Breast tissue samples from both groups were evaluated immunohistochemically for METRNL and asprosin. Statistically significant differences were observed between both groups in terms of METRNL and asprosin. It was observed that METRNL and asprosin immunoreactivities were higher in breast tissues with IDC than in healthy breast tissues (p<0.001). When the study results were evaluated, it was seen that there was a significant relationship between healthy breast tissuesand the ones with IDC in terms of METRNL and asprosin. It is thought that both METRNL and asprosin may be really important in the future for the early diagnosis and treatment of BC.

Item Analysis in Multiple Choice Questions: A Study on Question Difficulty and Authors’ Evaluation

Introduction: Multiple choice questions (MCQs) are widely used in medical education. Difficulty Index (DIF I), Discrimination Index (DI), and Distractor Efficiency (DE) are the most commonly used item analyses. MCQ authors should anticipate the possible difficulty level in writing their questions and carefully arrange distractors. This study aims to evaluate the quality of MCQ and the predictions of MCQ authors about the difficulty levels of their questions. Methods: In this study, the DIF I, DI and DE values of 688 MCQs in the exams held in the first year of the 2021-2022 academic year of Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine were investigated. The effect of the number of Non-Functional Distractors (NFD) on DIF I and DI, and the compliance between the DIF I predictions of the question authors and the actual values was evaluated. Results: DIF I mean was 0.57±0.21, and 47.5% was at the ideal difficulty level. There was a significant difference between the estimated and the actual DIF I (p=0.002). The DI average was 0.31 ± 0.17, and the discrimination level of 43.6% was excellent. 36.8% of distractors were NFD. MCQ's difficulty and discriminatory ability were significantly different according to the number of NFDs (p=0.000 for all). Discussion: It was determined that the number of NFDs significantly affected difficulty and discriminatory ability. There was a difference between the estimates of the difficulty and the actual values. Reducing the number of options in MCQs and being more careful when crafting questions can improve the quality of the questions.

Long-term follow-up of patients with Brugada syndrome: Foremost risk factors associated with overall arrhythmic events.

Brugada syndrome (BS) is characterized by ST segment elevation in right precordial leads (V1-V3), ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF), and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in individuals without structural heart disease. The aim of this study is to contribute to the controversial issue of finding the most valuable marker that can predict poor prognosis during follow-up in patients with a diagnosis of BS. A total of 68 patients diagnosed with BS or had Brugada-type ECG change between January 1997 and July 2012 at the Department of Cardiology of Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey, were included in this cohort study. Patients were screened every 6 months for arrhythmia-related syncope, SCD, appropriate and inappropriate defibrillation (shock), AF development and death; collectively defined as "arrhythmic events" and were the primary endpoints. Patients with and without arrhythmic events were compared. The mean age was 34.9 ± 12.2 years (9-71 years), and 52 (76.5%) patients were male. Mean follow-up was 49.6 ± 37.6 months (4-188 months). Univariate analysis showed that male sex (P = .004), type 1 electrocardiographic pattern (P = .008), SCD (P = .036), VT/VF history (P = .046), requirement for electrophysiological studies (P = .034), implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement (P = .014) were found to demonstrate significant differences in patients with and without arrhythmic events. In multivariable analyzes, spontaneous type 1 ECG presence (HR = 8.54, 95% CI: 0.38-26.37; P = .003) and VT/VF history (HR = 9.21, 95% CI: 0.004-1.88; P = .002) were found to be independently associated with arrhythmic events. We found the presence of spontaneous type 1 ECG and a history of VT/VF to be associated with increased likelihood of overall arrhythmic events in BS. Given the higher risk of poor prognosis, we recommend additional measures in patients with BS who have these features.

Tobacco Use Status of Medical Faculty Students and Evaluation of Affecting Factors.

The aim of the study is to determine the tobacco use status of first and fifth grade students studying at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine in the 2022-2023 academic year and to evaluate the factors affecting tobacco use. MATERIAL ANDMETHODS:The data of the cross-sectional study were obtained by sending a form prepared in electronic environment to the students after a brief information was given in the unit/classroom where they did their internship, and the students responded on their mobile phones. In research, 539 of 790 students answered the form. The prevalance of tobacco use was 34.1% (first: 29.8%, fifth: 40.8%) (female: 26.7%, male: 40.4%). According to multivariate analysis, tobacco use in first grades increases 1.8 times (95% CI: 1.1-3.3) if the general health perception is moderate/poor, 2.9 times (95% CI: 1.2-6.8) to be exposed to insistence of friends for tobacco use, 2.4 times (95% CI: 1.3-4.3) for at least one of the family members to use tobacco, 29.7 times (95% CI: 3.9-224.1) for at least one of the close friends to use tobacco, and 3.9 times (95% CI: 2.2-7.1) not to think that physicians should set an example for the society by not using tobacco; in fifth grade, tobacco use by at least one of the close friends increases 9.6 times (95% CI: 2.1-43.6), and not thinking that physicians should set an example for the society by not using tobacco increases 4.9 times (95% CI: 2.7-9.2). In research, it is seen that tobacco use is common among medical faculty students, and the prevalance of use increases as they get higher classes.

The effect of antifungal treatments on bronchoalveolar lavage galactomannan for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections in patients with hematological malignancy: Single-center experience

Background Invasive fungal infections (IFI) mainly caused by aspergillus species are one of the leading causes of death in patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for hematological malignancies. The presence of galactomannan in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL GM) is an important diagnostic marker. Some of the factors affecting the BAL GM are still unknown. Antifungal treatment administered before or after BAL also affect BAL GM results. Methods To investigate the effect of BAL GM timing on the diagnosis of IFE, 100 patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy with hematological malignancy at the Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Hematology Department, and underwent BAL over a 3-year period with the suspicion of IFE as well as 127 BAL procedures of these patients were examined. Results There were 70 patients who started antifungal therapy before BAL and 30 patients who did not. BAL GM was found positive in 33 (47.1%) of the 70 patients who received antifungal therapy compared to 22 (73.3%) of the 30 patients who did not receive antifungal therapy. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of BAL GM positivity (p = 0.016). Subsequently, 127 BAL procedures of these 100 patients were evaluated. When the second, third, and subsequent BAL procedures of the same patients were included in the study, BAL GM was positive in 41 (46.6%) of the 88 procedures in patients who received treatment before BAL and in 25 (64.1%) of the 39 procedures in patients who did not receive treatment before BAL. The rate of BAL GM positivity did not differ between groups (p = 0.068). Conclusions The balance between reducing the risk by initiating early antifungal therapy and maximizing the diagnostic value of BAL GM should be evaluated individually for each patient.

Sleep quality and sedentary behavior among cancer survivors: is there a possible link?

Purpose: Disrupted sleep patterns can be frequent in cancer survivors not only during treatment but also during survival. This study aimed to analyze the possible link between sleep quality and sedentary behavior among cancer patients.&#x0D; Methods: Demographic and clinical information was obtained through an assessment form. Sleep quality and physical inactivity level were assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ), respectively. This cross-sectional study was conducted between April and June 2023 in the Medical Oncology unit of Izmir Bakırçay University Faculty of Medicine.&#x0D; Results: This study was completed with a total of 80 patients with most of the types of cancer being breast (n=55). The mean PSQI score was 7.68±4.02. SBQ scores were 8.16±3.90, and 6.85±3.86 hours on weekdays and weekends, respectively. No significant association was observed between PSQI and SBQ total scores (p&gt;.05). Age was correlated with sleep disturbances (r=-.24, p=0.03), daytime dysfunction (r=-.34, p=0.002), and first item of SBQ (watching TV) both on weekdays (r=.35, p=0.001) and weekends (r=.38, p=0.001), respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study showed that there was no significant relationship between sedentary behavior and sleep quality among cancer patients, however, the remarkable rate of poor sleep quality was evident in this sample. However, it might be reasonable to suggest that the increased screen time especially for older cancer patients due to significant associations between screen time and age, should be well managed while sleep hygiene and daytime dysfunction should be considered further among younger cancer survivors.

A Retrospective Study of the Presentation, Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes of 27 Patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta at a Single Center in Türkiye.

BACKGROUND This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the presentation, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of 27 patients diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta at a single center in Türkiye between January 2011 and January 2020. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed data from the medical records of 27 patients with osteogenesis imperfecta admitted to Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, between January 2011 and January 2020. The data included the clinical examination notes of the cases classified according to the Sillence and Shapiro systems, age, sex, parental consanguinity, genetic analysis (DNA isolation) results, the number and localization of past fractures, treatment methods, complications, hypermobility, and ambulation scoring. RESULTS The mean age of the patients (n=13 male, n=14 female) was 10.4±7.4 years, ranging from 3 to 39 years. Almost half (n=15, 55.6%) had consanguineous parents. The patients had 131 fractures during the 9 years between January 2011 and January 2020, with the femur being the most commonly fractured bone; 13 patients (48.15%) received surgical and conservative treatments, while the remaining 14 underwent only conservative treatments. The results revealed a strong association between the number of fractures and the types of genetic mutations (P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS Study findings indicate that the type of genetic mutation was not significantly correlated with the risk of treatment complications in osteogenesis imperfecta cases. Nevertheless, the study reveals a noteworthy association between the type of mutation and the number of surgeries required. Specifically, patients with the COL1A1 mutation needed more surgeries.

Evaluation of Relationship of Neutrophil/Lymphocyte, Platelet/Lymphocyte, Monocyte/Lymphocyte Monocyte/HDL Ratios and Systemic Immune Inflammatory Index Value with Antipsychotic Treatments in Schizophrenic Patients

IntroductionThere are studies showing that the systemic inflammation response in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia is different from healty controls. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (TLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), monocyte-HDL ratio (MHO) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) have recently been used as inflammation indicators.ObjectivesNLR, TLR, MLR, MHO and SII have been evaluated in many studies in schizophrenia patients. The aim of our study is to evaluate the relationship between NLR, TLR, MLR, MHO, SII values and antipsychotic treatments of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.Methods203 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia who were followed up in the psychotic disorders outpatient clinic of Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine were included in the study. Neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet and monocyte counts and HDL values were obtained retrospectively from blood tests. NLR, TLR, MLO, MHO and SII were calculated. The study approved by the ethics committee of Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine.Results45.3% of the patients were female (n = 92); the mean age was 45.8±14.0. The average number of hospitalizations was 3.0±2.7 years; the mean disease duration was 17.0±9.6 years. 56.7% (n=115) use long-acting antipsychotic treatment, 21% (n=43) use monthly paliperidone long-acting (PP1M) treatment, and 14.8% (n=30) use 3-month paliperidone long-acting (PP3M) treatment. No significant difference was observed in NLR, TLR, MLR, MHO and SII values between individuals using and not using long-acting antipsychotics. However, a significant difference in NLR value was observed between PP1M and PP3M treatment (p = 0.039). Oral antipsychotic use was 71% (n=137), 19% (n=38) used clozapine monotherapy, and 25% (n=51) used non-clozapine oral monotherapy. No significant difference was detected in inflammatory markers between clozapine monotherapy and other oral monotherapies.ConclusionsAccording to our findings, NLR levels in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were found to be significantly higher in those using PP1M treatment compared to those using PP3M. This finding can be interpreted in favor of the fact that PP3M contributes to the reduction of inflammation due to its longer duration of action compared to PP1M. It is thought that schizophrenia progresses through inflammatory processes and antipsychotic treatments play a role in anti-inflammation. It is envisaged that future studies may be helpful in evaluating the onset, exacerbation and remission periods of the disease, including treatment doses and durations, and revealing the relationship between inflammatory markers and schizophrenia disease and the effects of antipsychotic treatments on inflammatory markers such as NLR, TLR, MLR, MHO and SII.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Correlation of Capillary Tube and Transcutaneous Methods with Serum Biochemistry in Bilirubin Levels in Neonates with Jaundice

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurement, which is a noninvasive, easy, fast and inexpensive method in the treatment of patients with neonatal jaundice, with total serum bilirubin (TSB) measurement values, which is the standard method. Simultaneous capillary tube bilirubin values were also included in the study in terms of correlation. We investigated whether it would be safe to use TcB measurement instead of blood sampling for jaundice assessment. Materials and Methods: Between January 1, 2023 and July 1, 2023, newborns with gestational jaundice aged 37-42 weeks who were hospitalized with neonatal jaundice were enrolled in the neonatal intensive care unit of Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine (Tokat, Turkey). Patients with confirmed neonatal jaundice were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with antenatal or postnatal disease, ABO-Rh blood group incompatibility, and preterm-post-term neonates were excluded from the study. In addition, those who received phototherapy for the first time and did not have a history of transfusion were included in the study. Results: All 72 patients were term neonates. The mean gestational age was 37.26 weeks (range, 37-40 weeks) and the mean weight was 2789 ± 15 g (2255-4550 g). Thirty-one (43.1%) of the newborns were male. The direct Coombs test was 1+ in three newborns and 4+ in one newborn. There was a strong correlation between TcB bilirubin levels and TSB values before and after treatment (r = 0.776, p &amp;lt; 0.001; r = 0.773, p &amp;lt; 0.001, respectively). A strong correlation was observed between capillary tube bilirubin and TSB measurement values before and after treatment (r = 0.875, p &amp;lt; 0.001; r = 0.899, p &amp;lt; 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: In our study, we found a strong correlation between transcutaneous bilirubin measurement, serum bilirubin and capillary tube method performed through the ear before and after phototherapy treatment. However, due to the small size of this study, we cannot recommend the use of transcutaneous measurement alone in making treatment decisions.

Servikal Disk Herniasyonları ile Omuz kompleks kuşağı patolojileri arasında ki ilişkinin incelenmesi

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between shoulder complex pathologies and cervical disc herniations.&#x0D; Methods: This study retrospectively included 524 patients with both dominant extremity shoulder and neck magnetic resonance examinations obtained from the information processing unit of Düzce University Faculty of Medicine between 01.08.2009-01.08.2023. The results were compared in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).&#x0D; Results: A total of 524 patients, 153 (29.2%) males and 371 (70.8%) females, with a mean age of 51.17±13.70 (range, 13-93) years, were included in the study.According to the statistical analysis of our study, 410 of the participants had supraspinatus pathology, 234 had infraspinatus pathology, 243 had subscapularis pathology and 11 had teres minor pathology. In addition, a statistically significant relationship was found between other shoulder pathologies and herniations at the C4-C5 and C5-C6 disc level (p

The correlation between serum free light chain levels and plasma cell ratio in bone marrow biopsy in multiple myeloma

Aims: MM (Multiple myeloma) is the second most common hematological malignancy. In addition to the recent advances in treatment, new parameters are used in clinical practice in diagnosis and follow-up. sFLC (free chain kappa and lambda) shows the activation of the disease depending on the rate of MM malignant cell secretion in serum. However, the plasma cell (PC) ratio in bone marrow biopsy is still the gold standard in diagnosis. We examined the dynamic correlation between the PC ratio and the number of sFLC-related cells and the secretion rate. We aimed to examine whether a low PC ratio could be in a more aggressive form with a higher sFLC secretion with too much activity, thus examining the correlation between them.&#x0D; Methods: A total of 62 newly diagnosed MM patients admitted to Başkent University Faculty of Medicine İstanbul Hospital were included in the study. At the time of diagnosis, sFLC values were requested simultaneously with bone marrow biopsy. Radiological images were obtained with PET CT/MRI or CT.&#x0D; Results: In all MM groups, bone marrow PH percentages were not correlated with sFLC regardless of subtype. IgG kappa type MM had the highest sFLC values despite the lowest number of PHs, while Lambda light chain MM had the lowest sFLC despite the highest PH rates. &#x0D; Conclusion: These results showed us that sFLC rates are independent of the percentage of PC in MM. We believe that the two are not correlated and should be followed up together in the follow-up of the disease.

Distribution of Intestinal Parasites in Patients Admitted to University Hospital: Four Year Retrospective Review.

In this study, it was aimed to examine the distribution of intestinal parasites detected in people who applied to the parasitology laboratory of Fırat University Faculty of Medicine between January 2018 and December 2021. Parasitological examination reports of a total of 24,432 patients who applied to the Parasitology Laboratory of Fırat University Faculty of Medicine between January 2018 and December 2021 were examined retrospectively for the presence of intestinal parasites. A total of 24,432 (male: 12,887, 52.75%; female: 11,545, 47.25%) patients whose stool and cellophane tape samples were analyzed during the four-year period between January 2018 and December 2021 were included in the study. Intestinal parasites were found in 335 (1.4%) of the 24,432 patients examined. The most frequently detected parasite was Giardia intestinalis (n=149, 46.6%), followed by Entamoeba coli (n=123, 38.5%) and Enterobius vermicularis (n=28, 8.6%). When the distribution of parasite detection rates by years was examined, it was seen that the highest rate was in 2021 and the lowest rate was in 2019. Intestinal parasitic infections (IPE) are one of the most important public health problems in the world and in our country. Various factors such as the education level of the society, socio-economic status, infrastructure and climate affect the distribution of IPE. When we look at the distribution of parasites by years, it is 1.3% in 2018; 1.13% in 2019; 1.18% in 2020; In 2021, we found it to be 2.03%. We think that this increase in intestinal parasites is caused by the infrastructure and sheltering problems caused by the earthquake in our region.