Elderly and aged asthma have different characteristics: results of a multicenter study.

Background/aim: Characteristics of asthma in the elderly population is not well-known. The aim of the present study was to evaluate asthma in the elderly population, to compare disease characteristics between patients diagnosed <60 (aged asthma) and ≥60 (elderly asthma) years of age. Materials and methods: The study was a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional type. A questionnaire was filled out to patients 60 years of age and over, that have been followed for asthma for at least 3 months. Asthma Control Test (ACT), eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was filled out, inhaler device technique was assessed. Results: A total of 399 patients were included from 17 tertiary care centers across the country. Mean age was 67.11 years and 331 (83%) were female. The age at asthma diagnosis was ≥60 in 146 (36.6%) patients. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years were older (p < 0.001), had higher education level (p < 0.001), more commonly had first-degree relative with asthma (p = 0.038), asthma related comorbidities (p = 0.009) and accompanying rhinitis/rhinosinusitis (p = 0.005), had better asthma control (p = 0.001), were using less controller medications (p = 0.014). Inhaler technique was correct in 37% of the patients with no difference in between the groups. Treatment compliance was better in elderly asthma patients (p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, having well-controlled asthma (odds ratio = 1.61, CI = 1.04-2.51), and high medication adherence rate (odds ratio = 2.43, CI = 1.48-4.0) were associated with being in the elderly asthma group. Conclusion: The characteristics of asthma are different among patients aged 60 years and over which seems to be related to onset age of asthma. In our cohort, the elderly asthma patients had higher education level, and treatment adherence and asthma control was better. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years of age did not have more severe disease.

Picturing asthma in Turkey: results from the Turkish adult asthma registry.

INTRODUCTION: National data on asthma characteristics and the factors associated with uncontrolled asthma seem to be necessary for every country. For this purpose, we developed the Turkish Adult Asthma Registry for patients with asthma aiming to take a snapshot of our patients, thereby assigning the unmet needs and niche areas of intervention. METHODS: Case entries were performed between March 2018 and March 2022. A web-based application was used to record data. Study outcomes were demographic features, disease characteristics, asthma control levels, and phenotypes. RESULTS: The registry included 2053 patients from 36 study centers in Turkey. Female subjects dominated the group (n = 1535, 74.8%). The majority of the patients had allergic (n = 1158, 65.3%) and eosinophilic (n = 1174, 57.2%) asthma. Six hundred nineteen (32.2%) of the patients had obese asthma. Severe asthma existed in 670 (32.6%) patients. Majority of cases were on step 3-5 treatment (n: 1525; 88.1%). Uncontrolled asthma was associated with low educational level, severe asthma attacks in the last year, low FEV1, existence of chronic rhinosinusitis and living in particular regions. CONCLUSION: The picture of this registry showed a dominancy of middle-aged obese women with moderate-to-severe asthma. We also determined particular strategic targets such as low educational level, severe asthma attacks, low FEV1, and chronic rhinosinusitis to decrease uncontrolled asthma in our country. Moreover, some regional strategies may also be needed as uncontrolled asthma is higher in certain regions. We believe that these data will guide authorities to reestablish national asthma programs to improve asthma service delivery.

Frequency of Exacerbations and Hospitalizations in COPD Patients Who Continue to Smoke.

We evaluated the frequency of exacerbations and hospitalizations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who continue to smoke.: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of the COPD patients treated in Chest Diseases Clinic of Kocaeli University School of Medicine in 2007-2013. Their demographic characteristics, smoking status (non-smoker, current smoker, ex-smoker), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and history of COPD exacerbation and hospitalizations were evaluated. The cases of 120 patients (11 females, 9.2%; 109 males, 90.8%) were analyzed. Sixteen (13.3%) of the patients were current smokers, and 104 patients were ex-smokers (n=99) or non-smokers (n=5). The mean age was 69.7±7.9 years in the ex-smokers and 62.94±6.8 years in the current smokers. There were no significant differences between the current and ex-smokers regarding smoking history, FEV1 value, frequencies of exacerbations and hospitalization per year, or duration of follow-up. The initial stage of the COPD and the frequency of exacerbations were significantly correlated (p=0.003). The CCI values were significantly higher in the ex-smokers compared to current smokers (p=0.02). A correlation analysis of age, hospitalization and CCI revealed that age was significantly correlated with the hospitalization rate (p=0.02). Older age and the presence of comorbidities in ex-smokers might explain the similar rates of exacerbation and hospitalization between these current and ex-smokers.

High-resolution computed tomography and rheumatoid arthritis: semi-quantitative evaluation of lung damage and its correlation with clinical and functional abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to establish risk factors for radiological lung damage associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and determine whether clinical findings and pulmonary function test were correlated with Warrick score calculated on the basis of high-resolution computed tomography or not. METHODS: One hundred thirty RA patients who were followed at rheumatology outpatient clinic were included through retrospective screening. To evaluate radiological involvement, the semi-quantitative evaluation proposed by Warrick was used to assign a score for each lesion based on the severity and extent of the pulmonary damage. In addition to the total score, indices for alveolitis and fibrosis were created. The correlations between each score and clinical and functional parameters were tested for all patients. RESULTS: We showed that age was an independent explanatory variable of radiological lung damage. Percentage of predicted lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) below 75 % and presence of respiratory symptoms were found to contribute more to radiological lung damage. Warrick score was positively correlated with age at study onset (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). In addition, a negative correlation was found between Warrick score and DLco % predicted (r = -0.357, p = 0.001). Alveolitis index was negatively correlated with DLco % predicted (r = -0.321, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: It is considered that this semi-quantitative method may have added value in early diagnosis, appropriate treatment decisions and follow-up when taken into account together with risk factors associated with pulmonary damage in RA.

[Evaluation of asthma and COPD awareness in primary care doctors in Turkey]. / Türkiye'de birinci basamak hekimlerinde astim ve KOAH farkindaliginin degerlendirilmesi.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pulmonary diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality. However awareness about the risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis and traetment of these disorders is low among patients and health care providers. Our aim was to evaluate the awareness of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among primary care doctors. This study was performed by the national Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases programme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary care doctors employed by the Ministry of Healthy were included to the study. Turkish Statistical Institute randomly selected 680 doctors. Questionnaires evaluating the awareness of asthma and COPD which were developed by the Turkish Thoracic Society COPD and asthma assemblies were completed online by these doctors. RESULT: 84% of the doctors described asthma as airway obstruction. Dyspnea was reported as the most common symptom of asthma (78.8%) and inspiratory rhonci was reported as the most common physical exam finding (42.3%). Around 50% of doctors thought impairment of pulmonary function tests (PFT) was important for diagnosis and evaluation of severity of asthma while 24.2% thought physical exam was more important. When treatment options were evaluated 87.6% chose inhaled treatment for asthma. COPD was described as bronchiectasis and chronic bronchitis by 9.1%, chronic bronchitis and emphysema by 61.6%, chronic bronchitis and asthma by 22.2% and asthma and emphysema by 7.1%. 1.2% of the doctors did not consider cigarette smoking as a risk factor for COPD. PFT was recommended for diagnosis by 83%. Most correctly differentiated asthma and COPD. Bronchodilators were the first choice for COPD by 72.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness is low for asthma and COPD among primary care doctors. Awareness should be raised among health care professionals for these diseases with high economical burden to improve outcome.

[Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome]. / Astim-KOAH overlap Sendromu.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common lung diseases characterized by chronic airway inflammation and airway obstruction. Among patient with COPD and asthma; there is a group of patients with an overlap between clinical, functional characteristics and airway inflammation patterns, named "Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome" (ACOS). ACOS is a syndrome characterized by reversible but persistant airflow limitation (postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC < 70%) which has some features of both asthma and COPD. ACOS should be suspected in a patient > 40 years, with smoking history, previous asthma diagnosis or history of childhood asthma who has persistant airflow limitation and reversible ariway obstruction (defined by an increase of > %12 of FEV1 pred or increase of FEV1 > 200 mL after inhalation of 400 mcg salbutamol or 1000 mcg terbutaline). The prevalence for ACOS has been reported 11-55% in different case series to date and increases by age and is more frequent in females in different age groups. Patients with ACOS are younger than COPD patients and older than asthma patients. Frequent and severe exacerbations and related hospitalization and emergency room visits are common in ACOS and this causes an impaired quality of life. Current recommendations of guidelines for pharmacologic treatment of ACOS have been composed of a combination with optimal COPD and asthma treatment. Future therapeutic approaches should be based on endotypes. Clinical phenotype and underlying endotype driven clinical studies may be the base of ACOS guidelines.

[Acute exacerbation in COPD and asthma]. / KOAH ve astimda atak.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are airway diseases with acute exacerbations. Natural course of both disease are affected by exacerbations. COPD exacerbations may be caused by infections and other causes; indoor and outdoor pollution, cardiovascular diseases, asthma-COPD overlap syndrome, COPD- obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, pulmonary embolism, gastro-oesophageal reflux, anxiety-depression, pulmonary hypertension. Exposure to triggering factors, viral infections, treatment insufficiency may cause asthma exacerbations. Smoking cessations, prevention of infections, long-acting anticholinergics, long-acting 2 agonists, inhaled corticosteroids, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, mucolytics, prophilactic antibiotics can be effective on the prevention of COPD exacerbations. Asthma exacerbations may be decreased by the avoidance of allergens, viral infections, occupational exposures, airpollution, treatment of comorbid diseases. Effective treatment of asthma is required to prevent asthma exacerbations. Inhaled steroids and combined treatments are the most effective preventive therapy for exacerbations. Patient education and cooperation is an element of the preventive measures for asthma attacks. Compliance to therapy, inhalation techniques, written asthma plans are required. The essential of COPD and asthma exacerbation treatment is bronchodilator therapy. Steroids are also implemented to the therapy, targeting the inflammation. Specific treatments of the cause (infection, airpollution, pulmonary embolism etc.) should be administered.

[Treatment of severe asthma: expert opinion]. / Agir astim tedavisi: uzman görüsü

Severe asthmatics account 10% of the all asthmatic population. Those asthmatics whose disease is inadequately controlled account for up to half of the cost for asthma, because they have more emergency room visits, more hospital admission and greater absenteeism from work. New therapeutic options were tried in those patients whose asthma was uncontrolled with standart high dose inhaled corticosteroid and long acting beta-2 agonsit combination therapy. In this paper taking into account the conditions of our country, current literature was reviewed and treatment options was discussed and graded recommendations are made for daily clinical practice in patients with severe treatment-refractory asthma.

Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap: Results from a national-multicenter study.

Introduction: Patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO) have a greater disease burden than those with COPD or asthma alone. In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical features of ACO because there are limited national data in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a cross-sectional design in nine tertiary-care hospitals. The patients followed with a diagnosis of asthma or COPD for at least one year were enrolled in the study. The frequency of ACO and the characteristics of the patients were evaluated in the asthma and COPD groups. Result: The study included 408 subjects (F/M= 205/203, mean age= 56.24 ± 11.85 years). The overall prevalence of ACO in both groups was 20.8% (n= 85). The frequency was higher in the COPD group than in the asthma group (n= 55; 33.3% vs. n= 22; 9.8%), respectively (p= 0.001). Patients with ACO had similarities to patients with COPD in terms of advanced age, sex, smoking, exposure to biomass during childhood, being born in rural areas, and radiologic features. Characteristics such as a history of childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis, presence of chronic sinusitis, NSAID hypersensitivity, atopy, and high eosinophil counts were similar to those of patients with asthma (p<0.001). The annual decline in FEV1 was more prominent in the ACO group (mean= -250 mL) than in the asthma (mean change= -60 mL) and COPD (mean change= -230 mL) groups (p= 0.003). Conclusions: This study showed that ACO was common among patients with asthma and COPD in tertiary care clinics in our country. ACO should be considered in patients with asthma and COPD who exhibit the abovementioned symptoms.

Asthma control test via text messaging: could it be a tool for evaluating asthma control?

INTRODUCTION: Originally, the Asthma Control Test (ACT) was designed for English-speaking patients using a paper-and-pencil format. The Turkish version of the ACT was recently validated. This article compares the paper-and-pencil and web-based texting formats of the Turkish version of the ACT and evaluates the compatibility of these ACT scores with GINA-based physician assessments of asthma control. METHODS: This multicentre prospective study included 431 asthma patients from outpatient clinics in Turkey. The patients were randomized into a paper-and-pencil group (n = 220) and a text messaging group (n = 211). Patients completed the ACT at Visit 1, after 10 ± 2 days, and at 5 ± 1 week to demonstrate the reliability and responsiveness of the test. At each visit, physicians assessed patients' asthma control levels. RESULTS: The ACT administered via texting showed an internal consistency of 0.82. For the texting group, we found a significant correlation between the ACT and physician assessments at Visit 1 (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). The AUC was 0.87, with a sensitivity of 78.0% and a specificity of 77.5% for a score of ≤19 for screening "uncontrolled" asthma in the texting group. CONCLUSION: When the Turkish version of the ACT was administered via either the paper-and-pencil or text messaging test, scores were closely associated with physician assessments of asthma control.

The validation of the Turkish version of Asthma Control Test.

INTRODUCTION: Current guidelines focus more on levels of asthma control than on severity of asthma. The original version of the Asthma Control Test (ACT), a self-administered instrument to determine asthma control levels, was designed for English-speaking patients. More recently, the ACT has been translated into many languages and has been validated for many cultures, but this is the first study to evaluate the Turkish version. PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Turkish version of the ACT among outpatients with asthma. METHOD: This multicenter prospective study included 220 asthma patients in outpatient clinics in Turkey. The ACT was completed at admission (Visit 1), after 10 ± 2 days (Visit 2), and at 5 ± 1 weeks (Visit 3). At each visit, physicians assessed patients' asthma control levels. RESULTS: The Turkish version of the ACT showed an internal consistency reliability of 0.84 (Cronbach's alpha). Test-retest reliability was 0.85 in stable patients. There was a significant correlation between the ACT and physicians' assessments at admission (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). The AUC was 0.91, with a sensitivity of 89.06% and a specificity of 78.26% for a score of ≤19 for screening "uncontrolled" asthma. A minimally important difference of three points on the ACT was consistent with the GINA physician assessment scores between the baseline and the follow-up visits. CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the ACT is a valid and reliable tool for assessing asthma control in patients in outpatient settings. The test may facilitate the designation of asthma patients' symptoms as either controlled or uncontrolled.

[The evaluation of asthma and COPD awareness in Turkey (GARD Turkey Project-National Control Program of Chronic Airway Diseases)]. / Türkiye'de astim ve KOAH farkindaliginin degerlendirilmesi (GARD Türkiye Projesi-Kronik Hava Yollari Hastaliklari Ulusal Kontrol Programi).

INTRODUCTION: Although chronic respiratory disorders are important causes of morbidity and mortality, health care workers, patients and caretakers are not well informed about these disorders. Therefore these problems are underdiagnosed and undertreated; also preventive measures are not widely taken. Our aim was to evaluate the knowledge of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Turkey. This study was designed and performed as a Global Alliance Against Respiratory Disorders (GARD) project. MATERIALS AND METHODS: People greater than 15 years of age who lived in cities with a population of 200 or greater were eligible for the study. A questionnaire including demographic data and questions regarding asthma and COPD was used for the evalution of the participants. RESULTS: 12.000 people were selected (6000 in rural and 6000 in urban areas); 8527 people were reached. 8342 people who completed the questionnaire were included to the study. There were 4182 (50.1%) female and 4160 (%49.9) male subjects. 49.6% of the subjcets knew that COPD is a lung disease, 51.1% indicated that smoking is the most important risk factor for COPD and 48% identified quitting smoking as the most important preventive measure. Every other person had baseline knowledge on COPD. However only 25.2% knew that there are treatment options for COPD. 80% of subjects said astma can be seen in all age groups. 51.1% knew asthma is a genetic disease and 58% said it is not an infectious disease. However when whether asthma medications caused drug dependency only 27% answered as "No" while 55.2% said "They do not know". CONCLUSION: Awareness of COPD and asthma seem to be infsufficient among Turkish people. Since these disorders are important causes of morbidity and mortality and have high impact on work and economic loss, it is important to increase knowledge among public.

Stepwise Approach in Asthma Revisited 2023: Expert Panel Opinion of Turkish Guideline of Asthma Diagnosis and Management Group.

Introduction of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has been the cornerstone of the long-term management of asthma. ICSs either alone or in combination with long-acting beta-2 agonists have been shown to be associated with favorable asthma outcomes. However, asthma control is still reported to be below expectations all around the world. Research in the last decades focusing on the use of ICS/formoterol both as maintenance and as needed (maintenance and reliever therapy approach) showed improved asthma outcomes. As a result of recent developments, Turkish Asthma Guidelines group aimed to revise asthma treatment recommendations. In general, we recommend physicians to consider the risk factors for poor asthma outcomes, patients' compliance and expectations and then to determine "a personalized treatment plan." Importantly, the use of short-acting beta-2 agonists alone as a symptom reliever in asthma patients not using regular ICS is no longer recommended. In stepwise treatment approach, we primarily recommend to use ICS-based controllers and initiate ICS as soon as possible. We define 2 different treatment tracks in stepwise approaches as maintenance and reliever therapy or fixed-dose therapy and equally recommend each track depending on the patient's risks as well as decision of physicians in a personalized manner. For both tracks, a strong recommendation was made in favor of using add-on treatments before initiating phenotype-specific treatment in step 5. A strong recommendation was also made in favor of using biologic agents and/or aspirin treatment after desensitization in severe asthma when indicated.

Will plain packaging of cigarettes achieve the expected? Perceptions among medical students.

INTRODUCTION: Plain packaging is one of the critical strategies in eliminating the promotion of tobacco products. Evidence indicates that plain packaging decreases the attractiveness of tobacco products and enhances the effectiveness of health warnings. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of undergraduate medical students of plain packaging and new pictorial warnings before they came into use in Turkey. METHODS: This qualitative study was carried out among undergraduate students in a Medical School in Istanbul in 2019. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling, and data were collected through focus group discussions. The participants were asked to discuss their perceptions regarding one original branded pack and ten plain package models. All discussions were audiotaped and thematic content analysis was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 72 students participated in the study. None of the students had seen plain packaging before. Most of the students perceived plain packaging as more favorable compared to the branded packs. The terms used to describe plain package were: 'appealing/desirable', 'attractive', 'beautiful', 'cool/eye-catching', 'charming', 'elegant', and 'special'. Some students indicated that they would have preferred plain packs over the branded ones if both types of products had been in the market and provided they were of the same brand. Pictorials had different impacts based on their content. At the same time, outer body deformities were perceived as 'real' and provoked unfavorable feelings; inner organ images were defined as 'imaginary' and had little to no impact. CONCLUSIONS: Plain packaging was perceived as a more attractive alternative to the conventional branded packs among most participants. We must be aware of the unforeseen effects of plain packaging among different subgroups in the new generations. We suggest using outer body deformities in the pictorials more frequently due to their higher impact.

Awareness and Knowledge of COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers in Early Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate the awareness and knowledge of COVID-19 among healthcare workers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire was applied to healthcare workers working at Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine and University of Kyrenia, Dr. Suat Günsel Hospital, to evaluate the coronavirus disease 2019 awareness and level of knowledge. RESULTS: A total of 598 healthcare workers participated in the study. Two-thirds of the respondents were from Turkey, while one-third were from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The general symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 were well known in the general population. Awareness of most symptoms was significantly lower in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus group. It was well known that coronavirus disease 2019 can be asymptomatic in some patients and it can be contagious. The necessity of wearing surgical masks on sick individuals was less known in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus group (96.6% vs 61.6%; P = .000). While handwashing was found similar in both groups for protection from coronavirus disease 2019 transmission, social distance and mask recommendations were lower in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus group (P < .05). The concern about transmitting the virus to themselves and their relatives was more significant in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus group than the Turkey group (84.4% vs 96.5%; P = .000). And 92.2% of the healthcare workers thought they should stay in an alternative place instead of their homes. CONCLUSION: The awareness and knowledge level of coronavirus disease 2019 is higher in Turkey than in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus related to the increased number of coronavirus disease 2019 cases in Turkey. Continuous education programs can contribute to improving the level of knowledge and reducing anxiety.

Attitude and Practice Toward Use of Cigarettes and Electronic Cigarettes Among Pregnant Women: A Questionnaire-Based Survey.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate attitude and practice toward use of regular tobacco cigarettes and electronic cigarettes among pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 1123 pregnant women participated on a voluntary basis in this questionnaire survey. Maternal characteristics, cigarette consumption parameters, and personal opinions regarding the adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy were evaluated. RESULTS: Active smokers composed 12.4% (9.4%: regular tobacco cigarettes, 3.0%: electronic cigarettes) of the study population. Smoking during the current pregnancy, particularly via regular tobacco cigarettes, was more likely for women with smoking during previous pregnancies (56.0% vs. 7.8%, P < .001), previous history of low birth weight infant delivery (16.1% vs. 8.6%, P = .013), premature delivery (16.7% vs. 7.0%, P < .001), and stillbirth (22.8% vs. 11.7%, P = .002). The presence versus absence of smoking during pregnancy was associated with a lower likelihood of being a housewife (70.5% vs. 80.5%, P = .010) and a higher likelihood of having an actively smoking mother (25.9% vs. 11.2%, P < .001) or partner (65.7% vs. 46.9%, P < .001). Regular tobacco cigarette users considered electronic cigarettes to have a higher risk of adverse impacts (11.1% vs. 2.9%, P = .012), while electronic cigarette users considered regular cigarettes to have a higher risk of nicotine exposure (55.9% vs. 13.0%, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate being employed, having an actively smoking mother or partner, as well as smoking in previous pregnancies, to be the risk factors for increased likelihood of smoking during pregnancy.

[Long acting beta-2 agonists in the treatment of asthma and their safety]. / Astim tedavisinde uzun etkili beta-2 agonistlerin yeri ve güvenilirligi.

Inhaled corticosteroids are the preferred primary long-term treatment for asthma. The first option in patients who are uncontrolled with inhaled steroids is adding long-acting beta-2 agonists. The addition of a long-acting beta-agonist to an inhaled corticosteroid has been accepted as effective therapy for almost two decades Despite the widespread use and their clinical benefit, controversy regarding their safety arose after their introduction. Concerns about the safety of long-acting beta-2 agonist therapy, has led to the appearance of multiple publications and recommendations. The evidence supports the use of long-acting beta-2 agonists plus inhaled corticosteroids in a single inhaler device to increase adherence and reduce the potential use of long-acting beta-2 agonists monotherapy. This review examines and commands on the available clinical data and safety concerns of long-acting beta-2 agonists use in patients with asthma.

[Smoking prevalence in Kocaeli]. / Kocaeli'de sigara içme prevalansi

A questionnaire was performed in order to determine smoking prevalence in the target population just before the initiation of a social responsibility project which is aimed to increase the smoking cessation rates in Kocaeli. The sample selection was made based on population numbers in 12 town of Kocaeli city and smoking habits of population over the age of 18 were evaluated by a questionnaire survey by phone. There was 2721 person included in the study. The overall prevalence of active smokers was 32.3% (n= 902) and ex-smokers was 21.5% (n= 587). There was no statistical significance of smoking prevalence among towns except the lower smoking rates in Gebze (25.7%). The percentage of the current smokers was 42.5% in male population which was significantly higher than females (21.8%). The highest smoking prevalence was found between the ages of 35-44 (41.2%) while the lowest prevalence was observed in the subjects older than 55 years (19.8%). The mean age for smoking initiation was 19 years (17-20) and daily cigarette consumption was 17 sticks. Previous attempts for quitting smoking were found in 67.7% of current smokers. The mean number of smoking cessation attempts was 3 times and the mean duration of cessation was 5 months. The most common reason for smoking cessation was health issues. Eighty percent of cases harnessed their willpower to stop smoking while only 5% of them received medical treatment. It is suggested that determination of demographic features of the smokers might constitute a corner stone for smoking cessation projects.

Turkish Thoracic Society asthma management and prevention guideline: key points.

Asthma still has high morbidity and cost despite all advances in pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment. Although asthma can be controlled with proper diagnosis and treatment, the low rates of control in our country and in the world can not be attributed to the variable course of the disease and patients' psycho-social behaviours for chronic disease. In this context, Turkish Thoracic Society (TTS) has decided to update Asthma Diagnosis and Management Guide latest published in 2000. National data were collected, compiled and prepared by authors, and final form given by the TTS Asthma and Allergy Study Group, after presenting to consultant individuals and institutions. In June 2009, the National Asthma Management and Prevention Guideline were published in Turkish. In this paper, we aimed to present the national guide in English with its basics and individual differences.

Knowledge of Physicians About Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of physicians on influenza and pneumococcal vaccine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to physicians working in Kyrenia University Hospital and Near East University School of Medicine. RESULTS: There were 38 female (56.7%) and 29 male (43.3%) participants. The mean age was 39.3±12.5 years. There were 24 general practitioners (GP) and 43 specialists participating in the study. Influenza vaccine and its risk minimization for infection were well known among 92.5% of the participants. However, 76.1% of them mentioned that they had knowledge about the pneumococcal vaccine, and this ratio about its reducing the risk of infection was 73.1%. 83.7% of specialists and 79.2% of GP thought that adult vaccines were effective (p=0.6). The rate of influenza vaccination among specialists was higher than that of GP (67.4% vs. 41.7%, p=0.04). However, the rates of pneumococcal vaccination were low and similar in both groups (p=0.3). In both specialists and GP, the most common reason for not receiving the vaccine was the belief of not being in the risk group (p=0.9). The knowledge level of pneumococcal vaccination in GP was found to be statistically lower than in specialists (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Although influenza vaccine and its risk minimization for infection are well known among physicians, the pneumococcal vaccine is not well known. It is suggested that training about vaccination for both specialists and GP are important for preventive medicine.