Septic pulmonary embolism arising from a small temporal boil in a patient with diabetes mellitus type 2: A rare case report.

Septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) can originate from unusual sources like small boils, warranting consideration of diverse etiologies in respiratory distress. Prompt diagnosis, tailored antibiotics, and vigilant complication management optimize outcomes. Early recognition and treatment of minor infections, especially in diabetes are crucial.

Comparison of emergency medicine specialist, cardiologist, and chat-GPT in electrocardiography assessment.

INTRODUCTION: ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, represents the cutting-edge in its field with its latest model, GPT-4. Extensive research is currently being conducted in various domains, including cardiovascular diseases, using ChatGPT. Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies addressing the proficiency of GPT-4 in diagnosing conditions based on Electrocardiography (ECG) data. The goal of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of GPT-4 when provided with ECG data, and to compare its performance with that of emergency medicine specialists and cardiologists. METHODS: This study has received approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Hitit University Medical Faculty on August 21, 2023 (decision no: 2023-91). Drawing on cases from the "150 ECG Cases" book, a total of 40 ECG cases were crafted into multiple-choice questions (comprising 20 everyday and 20 more challenging ECG questions). The participant pool included 12 emergency medicine specialists and 12 cardiology specialists. GPT-4 was administered the questions in a total of 12 separate sessions. The responses from the cardiology physicians, emergency medicine physicians, and GPT-4 were evaluated separately for each of the three groups. RESULTS: In the everyday ECG questions, GPT-4 demonstrated superior performance compared to both the emergency medicine specialists and the cardiology specialists (p < 0.001, p = 0.001). In the more challenging ECG questions, while Chat-GPT outperformed the emergency medicine specialists (p < 0.001), no significant statistical difference was found between Chat-GPT and the cardiology specialists (p = 0.190). Upon examining the accuracy of the total ECG questions, Chat-GPT was found to be more successful compared to both the Emergency Medicine Specialists and the cardiologists (p < 0.001, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study has shown that GPT-4 is more successful than emergency medicine specialists in evaluating both everyday and more challenging ECG questions. It performed better compared to cardiologists on everyday questions, but its performance aligned closely with that of the cardiologists as the difficulty of the questions increased.

Maximal Tizanidine withdrawal managed with dexmedetomidine: a vital intervention.

Tizanidine withdrawal is a rare and complex phenomenon characterized by a surge in adrenergic activity upon abrupt discontinuation of the drug. We present a unique case of a 41-year-old male with multiple comorbidities who self-administered an exceptionally high daily dose of Tizanidine, leading to severe withdrawal symptoms. This case report highlights the challenges in managing such cases. The patient, with a history of myofascial pain syndrome, hypertension, anxiety, and depression, experienced distressing symptoms, including tachycardia, rebound hypertension, neuropsychiatric manifestations, and involuntary muscle movements. Unlike previous cases, our patient required the addition of dexmedetomidine in conjunction with benzodiazepines for symptom management. Reintroduction of Tizanidine, carefully controlled and tapered, led to stabilization of hemodynamics and cessation of involuntary movements. This case underscores the importance of individualized treatment and vigilant monitoring when dealing with Tizanidine withdrawal, particularly at elevated daily doses.

Accuracy of procalcitonin for diagnosing sepsis in adult patients admitted to the emergency department: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Differentiating sepsis from non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is challenging. Biomarkers like procalcitonin (PCT) aid early risk assessment and guide antibiotic use. This study aims to ascertain PCT's accuracy as a sepsis biomarker among adult emergency department admissions. METHOD: The PRISMA guidelines were followed to search for relevant articles in five electronic databases between April 14th and August 4th, 2023: PubMed, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, EMBASEs, and ScienceDirect. Studies had to be published in English to avoid directly translating scientific terms. Besides, the inclusion criteria were based on the diagnosis of sepsis in adult patients admitted to an emergency department. QUADAS-2 tool provided by the Review Manager version 5.4.1 was utilized to assess the risk of bias in included studies. STATA (v. 16) software was used to perform the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Ten of 2457 studies were included. We sampled 2980 adult sepsis patients for the under-investigated role of PCT in ED sepsis diagnosis. PCT emerged as the primary early diagnostic biomarker with high levels (29.3 ± 85.3 ng/mL) in sepsis patients. Heterogeneity in outcomes, possibly due to bias in cohort and observational studies, was observed. CONCLUSION: PCT tests offer moderate accuracy in diagnosing sepsis and stand out for rapidly and precisely distinguishing between viral and bacterial inflammations.

Posterior Quadratus Lumborum Block or Thoracolumbar Interfascial Plane Block and Postoperative Analgesia after Spinal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The management of postoperative pain following lumbar disc herniation (LDH) surgery is crucial for the quality of recovery. The effectiveness of multimodal analgesia plans increases when interfascial plane blocks are included. This study sought to compare the analgesic efficacy of preoperative ultrasound-guided TLIP (thoracolumbar interfascial plane) blocks and posterior QLBs (quadratus lumborum blocks) in patients undergoing LDH surgery. METHODS: Patients undergoing elective LDH surgery under general anesthesia were randomized into two groups: thoracolumbar interfascial plane block (Group T) and posterior quadratus lumborum block (Group Q). Block applications were performed 30 min before anesthesia induction. In the postoperative period, analgesia control was provided with a patient-controlled analgesia device. The patients' 24 h cumulative opioid consumption was examined. Pain scores were evaluated in the 0th, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, and 24th hours. RESULTS: The mean 24 h cumulative morphine consumption for patients was statistically insignificant when Groups T and Q were compared (9.14 ± 7.03 mg vs. 8.66 ± 6.58 mg, p = 0.788). Pain scores at rest and during movement as well as morphine consumption were similar between groups in the 0th, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, and 24th hours (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study determined that the utilization of TLIP blocks and posterior QLBs prior to anesthesia induction yielded comparable outcomes in terms of reducing postoperative analgesic consumption and enhancing the efficacy of multimodal analgesia in individuals undergoing single-distance lumbosacral spine surgery under general anesthesia.

Perceptions and concerns of emergency medicine practitioners about artificial intelligence in emergency triage management during the pandemic: a national survey-based study.

Objective: There have been continuous discussions over the ethics of using AI in healthcare. We sought to identify the ethical issues and viewpoints of Turkish emergency care doctors about the use of AI during epidemic triage. Materials and methods: Ten emergency specialists were initially enlisted for this project, and their responses to open-ended questions about the ethical issues surrounding AI in the emergency room provided valuable information. A 15-question survey was created based on their input and was refined through a pilot test with 15 emergency specialty doctors. Following that, the updated survey was sent to emergency specialists via email, social media, and private email distribution. Results: 167 emergency medicine specialists participated in the study, with an average age of 38.22 years and 6.79 years of professional experience. The majority agreed that AI could benefit patients (54.50%) and healthcare professionals (70.06%) in emergency department triage during pandemics. Regarding responsibility, 63.47% believed in shared responsibility between emergency medicine specialists and AI manufacturers/programmers for complications. Additionally, 79.04% of participants agreed that the responsibility for complications in AI applications varies depending on the nature of the complication. Concerns about privacy were expressed by 20.36% regarding deep learning-based applications, while 61.68% believed that anonymity protected privacy. Additionally, 70.66% of participants believed that AI systems would be as sensitive as humans in terms of non-discrimination. Conclusion: The potential advantages of deploying AI programs in emergency department triage during pandemics for patients and healthcare providers were acknowledged by emergency medicine doctors in Turkey. Nevertheless, they expressed notable ethical concerns related to the responsibility and accountability aspects of utilizing AI systems in this context.

Inferior Vena Cava Thrombosis in a Patient with Factor V Leiden Syndrome Presenting with Scrotal Pain.

Thrombosis in the inferior vena cava (IVC) is a rare but serious condition that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. We present a case report of a 39-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with right flank pain that had progressed to severe back pain, bilateral flank pain, scrotal pain, and leg pain over the course of two days. The pain was severe enough to affect his daily activities. Laboratory investigations revealed a D-dimer level of 17 ng/mL, creatinine level of 110 µmol/L, and a white blood cell count of 10 × 109/L with a CRP level of 5 mg/L. Urine analysis was positive for blood. Doppler ultrasound of both legs showed deep vein thrombosis extending from the external iliac veins to the distal veins of both legs. Further investigation with computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a large thrombus in the distal vena cava extending to the renal artery and both external and internal iliac veins. The patient was diagnosed with Factor V Leiden syndrome based on genetic testing, which revealed a heterozygous mutation in the F5 gene. He was successfully treated with low molecular weight heparin and warfarin, and after five days of hospitalization, he was discharged with warfarin for long-term anticoagulation. This case report emphasizes the importance of considering IVC thrombosis in patients with a constellation of symptoms, including scrotal pain, and the role of genetic testing in identifying underlying hypercoagulable states.

The Utility of the Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Evaluating the Readability, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Mini-CEX Utilization.

Assessment tools, such as the mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX), have been developed to evaluate the competence of medical trainees during routine duties. However, their effectiveness in busy environments, such as the emergency department (ED), is poorly understood. This study assesses the feasibility, reliability, and acceptability of implementing the mini-CEX in the ED. PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were scoured for observational and randomized trials related to our topic. Moreover, a manual search was also conducted to identify additional studies. After the literature search, data were extracted from studies that were eligible for inclusion by two independent reviewers. When applicable, meta-analyses were performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. In addition, the methodological quality of studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Of the 2,105 articles gathered through database and manual searches, only four met the criteria for inclusion in the review. A combined analysis of three studies revealed that trainee-patient interactions averaged 16.05 minutes (95% CI = 14.21-17.88), and feedback was given in about 10.78 minutes (95% CI = 10.19-11.38). The completion rates for mini-CEX were high: 95.7% (95% CI = 87.6-98.6) for medical trainees and 95.8% (95% CI = 89.7-98.3) for assessors. Satisfaction with mini-CEX was notable, with 63.5% (95% CI = 51.5-74.1) of medical trainees and 75.7% (95% CI = 63.9-84.6) of assessors expressing contentment. Qualitative data from one study demonstrated that 70.6% of faculty members could allocate suitable time for mini-CEX during their clinical shifts. The mini-CEX is a feasible and acceptable assessment tool within the ED. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that it might be reliable.

Untangling Tetanus: A Comprehensive Case Report Describing Its Diagnosis and Treatment.

Tetanus, caused by a grave and potentially lethal bacteria, is a medical condition that severely affects the central nervous system and demands vigilant attention and comprehensive preventive measures to safeguard public health. The onset of this condition is sudden and characterized by the emergence of intense tonic muscle spasms, underscoring its critical nature. In Türkiye, around 50 cases are officially reported each year; however, it is widely suspected that numerous cases remain unreported, contributing to an even more significant impact. This report aims to shed light on a remarkable case involving a 24-year-old male patient. Despite having a complete vaccination history, this individual contracted tetanus and required intensive care and mechanical ventilation due to the severity of his tetanus infection. This case serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of booster administration, highlighting the significance of continued and timely reinforcement of vaccinations.

Effect of ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block on pain during patient positioning for central nervous blockade in hip surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with hip fractures are elderly patients with comorbidities, and well-managed pain management is associated with positive postoperative outcomes. In recent years, new indications for regional anesthesia techniques have been defined, and they have found more place in clinical practice. Herein we investigate the effect of US-guided PENG block on positioning pain and compare that effect to intravenous opioid in patients undergoing surgery under spinal anesthesia for hip fractures. Additionally, we sought to investigate the effect of PENG block on pain scores, opioid intake, time to first analgesic requirement, and quality of recovery within the first 24 h following surgery. METHODS: In this study, patients were divided into the PENG (n = 42) and control group (n = 42) one hour prior to surgery. A team who was blinded to the assigned groups, collected and evaluated all data such as spinal anesthesia positioning pain, postoperative pain, opioid requirement. RESULTS: Patients that underwent PENG had statistically significantly lower NRS scores after interventions, immediately before positioning, at positioning and at end of spinal anesthesia. Pain scores during positioning for spinal anesthesia were statistically significantly lower in the PENG group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Total morphine use over the first 24 h was extremely statistically significantly lower in the PENG group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Positive outcomes of PENG block in patient positioning pain before spinal anesthesia, postoperative pain scores, and morphine consumption are consistent with similar studies. High patient satisfaction in patients who underwent PENG block contributes to the literature. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04871061.

The Relationship Between Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Levels and Eating Behavior in Emergency Service Workers.

Introduction It is seen that shift work causes various biological, psychological, and behavioral problems in individuals. This study aimed to determine the eating attitudes and behaviors of health workers working in shifts in a stressful environment such as the emergency service and to examine the relationship between depression, anxiety, and stress levels and eating behaviors (emotional eating, restrictive eating, and external eating) in terms of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Material and Methods Sociodemographic data form; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS); and Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) were used. The study sample consisted of 92 employees (doctor, nurse, emergency medical technician (EMT), medical secretary, and security, staff) who were actively on duty in the emergency department of Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Medical Faculty Training and Research Hospital. Results In our study, when the eating behavior of emergency service workers was evaluated in terms of "emotional, external, and restricted eating" sub-dimensions, depression (p=0.043), anxiety (p=0.017), increased stress levels (p=0.002), being female (p=0.022), nurse-emergency medical technician profession (p=0.001), working in 24-hour shifts (p=0.001), and diet history (p=0.013) were associated with "emotional eating." In addition, an increase in depression levels (p=0.048), being single (p=0.015), working in 24-hour shifts (p=0.005), a decrease in age (p<0.001) with "extrinsic eating," an increase in body mass index (BMI) (p=0.020) and waist circumference (p=0.049), and diet history (p<0.001) were associated with "restricted eating." Conclusions In our study, among the sociodemographic factors, being female, being single, working in 24-hour shifts, diet history, nurse-EMT profession, and undergraduate education level were found to increase the tendency to develop eating behavior problems. An increase in depression levels, being single, working in 24-hour shifts, and a decrease in age were associated with "extrinsic eating." There is a correlation between depression, anxiety, and stress scores and emotional eating scores. Additionally, we found significant correlations between body mass index, waist circumference, diet history, and restricted eating scores. In the approach to eating behavior problems, it is important to determine the individual eating behavior disorder. Due to the increased risk of eating behavior disorder in those who work in long shifts such as 24 hours, it will be possible to organize work programs and increase the quality of service.

Improving Risk Stratification of Patients With Chest Pain in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: The HEARTS3 score is used to predict acute coronary syndrome by evaluating the findings of chest pain patients at the end of the second hour. Additionally, the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) 2014 non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) management guideline suggests assessing cardiac troponin levels at the third and sixth hours as a class 1A recommendation. This study aimed to explore the value of the HEARTS3 score for the evaluation of patients with chest pain and its utility for determining whether a patient is eligible for early discharge from the emergency department. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was prospectively conducted between March 1, 2016 to May 31, 2016 at the ED of the Research and Training Hospital in Istanbul. A total of 136 patients were evaluated, and HEARTS3 scores were calculated at the second, third, and sixth hours. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate the specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV) of these scores. The primary outcome was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) within 30 days. RESULTS: In total, 29 patients with MACEs and 107 patients without MACEs were identified within 30 days. Based on the ROC curve, the cutoff value for early discharge was 6. The area under curve (AUC) values were 0.943, 0.963 and 0.976 at the second, third, and sixth hours, respectively. The sensitivity of the second-hour HEARTS3 score was 96.6%, and the NPV was 98.6%. Both the sensitivity and NPV reached 100% at the sixth hour. CONCLUSION: The HEARTS3 score was considered a feasible method for the prediction of MACEs. We concluded that a patient with a HEARTS3 score less than 6 may be discharged without serial troponin and ECG examination.

Comparison between transthoracic echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of acute aortic dissection from an emergency perspective. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening medical condition with high early fatality. Therefore, a prompt and precise diagnosis, which can be achieved through invasive and non-invasive techniques is vital. Echocardiography, unlike MRI and CT, is accessible in emergency units and bedside-compatible. The recommended echocardiographic techniques for AAD are transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography (TTE and TOE). Therefore, our review compares their diagnostic roles in AAD. Methods: Studies relevant to our topic were attained through a database search and manual scrutiny of references lists of articles obtained from the electronic databases. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool (QUADAS-2) has been used for quality assessment. All quantitative analyses were performed using either STATA 16 or Comprehensive Meta-Analyst software. Results: The search strategy yielded 1,798 articles, of which only 11 were eligible for inclusion. Our subgroup analysis showed that conventional TTE had a sensitivity and specificity of 85.35% and 84.51% for the diagnosis of Stanford type A AAD and was 45.89% sensitive and 87.05% specific for the diagnosis of type B AAD. However, the subgroup analysis shows that contrast-enhancement of TTE results in a sensitivity and specificity of 93.30% and 97.60% for diagnosis of type A AAD, and 83.60% and 94.50% for diagnosis of type B AAD, respectively. On the other hand, conventional TOE was 93.64% sensitive and 95.50% specific for the diagnosis of type A AAD, 99.80% sensitive and 99.87% specific for the diagnosis of type B AAD. Moreover, our analyses show that TTE has pooled false negative and positive rates of 28.6% and 18.6%, while TOE has shown false negative and positive rates of 2.4% and 4.3%, respectively. Conclusion: TOE is the more favorable diagnostic tool for AAD diagnosis than TTE. However, it cannot be used as a stand-alone diagnostic tool since misdiagnosis cases are being reported. Contrast-enhanced TTE can also diagnose AAD since it provides similar results to conventional TOE.

Can COVID-19 Cause Flare-Ups of Acute Hepatitis B? An Atypical Presentation of COVID-19 with Acute Hepatitis B.

We report a case of fulminant liver failure in a patient with acute active hepatitis B infection who was found to have COVID-19 without lung involvement. A 24-year-old male was brought by ambulance service to Hamad General Hospital, Emergency Department (ED), in Doha on April 8, 2020, with chief complaints of fever and cough for 3 days. Upon initial evaluation, the patient was febrile (39.4°C), jaundiced, and disoriented regarding time, place, and person, with an unremarkable past medical history. Initial blood tests showed severely elevated urea, creatinine, transaminases, and ammonium in addition to an impaired coagulation profile consistent with fulminant liver failure. A swab was taken for COVID-19 PCR testing and found to be positive. Serological tests revealed hepatitis B surface antigen positivity and other serology indicating acute hepatitis B. Initial X-ray and repeat chest X-rays did not show lung infiltrates. On the 6th day after admission, the patient developed fixed dilated pupils, with brain edema on CT; cardiac arrest occurred on the 10th day after admission, and the patient died. Although it is still largely unclear, HBV0-activated sudden-onset strong cytotoxic T lymphocyte response and enhanced viral replication and/or retention of the viral capsid in infected hepatocytes may cause the pathogenesis of FH. These pathophysiological events cause extensive hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis, which results in deadly severe liver failure. Our findings support that the liver damage occurring in COVID-19 is caused by an impaired innate immune system rather than by direct cell damage caused by SARS-CoV-2. We think that more consideration should be given to the presence of acute hepatitis B, especially in COVID-19 patients.

The relationship between serum bicarbonate, pH level and sleep quality in haemodialysis patients: A cross-sectional study from Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of blood pH and bicarbonate levels with sleep disorders in patients with end-stage renal disease. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Kocaeli Derince Health Practice and Research Center, Kocaeli, Turkey, in July 2015, and comprised stable haemodialysis patients aged over 18 years who had undergone at least 3 months of treatment. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index was used to assess sleep quality, and the Epworth sleepiness scale was used to assess sleepiness. Blood urea nitrogen levels were measured to determine dialysis success. SPSS 17 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients, 22(35.4%) were good sleepers, while 40(65.6%) were bad sleepers, and 11(17.7%) had excessive daytime sleepiness. There was no significant difference between poor and good sleepers with respect to venous pH (p=0.197) and bicarbonate (p=0.305) levels. Also, the two levels did not differ significantly between patients with routine or excessive daytime sleepiness (p>0.05). Patients with excessive daytime sleepiness had significantly lower calcium (p=0.046) and higher creatinine (p-0.014) levels and were older (p=0.01). Age was the only independent predictor of both the index and the scale scores (p<0.05 each). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disorders and sleepiness were found to be high in haemodialysis patients and there was a strong correlation between sleep disturbance and age. There was no correlation of either state with patients' bicarbonate or venous pH values.

Can Platelet Indices Reduce Negative Appendectomy Rates?

Introduction The role of whole blood count parameters in the diagnosis of diseases in which inflammatory processes play a role is one of the more frequently mentioned topics in the literature in recent years. Studies of acute appendicitis have also been carried out in this regard, but studies focused on platelet parameters are few and contradictory. We aimed to investigate the role of mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Materials and methods We retrospectively screened the medical records of patients older than 15 years who had an appendectomy from January 2012 to January 2015 at a training hospital in Kocaeli, Turkey. Patients were divided into three groups according to their pathology results: non-appendicitis (Group 1), uncomplicated appendicitis (Group 2), and complicated appendicitis (Group 3). We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, the likelihood ratios in the diagnosis of appendicitis for white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil count, c-reactive protein (CRP), MPV, and PDW values were calculated. Results There were no significant differences in the MPV between Group 1 (n = 39; 7.89 ± 1.32 fL), Group 2 (n = 119; 7.80 ± 1.19 fL), and Group 3 (n = 89; 7.70 ± 0.80 fL; p = 0.141). Also, we found no significant differences in PDW between Group 1 (117.38% ± 1.17), Group 2 (17.17% ± 1.04), and Group 3 (17.12% ± 0.64; p = 0.228). Conclusions Only nine of the 208 patients whose pathology reports confirmed appendicitis had healthy values for both CRP and WBC. Many factors affect MPV and PDW. Therefore, platelet indices are not useful markers in diagnosing acute appendicitis.

Can C-reactive Protein Increase the Efficiency of the Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis Scoring System?

Background Early diagnosis and accurate assessment of the severity of the disease are critical factors in the management of acute pancreatitis (AP). In this study, we investigated the success rates of combinations of Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) scores with C-reactive protein (CRP) values in predicting severe AP. Methods The medical records of all patients with AP admitted to our hospitals from September 2015 to September 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. To evaluate the severity of AP, the revised Atlanta criteria were used, and patients who developed organ failure lasting more than 48 hours were considered to have severe AP. We analyzed patient CRP values at the 24-hour mark via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Four groups were then formed to separate mild AP from moderate to severe AP. The first group had BISAP scores ≥ 3, the second group had CRP values ≥ 90.7 mg/L, the third group had BISAP scores ≥ 3 and CRP values ≥ 90.7 mg/L, and the fourth group had BISAP scores ≥ 3 or measured CRP values ≥ 90.7 mg/L. Predictive accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of groups in the prediction of severe AP were calculated. Results Our study population consisted of 207 patients, and according to the revised Atlanta scoring, 165 patients (79.7%) had mild AP, 30 (14.4%) had moderate, and 12 (5.8%) had severe AP. Comparing the mild, moderate, severe AP groups, we noted a significant difference between the mean hospital stay time, BISAP scores, and CRP values (p<0.001). Group 1, 2, 3, and 4 values of mild AP and all severe AP (moderate and severe) were significant (p<0.001). The highest specificity values were found in Group 3 (97.6%), while the highest sensitivity values were observed in Group 4 (88.1%). Conclusion  CRP may increase the success of BISAP scoring in predicting the severity of AP.

Ocular morphological changes in patients with restless legs syndrome analyzed by optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: Two leading hypotheses for restless legs syndrome (RLS) pathophysiology are dopaminergic dysfunction and sympathetic overactivity. Ocular changes occur with both dopaminergic and sympathetic pathologies, and thus may provide unique insights into the pathophysiology of RLS. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with RLS and 35 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), macular, and choroidal thicknesses were measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding RNFL and macular thicknesses. The subfoveal, temporal and nasal choroidal thicknesses were significantly thinner in patients with RLS compared with normal subjects (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Thinning of the choroid is linked to sympathetic overactivity. Our results provide further evidence for sympathetic overactivity in the pathogenesis of RLS.