The relationship between heart failure and smoking, and development of urethral stricture.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between heart failure (HF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and smoking with the development of urethral stricture (US) by examining the patients who underwent transurethral prostate resection procedure, with and without the development of US in their follow-ups. METHODS: Among the patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate, 50 patients who developed US during their follow-ups formed group 1, while a total of 50 patients who did not develop US and were selected by lot formed group 2. The relationship between the patients' data on HF, COPD and smoking status and the development of US was investigated. RESULTS: The mean number of cigarettes smoked was statistically significantly high in the group with stricture (p = 0.007). Furthermore, pulmonary function test parameters of patients such as forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC were found to be statistically significantly higher in Group 2 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.008, respectively). In the logistic regression analysis, being a smoker was found to be the strongest predictor (p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: Our study concluded that smoking, HF, and COPD significantly increase the risk of developing stricture after transurethral resection of the prostate.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la relación de la insuficiencia cardiaca, la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y el tabaquismo con el desarrollo de estenosis de uretra en pacientes sometidos a resección transuretral de próstata con y sin desarrollo de estenosis de uretra en su seguimiento. MÉTODO: Cincuenta pacientes que desarrollaron estenosis de uretra durante su seguimiento formaron el grupo 1, y 50 pacientes que no desarrollaron estenosis de uretra y fueron seleccionados por lote formaron el grupo 2. Se investigó la relación de los datos de los pacientes sobre insuficiencia cardiaca, enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y tabaquismo con el desarrollo de estenosis uretral. RESULTADOS: La media de cigarrillos fumados fue significativamente más alta en el grupo con estenosis (p = 0.007). Además, se encontró que los parámetros de las pruebas de función pulmonar de los pacientes, como FEV1, FVC y FEV1/FVC, eran significativamente más altos en el grupo 2 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 y p = 0.008, respectivamente). CONCLUSIONES: El tabaquismo, la insuficiencia cardiaca y la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica aumentan significativamente el riesgo de desarrollar estenosis después de una resección transuretral de próstata.

The effect of high standard uptake value in lung cancer metastatic lesions on survival.

AIM: To assess how metastatic lesions with a higher maximum standard uptake value than the primary tumor affect survival in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: The study enrolled 590 stage-IV lung cancer patients treated at Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Hospital between January 2013 and January 2020. We retrospectively collected data on histopathological diagnosis, tumor size, metastasis site, and maximum standard involvement values of primary metastatic lesions. Lung cancers with the maximum standard uptake value of the primary tumor higher than that of the metastatic lesion were compared with lung cancers with the maximum standard uptake value of the primary tumor lower than that of the metastatic lesion. RESULTS: In 87 (14.7%) patients, the maximum standard uptake value was higher in the metastatic lesion than in the primary lesion. These patients experienced significantly higher mortality risk in both univariate and multivariate survival analyses (adjusted hazard ratio 2.25 [1.77-2.86], <0.001) and had shorter median survival (5.0 [4.2-5.8] vs 11.0 [10.2-11.8] months, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The maximum standard uptake value could be a potential new prognostic factor for survival in lung cancer.

The beliefs of medical faculty students about thirdhand smoke.

INTRODUCTION: Thirdhand smoke is the toxic remnant, including pollutants and by-products, of tobacco smoke that remains in the environment after the use of tobacco products. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between the demographic characteristics and the beliefs about thirdhand smoke of medical faculty students. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 392 medical faculty students at Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University. All the participants completed the Beliefs About ThirdHand Smoke (BATHS) questionnaire. Demographic data such as age, gender, year of study, family income level, and place of residence were recorded and evaluated together with tobacco product usage status. Factors (demographic data such as gender) affecting the BATHS scale and sub-scales were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: The study included 392 medical students. The students comprised 59.7% females and 40.3% males. The students had never used tobacco products (68.1%), 13% were previous users, and 18.9% were active users. The majority of the students stated that thirdhand smoke was harmful to the health of children (90%) and adults (85%) and that thirdhand smoke could remain in a room for days (79%). When the relationships were evaluated between the BATHS scale overall and the health and permanence subscales, and the demographic characteristics of the students, no statistically significant difference was determined according to gender, place of residence, family income level, and tobacco use status. CONCLUSIONS: This study has provided information for the first time about the beliefs of medical faculty students about thirdhand smoke, and the relationships were investigated between these beliefs and gender, place of residence, family income level, and tobacco use status. The results of the study demonstrated that the students had a strong awareness of the harm of thirdhand smoke and of environmental permanence, and these beliefs did not change according to their own tobacco use status.

A New Biomarker in Differentiation of Mucosal Chronic Otitis Media from Squamous Chronic Otitis Media: The Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII).

The Systemic Immune-inflammation Index (SII) is a new biomarker based on the number of neutrophils, platelets, and lymphocytes in the Complete blood count, and is shown as diagnostic and prognostic in many diseases. Mucosal or Squamous COM differentiation is necessary preoperatively in chronic otitis media patients. The purpose of this study was to test the predictive value of inflammation markers to predict the differentiation of Mucosal COM and Squamous COM. Our aim is; using "SII" as a powerful test to differentiate cholesteatoma and active mucosal middle ear disease. In the present study, 300 patients who underwent mastoidectomy ± tympanoplasty between 2010 and 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into two equal groups as clinical, microscopically, and pathologically Squamosal COM (Cholesteatoma) and Mucosal COM (Suppurative) (n = 150). Routine hemogram tests were performed for both groups. White blood cell, red blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet numbers were calculated. The SII value was calculated manually according to the formula of "neutrophil × platelet/lymphocyte. There were a total of 300 patients who were aged 20-63 in both groups. A total of 130 of these patients were male (43%), and 170 (57%) were female. In terms of NLR and PLR, Group 2 (Mucosal COM) had higher values at statistically significant levels (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). In terms of SII, Group 2 (Mucosal COM) had higher values at statistically significant levels (p < 0.001). According to the results of the ROC Analysis in our series, it was found that NLR, PLR, and SII values were above the acceptable level, and were statistically significant (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). The cut-off value of SII was 470.29, sensitivity was 65.8, and specificity was 34. According to our study, high SII values in COM differentiation are very important in diagnosing Mucosal COM. SII values can help to the diagnosis in Squamous COM/Mucosal COM differentiation. There is no current practical, inexpensive, and widespread laboratory test used in the Mucosal/Squamous COM differentiation. SII can be diagnostic, and determine the treatment in this differentiation. A great number of studies are needed for SII values to become standard in COM.

Circulating sTweak is associated with visceral adiposity and severity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Hypoxia is linked to an inflammatory imbalance in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Circulating soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) is a cytokine that regulates inflammation and insulin resistance in adipose tissue. This study first investigated sTWEAK concentrations in patients OSAS and evaluated associations between sTWEAK concentrations and visceral adiposity, metabolic dysfunction, and hypoxia observed in OSAS. Forty age, sex, and body mass index-matched patients with simple habitual snoring (HSS) and 70 patients with OSAS were included. Patients were divided according to OSAS severity: mild-moderate (apnea-hypopnea index, AHI 5-30 events/h) and severe (AHI ≥ 30 events/h). Anthropometric data, glucose metabolism, visceral fat (VF) ratio, and sTWEAK levels were compared. sTWEAK levels were higher in the OSAS group than in the HSS group (931.23 ± 136.48 vs. 735.22 ± 102.84 ng/L, p = 0.001). sTWEAK levels were higher in severe OSAS than in mild-moderate OSAS (1031.83 ± 146.69 vs. 891.01 ± 110.01 ng/L, p = 0.002. When we evaluated the sTWEAK value and AHI, VF ratio, total cholesterol, blood pressure, homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein using multiple regression analysis, a significant correlation was found between sTWEAK levels and AHI (p < 0.001). It was found that sTWEAK levels were not correlated with glucose metabolism and VF ratio. Increased circulating sTWEAK levels were associated with the severity of OSAS. High sTWEAK levels were correlated with increased AHI. sTWEAK concentrations are linked to severe OSAS.

Comparison of the diagnostic efficacy and complications of transbronchial biopsy in elderly and young patients.

INTRODUCTION: Among bronchoscopic procedures, transbronchial biopsy (TBB) is considered a high-risk procedure. In this study, we aimed to investigate the indications, diagnostic efficacy and complications of TBB in the elderly, which is accepted as a sensitive group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed as a multicenter retrospective observational study. Data of 4226 patients who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy were scanned for this study. 791 patients who underwent transbronchial biopsy were included in this study. All patients were evaluated in terms of lung regions, diagnosis, and complications. RESULT: A total of 791 patients, 329 (41.6%) female patients, who underwent TBB were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 54.54 ± 14.94 years. The most common indications were ILD (45.6%), malignancy (24.0%) and sarcoidosis (9.9%). Mean age of the elderly patients (n= 263) was 69.89 ± 4.83 years, and mean age of the young patients (n= 528) was 46.90 ± 11.28 years (p<0.001). In both age groups, the most common indication was ILD. Complications developed during and after the procedure in 51 of the young patients (9.7%) and in 21 of the elderly (8.0%) (p= 0.441). The most common complication was pneumothorax with 4.6% in the elderly, and pneumothorax with 5.9% in the young (p= 0.441). The most common diagnosis was malignancy (12.2%) in the elderly, as the most common diagnosis was malignancy (7.2%) in the young (p = 0.020). While anthracosis, ILD and organized pneumonia were the other common diagnoses in the elderly, sarcoidosis, anthracosis and organized pneumonia were the other common diagnoses in the young. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was achieved more frequently in the young (6.6%) than in the elderly (0.8%) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Transbronchial biopsy can be performed safely in elderly patients, with similar diagnostic success and complication rates to younger patients.