ABSTRACT
Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage is a syndrome characterized by cough, hemoptysis, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, anemia, and hypoxemic respiratory distress, and lung infections also play a role in its etiology. The restricted use of bronchoscopy in COVID-19 patients due to the risk of infection has led to the poor recognition of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage in COVID-19. We present here the case of a 35-year-old patient with laboratory, radiological and bronchoscopic evidence of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage who was diagnosed with COVID-19 by bronchial lavage. The restrictions on the use of bronchoscopy during the pandemic due to the high risk of infection has led diagnoses of COVID-19 to be mistakenly excluded in immunosuppressive patients with a negative SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test, and the under-recognition of conditions such as diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and secondary infection in patients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR. Copyright © 2022 LookUs Scientific. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between QTc interval and laboratory parameters in COVID-19 patients before and after the treatment. Materials and Methods: Forty-three COVID-19 patients who had baseline and follow-up ECG findings and laboratory reports were evaluated and 40 patients were included in the study. Results: Among 40 patients, 16 were women and 24 were men. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and corrected QT (QTc) interval were significantly higher in females than males. After the treatment, a significant fall in CRP and ferritin values, and significantly prolonged QTc interval were seen. A significant positive correlation was observed between QTc interval and age, LDH levels, neutrophil and leukocyte count, NLR, magnesium levels, and heart rate of the patients prior to treatment. A positive correlation was observed between increased QTc interval and decreased LDH levels and NLR after treatment. Conclusion: QTc prolongation was associated with increased inflammatory markers, increased NLR and LDH levels before and after treatment in COVID-19 patients. The increase in the QTc interval was correlated with the reduction in LDH levels and NLR with treatment.
ABSTRACT
This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the prevalence of smoking among healthcare workers and to investigate the anxiety level of healthcare professionals who have knowledge of COVID-19-related mortality and morbidity and are burdened by the anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic, and its effect on their smoking habits. An online questionnaire was used to facilitate the participation of busy healthcare workers. The survey was shared on all health platforms and various social network groups (Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.) for doctors (specialists, physicians, residents, dentists), nurses, and all other healthcare workers This questionnaire consisted of two tests, namely the Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS) and the Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test (FNDT), and sociodemographic questions. A total of 806 healthcare workers, of whom 74.2% were physicians, 8.8% were midwives/nurses, and 15.1% were assistant health workers, participated in the study. Among all the participants, 501 (62.1%) were nonsmokers, 305 (37.9%) were smokers, and 8(1%) resumed smoking during the pandemic. In terms of the smoking habits of the participants during the pandemic period, 34% of the women who smoked had increased their amount of smoking. With respect to the smoking cessation rates of the participants, the physicians had quit or reduced smoking more than the other participants. The rate of smoking cessation in our study was 2.23%. Among those who quit, 88.8% were doctors, and the rate of quitting among them was 7.8%.