Management of psychiatric treatments of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the COVID-19 pandemic: A one-year evaluation in the pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The course of bipolar disorder (BD) is sensitive to factors that may disrupt biological and social rhythms. It is important for patients diagnosed with BD to continue their follow-up and treatment during the pandemic due to personal and social effects. This study aimed to evaluate the disease course and treatment compliance of individuals diagnosed with BD during the pandemic. METHODS: A total of 267 patients with BD were included in the study. The scales were applied by phone calls. A sociodemographic data form was filled out during the phone interviews. Diagnostic criteria for hypomanic, manic, and depressive episodes in DSM-5 were questioned and recorded through the created form. RESULTS: During the first of the pandemic, a total of 72 (27.0%) patients had a mood episode, of which 56 (21.0%) were manic/hypomanic episodes and 16 (6.0%) depressive episodes. Also, 54.7% of the patients were able to obtain their medications thanks to the extended medication reports. Being unable to use their medications regularly, having a seasonal pattern of disease, and using an increased number of psychotropics were significant predictors of a new episode. While 74.5% of the patients wanted to talk to their psychiatrists online, only 1.1% could reach the psychiatrist online. DISCUSSION: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are particularly evident in patients with a seasonal pattern. Telepsychiatry practices should be actively included in clinical practice, and government policies developed for treatment compliance seem important.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and inflammatory markers in schizophrenia: A comparative analysis of drug-naive schizophrenia patients, remitted patients, and healthy controls.

This study aims to examine the plasma concentrations of NGAL and other inflammatory parameters, including TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IFN-γ, in schizophrenia patients and healthy volunteers. It also investigates potential associations between these biomarkers and symptom severity in schizophrenia and the utility of NGAL as a potential diagnostic and monitoring biomarker for schizophrenia. The study included 49 drug-naive schizophrenia patients (DNS), 59 patients with schizophrenia in remission (REM) on antipsychotic treatment, and 58 healthy volunteers (HC). The Positive and Negative Symptoms Evaluation Scale (PANSS) was utilized to assess the severity of symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IFN-γ, and NGAL were measured for all participants. NGAL levels were significantly lower in the DNS group than in HC. Significantly lower TNF-α levels were observed in both the DNS and REM groups compared to the HC group. Notably, a statistically significant positive correlation was detected between TNF-α and NGAL levels. The findings of this study are noteworthy, as they demonstrate that drug-naive individuals with schizophrenia exhibit significantly diminished levels of NGAL and TNF-α compared to healthy controls. These identified biomarkers hold promise for providing valuable insights into the complex and evolving pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Application of the #Enzian classification for endometriosis on MRI: prospective evaluation of inter- and intraobserver agreement.

Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the inter- and intraobserver variability of the updated #Enzian classification of endometriosis on MRI and to evaluate the influence of reader experience on interobserver concordance. Methods: This was a prospective single-center study. All patients were included who received an MRI of the pelvis for evaluation of endometriosis between March and July 2023 and who have provided written informed consent. Images were reviewed independently for endometriosis by three radiologists, utilizing the MRI-applicable categories of the #Enzian classification. Two radiologists had experience in pelvic MRI and endometriosis imaging. One radiologist had no specific experience in pelvic MRI and received a one-hour briefing beforehand. Results: Fifty consecutive patients (mean age, 34.9 years ±8.6 [standard deviation]) were prospectively evaluated. Interobserver agreement was excellent for diagnosis of deep infiltrating endometriosis (Fleiss' kappa: 0.89; 95% CI 0.73-1.00; p < 0.001) and endometriomas (Fleiss' kappa: 0.93; 95% CI 0.77-1.00; p < 0.001). For the experienced readers, interobserver agreement in the assessment of compartments A, B and C was excellent (κw ranging from 0.84; 95% CI 0.71-0.97; p < 0.001 to 0.89; 95% CI 0.82-0.97; p < 0.001). For the pairings of the experienced readers to the reader without specific experience in pelvic MRI, agreement was substantial to excellent (κw ranging from 0.64; 95% CI 0.44-0.85; p < 0.001 to 0.91; 95% CI 0.84-0.98; p < 0.001). Intraobserver variability was excellent for compartments A, B and C (κw ranging from 0.85; 95% CI 0.73-0.96; p < 0.001 to 0.95; 95% CI 0.89-1.00; p < 0.001). Conclusion: With sufficient experience, the #Enzian classification enables the achievement of excellent inter- and intraobserver agreement in MRI-based diagnosis of deep infiltrating endometriosis and endometriomas.

Non-invasive Evaluation of Electromechanical Transmission in Patients with Hypertensive Response to Exercise Stress Test.

Objective: Excessive hypertensive response to exercise testing is associated with adverse cardiovascular events such as left ventricular hypertrophy and atrial fibrillation (AF). In this study, we examined the relationship between electromechanical delay and excessive hypertensive response to exercise testing. Methods: Twenty-five people who had a hypertensive response to the exercise stress test and 28 people who were similar in age and gender with a normal blood pressure response in the exercise stress test as the control group were included in the study. Results: There was no statistical difference between the study groups in blood pressure holter values, conventional echocardiography findings, and exercise stress test findings. Lateral PA-TDI time (the time from the beginning of the P wave measured by tissue Doppler imaging to the beginning of the A' wave), left atrial electromechanical delay, and interatrial electromechanical delay were observed to be significantly longer in the hypertensive response group to exercise stress test compared with the control group (74.0±6.3 vs. 68.8±5.7, p=0.003; 24.7±7.0 vs. 19.6±7.1, p=0.013; 36.8±8.5 vs. 30.6±6.6, p=0.003, respectively). Conclusions: Early detection of electromechanical delay non-invasively may be useful in this patient group in predicting the development of new AF risk.

Can the greater trochanter/femoral neck signal intensity ratio on coronal T1 weighted images of the hip differentiate normal-abnormal bone mineral density?

A simple index calculated by dividing the greater trochanter signal intensity by that of the femoral neck on coronal T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of the hip may be useful as an opportunistic screening tool to differentiate normal vs. abnormal bone mineral density. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the greater trochanter/femoral neck (T/N) signal intensity (SI) ratio on T1 weighted images of the hip in differentiating patients with normal vs. abnormal bone mineral density (BMD) using hip dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the reference. METHODS: Three BMD groups according to the T score of the femoral neck (i.e., normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis) were created, and 20 patients were included for each group. The T/N ratio was calculated by dividing the greater trochanter SI by that of the femoral neck on coronal T1-weighted images. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine diagnostic efficacy. RESULTS: The mean age was 59.2±9.4; there were 57 women and 3 men. The mean BMD was 0.67±0.14 g/cm2. The mean T/N ratio for the normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups were 1.37 (±0.12), 1.19 (±0.10), and 1.18 (±0.13), respectively. When the osteopenia and osteoporosis groups were combined into one group, i.e., low BMD group, the mean T/N ratio was 1.18 (±0.11), and it was significantly different from that of the normal BMD group (p<0.00001). In ROC analysis, the area under curve (AUC) for the T/N ratio in the diagnosis of low BMD was 0.870. An optimal cutoff value of 1.28 was found for the differentiation of normal vs. abnormal BMD with 80% sensitivity and 80% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The T/N ratio seems to be effective at differentiating patients with normal vs. abnormal BMD and may help triage patients for additional evaluation.

Adalimumab (Humira®) Induced Recurrent Peritonsillar Abscess in A Patient Received Three Different Anti-TNF Therapies: A Case Report.

Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents are widely used in treating ankylosing spondylitis, but they increase the risk of infection by suppressing the immune response. Therefore, physicians should be careful about recurrent infections in patients under anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in patients with schizophrenia.

RATIONALE: Although the immune system is thought to contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia, the mechanism has not been elucidated. Clarifying the relationship between them is important in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention approaches. OBJECTIVE: In this study, it is aimed to determine whether there is any difference in serum levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the group of patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers, whether these values are changed by medical treatment, whether there is any relation between these values and the severity of the symptoms of patients with schizophrenia, and whether NGAL can be used as a biomarker in the diagnosis and the follow-up of the schizophrenia. METHODS: A total of 64 patients who were hospitalized in the Psychiatry Clinic of Ankara City Hospital and diagnosed with schizophrenia and 55 healthy volunteers were included in the study. A sociodemographic information form was given to all participants and TNF-α and NGAL values were measured. Positive and Negative Symptoms Rating Scale (PANSS) were applied to the schizophrenia group on admission and follow-up. TNF-α and NGAL levels were re-measured in the 4th week after the start of antipsychotic treatment. RESULTS: As a result of the present study, it was found that NGAL levels decreased significantly after antipsychotic treatment of schizophrenia patients hospitalized with exacerbation. There was no significant correlation between NGAL and TNF-α levels among schizophrenia and the control group. CONCLUSION: In psychiatric diseases, especially schizophrenia, there may be differences in immune and inflammatory markers compared to the healthy population. After treatment, the NGAL levels of the patients at follow-up were reduced compared to the levels at admission. It can be thought that NGAL may be related to psychopathology in schizophrenia and antipsychotic treatment. This is the first follow-up study for NGAL levels in schizophrenia.

Decreased serum levels of α-synuclein in patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings.

AIM: The final common pathway in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia is suggested that there is a defect in the presynaptic terminal in dopaminergic transmission, in which α-synuclein has an important role. Peripheral biomarker studies in schizophrenia have become crucial for better diagnoses, early interventions, and personalized therapies. This study aims to compare α-synuclein levels in patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings with healthy controls, as a potential peripheral biomarker for schizophrenia. METHODS: The quantifications of α-synuclein serum concentrations were conducted by the ELISA method. PANSS and CGI-S were used to analyse the severity of the symptoms of the subjects. Data were analysed by nonparametric tests and the Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with schizophrenia (mean age: 34,8 ± 9,9, %64,5 male), their 56 unaffected siblings (mean age: 39,4 ± 11,5, %55,4 male) and 56 healthy controls (mean age: 36,2 ± 9,8, %64,3 male) were included. α-synuclein levels were significantly lower in the patient (27,65 (12,61-46,09) pg/ml) and the unaffected sibling groups (24,62 (15,60-57,87) pg/ml) compared with healthy controls (45,58 (11,25-108,30) pg/ml) (p < .001). According to the ROC analysis, the optimal cut-off value for α-synuclein levels in distinguishing the schizophrenia group from the control group was 42.20. The sensitivity of the measurement of serum α-synuclein at this point was 93.5%, and the specificity was 60.7%. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that decreased levels of serum α-synuclein may be utilized as a possible peripheral biomarker of familial risk for schizophrenia in both patients and their siblings.

A bibliometric study on the publication errors in emergency medicine journals from 2000 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: The literature on scientific publication errors in medical research is limited, and no studies on emergency medicine publications have been conducted yet. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of the publication errors in emergency medicine literature. METHODS: This bibliometric study reviewed intervened publication errors in the manuscripts of seven high-impact emergency medicine journals from 2000 to 2020, covering twenty years, and evaluated the corrections in the forms of an erratum, corrigendum, addendum, and retracted papers. The detected publication error rate and the trend, error severity, and error types were calculated. RESULTS: We detected 257 intervened scientific papers consisting of 251 corrections due to one or more publication errors and six retractions. Authors were the primary source of the errors (93.2%). Most of the errors were in the author attribution section (40.5%). The published errors of 7.2% had an impact on the paper's conclusion. Simple typographic errors were the most common error type (62.5%). The corrected publication error rate was 1.3%, with a steady trend over the twenty years. CONCLUSIONS: Publications errors are inevitable, but it is possible to minimize them. The number of corrections in emergency medicine literature is at a low rate and show many similarities with the previous literature.

Serum concentrations of aminoacylase 1 in schizophrenia as a potential biomarker: a case-sibling-control study.

PURPOSE: Aminoacylase 1 (ACY1) catalyzes the hydrolysis reaction during protein degradation. N-acetylamino acids are accumulated in the urine in Aminoacylase 1 deficiency (ACY1D). This study attempts to evaluate the potential of ACY1 as a biomarker for schizophrenia and predict genetic vulnerability in the high-risk population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy patients with schizophrenia, twenty-five of which have newly diagnosed, forty-nine unaffected siblings of patients, and fifty-six healthy controls were included in the study. The ELISA method was used to measure serum ACY1. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and The Clinical Global Impression - Severity scale (CGI-S) were used to analyze the severity of the symptoms. Data were analysed statistically by non-parametric tests. RESULTS: The finding of the study indicated that the serum levels of ACY1 in patients and siblings were lower compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.023). There was no statistically significant difference between patients and siblings (p = 0.067). The duration of disease, PANSS total scores, and CGI-S scores did not have a significant association with the ACY1 levels in the patient group (p > 0.005). ACY1 levels among the drug-using patient group and the newly diagnosed patient group showed no notable difference (respectively, p = 0.120 and p = 0.843). CONCLUSION: This study is the first to evaluate the serum ACY1 levels in patients with schizophrenia. The result of the study provides us insight regarding the first hints that ACY1 might be a potential biomarker. Being aware of the molecule will pave the way for further explorations in the field.

Association of BDNF Gene Val66Met Polymorphism with Suicide Attempts, Focused Attention and Response Inhibition in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Introduction: The relationship between BDNF gene Val/Met polymorphism and clinical symptoms, attention and executive functions in patients with schizophrenia was investigated in this study. Also, BDNF Val66Met gene polymorphism was compared between patients and healthy controls. Thus, genetic factors that may affect both the etiology and cognitive functions in schizophrenia were evaluated. Methods: BDNF Val66Met gene polymorphism was investigated in 102 patients with schizophrenia and 98 healthy controls. Cognitive functions were evaluated by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Stroop Test. Results: There was no difference in terms of the genotypic or allelic distribution of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism between patients and healthy controls. A significantly higher percentage of suicide attempts were found in the patients having Met allele (Val/Met and Met/Met). Met allele was associated with failure in focused attention and response inhibition in patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: The presence of the Met allele could be associated with the risk of suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia. Impairment in executive function areas such as focused attention and response inhibition appears to be related to the Met allele.

Neuronal pentraxin-2 (NPTX2) serum levels during an acute psychotic episode in patients with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Neuronal pentraxin-2 (NPTX2, an immediate-early gene), which regulates synapse activity and neuroplasticity, plays an essential role in the neurodevelopmental process. NPTX2 possibly enhances the accumulation of amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic receptors (AMPAR) on the postsynaptic membranes and stimulates excitatory synaptogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the plasma concentrations of NPTX2 of patients with schizophrenia in acute psychotic episodes compared with matched community-based controls. METHODS: Ninety-three (93) patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-5 and 83 healthy controls were included. The patients, all of which were in acute psychotic episodes, were recruited from the inpatient clinic. The patients were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Clinical Global Impression- Severity (CGIS) scale, whereas the healthy subjects were evaluated with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) to exclude any major psychiatric diagnoses. RESULTS: NPTX2 serum concentrations were significantly higher in the schizophrenia group (p < 0.001). NPTX2 levels negatively correlated with age (p = 0.004) and PANSS-positive symptom scores (p < 0.001). The most determinant factors in predicting the change in NPTX2 levels were PANSS-positive symptom and general psychopathology scores. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that NPTX2 could be involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology and valuable as a synapse-derived and glutamate-related biomarker. Further studies in larger samples assessing NPTX2 levels in remitted schizophrenia patients and combining neuroimaging techniques and cognitive evaluations with blood samples are needed.

Thrombolysis or Surgery in Patients With Obstructive Mechanical Valve Thrombosis: The Multicenter HATTUSHA Study.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is one of the life-threatening complications of prosthetic heart valve replacement. Due to the lack of randomized controlled trials, the optimal treatment of PVT remains controversial between thrombolytic therapy (TT) and surgery. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the outcomes of TT and surgery as the first-line treatment strategy in patients with obstructive PVT. METHODS: A total of 158 obstructive PVT patients (women: 103 [65.2%]; median age 49 years [IQR: 39-60 years]) were enrolled in this multicenter observational prospective study. TT was performed using slow (6 hours) and/or ultraslow (25 hours) infusion of low-dose tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) (25 mg) mostly in repeated sessions. The primary endpoint of the study was 3-month mortality following TT or surgery. RESULTS: The initial management strategy was TT in 83 (52.5%) patients and surgery in 75 (47.5%) cases. The success rate of TT was 90.4% with a median t-PA dose of 59 mg (IQR: 37.5-100 mg). The incidences of outcomes in surgery and TT groups were as follows: minor complications (29 [38.7%] and 7 [8.4%], respectively), major complications (31 [41.3%] and 5 [6%], respectively), and the 3-month mortality rate (14 [18.7%] and 2 [2.4%], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose and slow/ultraslow infusion of t-PA were associated with low complications and mortality and high success rates and should be considered as a viable treatment in patients with obstructive PVT.

Retrospective Evaluation of Cases Examined to Determine Criminal Responsibilities.

INTRODUCTION: Even though the assessment of criminal responsibility constitutes an important part of forensic psychiatry practices, it is observed that there is little published data in our country about these cases. In this study, it was aimed to examine the sociodemographic data, characteristics of the alleged crime, their diagnoses and the expert opinions on criminal responsibilities of the forensic cases referred to our hospital. METHOD: The medical files and medical board expert reports of 356 cases referred to our hospital by judicial authorities for evaluation of criminal liability, between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017, were retrospectively examined. The sociodemographic data of the cases, psychiatric diagnoses made according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and the judicial expert decisions made about them were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: It was reported that 22.2% of the cases (n=79) had no criminal responsibility related to their alleged crime, and 17.7% (n=63) of them had partial criminal responsibility. 47.8% of the cases with partial or no criminal responsibility were diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, and 30.2% of the cases had mental retardation. "Threat and insult", "theft" or " bodily harm" constituted 53.9% of the 471 criminal acts. CONCLUSION: Results of our study are consistent with the results of studies conducted in our country and abroad. Further descriptive studies are needed for a better understanding of the relationship between criminal behavior and mental health and for improving the punishment and the rehabilitation practices in this context.

EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF MPV, RDW AND PVI PARAMETERS WITH DISEASE SEVERITY IN COVID-19 PATIENTS.

Coronavirus was first detected in three severe pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Studies on red cell distribution width (RDW-CV) and mean platelet volume (MPV) laboratory parameters, which can be examined in complete blood count in COVID-19 patients, are still very limited. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies examining the relationship between platelet volume index (PVI) and disease severity in COVID-19 patients, which was evaluated in this study. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of disease severity in COVID-19 patients with their MPV, RDW, and PVI parameters. The study included 92 COVID-19 patients as a study group and 84 healthy individuals as control group. All laboratory data and radiological images were scanned retrospectively from patient files and hospital information system. Evaluation of the RDW-CV and MPV blood parameters, and PVI measured in COVID-19 patients yielded statistically significant differences according to the disease severity. We suggest that RDW-CV and PVI, evaluated within the scope of the study, may be the parameters that should be considered in the early diagnosis of the disease, from the initial stages of COVID-19. In addition, we think that the RDW-CV and MPV laboratory parameters, as well as PVI, which all are simple, inexpensive and widely used hematologic tests, can be used as important biomarkers in determining COVID-19 severity and mortality.

Do Anxiety and Depression Levels Affect the Inflammation Response in Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The whole world is still struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflammation response, thought to be associated with severe illness and death, is an important research topic in COVID-19. Inflammation is also an essential condition explored in psychiatric illnesses. Our knowledge about the relationship between the inflammation response and psychiatric comorbidities in patients with COVID-19 is very limited. In this study, the relationship between anxiety and depression levels and inflammation response of patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the hospital was examined. METHODS: 175 patients were included in the study. Sociodemographic Data Form, Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory were applied to the patients. To evaluate the inflammation responses, blood sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, ferritin, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and IL-6 levels were examined. RESULTS: In our study, no relationship was found between anxiety and depression levels and inflammatory responses in patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19. Anxiety and depression levels of women were higher than men, and NLR, ferritin, IL-6 levels were found to be lower than men. Anxiety levels increase with age. There is a positive correlation between NLR and ferritin levels and duration of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Our study examining the relationship of psychiatric comorbidities with the inflammation response and our increasing literature knowledge, together with studies evaluating the mental effects of COVID-19, suggest that determining the relationship between inflammation responses and psychiatric comorbidities in COVID-19, whose pathophysiology has not been clarified yet, maybe an essential step in interventions on the course of the disease.

From predictions to evidence: Treatment compliance, disease progression and social compliance of patients with schizophrenia in the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: This study explored how patients with schizophrenia were provided with social support and treatment compliance during the pandemic. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 396 patients with schizophrenia and their relatives were interviewed by telephone calls. FINDINGS: Multiple antipsychotic use and depot antipsychotics were not superior in preventing relapse. A total of 70.2% of the patients wanted to meet with their psychiatrist online but only 7.1% of them were reached online. A total of 59% of patients were able to take their medication thanks to the extension of their drug prescriptions. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Active inclusion of telepsychiatry applications in clinical practice is necessary for patients with schizophrenia. Government policies developed for treatment compliance seem important.

Presentation of two new mutations in the 3'untranslated region of the ß-globin gene and evaluating the molecular spectrum of thalassemia mutations in the Mediterranean region of Turkey.

Thalassemia is a common genetic disorder. We aimed to present thalassemia mutation data that covers a period of 7 years from the Mediterranean region of Turkey by comparing with hemoglobin indices and to contribute to prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling studies which should be decided very quickly. In this study, in which a retrospective archive was scanned, the cases were first grouped as α and ß thalassemia, and then ß thalassemia mutations were examined in a total of 5 groups as UTR-Pro, Codon, IVS, ß0, and ß+. We have reached the family of the proband that analyzed their Hb indices and genetic mutation. All mutations were statistically compared with Hb indices, HbF, and HbA2. We have identified two new ß thalassemia mutations that have the feature of not being defined previously [HBB:C*62 A>G. (3'UTR+1536 A>G) and HBB:C*1 G>A (3'UTR+1475 G>A)]. The most commonly encountered 23 mutations account for 74.7% of all mutations which is unlike the literature. In the ß thalassemia group, 73 different mutations were detected. The most common ß thalassemia mutation was HBB: c.93-21 G>A (IVS I-110 G>A) with a frequency of 19.72%. A statistically significant difference was found when comparing the mutation groups with Hb indices. We think that it may be useful to evaluate the mutations we have newly identified too together with the Hb indices especially in evaluating the carriers of thalassemia and it will contribute to prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling studies which should be decided very quickly.