The effect of subperichondrial dissection on nasal vascularity in septorhinoplasty operations.

PURPOSE: Nasal vascularization runs above the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). Perichondrium covers the lower and upper lateral cartilages. In this study, nasal vascularization was compared between subperichondrial and supraperichondrial dissection in closed septorhinoplasty. METHODS: 95 patients and 41 volunteers were included in this study. Supraperichondrial dissection was performed in 48 patients and subperichondrial dissection was performed in 47 patients. To measure blood stream, laser doppler flowmetry (LDF) was used and measurements were done preoperatively, on the postoperative first week; 3rd month and first year. RESULTS: The nasal tip and dorsum measurements were similar between the preoperative and postoperative first year in both groups (p = 1.000). However, in the supraperichondrial dissection group, nasal tip measurements showed a significant increase between the preoperative and third postoperative months (p = 0.011). This increase was accompanied by an increase in the minimal blood stream (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Both subperichondrial and supraperichondrial dissection techniques are physiological and result in fewer complications with minimal permanent vascular damage. We believe incision plays a critical role but keeping the perichondrium intact is important for short-term angiogenesis, where long-term results showed no difference in vascularization.

Nursing interventions for the self-efficacy of ostomy patients: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Self-efficacy interventions, which include the acquisition of skills that enable patients to manage their health on a daily basis, play a key role in ostomy patients, which leads to significant changes in the quality of life of patients. In this context, nursing interventions to increase self-efficacy of ostomy patients are very important. In this context, nursing interventions are crucial to increase the self-efficacy of ostomy patients. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review is to describe nursing interventions for ostomy patients' self-efficacy (primary outcome) and the impact of these interventions on patient outcomes (complications, quality of life, satisfaction, psychological resilience, stoma adaptation) (secondary outcomes). METHOD: As a systematic review, this study included articles published in PUBMED, Web of Science, Science-Direct, TUBITAK-ULAKBIM, and TRDizin databases between January 2013 and January 2023 that included nursing interventions for self-efficacy ostomy patients. This systematic review was developed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB2 tool developed by Cochrane. RESULTS: A total of 1211 articles were retrieved from the databases using Turkish and English keywords. Fifteen studies met the study criteria. These studies found that various interventions, such as training, telephone follow-up, psychosocial support groups, or mobile applications provided to intervention groups, increased self-efficacy, decreased stoma-related complications, improved stoma adaptation, and improved quality of life by increasing patients' knowledge and awareness of stoma. CONCLUSION: Nursing interventions to improve the self-efficacy and adaptation of ostomy patients are critical. This improvement leads to a reduction in adverse patient outcomes and ostomy complications, shorter hospital stays, and increased patient and nurse satisfaction.

Nonpharmacological Nursing Interventions in Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: This study aims to assess the impact of nonpharmacological nursing interventions on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). DESIGN: This is a systematic review. METHODS: MEDLINE, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Tübitak-ULAKBIM, and TRDizin databases were searched for the following search terms, including "Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting," "Nurse," "Nursing," and "Nonpharmacological Interventions" to identify nonpharmacological nursing interventions for PONV. A systematic review of English and Turkish articles published in the period between January 1, 2012 and June 1, 2023 was conducted. The PICOT-SD method was used to determine the compatibility of the pieces with the eligibility criteria. FINDINGS: Fifty-eight of 3,874 articles obtained from databases fulfilled the eligibility criteria. This study demonstrated that acupuncture, aromatherapy, the oral intake of ginger, listening to music, education, and visits to patients decreased the incidence of nausea and vomiting and increased the quality of life. Additionally, it was found that patients' quality of life tended to improve along with reductions in postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study support previous findings in the literature and demonstrate that nonpharmacological nursing interventions help reduce and prevent PONV. Based on our results, we suggest that nonpharmacological nursing interventions can be employed for the management of PONV in patients undergoing surgery.

The Effect of Cold Oral Applications in the Management of Postoperative Thirst: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: Thirst is one of the most bothersome symptoms experienced by surgical patients. Effective thirst intervention and management in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and hospital wards is critical because patients are less sedated and more aware than in the past. There is a need to review the literature on the identification and management of thirst in the inpatient and PACU settings. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the available evidence on the effectiveness of oral cold applications on thirst in postoperative patients. DESIGN: This was a systematic review study. Articles in PUBMED, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, TÜBITAK-ULAKBIM, and TRDizin databases between January 2008 and January 2023 that included oral cold applications to relieve the thirst of patients in the postoperative period were included. METHODS: The PICOT-SD (Patients Interventions Comparison Outcome Time-Study Design) method was used as an eligibility criterion for inclusion in the study. The eligibility criteria included that the articles were written in English-Turkish and within the target dates, the studies included nursing interventions, the primary outcome of the studies was thirst, and the study sample included postoperative patients. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB2 tool developed by Cochrane. FINDINGS: A total of 254 articles were retrieved from the databases using the specified keywords. 244 articles did not meet the study criteria: 30 were excluded because they were not interventional studies, 61 were not conducted in a postoperative population, 56 were duplicates, and 79 were not on a related topic. A total of 10 studies consisting of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental articles met the criteria for our review. Oral cold applications effectively reduced the thirst rate of postoperative patients and improved their health-related quality of life. The intervention has also been shown to reduce other anesthesia-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review concluded that cold oral applications have promising effects on thirst, dry mouth, and health-related quality of life. Cold oral applications are cost-effective and suitable for large-scale health care applications.

Effect of Computerized Training Programs for Attention and Perception for Patients with Hearing Aids.

INTRODUCTION: Sensorineural hearing loss is a common problem, especially among geriatric patients, and it requires hearing aids. Unfortunately, most geriatric patients are hesitant to use hearing aids. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether computerized training therapies increase the attention and perception of patients who have been given hearing aids using psychophysiological tests and wave P300 records. METHODS: One hundred patients (40 women and 60 men) who used hearing aids were included in our study. Sixty patients (30 women and 30 men) received computerized training therapies with hearing aids. After the psychophysiological tests, the study group was divided into three groups according to the role given to patients. Passive training was given in group 1; interactive training was given in group 2; and group 3 was active, questioning training. Measurements of P300 wave latencies, stimuli-P300 peak, and baseline-P300 peak were performed before and after training. The control group consisted of 40 patients who did not receive training and were treated with hearing aids only. RESULTS: We found a significant difference between the pre- and post-training measures of the P300 wave (p < 0.001). Pre-training measurements of P300 waves were recorded for 12% in group 1 and 9.1% in groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.24). Post-training measurements of the P300 wave records were 80% in group 1 and 72.7% in groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.22). CONCLUSION: Attention and perception can be measured with the P300 wave. All computer-supported training programs showed an increase of the P300 wave, suggesting that attention and perception of patients with hearing loss can be increased with computer-supported training programs provided with hearing aids.

Evaluation of financial toxicity and associated factors in female patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: These systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to discuss the financial toxicity (FT) level among breast cancer (BC) patients and the associated demographic and economic factors. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of single means were used by following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and PRISMA guidance. Untransformed means (MRAW) were used to estimate the confidence interval for individual studies, while I2 and tau2 statistics were used to examine heterogeneity among pooled studies. Electronic databases were PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE(R), Science Direct, and Turkish databases were used to find relevant studies published in the last 15 years (between 2008 and 2023). RESULTS: A total of 50 studies were reviewed in the systematic review, and 11 were included in the overall and subgroup meta-analyses. The majority of reviewed studies were from the USA (38 studies), while there were four studies from China and eight studies from other countries having different types of health systems. The overall estimated FT level based on 11 pooled studies was 23.19, meaning mild level FT in the range of four categories (no FT score > 25, mild FT score 14-25, moderate FT score 1-13, and severe FT score equal to 0), with a 95% CI of 20.66-25.72. The results of subgroup meta-analyses showed that the estimated FT levels were higher among those patients who were single, with lower education levels, stage 3 patients, younger, lower income, unemployed, and living in other countries compared to those who were married, more educated, and stages 1 and 2 patients, more aged, more income, employed, and patients in the USA. CONCLUSION: The cost-effectiveness of the treatment strategies of BC depends on the continuity of care. However, FT is one of the leading factors causing BC patients to use the required care irregularly, and it has a negative effect on adherence to treatment. So, removing the economic barriers by taking appropriate measures to decrease FT will increase the efficiency of already allocated resources to BC treatments and improve the health outcomes of BC patients.

Immunogenicity after two doses of inactivated virus vaccine in healthcare workers with and without previous COVID-19 infection: Prospective observational study.

Vaccines have been seen as the most important solution for ending the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antibody levels after inactivated virus vaccination. We included 148 healthcare workers (74 with prior COVID-19 infection and 74 with not). They received two doses of inactivated virus vaccine (CoronaVac). Serum samples were prospectively collected three times (Days 0, 28, 56). We measured SARS-CoV-2 IgGsp antibodies quantitatively and neutralizing antibodies. After the first dose, antibody responses did not develop in 64.8% of the participants without prior COVID-19 infection. All participants had developed antibody responses after the second dose. We observed that IgGsp antibody titers elicited by a single vaccine dose in participants with prior COVID-19 infection were higher than after two doses of vaccine in participants without prior infection (geometric mean titer: 898 and 607 AU/ml). IgGsp antibodies, participants with prior COVID-19 infection had higher antibody levels as geometric mean titers at all time points (p < 0.001). We also found a positive correlation between IgGsp antibody titers and neutralizing capacity (rs = 0.697, p < 0.001). Although people without prior COVID-19 infection should complete their vaccination protocol, the adequacy of a single dose of vaccine is still in question for individuals with prior COVID-19. New methods are needed to measure the duration of protection of vaccines and their effectiveness against variants as the world is vaccinated. We believe quantitative IgGsp values may reflect the neutralization capacity of some vaccines.

Propensity Score and Desirability of Outcome Ranking Analysis of Ertapenem for Treatment of Nonsevere Bacteremic Urinary Tract Infections Due to Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacterales in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

There are scarce data on the efficacy of ertapenem in the treatment of bacteremia due to extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) in kidney transplant (KT) recipients. We evaluated the association between treatment with ertapenem or meropenem and clinical cure in KT recipients with nonsevere bacteremic urinary tract infections (B-UTI) caused by ESBL-E. We performed a registered, retrospective, international (29 centers in 14 countries) cohort study (INCREMENT-SOT, NCT02852902). The association between targeted therapy with ertapenem versus meropenem and clinical cure at day 14 (the principal outcome) was studied by logistic regression. Propensity score matching and desirability of outcome ranking (DOOR) analyses were also performed. A total of 201 patients were included; only 1 patient (treated with meropenem) in the cohort died. Clinical cure at day 14 was reached in 45/100 (45%) and 51/101 (50.5%) of patients treated with ertapenem and meropenem, respectively (adjusted OR 1.29; 95% CI 0.51 to 3.22; P = 0.76); the propensity score-matched cohort included 55 pairs (adjusted OR for clinical cure at day 14, 1.18; 95% CI 0.43 to 3.29; P = 0.74). In this cohort, the proportion of cases treated with ertapenem with better DOOR than with meropenem was 49.7% (95% CI, 40.4 to 59.1%) when hospital stay was considered. It ranged from 59 to 67% in different scenarios of a modified (weights-based) DOOR sensitivity analysis when potential ecological advantage or cost was considered in addition to outcome. In conclusion, targeted therapy with ertapenem appears as effective as meropenem to treat nonsevere B-UTI due to ESBL-E in KT recipients and may have some advantages.

Emerging Escherichia coli O25b/ST131 clone predicts treatment failure in urinary tract infections.

BACKGROUND: We described the clinical predictive role of emerging Escherichia coli O25b/sequence type 131 (ST131) in treatment failure of urinary tract infection. METHODS: In this prospective observational cohort study, the outpatients with acute cystitis with isolation of E. coli in their urine cultures were assessed. All the patients were followed up for clinical cure after 10 days of treatment. Detection of the E. coli O25:H4/ST131 clone was performed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for phylogroup typing and using PCR with primers for O25b rfb and allele 3 of the pabB gene. RESULTS: In a cohort of patients with diagnosis of acute urinary cystitis, 294 patients whose urine cultures were positive with a growth of >10(4) colony-forming units/mL of E. coli were included in the study. In empiric therapy, ciprofloxacin was the first choice of drug (27%), followed by phosphomycin (23%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) (9%), and cefuroxime (7%). The resistance rate was 39% against ciprofloxacin, 44% against TMP-SMX, and 25% against cefuroxime. Thirty-five of 294 (12%) isolates were typed under the O25/ST131 clone. The clinical cure rate was 85% after the treatment. In multivariate analysis, detection of the O25/ST131 clone (odds ratio [OR], 4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51-10.93; P = .005) and diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, .99-4.79; P = .05) were found to be significant risk factors for the treatment failure. In another multivariate analysis performed among quinolone-resistant isolates, treatment failure was 3 times more common among the patients who were infected with ST131 E. coli (OR, 3; 95% CI, 1.27-7.4; P = .012). CONCLUSIONS: In urinary tract infections, the E. coli ST131 clone seems to be a consistent predictor of treatment failure.

Does brucellosis cause arterial stiffness and ventricular remodelling through inflammation?

BACKGROUND: Like other acute and chronic infections, Brucella infection leads to endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the chronic inflammatory state present in chronic infectious diseases leads to an acceleration in atherosclerosis. For the prediction of CAD, it is possible to use epicardial fat thickness (EFT) as an adjunctive marker beside the classical risk factors, as it is easily and non-invasively evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of impaired myocardial performance as well as of increased arterial stiffness and EFT in patients who had been infected with brucellosis in the past. METHODS: Included in the study were twenty-seven brucellosis patients and twenty-six healthy volunteers. Using EFT and transthoracic echocardiography, which included Doppler echocardiography in combination with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), all the patients were examined to measure their aortic stiffness index (AoSI), aortic distensibility (AoD), and aortic elastic modulus (AoEM) values. RESULTS: A statistically significant increase was observed in hs-CRP, aortic stiffness index, aortic elastic modulus and EFT in brucellosis patients when compared with the controls (2.46 +/- 1.40 vs. 1.71 ? 0.61, P=0.016; 9.69 +/- 6.99 vs. 2.14 +/- 0.72, P < 0.001; 11.17 +/- 8.60 vs 2.18 +/- 0.90, P < 0.001; 0.76 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.63 +/- 0.10, P < 0.001). On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in aortic strain and aortic distensibility (7.41 ? 6.82 vs 18.26 +/- 5.83, P < 0.001; 1.83 +/- 1.71 vs. 5.22 +/- 1.72, P < 0.001, respectively). No difference was observed between the two groups with respect to the left ventricular myocardial performance index (MPI) (0.62 +/- 0.15 vs. 0.61 +/- 0.13, P=0.859). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrated for the first time in the literature thatthere was impaired aortic elasticity and increased EFT in patients with brucellosis, while the myocardial performance index remained unaffected. We also determined that these effects had a significant correlation with inflammation.

Colonization of Legionella species in Turkish baths in hotels in Alanya, Turkey.

This study evaluated the prevalence of Legionella species in water samples collected from Turkish baths in hotels in Alanya, Turkey, from August 2003 to September 2013. Water samples were collected in 100-mL sterile containers and then concentrated by filtration. Heat treatment was used to eliminate other microorganisms from the samples, which were then spread on Legionella-selective-buffered charcoal yeast extract alpha (BCYE-α) agar and on BCYE-α agar supplemented with glycine, vancomycin, polymyxin, and cycloheximide. Cysteine-dependent colonies were identified by latex agglutination. In total, 135 samples from 52 hotels with Turkish baths were evaluated. Legionella species were identified in 11/52 (21.2%) hotels and 18/135 (13.3%) samples. The most frequently isolated species was Legionella pneumophila, with most isolates belonging to serogroups 6 (55.6%) and 1 (22.2%). The colony count was <100 colony-forming units (CFU) mL(-1) in nine samples, from 100 to 1000 CFU mL(-1) in six samples, and >1000 CFU mL(-1) in three samples. These findings suggest that the hot water systems of Turkish baths in hotels must be viewed as a possible source of travel-associated Legionnaires' disease, and preventative measures should be put in place.

In vitro susceptibility of tigecycline against multidrug-resistant gram-negative strains: Etest versus agar dilution.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Tigecycline is a semi-synthetic tetracycline with activity against most multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. METHODS: We studied in vitro activity of tigecycline by agar dilution (AD) and Etest methods to evaluate their correlation. The study included 206 isolates of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and MDR Acinetobacter baumannii recovered from blood cultures of patients of Baskent University between 2008 and 2010. RESULTS: ESBL-producing E. coli had MIC50/MIC90 values of 0.5/0.5 µg/ml by AD and 0.25/0.5 µg/ml by Etest. ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae had MIC50/MIC90 values of 1/2 µg/ml by AD and 0.75/2 µg/ml by Etest, whereas MDR A. baumannii had MIC50/MIC90 values of 4/4 µg/ml by AD and 2/4 µg/ml by Etest. The correlation between AD and Etest was weak for ESBL-producing E. coli and strong for ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae and MDR A. baumannii. Tigecycline MIC values for ESBL-producing E. coli were lower than the tigecycline concentration, while they were higher than the concentrations attainable by treatment doses for A. baumannii. CONCLUSION: Tigecycline is an appropriate agent in the treatment of E. coli bacteremia, but it is not for treating A. baumannii bacteremia. Tigecycline could be used for K. pneumoniae bacteremia treatment after determining its MIC value. Determining the MIC value by gold-standard methods is more appropriate due to the correlation between Etest and AD at high MIC values.

Can Cochlear Nerve Size Assessment With Magnetic Resonance Enhance the Understanding of Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) is a rapid loss of hearing, exceeding 30 dB in at least 3 consecutive frequencies within 3 days, without any identifiable cause despite thorough investigations. Currently, the etiology and pathogenesis of ISSHL have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to assess the size of the cochlear nerve in patients with ISSHL and explore its relationship with pretreatment audiograms and treatment response. Subjects and. METHODS: A total of 125 patients (59 [47.2%] women; mean age 47.7±13.8 years [minimum-maximum: 21-76]) and 60 healthy participants (27 [45%] women; mean age 45.7±16.8 years [minimum-maximum: 20-76]) as a control group were included in this study. The size of the cochlear nerve was assessed on the affected side, compared to the control group, as well as on the unaffected side. Pretreatment and posttreatment audiological values were also analyzed. RESULTS: The cross-sectional area (CSA), vertical diameter (VD), and horizontal diameter (HD) of the CN were found to be smaller on the affected side of ISSHL patients compared to the control group (p<0.01; p=0.04; p=0.02, respectively). In the study group (affected side of ISSHL patients), there were no significant differences in VD, HD, and CSA values between pretreatment audiogram types (p=0.23; p=0.53; p=0.39, respectively), and initial hearing levels (p=0.16; p=0.22; p=0.23, respectively). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in VD, HD, and CSA values between the recovery groups according to Furuhashi criteria (p=0.18; p=0.37; p=0.27, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The size of the CN may be a risk factor for ISSHL, but it does not affect the type of audiogram curves and was not prognostic in terms of treatment response.

An Emerging Issue: Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Solid-Organ Transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: Bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria have increased globally. Solid-organ transplant recipients are more prone to these infections. This study aimed to compare the clinical courses of carbapenem-susceptible and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infections and to identify risk factors for carbapenem resistance in solid-organ transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this retrospective descriptive study, data for solid-organ transplant recipients (age ≥18) treated from 2015 to 2022 were obtained from medical records. Enterobacteriaceaepositive blood culture was screened from laboratory data. RESULTS: Among 72 patients, there were 100 bacteremia episodes. Patients included 40 kidney (55.6%), 21 liver (29.2%), 7 heart (9.7%), and 4 combined liver and kidney (5.6%) transplant recipients. Fifty-seven bacteremia episodes were recorded between 2015 and 2020, and 43 bacteremia episodes were recorded between 2020 and 2022. Carbapenem resistance was reported in 15.8% of patients before 2020, whereas this rate increased to 39.5% after 2020 (P = .007). Pitt bacteremia score ≥4 (P < .001), Charlson comorbidity index ≥4 (P = .021), chronic liver disease (P = .015), septic shock at admission (P = .001), hypotension at admission (P = .006), bacteremia episodes 48 hours after hospitalization (P = .004), hospitalization in the past 3 months (P = .004), and prior invasive procedure (P = .043) were significant factors for carbapenem resistance. Logistic regression analysis showed that bacteremia 48 hours after hospitalization (P = .002) and hospitalization in the past 3 months (P = .006) were independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Carbapenem resistance increased significantly over the years. Bacteremia 48 hours after hospitalization and hospitalization within the past 3 months were determined to be risk factors for carbapenem resistance. Carbapenem-resistant infections are still nosocomial infections. Patients should be hospitalized for as a short time as possible, and both patients and their physicians should follow infection control and prevention methods.

Effect of peri-intubation non-pharmacological interventions on postoperative laryngeal symptoms: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of peri-intubation non-pharmacological interventions in reducing postoperative sore throat (POST), cough (PEC), and hoarseness in surgical patients. DESIGN: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. SETTING: Elective surgery under general anesthesia in operating rooms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evaluate the impact of non-pharmacological interventions, including pre-intubation (gargling with Sodium Azulene Sulfonate, licorice, or using Strepsils tablets of honey and lemon lozenge), during-intubation (inflating the TT cuff with normal saline and softening the ETT cuff with warm normal saline), and post-intubation (cold vapor therapy, gargling with honey lemon water, and using green tea gargle), on the occurrence of POST, PEC, and hoarseness. RESULTS: Nineteen trials with 2,136 participants were included. Pre-intubation intervention significantly reduced POST immediately after extubation (n = 861; OR: 0.28, 95 % CI: 0.20-0.38, P < 0.001), and 24 h post-extubation (n = 1006; OR: 0.21, 95 % CI: 0.16-0.28, P < 0.001). During-intubation intervention did not show significant effects on POST. Pre-intubation intervention also reduced POST-associated pain score at 24 h post-extubation (n = 440; MD: -0.50, 95 % CI: -0.81 to -0.18, P < 0.001). Post-intubation interventions were effective in reducing POST-associated pain scores at different time points post-extubation (P < 0.05). Pre-intubation intervention significantly reduced PEC (OR: 0.13, 95 % CI: 0.02-0.70, P = 0.02) and hoarseness (OR: 0.36, 95 %CI: 0.15-0.86, P = 0.02) at 24 h post-extubation. However, during-intubation interventions did not reduce hoarseness at 24 h post-extubation. CONCLUSION: Pre-intubation non-pharmacological interventions were found to be the most effective in reducing the incidence and severity of POST, PEC, and hoarseness. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Implementing pre-intubation non-pharmacological interventions can be beneficial for bedside nurses and healthcare professionals in reducing postoperative complications and nurses can contribute to improving patient comfort and recovery outcomes following surgery. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL: The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews on 2 January 2024 (CRD42023492813).

Evaluation of Candidemia in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients.

OBJECTIVES: Solid-organ transplant recipients have high rates of invasive fungal infections. Candida species are the most commonly isolated fungi. Our aim was to identify risk factors, clinical presentations, and outcomes of candidemia in solid-organ transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated adult (≥18 years old) transplant recipients seen from May 2011 to December 2022 at Baskent University Ankara Hospital. From medical records, we retrospectively reviewed age, sex, transplant type, candidemia agent, risk factors, concomitant infections, and mortality of patients with Candida detected in blood culture. We used SPSS statistics software (version 25) to analyze data. RESULTS: There were 1080 organ transplants performed during the study period (717 kidney, 279 liver, 84 heart). There were 855 who were ≥18 years (655 kidney, 127 liver, 73 heart), of whom candidemia was detected in 26 (16 male; 11 kidney, 11 liver, 4 heart) with a median age of 47.5 years. The most common agents were Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. The most common chronic diseases were hypertension, cirrhosis, and cardiomyopathy. Eighteen patients had a concomitant focus of infection. Ten patients had pneumonia accompanying candidemia. The 30-day mortality rate was as high as 53.8%. The mean duration of candidemia after transplant was 23 months. Catheter-related candidemia was observed in 65% of patients. The 30-day mortality was found to be significantly higher in patients followed in the intensive care unit (P = .014), receiving total parenteral nutrition (P = .001), using broad-spectrum antibiotics (P = .001), and having pneumonia (P = .042) accompanying candidemia. CONCLUSIONS: For adult solid-organ transplant recipients with candidemia, careful monitoring is essential for successful management of total parenteral nutrition, central catheter, use of broadspectrum antibiotics, and invasive interventions.

[Evaluation of a Legionella outbreak emerged in a recently opening hotel]. / Yeni açilan bir otelde ortaya çikan Legionella salgininin irdelenmesi.

Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a systemic infection caused by Legionella species especially colonized in the water systems. Hotels are common locations in which waterwork-associated sporadic or epidemic legionellosis can be detected. The aim of this study was to evaluate a small Legionella outbreak emerged in a recently opened 600-bed hotel in Alanya, a touristic county in Mediterranean part of Turkey. A 66 years old male patient who stayed in this hotel opened on May 15th, 2009, was admitted to our hospital on May 21st, 2009 with the complaints of high fever, headache and diarrhea lasting for three days. Since chest X-ray revealed non-homogenous density increase in left middle and inferior zone, the patient was diagnosed as atypical pneumoniae and LD was confirmed by positive urinary Legionella antigen test (Card test, BinaxNOW®Legionella Urinary Antigen Test; Alere Co, USA) result. Following the identification of the index case, the records of our hospital were reviewed and revealed another case being treated with the diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia who was also the guest of the same hotel. This patient was then diagnosed as LD by positive urinary antigen test. Since new cases were identified during the following days (May 22, 25 and 26) the Antalya County Health Department and hotel management were informed about a cluster of LD. In addition subsequent investigation for environmental surveillance and water sampling were conducted. The LD diagnosis and environmental inspections were performed according to the procedure described in the guideline from "Turkish Ministry of Health Travel-Associated Legionnaires' Disease Control Programme". Five definitive cases and one presumptive case of LD were identified during the outbreak period (May 20-26, 2009). All of the cases were successfully treated (intravenous ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin or clarithromycin), however one patient died due to sudden death during sleep after being discharged. Since sputum samples could not be obtained from the cases, the diagnosis were not confirmed by culture but by urinary antigen test. Besides high antibody titer in single serum sample was accepted as a diagnostic marker. Additionally 26 cases who accommodated in the same hotel and presented with high fever without pneumonia were treated in the outpatient clinics of our hospital. Urinary antigen test was performed in 11 of those patients to confirm the prediagnosis of pontiac fever, however all were found negative. Likewise convalescent phase sera for the confirmation of the diagnosis by seroconversion could not be obtained since they all were foreign tourists. Investigation of water sources of the hotel revealed that the municipal drinking water network had not been connected yet and the hotel supplied water from groundwater sources. The analysis of multiple samples from multiple sites of hotel's water system indicated that the water temperature was between 35-45°C and the iron level was beyond the acceptable limits (245 µg/L) recommended for drinking water in the regulation guides. These properties were considered as the factors that enhanced the growth and survival of Legionella species. Water samples were cultivated on BCYE-_ (Buffered Charcoal Yeast Extract a-Ketoglutarate) and GVPC (Glycine-Vancomycin-Polymyxin-Cycloheximide) agar plates and 11 out of a total 13 samples yielded Legionella spp. growth. All isolates were identified as L.pneumophila serogroup 1 by specific antisera. Legionella decontamination of hotel's water system was managed by implementation of hyperchlorination method as well as superheating (> 60°C) of water. The hotel was not closed during the outbreak and cultures of water samples obtained for one year later did not yield any Legionella spp. growth. This outbreak emphasized that hotel residents are at risk for acquiring LD in the presence of a colonized water system, even in a newly constructed building. In conclusion, effective control and decontamination programmes for the prevention of Legionella colonization should be applied even in new opening hotels.

[Evaluation of fourteen adult cases with visceral leishmaniasis]. / On dört eriskin viseral leyismanyoz olgusunun degerlendirilmesi.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a life threatening systemic infectious disease caused by Leishmania protozoon, which is transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies, and is widespread in Mediterranean countries including Turkey. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the visceral leishmaniasis cases followed in our clinic between January 2005 to April 2012, under the light of the current literature. A total of 14 cases (7 female, 7 male; age range: 19-64 years, mean age: 41.6 ± 12.9 years) diagnosed as visceral leishmaniasis and followed for one year after their treatment were included in the study. Data of the cases were obtained from the patient files. Ten of the cases were immunocompetent and four were immunosuppressive. While six of the cases were residents in Adana, eight were from different cities of south and southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. The median period between the development of symptoms and diagnosis was 75 (range: 2-272) days and 79% (11/14) of them were admitted to a health center and used antimicrobial agents. The leading presenting complaint was fever (100%) followed by chills and shiver (93%), weakness (71%) and weight loss (57%). Physical examination revealed fever in 8 (57%), splenomegaly in 11 (79%) and hepatosplenomegaly in 7 (50%) cases. Based on laboratory findings, pancytopenia was detected in 10 (71.4%) and hypoalbuminemia was detected in all (100%) of the cases. The diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis was made by the detection of amastigote form of the parasite in the smears of bone marrow aspiration for 12 (86%) cases and of tissue (liver/spleen) biopsies for two cases. Bone marrow samples obtained from all of the patients were inoculated into NNN (Novy-MacNeal-Nicole) media and only 4 (29%) of them yielded the growth of Leishmania promastigots. Parenteral lipozomal amphotericin B was initiated to 10 immunocompetent patients at a dose of 3 mg/kg/day and to three immunosuppressive patients at a dose of 4 mg/kg/day. One immunosuppressive patient lost his life before initiation of treatment. With regard to disease progression, it was detected that two cases (of whom one was renal and one was bone marrow transplant patient) lost their lives (mortality rate: 14%), however all the other cases were cured completely. The present study comprised the highest number of visceral leishmaniasis adult cases reported in Turkey and enabled the review of disease characteristics. In conclusion, cases presenting with fever, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia and hypoalbuminemia and living in endemic regions should be precisely evaluated in terms of visceral leishmaniasis.

Serum galectin­3 and α­1­acid glycoprotein levels in diagnosis and prognosis of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is an otological emergency in which etiopathogenesis remains unclear. A number of disorders is considered as the cause; therefore, different treatment modalities are used without certainty of a cure. The present study aimed to analyse the potential correlation between serum α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and galectin-3 levels with ISSNHL, and to investigate markers for guidance of treatment. A total of 55 patients with ISSNHL [29 (52.7%) female, 26 male, mean age, 46.76±17.68 years] and 47 healthy volunteers [25 (53.2%) female, 21 male, mean age, 43.95±12.96 years) were included in the study. The complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, serum galectin-3 and AGP levels were evaluated. The audiological investigation included pure tone average and speech discrimination scores were also recorded before and after corticosteroid treatment. Serum AGP levels in the study group vs. the control group were 64.08±25.10 and 67.01±21.59 mg/dl (P=0.53), respectively. Galectin-3 levels were 16.80±4.55 in the study group and 15.15±3.74 ng/ml in the control group (P=0.05). Serum galectin-3 levels were significantly correlated with unresponsiveness to treatment (P<0.001). Galectin-3 is an important biomarker for patients with ISSNHL. Patients with high serum galectin-3 levels may be unresponsive to standard therapy.

Occurrence, bioconcentration, and human health risks of pharmaceuticals in biota in the Sea of Marmara, Türkiye.

The presence, bioconcentration, and health risk via seafood consumption of 11 pharmaceutical compounds belonging to different therapeutic groups (anti-inflammatory, antiepileptic, lipid regulators, and hormones) were investigated in the muscle tissues of fish and the meat of shrimp in the Sea of Marmara. Six biota species (Merlangius merlangus, Trachurus meditterraneus, Serranus hepatus, Pomatomus saltatrix, Parapenaeus longirostris, Spratus sprattus) were collected from the five stations in October and April 2019. Ultrasonic extraction method followed by solid phase extraction was used for extraction of pharmaceutical compounds from biota samples and then analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Of the 11 compounds, 10 were detected in biota species. Ibuprofen was the most frequently detected pharmaceutical in the biota tissues at high concentrations (<3.0-1225 ng/g, dw). The other widely detected compounds were fenoprofen (<3.6-323 ng/g, dw), gemfibrozil (<3.2-480 ng/g, dw), 17α-ethynylestradiol (<2.0-462 ng/g, dw), and carbamazepine (<7.6-222 ng/g, dw). The bioconcentration factors of the selected pharmaceuticals calculated in various aquatic organisms ranged from 9 to 2324 L/kg. The estimated daily intakes of anti-inflammatories, antiepileptics, lipid regulators, and hormones via seafood consumption were 0.37-568, 1.1-324, 8.5-197, 3-340 ng/kg bw. Day, respectively. Based on hazard quotients, estrone, 17ß-estradiol, and 17α-ethynylestradiol may pose a health risk to humans through the consumption of this seafood.