High serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP3 may increase comorbidity risk for asthmatic patients.

OBJECTIVE: Asthma is known as a chronic inflammatory lung disease which has also systemic features. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) plays a role for asthma pathogenesis. Controversially, IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) blocks asthma development. That is why IGF-I and IGFBP3 are targeted for future therapeutic treatments of asthma. We aimed to investigate serum level of IGF-I and IGFBP3 in patients with asthma. This study was performed in 27 asthma and 23 healthy individuals. Serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP3 were measured by human ELISA assay kits. Serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP3 were significanlty higher in the asthma group than the control group. Significant negative correlation was found between IGF-I and asthma control test (ACT) puan, O2 saturation, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second/ Forced Vital Capacity (FEV1/FVC), Forced Expiratory Flow 25 second/75 second (FEF2575) (%). Significant positive correlation was found between IGFBP3 and IGF-I, systolic blood pressure. Significant negative correlation was found between IGF-I and FEV1 (ml). RESULTS: Our results indicate that the serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP3 are significanlty elevated in the asthma group. We assume that current treatment strategies are not really good enough for asthma. We suppose further strategies which are seeking to balance IGF-I and IGFBP3 should be developed for more effective and curative treatment of asthma (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 22).

Assessment of Palliative Care in Lung Cancer in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the symptoms of lung cancer in Turkey and to evaluate approaches to alleviate these symptoms. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study included 1,245 lung cancer patients from 26 centers in Turkey. Demographic characteristics as well as information regarding the disease and treatments were obtained from medical records and patient interviews. Symptoms were evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and were graded on a scale between 0 and 10 points. Data were compared using the χ2, Student t, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Potential predictors of symptoms were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The most common symptom was tiredness (n = 1,002; 82.1%), followed by dyspnea (n = 845; 69.3%), appetite loss (n = 801; 65.7%), pain (n = 798; 65.4%), drowsiness (n = 742; 60.8%), anxiety (n = 704; 57.7%), depression (n = 623; 51.1%), and nausea (n = 557; 45.5%). Of the 1,245 patients, 590 (48.4%) had difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep. The symptoms were more severe in stages III and IV. Logistic regression analysis indicated a clear association between demographic characteristics and symptom distress, as well as between symptom distress (except nausea) and well-being. Overall, 804 (65.4%) patients used analgesics, 630 (51.5%) received treatment for dyspnea, 242 (19.8%) used enteral/parenteral nutrition, 132 (10.8%) used appetite stimulants, and 129 (10.6%) used anxiolytics/antidepressants. Of the 799 patients who received analgesics, 173 (21.7%) reported that their symptoms were under control, and also those on other various treatment modalities (dyspnea: 78/627 [12.4%], appetite stimulant: 25/132 [18.9%], and anxiolytics/antidepressants: 25/129 [19.4%]) reported that their symptoms were controlled. CONCLUSION: In this study, the symptoms progressed and became more severe in the advanced stages of lung cancer, and palliative treatment was insufficient in most of the patients in Turkey.

An investigation on nursing, midwifery and health care students' learning motivation in Turkey.

The aim was to determine differences between the dimensions of motivational learning and sociodemographic characteristics of nursing, midwifery and health care students. For the purpose of collecting data on learning-oriented motivations, occupational learning motivation scale (OLMS) was used. The OLMS was designed to assess the constructs of extrinsic, intrinsic and negative factors for learning, cognitive and lifelong learning goals. The mean levels of the items "willingness to help people", "fear of making mistakes" and "willingness to work with those likely to motivate them" were all determined to be high. Significant differences were revealed for the sex of the students (p<0.05).