Sinan Öztürk

Background: Computed tomography (CT) evaluation systematics has become necessary to eliminate the difference of opinion among radiologists in evaluating COVID-19 CT findings. Introduction: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of CO-RADS scoring system in our patients with COVID-19 as well as to examine its correlation with clinical and laboratory findings. Method: The CO-RADS category of all patients included in the study was determined by a radiologist who did not know the rtRT-PCR test result of the patients, according to the Covid-19 reporting and data system of Mathias Prokop et al. Results: A total of 1338 patients were included. CT findings were positive in 66.3%, with a mean CO-RADS score of 3,4 ± 1,7. 444 (33.1%) of the patients were in the CO-RADS 1-2, 894 (66.9%) were in the CO-RADS 3-5 group. There were positive correlations between CO-RADS score and age, CMI, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic pulmonary diseases presence of symptoms, symptom duration, presence of cough, shortness of breath, malaise, CRP, and LDH, while CORADS score was negatively correlated with lymphocyte count. The results of the ROC analysis suggested that those with age ≥40 years, symptom duration >2 days, CMI score >1 and/or comorbid conditions were more likely to have a CO-RADS score of 3-5. Conclusion: The CO-RADS classification system is a CT findings assessment system that can be used to diagnose COVID-19 in patients with symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, myalgia and fatigue for more than two days.

OBJECTIVE: During pregnancy, changes occur in many systems, including the immune system. In line with our experience in the previous years, COVID-19 infections have negative effects on pregnancy. In our study, it was aimed to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy, fetus and newborn, and treatment management. METHODS: In our study, 63 patients followed up between April 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021, were evaluated. Demographic data, symptoms, laboratory data, treatments, clinical course and delivery characteristics of the patients, as well as patholo-gies in the fetus and newborn were investigated retrospectively. The obtained data were statistically analyzed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. RESULTS: In this study, 63 pregnant COVID-19 patients aged 19-37 years were included in the study. Fifty of the patients had symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of admission. At the time of admission, 13 patients required oxygen, and ten of these patients had severe radiological involvement. Seven patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, and three of them required invasive mechanical ventilation and deceased afterward. All newborns were found negative for the COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction test. Low birth weight has been detected in eight newborns and low Apgar score in 2 of them. Respiratory distress was observed in four newborns and they were discharged from intensive. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women have more disadvantages in the course of COVID-19 and have worse maternal outcomes. In addition, treatments such as Lopinavir/Ritonavir and hydroxychloroquine did not have any effect. These patients should be carefully evaluated and followed up.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) associated pneumonia may progress into acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Some patients develop features of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Elevated levels of IL-6 were reported to be associated with severe disease, and anti-IL-6R tocilizumab has been shown to be effective in some patients. This retrospective multicenter case–control study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tocilizumab in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, who received standard of care with or without tocilizumab. Primary outcome was the progression to intubation or death. PSMATCH (SAS) procedure was used to achieve exact propensity score (PS) matching. Data from 1289 patients were collected, and study population was reduced to 1073 based on inclusion–exclusion criteria. The composite outcome was observed more frequently in tocilizumab-users, but there was a significant imbalance between arms in all critical parameters. Primary analyses were carried out in 348 patients (174 in each arm) after exact PS matching according to gender, ferritin, and procalcitonin. Logistic regression models revealed that tocilizumab significantly reduced the intubation or death (OR 0.40, p = 0.0017). When intubation is considered alone, tocilizumab-users had > 60% reduction in odds of intubation. Multiple imputation approach, which increased the size of the matched patients up to 506, provided no significant difference between arms despite a similar trend for intubation alone group. Analysis of this retrospective cohort showed more frequent intubation or death in tocilizumab-users, but PS-matched analyses revealed significant results for supporting tocilizumab use overall in a subset of patients matched according to gender, ferritin and procalcitonin levels.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the clinical, epidemiological, and prognostic features of the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic in 2020. METHODS: This retrospective study involved subjects from seven centers that were admitted and found to be positive for H1N1 or COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction test. RESULTS: A total of 143 patients with H1N1 and 309 patients with COVID-19 were involved in the study. H1N1 patients were younger than COVID-19 ones. While 58.7% of H1N1 patients were female, 57.9% of COVID-19 patients were male. Complaints of fever, cough, sputum, sore throat, myalgia, weakness, headache, and shortness of breath in H1N1 patients were statistically higher than in COVID-19 ones. The duration of symptoms until H1N1 patients were admitted to the hospital was shorter than that for COVID-19 patients. Leukopenia was more common in COVID-19 patients. C-reactive protein levels were higher in COVID-19 patients, while lactate dehydrogenase levels were higher in H1N1 ones. The mortality rate was also higher in H1N1 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic is a major public health problem that continues to affect the world with its high rate of contagion. In addition, no vaccines or a specific drug for the benefit of millions of people have been found yet. The H1N1 pandemic is an epidemic that affected the whole world about ten years ago and was prevented by the development of vaccines at a short period. Experience in the H1N1 pandemic may be the guide to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from a worse end.

Amaç: Kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastalığı (KOAH) olan hastalar koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 (COVID-19) mortalitesi açısından yüksek riske sahiptir. Bu risk, eşlik eden diğer hastalıkların varlığı ile daha da artmaktadır. Çalışmamızda KOAH’lı hastalarda COVID-19’un şiddetinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışma 01 Nisan 2020-01 Ekim 2020 tarihleri arasında çalışmaya giren iki merkezde retrospektif vaka-kontrol çalışması olarak yapıldı. Vaka grubuna öncesinde KOAH tanısı olan COVID-19 rtRT-PCR pozitif hastalar alındı. Kontrol grubuna ise vaka grubuna alınan hastalardan bir sonra başvuran COVID-19 rtRT-PCR pozitif olan ve öncesinde KOAH tanısı olmayan hastalar alındı.Bulgular: Çalışmaya 222’si KOAH’lı toplam 444 hasta alındı. Hastaların yaş ortalaması her iki grupta benzerdi. KOAH’lı hastalarda erkek cinsiyet oranı yüksekti (p=0,009). KOAH’lı hastaların Charlson comorbidite indeksi skoru daha yüksek olup, bu hasta grubunda hipertansiyon ve koroner arter hastalığı eşlik eden komorbid hastalıklardandı (p<0,05). KOAH’lı hastaların semptom başlangıcından hastaneye başvuruları arasında geçen süre daha kısaydı (p<0,001). Hastaneye başvuru anında kontrol grubundaki hastalarda ateş, myalji ve halsizlik şikayetleri daha fazla iken, KOAH’lı hastalarda nefes darlığı şikâyeti daha fazlaydı. KOAH’lı hastaların yoğun bakım ihtiyacı kontrol grubuna göre 1,88 kat daha fazlaydı (p=0,026). Prognoz açısından iki grup arasında fark yoktu.Sonuç: COVID-19 geçiren KOAH’lı hasta grubunda yoğun bakım ihtiyacı daha sık gözlenmekte olup, bu hastaların kliniği daha ciddi seyredebilmektedir. COVID-19 tanısı konan KOAH’lı hastaların daha fazla yoğun bakım ihtiyacı gösterebileceği ve erken verilen destek tedavisinin prognoza katkı sağlayabileceği akılda tutulmalıdır.

Amaç: İnfluenza tüm dünyada önemli ölçüde morbidite, mortalite ve maliyet yükünden sorumludur. Sağlık çalışanları (HCP) mesleksel bulaş açısından risk altındadırlar. Bu çalışmada sağlık çalışanlarının mevsimsel influenza aşısına karşı tutumlarının ve aşıdan kaçınma nedenlerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu çok merkezli ulusal anket çalışması 1 Nisan-30 Haziran 2017 tarihleri arasında gerçekleştirildi. Ankete katılmayı kabul eden 55 şehirden toplam 5046 HCP uzaktan katılım yoluyla cevaplamaları için toplam 12 sorudan oluşan bir anket gönderildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılanların %7’si her yıl düzenli olarak aşı yaptırdığını belirtti. Hiç yaptırmıyorum diyenlerin oranı %65,8 idi. İnfluenza aşışını yaptırmayanların en önemli nedeni grip aşısının gerekliliğine inanmama idi (%51,9). Mevsimsel grip aşısı yaptıranların en önemli gerekçesi grip infeksiyonundan korunma (%56,7) idi. Sonuç: Sonuçlarımız, tüm HCP influenza aşılama oranlarının çok düşük olduğunu göstermiştir. Doktorların diğer HCP’lerden biraz daha iyi oranlara sahip olduğunu görülmüştür. Eğitim düzeyinin yüksek olması ve mesleki tecrübenin artması aşılama oranını olumlu yönde etkilemiştir. Sağlık çalışanlarının aşılanma oranlarının artırılabilmesi için öncelikle aşı konusundaki tutum ve davranışlarının bilinmesi gerekir.