Hayrettin Daşkaya

Purpose To determine whether there is a difference in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values in white matter pathways in the subacute period after COVID-19 infection and to evaluate the correlation between diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and laboratory findings. Material and methods The study included 64 healthy controls and 91 patients. Patients were classified as group 1 (all patients, n = 91), group 2 (outpatients, n = 58), or group 3 (inpatients, n = 33). The ADC and FA values were calculated from 10 distinct neuroanatomic localizations; DTI values were compared between groups. Results Decreased FA values in the cingulum, corpus callosum splenium and genu (CCS-CCG), forceps major, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) observed in group 1 compared with the control group. Group 1 showed elevated ADC values in CCG. Lower FA and higher ADC values in CCG were shown in group 3. The FA values for CCS, IFOF, and MCP in group 3 were lower than those in the control group. Group 3 had the highest ADC values in the CCS. Additionally, the FA values of the CCG were lower in group 3 than in group 2. Oxygen saturation levels and FA values in the CCG and SFOF exhibited a positive correlation. Conclusion We speculate that DTI changes in white matter pathways may be associated with axonal damage and demyelination due to impaired white matter integrity following COVID-19 infection during the subacute period. Clinical significance Our study showed with DTI findings that there is microstructural damage in white matter pathways in the subacute period of COVID-19 infection and that this damage is related to oxygen saturation levels. Many studies in the literature show that microstructural damage in white matter pathways can lead to clinical neurocognitive dysfunction. We suggest that these cases require more comprehensive studies investigating whether chronic white matter damage is reversible and examining its relationship with neurocognitive dysfunctions in the future. Main points Neurological involvement is not rare in COVID-19 infection. We examined various white matter pathways with DTI during the subacute period of COVID-19 infection. We showed changes in DTI parameters indicating a decrease in white matter integrity and microstructural damage in the subacute period follow-up of cases with COVID-19. We found that there was a positive correlation between oxygen saturation levels and decreased FA values in white matter tracts.

Purpose: This study aims to compare and evaluate changes in tissue and cerebral perfusion when systolic blood pressure (SBP) or mean arterial pressure (MAP) is used as the reference parameter to achieve controlled hypotension. Materials and Methods: Patients scheduled for planned rhinoplasty or jaw surgery requiring controlled hypotension were included in the study. The patients were categorized into two groups: Group 1 (systolic blood pressure group) and Group 2 (mean arterial pressure group). Before anesthesia induction and emergence, levels of total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α) in the blood were measured. Perioperative cerebral perfusion monitoring was performed using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in preoperative and postoperative levels of TAS, TOS, OSI, and HIF-1α, which are used as indicators of oxidative stress. Similarly, there was no significant difference in RsO2 values between the groups. Surgical satisfaction scores were significantly higher in Group 2, while bleeding scores were significantly lower. Conclusion: MAP-targeted controlled hypotension provides higher surgical satisfaction and lower bleeding scores without causing disadvantages in terms of cerebral oxygenation or oxidative stress.

Objective: Electrolyte disorder (ED) is frequently encountered critically ill patients during admission or admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to determine the frequency of ED encountered in ICU patients to evaluate the relationship of ED with drugs.Methods: This prospective, multicenter study was conducted in the medical and anesthesiology ICUs of two training and research hospitals and included patients with at least one ED during admission or hospitalization in the ICUs. The relationship between ED and the drug was evaluated by calculating the logistic probabilistic method scale (LPMS) and the expert panel’s evaluation. The correlation between EDs and LPMS was determined using Kendal tau. A binary logistic regression model was preferred in the analysis of factors related to ED. Statistical significance was set as p < 0.05.Results: A total of 117 patients were included in the study. A total of 165 EDs were detected, including at least one in 88 (75.2%) patients. According to the expert panel, 61 (21.7%) of EDs were drug-related, whereas according to the LPMS, 111 (39.6%) (p < 0.001). Mortality (50% vs. 13.7%) and mechanical ventilation rates (52.2% vs. 17.2%) were significantly higher in patients with ED (p < 0.001). Patients with ED had 8.352 times higher odds of exhibiting mortality (OR: 8.352, %95 CI: 1.598–43.648, p: 0.012) and need mechanical ventilation with higher odds of 3.229 (OR: 3.229 95% CI: 0.815–12.787 p: 0.045). Patient who required enteral or parenteral feeding were associated with an increased likelihood of exhibiting ED (respectively OR: 30.057, %95 CI: 2.265–398.892, p: 0.01, OR: 5.537, %95 CI: 1.406–21.800, p: 0.014).Conclusion: EDs are very common in the ICU. Dysnatremia was detected more commonly in other EDs. It has also been found that patients with ED are more often under mechanical ventilation, have more prolonged hospitalizations, and have higher mortality rates than patients without ED. The suitability of LPMS for assessing ED-drug relationships in the ICU context is questioned.

Background: To validate the utility and performance of the gastro-laryngeal tube (GLT) in terms of cardiologist and patient satisfaction levels, incidence of and attempts at successful transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe placement, perioperative and postoperative hemodynamics, and adverse events related to the TEE procedure. Methods: In this randomized prospective clinical study, forty-four patients undergoing TEE and aged 20 to 80 years old scheduled for TEE were randomly allocated to two study groups: Group SA (sedation and analgesia) and Group GLT. Cardiologist and patient satisfaction levels, TEE probe placement performance, hemodynamics, adverse events related to the TEE procedure, demographic characteristics, and TEE procedure data were recorded. Results: The cardiologist satisfaction level was significantly higher in Group GLT (P = .011). The TEE probe was successfully placed at the first attempt in all the patients in Group GLT and at the first attempt in 11 patients, at the second attempt in 8 patients, and at the third attempt in 3 patients in Group SA. The TEE probe placement success was significantly higher in Group GLT (P < .001), and TEE probe placement was significantly easier in Group GLT (P < .001). There were no significant differences in patient satisfaction, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, oxygen saturation, adverse events related to the TEE procedure between the groups. Conclusion: The present study revealed that GLT use elicited a higher cardiologist satisfaction level and resulted in more successful and easier TEE probe placement. We thus conclude that the use of the recently developed GLT may ensure airway management safety and a comfortable TEE experience.

Objective: Intermittent hypoxia (IH) implementation is a method performed by intermittently decreasing oxygen concentration in inhaled air at specific rate. This method varies between studies in terms of its application. This study aims to examine the changes in Complete Blood Count (CBC) parameters caused by IH implementation at therapeutic dose ranges with a single model. Methods: Ten Sprague Dawley type adult male rats were divided into two groups. In the study group, FiO2 level of inhaled air, was reduced to 10% in hypoxic cycle. 5 minutes normoxia-hypoxia cycle was used in each 30 minutes experiment period for study group. Control group remained in normoxic air for 30 minutes. 1 cc of blood was taken from mandibular vein from all rats at the end of 6th day. CBC analyzes were performed and differences between two groups were investigated. Results: Significant differences were detected in some CBC parameters between the two groups. It was determined that significant increase in MONO (p<0.001), MONO% (p<0.001), MCH (p=0.03), PLT (p=0.013) and PCT (p=0.007) parameters and significant decrease in MPV (p=0.02 parameters, in favor of study group. Conclusion: IH implementation was caused significant changes in MONO, MONO%, MCH, PCT, PLT and MPV parameters in the CBC analysis of rats. Considering the study results, therapeutic IH implementation may thought to have important effects in terms of lung protection and regeneration. Further research may focus on this point for precising and supporting of this study’ results.

Objective: The Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ) is a clinically beneficial instrument that has been proven to be correlated with various experimental pain sensitivity assessments in healthy people and in patients with chronic pain. In this study, we aimed to translate the PSQ into Turkish (PSQ-T) and validate it for the measurement of pain sensitivity among Turkish people. Methods: Seventy-three patients with chronic back pain who were planning to undergo an interventional procedure completed the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and PSQ prior to their procedure. Subcutaneous infiltration of lidocaine was used as a standardized experimental pain stimulus. Pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS 1: infiltration in the hand, and VAS 2: infiltration in the procedure area) Results: Scores on the PSQ-T were significantly correlated with those on the BPI-SF. A significant positive relationship was observed between VAS 1 and VAS 2 values and the PSQ-T score, BPI pain score, and BPI interference score. Conclusions: The PSQ-T can be used as a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of pain sensitivity in the Turkish population.

Objective: Two critical processes in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic involve assessing patients’ intensive care needs and predicting disease progression during patients’ intensive care unit (ICU) stay. We aimed to evaluate oxidative stress marker status at ICU admission and ICU discharge status in patients with COVID-19. Methods: We included patients in a tertiary referral center ICU during June–December 2020. Scores of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and clinical severity, radiologic scores, and healthy discharge status were noted. We collected peripheral blood samples at ICU admission to evaluate total antioxidants, total oxidants, catalase, and myeloperoxidase levels. Results: Thirty-one (24 male, 7 female) patients were included. At ICU admission, patients’ mean APACHE II score at ICU admission was 17.61 ± 8.9; the mean SOFA score was 6.29 ± 3.16. There was no significant relationship between clinical severity and oxidative stress (OS) markers nor between radiological imaging and COVID-19 data classification and OS levels. Differences in OS levels between patients with healthy and exitus discharge status were not significant. Conclusions: We found no significant relationship between oxidative stress marker status in patients with COVID-19 at ICU admission and patients’ ICU discharge status.

Introduction The present study investigates how preoperative anxiety and pain sensitivity affect the consumption of anesthetics, time elapsed until the desired sedation level is achieved, preoperative hemodynamics, postoperative recovery time, and postoperative pain. Methods The present study includes 80 ASA 1–2 patients aged between 20 and 65 who were scheduled for endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) under sedation. Patients were instructed to fill out the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ) before the procedure. For sedation, 0.03 mg kg⁻¹ intravenous midazolam, 1 mg kg⁻¹ lidocaine, 1 µ kg⁻¹ fentanyl, and then a bolus dose of 1 mg kg⁻¹ propofol were infused over a period of 60 s. The time elapsed until the bispectral index (BIS) value reached 75 was recorded. For anesthesia maintenance, 2 mg kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ propofol infusion was administered. In the case of sedation failure, an additional dose of 0.1 mg kg⁻¹ propofol (IV) was administered to ensure sedation depth with a BIS level of 65–75, and the propofol infusion was halted once the BIS value dropped below 65. Results STAI-S and STAI-T scores were significantly positively correlated with PSQ minor pain and PSQ total scores. The time elapsed until reaching a BIS level of 75, propofol infusion dose used during sedation, and the need for additional doses of propofol, heart rate (HR), and duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay were significantly positively correlated with both preoperative anxiety and preoperative pain sensitivity. In terms of postoperative pain, the visual analog scale (VAS) at 1 h was more highly correlated with STAI-S and STAI-T than with PSQ. The VAS 2 h was only correlated with STAI-S and STAI-T. Conclusion The significant linear correlation between preoperative anxiety and pain sensitivity and anesthesia need can facilitate better preoperative management by predicting individual anesthetic consumption. Trial Registration The study was registered with the number NCT03114735 on ClinicalTrials.gov.