Real-World Outcomes in Transplant-Ineligible Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Treated With Bortezomib/Cyclophosphamide/Dexamethasone and Bortezomib/Lenalidomide/Dexamethasone as Upfront Treatment.

Introduction Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological disorder characterized by aberrant multiplication of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. The current mainstay of treatment for patients with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) is a triplet regimen with a proteasome inhibitor, immunomodulatory imide, and dexamethasone. The two most common of these triplet regimens are VLD (bortezomib/lenalidomide/dexamethasone) and VCD (bortezomib/cyclophosphamide/dexamethasone). This study aims to compare the outcomes between these two therapies in transplant-ineligible patients with NDMM. Methods We conducted a retrospective study at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. All NDMM transplant-ineligible patients either receiving VLD or VCD therapy between January 2015 and December 2022 were included in our study. Hematological parameters before and after treatment were obtained from hospital records. Response to treatment was classified according to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) response criteria as either complete response (CR), very good partial response (VGPR), partial response (PR), minimal response (MR), stable disease (SD), or progressive disease (PD). The response to treatment as well as overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was compared between VCD and VLD therapy. A p-value of 0.05 or less was taken to be statistically significant. Results Twenty (23.8%) patients in the VCD group and 20 (23.0%) in the VLD group underwent complete remission. Seven (8.3%) patients experienced disease progression in the VCD group, while the figure stood at three (3.4%) in the VLD group. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall response rate between the VCD (58; 69.0%) and VLD (70; 80.5%) groups (p=0.086), a difference that was not statistically significant on the Chi-square test. OS was comparable between VCD (69.1 months, 95%CI: 61.3-77.0) and VLD (76.9 months, 95%CI: 69.0-85.0) therapies. Conclusions The study did not identify any statistically significant distinction in the treatment outcomes between the VCD and VLD regimens among NDMM patients ineligible for transplantation. Nevertheless, the study highlights the positive outcomes observed with both treatments in this specific patient cohort. This implies that either regimen could be deemed suitable as a treatment option for patients in low- and middle-income countries. Since both regimens demonstrate comparable effectiveness, assessing the cost-effectiveness of these regimens is crucial. Future research should also explore the economic aspects of the two treatment options.

Outcomes of N-butyl-2-Cyanoacrylate Tissue Adhesive Application in Corneal Perforation Disorders: Consecutive Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to report the success and long-term outcomes of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive (CTA) application in the management of corneal perforation disorders. METHODS: This retrospective case series describes the profile and outcomes of eyes that underwent CTA for corneal perforation over an 11-year period from January 2009 until January 2020 at a tertiary eye centre in the United Kingdom. RESULTS: In total, 25 eyes underwent CTA application during the study period. Non-traumatic sterile corneal melt was responsible in more than half of the cases (56.0%; n = 14) followed by infection (32.0%; n = 8) and trauma (12.0%; n = 3). Median size of perforation was 2.0 mm (interquartile range, IQR 1.0-3.0). The most common anatomical location of corneal perforation was central (56.0%; n = 14). Ocular surface disease was seen in almost all eyes except two (92.0%; n = 23) with dry eye disease being the most common (48.0%; n = 12). Amongst 23 eyes that completed follow-up (median 27 months; IQR 9.5-46.5), single CTA application was successful in achieving intact globe in 13 (56.5%) eyes and repeat gluing sealed total of 20 (86.9%) eyes. Survival analysis showed cumulative success of 71.0% and 51.2% at 90 and 250 days, respectively. The CTA was retained in the eyes for median of 94.0 days (IQR 30.0-140.5). A total of five patients developed adverse events, including endophthalmitis (n = 2), following CTA application. CONCLUSIONS: CTA was highly effective in sealing corneal perforations in acute setting and showed moderate long-term success. However, multiple applications are often required.

The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Persons with Multiple Sclerosis in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate, in a Saudi Arabian context, how the COVID-19 pandemic psychologically impacted persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken during the period from October 2021 to March 2022. 738 participants resident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) completed a self-administered online questionnaire. The research focused on persons diagnosed with MS. RESULTS: Participant ages spanned from 18 to over 55. The mean was 36.1±12.9 years old. Four hundred eighty-nine (66.3%) of the 738 participants were female. Two hundred sixty-four (35.8%) were single. Four hundred twelve (55.8%) were married. Six hundred eighty-five (92.8%) had received a COVID-19 vaccine. Regarding MS duration, 117 (15.9%) had been diagnosed for less than 2 years, 171 (23.2%) for 2-5 years, while 251 (34%) had the condition for 10 or more years. Regarding psychological health, 11.2% of participants complained of minimal/no depression, 33.3% of mild depression, 28.3% of moderate depression, and 27.1% of moderately severe to severe depression symptoms. Concerning anxiety, 17.2% of participants reported minimal anxiety, 36.9% mild, 23.3% moderate, while 22.6% suffered from severe anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of depression and anxiety was found, along with high prevalence of co-occurrence of these disorders among PwMS.

Malocclusion and Esthetic Perception Among Young Adults in Riyadh Region of Saudi Arabia.

Aim: To assess the malocclusion and esthetic perception among young adults in Riyadh region. Methodology: A total of 667 subjects aged above 6 years were included in this study. Link containing questionnaires were sent through social media, email, and WhatsApp. Questions were related to the effect of malocclusion on oral health such as dental caries, gum disease, difficulty in tooth brushing, perception of their teeth in the way of alignment, and smile personality. Results: 54.1% of participants said malocclusion can cause dental caries, 63.3% said it will lead to gum disease, and 72% were of the opinion that it will make tooth brushing difficult. 27.9% of study subjects were not happy with the alignment of their teeth. None of the responses were found to be statistically significant according to age (P > 0.05). Most of the questions were statistically significant according to gender (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Majority of study subjects had good knowledge about malocclusion and oral health. Perception about esthetics was more among women than men. More than 90% of subjects thinks beautiful smile is a part of personality.

Public awareness, beliefs and attitude towards depressive disorders in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the degree of public awareness, beliefs, and attitudes regarding major depression and available treatment options in the Saudi population. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study of 1,188 participants was carried out from March to April 2021 in Ha'il, Saudi Arabia using an online self-administered questionnaire. Using a snowball sampling technique, the authors targeted the Saudi population living in Ha'il region. RESULTS: Overall, 65.6% of the participants had good awareness regarding depression disorder in total. Of the participants, 72.9% had good awareness regarding general awareness, 85.4% regarding depression symptoms, 12.3% regarding risk factors, and 15.7% regarding treatments. Of the participants, 67.3% believed that depression was caused by lack of faith and 45.5% believed that depression was caused by "the evil eye" or black magic. Of the participants, 56% believed in faith healers as a legitimate treatment approach. Of the participants, 63.9% were willing to work with individuals with depression, 62.7% were willing to establish friendships with them, and 27.9% believed that individuals with depression had weak personalities. CONCLUSION: The general population exhibited good general awareness regarding depression and its symptoms, but knowledge of risk factors and treatments was poor. Our findings underscore the need for public educational programs to increase public awareness about the risk factors and treatment options for depression.

Tricuspid valve diseases: Interventions on the forgotten heart valve.

Over the past few decades, the tricuspid valve (TV) interventions have been relatively lower compared to other cardiac valvular disease in terms of pathophysiology and management, especially regarding surgical intervention and therapy. However, recent crucial advances in assessment and management of the TV disease have resulted in a renewed interest in the "forgotten valve." The medical treatment aims to cure the underlying disease and address the presentation of the right heart failure. Surgical interventions have proven to yield good outcomes for those for whom surgery is indicated. For those who are not suitable for surgery, transcatheter surgery may prove to be a suitable replacement. Best practice with regard to surgical techniques is still in question due to limited data. This has been slowing the introduction of transcatheter interventions into common practical guidelines. The aim of this literature review is to discuss new insights on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and interventions of TV disease, highlighting the surgical management and emerging transcatheter therapies. In addition, this review will provide an overview of the current state of the literature surrounding TV interventions and providing suggestions for future directives.

Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus, Risk of Anogenital Cancers, and Benefits of Vaccination: A Medical Student Survey in Saudi Arabia.

Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and plays a significant role in the development of anogenital cancer. However, there is a lack of awareness on the subject in Saudi Arabia and very few documented studies on the knowledge and awareness of medical students regarding HPV. Methods A cross-sectional study utilizing a survey distributed to 306 medical students of both genders was utilized. A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to all participants to assess their knowledge of HPV and their attitude towards HPV vaccination. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v 24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, US) and RStudio v 1.14 (Boston, US). Results Most of the respondents (72.2%) had a high level of knowledge regarding HPV, with 47.84% of the respondents being aware of the risks associated with HPV and having a positive attitude towards HPV. Female respondents had better awareness and knowledge as compared to male students. However, there was a lack of knowledge regarding the duration and frequency of HPV infection, which could have an effect on the attitude of medical students towards vaccination. The results obtained by using Pearson's correlation coefficient showed a statistically significant correlation between the attitude towards HPV and the knowledge regarding HPV (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion Better awareness and knowledge regarding HPV and its risks correlate with a better attitude towards HPV. The medical school curriculum was found to be a primary source of information for students on the awareness of HPV. Therefore, more about HPV and the benefits associated with vaccination against HPV should be included in the curriculum in all years of medical school.

Vitamin C attenuates the toxic effect of nutmeg on primary visual occipital cortex in rats.

BACKGROUND: Nutmeg is neurotoxic in rats and possibly neurotoxic also in hu- mans. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of nutmeg on the primary visual occipital cortex of adult male rat and to evaluate the possible protective role of vitamin C. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty Sprague-Dawley adults male rats were randomly divided into three main groups; control, nutmeg-treated (500 and 1000 mg/kg/ /day) and protected groups (nutmeg + vitamin C [500 mg/kg/day]). All rats were treated orally by gavage for 5 days per week for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, primary visual occipital cerebral cortex was subjected to histological, immunohistochemical and genetic analyses. RESULTS: Our results revealed toxic effects of nutmeg on the primary visual occipital cerebral cortex in adult male albino rat. This was indicated by histopathological alterations, including pyknotic nuclei surrounded with vacuolations by light micro- scopic studies and degenerations of organelles by electron microscopic studies. In addition, we detected an increase in immunoreactivity for GFAP and caspase-3 by immunohistochemical assessments. Apoptotic bands appeared in genetic studies. Co-administration of vitamin C ameliorated nutmeg-induced toxic alterations on the primary visual occipital cerebral cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Nutmeg administration caused histopathological and genetic changes in the primary visual occipital cerebral cortex in adult male albino rats. These changes were improved by co-administration of vitamin C.

Nanostructured carbons containing FeNi/NiFe2O4 supported over N-doped carbon nanofibers for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions.

Non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts on carbon materials with high durability and low cost have been developed to ameliorate the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) for electrochemical energy applications such as in fuel cells and water electrolysis. Herein, two different morphologies of FeNi/NiFe2O4 supported over hierarchical N-doped carbons were achieved via carbonization of the polymer nanofibers by controlling the ratio of metal salts to melamine: a mixture of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanotubes (GNTs) supported over carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with spherical FeNi encapsulated at the tips (G/CNT@NCNF, 1 : 3), and graphene sheets wrapped CNFs with embedded needle-like FeNi (GS@NCNF, 2 : 3). G/CNT@NCNF shows excellent ORR activity (on-set potential: 0.948 V vs. RHE) and methanol tolerance, whilst GS@NCNF exhibited significantly lower over-potential of only 230 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for OER. Such high activities are due to the synergistic effects of bimetallic NPs encapsulated at CNT tips and N-doped carbons with unique hierarchical structures and the desired defects.

Comparison of PET/CT and whole-mount histopathology sections of the human prostate: a new strategy for voxel-wise evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of PET/CT in diagnosis of primary prostate cancer (PCa) requires a profound knowledge about the tracer, preferably from a quantitative evaluation. Direct visual comparison of PET/CT slices to whole prostate sections is hampered by considerable uncertainties from imperfect coregistration and fundamentally different image modalities. In the current study, we present a novel method for advanced voxel-wise comparison of histopathology from excised prostates to pre-surgical PET. Resected prostates from eight patients who underwent PSMA-PET/CT were scanned (ex vivo CT) and thoroughly pathologically prepared. In vivo and ex vivo CT including histopathology were coregistered with three different methods (manual, semi-/automatic). Spatial overlap after CT-based registration was evaluated with dice similarity (DSC). Furthermore, we constructed 3D cancer distribution models from histopathologic information in various slices. Subsequent smoothing reflected the intrinsically limited spatial resolution of PSMA-PET. The resulting histoPET models were used for quantitative analysis of spatial histopathology-PET pattern agreement focusing on p values and coefficients of determination (R 2). We examined additional rigid mutual information (MI) coregistration directly based on PSMA-PET and histoPET. RESULTS: Mean DSC for the three different methods (ManReg, ScalFactReg, and DefReg) were 0.79 ± 0.06, 0.82 ± 0.04, and 0.90 ± 0.02, respectively, while quantification of PET-histopathology pattern agreement after CT-based registration revealed R 2 45.7, 43.2, and 41.3% on average with p < 10-5. Subsequent PET-based MI coregistration yielded R 2 61.3, 55.9, and 55.6%, respectively, while implying anatomically plausible transformations. CONCLUSIONS: Creating 3D histoPET models based on thorough histopathological preparation allowed sophisticated quantitative analyses showing highly significant correlations between histopathology and (PSMA-)PET. We recommend manual CT-based coregistration followed by a PET-based MI algorithm to overcome limitations of purely CT-based coregistrations for meaningful voxel-wise comparisons between PET and histopathology.

Finite Element Analysis of Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK) Surgery Allograft to Predict Endothelial Cell Loss.

PURPOSE: To develop high fidelity finite element (FE) models of the Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) allograft to estimate the stress distributions generated on the allograft during its deformed state in popular allograft insertion configurations and qualitatively correlate the stress distributions to postsurgical endothelial cell (EC) loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Corneal allograft simulation was performed using ANSYS (Canonsburg, PA, USA) utilizing isotropic nonlinear hyperelastic corneal material properties to evaluate the stress distributions generated on the DSAEK allograft during popular allograft insertion configurations, namely forceps, taco, and double-coil insertion configurations. The gathered FE simulation results were qualitatively compared with published clinical studies to verify the simulation results. RESULTS: The FE simulation results demonstrate that high stress regions predicted by FE model results correctly predict the areas of postsurgical EC loss as published in the studies available in open literature. The FE simulation stress magnitude results suggest that highest EC loss due to mechanical bending trauma occurs in double-coil configuration followed by forceps and then taco configuration. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the presented FE simulation study highlight that allograft regions with high stress distribution demonstrate postsurgical EC loss in clinical studies. The modeling procedures presented in this research can be utilized to develop novel surgical devices/techniques that can modulate the postsurgical EC loss due to mechanical bending trauma and facilitate allograft unfolding inside the AC, thereby improving the results of the DSAEK surgical procedure.

Burden of Cardiac Siderosis in a Thalassemia-Major Endemic Population: A Preliminary Report From Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the initial experience and demographics of T2* cardiac magnetic resonance-based myocardial-iron quantification of transfusion-dependent thalassemia-major (TM) patients from Pakistan and the correlation with serum ferritin. METHODS: Eligible TM patients presenting between April 2014 and April 2015 to Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan, for T2*CMR were included. The severity of myocardial-iron deposition was defined as follows: normal T2*>20 ms, mild-moderate T2*10 to 20 ms, and severe T2*<10 ms. Cardiac symptoms were classified using the NYHA functional classification. Echocardiographic systolic and diastolic functions were performed. Continuous variables were presented as the median (minimum-maximum value). Correlation was measured using the Spearman rank correlation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with the NYHA functional class. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients (49 male and 34 female) with TM, age 19 (5 to 45) years at presentation for T2*CMR, were reviewed. At presentation, 70% of the patients were classified as NYHA class II or worse. T2*<20 ms was observed in 62.6% of the patients, with 47% showing severe iron deposition (T2<10 ms). No correlation of T2*<20 ms (r=-0.157, P=0.302) and T2*<10 ms (r=-0.128, P=0.464) was observed with serum ferritin. On multivariate analysis, lower T2* values correlated with a worsening NYHA functional class. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of severe myocardial iron load in Pakistani TM patients. Serum ferritin did not correlate with T2* values. Lower T2* was the only clinical factor associated with the NYHA functional class.

Role of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in assessing the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation.

AIM: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia and complication following coronary bypass surgery. Besides well-known risk factors, inflammatory parameters have gained popularity assessing the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation. In this study, we aimed to document the relation between neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and postoperative atrial fibrillation. METHODS: Between January 2011 and June 2012, 523 patients on normal sinus rhythm, undergoing elective on-pump coronary bypass operations were prospectively followed up for occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation. Total and differential white blood cell counts were made immediately before the operation and on postoperative day 2. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was calculated from these measured values. RESULTS: Ninety-one (17.4%) patients developed postoperative atrial fibrillation The mean age of the patients maintaining normal sinus rhythm was lower compared to ones with atrial fibrillation (60.76±9.59 vs. 65.44±8.63, P<0.001). Preoperative and postoperative total and differential white blood cell counts did not have any effect on occurrence of atrial fibrillation. There were not statistically significant differences between normal sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation groups when preoperative and postoperative neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios were considered (2.90±2.11 vs. 3.02±2.30, P=0.619; 10.07±21.97 vs. 9.34±6.73, P=0.752, respectively). CONCLUSION: Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was not found to be a predictor for new onset atrial fibrillation following coronary bypass surgery.

Recurrent spontaneous splenic rupture in a patient with congenital factor XIII deficiency.

We describe an unusual presentation of factor XIII (FXIII) deficiency in a 17-year-old boy who was diagnosed with this congenital deficiency at the age of 18 months. He had a history of spontaneous splenic rupture 8 years ago, which was managed conservatively. He now presented with sudden severe abdominal and left shoulder pain for 1 day, with no history of antecedent trauma. He was in shock, and examination revealed diffuse peritonitis. A computed tomography scan showed a grade IV splenic laceration. He was taken as an emergency to the operating room where he was found to have a shattered spleen, and a splenectomy was performed. He received cryoprecipitate transfusions perioperatively. After an uneventful recovery, the patient was discharged. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first described case of a recurrent splenic rupture in a patient with FXIII deficiency.

Endocrine complications in patients of beta thalassemia major in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the major endocrine complications present in patients of Thalassemia major presenting to a tertiary care center in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: Records of all thallasemia major patients at a Haematology Department in a tertiary care hospital of Karachi were retrospectively reviewed from May to August 2009 with specific focus on endocrine data and investigations. The patients' data was recorded in a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS v.17, frequencies and percentages along with corresponding 95% confidence interval were computed. RESULTS: Our data revealed that a significantly small percentage of those under care received regular endocrine follow-up. Male hypo-gonadal abnormalities had the highest probability; 100% of the tested patients had decreased levels of testosterone, while 95.2% had raised serum creatinine levels. Parathyroid dysfunction was noted in 40% of the patients. Of those screened 29.4% had blood glucose levels in the diabetic range and 11.8% of the tested patients had reduced levels of FT4. CONCLUSION: A high frequency at endocrine dysfunctions seen in thalasaemia patients included: male hypogonadism, parathyroid dysfunction, deranged blood glucose and FT4 levies.

Tularaemia presenting as parapharyngeal abscess: case presentation.

OBJECTIVE: We report an extremely rare case of the oropharyngeal form of tularaemia, causing a parapharyngeal abscess. CASE REPORT: A 48-year-old woman presented with fever, sore throat, breathing difficulty and a right-sided neck swelling. This mass had previously been treated with penicillin without response, and had already been surgically drained once in another hospital. On physical examination, the tonsils were exudative and hypertrophic and the pharynx was hyperaemic. A fluctuant, 4 × 4 cm mass was seen on endoscopic examination, originating from the left parapharyngeal area and protruding towards the pyriform sinus, and partly obstructing the airway. Microagglutination test antibody titres for Francisella tularensis were positive (1/1280). The patient healed completely after definitive drainage of the abscess and antimicrobial therapy for 14 days (streptomycin, 2 × 1 g intramuscularly). CONCLUSION: Tularaemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with tonsillopharyngitis, cervical lymphadenitis and parapharyngeal abscess who do not respond to treatment with penicillin, even if they do not live in an endemic region.

Paediatric pneumococcal disease in Central Europe.

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes considerable global paediatric morbidity and mortality, despite the availability of safe and effective pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). To justify the introduction of PCVs, accurate information on the burden of disease is required. Here, we present an appraisal of the pneumococcal epidemiological situation in 11 Central European countries. The data are based on study findings presented at the 12th Central European Vaccine Advisory Group (CEVAG) meeting, held on 21-22 May 2010 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and a literature review of the PubMed database using the search terms 'pneumococcal' or 'Streptococcus pneumoniae', in combination with 'otitis media', 'pneumonia', 'meningitis' or 'bacteraemia/sepsis', and '[Central European country name]'. The incidence of pneumococcal disease appears to be lower in Central Europe than previously reported for Europe as a whole, with the highest risk in infants aged 0-2 years. The fatality rates in the under fives from invasive infections are up to 40%. A paucity of comprehensive country-specific data on pneumococcal disease burden arises from the lack of homogenous surveillance programmes. Standardised, active surveillance systems are required for the accurate evaluation of the pneumococcal disease burden in the region. Only then can the need for vaccination be addressed.

Inappropriate antimicrobial use in Turkish pediatric hospitals: a multicenter point prevalence survey.

OBJECTIVES: Although well-defined principles of rational antimicrobial use are available, inappropriate prescribing patterns are reported worldwide. Accurate information on the usage of antimicrobials, including factors associated with and influencing their use, is valuable for improving the quality of prescription practices. METHODS: In this cross-sectional point prevalence survey, data on patients hospitalized in 12 different children's hospitals were collected on a single day. Appropriateness of prescription was compared between the types of antimicrobials prescribed, indications, wards, and presence of/consultation with an infectious disease physician (IDP). RESULTS: A total 711 of 1302 (54.6%) patients evaluated were receiving one or more antimicrobial drugs. The antimicrobial prescription rate was highest in pediatric intensive care (75.7%) and lowest in the surgery wards (37.0%). Of the 711 patients receiving antimicrobials, 332 patients (46.7%) were found to be receiving at least one inappropriately prescribed drug. Inappropriate use was most frequent in surgery wards (80.2%), while it was less common in oncology wards (31.8%; p<0.001). Respiratory tract infection was the most common indication for antimicrobial use (29.4%). Inappropriate use was more common in deep-seated infections (54.7%) and respiratory infections (56.5%). Fluoroquinolones were used inappropriately more than any other drugs (81.8%, p=0.021). Consultation with an IDP appears to increase appropriate antimicrobial use (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Inappropriate antimicrobial use remains a common problem in Turkish pediatric hospitals. Consultation with an IDP and prescribing antimicrobial drugs according to microbiological test results could decrease the inappropriate use of antimicrobials.