Internet addiction and depression: a study among adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of our study is to determine the level of Internet addiction (IA) in adolescents by utilizing the IA scale. METHODS: We employed two tools: the IA test (IAT) and the beck depression inventory (BDI), complemented by a sociodemographic information form, to assess IA and depression levels. RESULTS: A total of 201 participants were included. A positive correlation was found between daily Internet usage time and IAT scores (r = 0.388, p < 0.001) and between BDI scores and IAT scores (r = 0.161, p = 0.013). Females had a lower mean IAT score (63.56 ± 28.08) (p < 0.001). The BDI scores varied significantly across the groups (p = 0.004). The mean BDI scores were higher in the severe addiction group (13.53 ± 7.15) compared to the moderate (11.04 ± 6.62), mild (10.11 ± 5.38), and normal usage groups (9.28 ± 5.54). A significant difference was found in gender distribution across the groups (p = 0.001). The presence of suicidal ideation differed significantly across the groups (p = 0.002). The presence of depression showed a significant difference (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals a significant correlation between increased Internet usage and heightened levels of IA and depression among adolescents, with notable gender differences in IA severity.

OBJETIVO: Determinar el nivel de adicción a internet en adolescentes utilizando una escala de adicción a internet. MÉTODO: Nuestro estudio involucró a 201 estudiantes con adicción a internet. Empleamos dos herramientas, la IAT (internet addiction test) y el BDI (beck depression inventory), que se complementaron con un formulario de información sociodemográfica, para evaluar los niveles de adicción a internet y de depresión. RESULTADOS: Se encontró una correlación positiva entre el tiempo diario de uso de internet y las puntuaciones del IAT (r = 0.388; p < 0.001), así como entre las puntuaciones del BDI y del IAT (r = 0.161; p = 0.013). Las mujeres tuvieron una puntuación media más baja en el IAT (p < 0.001). Las puntuaciones del BDI variaron significativamente entre los grupos (p = 0.004). Las puntuaciones medias del BDI fueron más altas en el grupo de adicción grave en comparación con los grupos de adicción moderada y de uso normal. Se encontró una diferencia significativa en la distribución por sexo entre los grupos (p = 0.001). La presencia de ideación suicida difirió significativamente entre los grupos (p = 0.002). La presencia de depresión mostró una diferencia significativa (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONES: Nuestro estudio revela una correlación significativa entre mayor uso de internet y niveles elevados de adicción y depresión en adolescentes, con diferencias de sexo notables en la gravedad de la adicción.

The relationship between nutrition and micronutrients in healthy Turkish infants and young children.

BACKGROUND: A healthy diet is important at every stage of life. We aimed to determine the serum vitamin D and iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 levels in healthy children younger than 48 months and to investigate the relationship between nutrition and micronutrients in children of this age. METHODS: In this observational study children who presented to the Pediatrics Clinic of our hospital during the period 2015-2022 were included. Vitamin D and other nutritional parameters (serum folate, vitamin B12, iron, ferritin) were evaluated from the study participants' serum samples during the outpatient clinic visit (jaundice check-up, pre-circumcision surgery, etc.). RESULTS: Overall, 766 cases were included in the study. Vitamin D was higher in the group that was fed only breast milk (p = 0.019), and vitamin D insufficiency was statistically higher in the formula group (p = 0.015). Hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the formula group (p = 0.007). The folic acid level was found to be normal in all infants, and was higher in formula-fed infants (p = 0.012). Vitamin B12 was found to be significantly higher in infants fed with formula (p = 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was most common in infants aged 25-48 months (p < 0.001). Similarly, vitamin D insufficiency (12-20 ng/mL) was detected in infants aged between 25 and 48 months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Micronutrients such as calcium, folic acid, iron, vitamin D, and iodine are critical in early fetal development from pregnancy onward. It is vital to raise awareness of this issue for mothers, starting from pregnancy, and for mothers to feed their babies more carefully in the first years of life.

Diagnostic performance of routine blood parameters in periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis syndrome.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the difference between PFAPA and streptococcal tonsillitis (Strep Pharyngitis) by using blood parameters. We want to evaluate the relationship between periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome, and tonsillitis by using NLR. METHODS: The data of 141 pediatric patients who had applied to our clinic between October 2016 and March 2019 and were diagnosed with PFAPA syndrome and tonsillitis were reviewed from hospital records. The demographic data of the study group were recorded, as were their WBC, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts, NLR, and MPV values, which are obtained by proportioning these two counts. RESULTS: CRP and ESR values were significantly higher in the PFAPA group (p = 0.026 and p < 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was determined between the groups in terms of platelet count or lymphocyte count. Receiver operating curve analyses were calculated. The AUC was 0.713 ± 0.04 according to age, and the CRP was 0.607 ± 0.04 (95% confidence interval). Using a cutoff point of >49 months for age, the sensitivity was 0.71 and the specificity was 0.67. CONCLUSION: With simple laboratory parameters, PFAPA syndrome can be differentiated from a diagnosis of tonsillitis. This may reduce the costs associated with unnecessary antibiotic use. However, these findings still need to be confirmed by other future studies.