The effect of health literacy on patient compliance in patients to whom prostate biopsies were recommended.

BACKGROUND: Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-Bx) is the gold standard diagnostic method for prostate cancer. In people with low health literacy, accurate and early diagnosis rates decrease, making it difficult to maintain health and compliance with treatment. In our study, we investigated how health literacy and sociocultural parameters affected compliance and awareness in patients with suspected prostate cancer, for whom TRUS-Bx was planned. METHODS: In the study, 98 male patients aged 50-80 years, recommended for TRUS-Bx, were included in our study. The data including age, prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume, digital rectal examination findings, education leveland area of residence of the patients included in the study were recorded. Health Literacy Survey-Turkey- Questionnaire 47 and Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32 forms were completed by the patients who agreed to participate in the study, and their scores were recorded. Patients scheduled for TRUS-Bx were divided into two groups: those who attended their appointments and underwent the biopsy, and those who did not attend their scheduled appointments. The effect of health literacy and other parameters on the TRUS-Bx requirement was examined between the two groups. Furthermore, 52 patients who underwent TRUS-Bx were divided into two groups as malignancy (malignant) detected and not-detected (benign) patients according to the pathology results, and the parameters were analyzed separately for these groups. RESULTS: The education level of the patients who underwent the TRUS-Bx procedure was found to be statistically higher (p = 0.026). Health Literacy Survey-Turkey- Questionnaire 47 and Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32 scores were statistically significantly higher in the TRUS-Bx group (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). In the logistic regression analysis, education level, Health Literacy Survey-Turkey- Questionnaire 47 and Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32 were found to be important predictors for awareness of the requirement for TRUS-Bx. CONCLUSION: The study's findings indicate that patients with higher health literacy and education levels were more likely to receive an early diagnosis and promptly proceed with the recommended TRUS-Bx after visiting a urologist.

Role of the systemic immune-inflammation index in threatened abortion patients and predicting of abortion.

PURPOSE: Our study aimed to compare the systemic immune inflammation index (SII), one of the hematological inflammation parameters, between pregnant women diagnosed with threatened abortion (TA) and healthy pregnant women, and to evaluate the prediction of abortion in pregnant women with TA. METHODS: This retrospective study compared 150 patients with TA group and 150 age- and gestational week-matched healthy pregnant women (control group). Complete blood count parameters were assessed. SII, white blood cells (WBC), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), red cell distribution width (RDW), plateletcrit (PCT), platelet distribution width and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) values were calculated. The SII value was calculated as follows: platelet count × (neutrophil/lymphocyte). RESULTS: SII, NLR, MLR, WBC, RDW, and PCT values were significantly higher in the TA group compared to the control group (923 ± 683 vs. 579 ± 364 [p < 0.001], 3.3 ± 2.0 vs. 2.1 ± 1.1 [p < 0.001], 0.3 ± 0.1 vs. 0.2 ± 0.2 [p < 0.001], 9.84 ± 2.87 vs. 8.6 ± 1.6 [p < 0.001], 13.9 ± 1.9 vs. 14.4 ± 2.3 [p = 0.032] and 0.3 ± 0.1 vs. 0.2 ± 0.0 [p < 0.001], respectively). Using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis to predict abortion in AI patients, the highest area under the curve was found for SII (0.727 for SII and 0.666 for NLR). CONCLUSION: SII, NLR, MLR, RDW, and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) levels were significantly increased in patients with TA. This study supports the idea that several inflammatory pathways may play an important role in the pathogenesis of this disorder. SII may be a much better marker than NLR and PLR for predicting the inflammatory status of the disease and abortion in an ongoing pregnancy.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Radical Prostatectomy: A Turkish Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examines the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on radical prostatectomy performed as part of localized prostate cancer treatment in Turkey. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of the data of 176 patients from 8 centers in Turkey who underwent radical prostatectomy due to localized prostate cancer over the 2 years spanning March 1, 2019, to February 28, 2021. Within this timeframe, March 1, 2019, to February 28, 2020, was denoted the 1-year pre-coronavirus disease 2019 period, while March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, was denoted the 1-year coronavirus disease 2019 period. An analysis was made of whether there was a difference in the number of radical prostatectomies performed for prostate cancer, the time from biopsy to operation, and the biopsy and radical prostatectomy pathology between the 2 periods. RESULTS: It was found that the number of radical prostatectomies performed for localized prostate cancer during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was statistically and highly significantly fewer than in the pre-coronavirus disease 2019 period (P <.001). The patients diagnosed with Gleason 3+3 (low risk) prostate cancer were statistically significantly fewer in number in the coronavirus disease 2019 period (P <.001). The pathological Gleason score was upgrading than the biopsy Gleason score in all patients who underwent in both periods (P <.001). When the periods were compared, the pathological involvement determined by lymph node dissection performed during radical prostatectomy was found to be decreased in the coronavirus disease 2019 period, although the difference was not statistically significant (P =.051). CONCLUSION: As with many diseases, the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer have been adversely affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Does wearing double surgical masks during the COVID-19 pandemic reduce maternal oxygen saturation in term pregnant women?: A prospective study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the effects of using single and double surgical masks (SM) on maternal oxygen saturation in pregnant women. METHODS: In this prospective study, single or double SM were worn by term pregnant women who applied for routine controls. The vital signs of the participants such as oxygen saturation, pulse, respiratory rate, fever, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured at admission and 30 min later. RESULTS: There were 223 participants in the single SM group and 231 participants in the double SM group. Thirty minutes after putting on the mask, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients whose oxygen saturation fell below 95 (3.6 vs 5.6%, p = 0.301). No significant difference was observed between the admission and 30 min oxygen saturation levels of the pregnant women in the single SM group. However, maternal oxygen saturation after 30 min of the pregnant women in the double SM group was significantly lower (97.4 ± 1.1 vs 96.6 ± 1.3, p < 0.001). No significant changes were observed in the vital signs of either groups. CONCLUSION: When using double SM, oxygen saturation is significantly reduced compared to pre-mask values. Nevertheless, it seems difficult to say that these decreases have clinical significance.

Does mild thrombocytopenia increase peripartum hemorrhage in elective cesarean deliveries? A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of mild thrombocytopenia (platelet count: 100 000-149 000/µl) on peripartum hemorrhage in elective cesarean deliveries. METHODS: This study was conducted between January 2018 and May 2019 in a hospital, located in Konya, Turkey. Uncomplicated pregnancies undergoing elective cesarean section were included. Of 1992 eligible patients, 201 women were determined as the mild thrombocytopenia group, 48 women as the severe thrombocytopenia group, and 1743 women as the control group. The estimated blood loss volume (EBLV), the need for blood transfusion, and excessive blood loss rates were compared among groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: The EBLV and excessive blood loss ratios were significantly higher in the mild thrombocytopenia group compared with the control group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). There was no significant difference between the mild thrombocytopenia and control groups in terms of the number of patients receiving a blood transfusion. The probability of excessive blood loss was significantly higher in the mild thrombocytopenia group, even after adjusting the odds ratio for confounding factors (adjusted odds ratio 1.94, 95% confidence interval 1.27-2.95, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Mild thrombocytopenia appears to increase the likelihood of peripartum hemorrhage in elective cesarean deliveries in uncomplicated pregnancies.