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In recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea that individuals should strengthen their immune system and meet the lack of nutrients has increased the orientation to dietary supplements (DS). The production and consumption of these products is increasing all over the world, as the use of DS has become a trend in society and successful marketing strategies through some sales channels. DSs are products with a specific daily intake which supplement nutritional elements that cannot be met with daily nutrition. DSs are mostly used to strengthen the immune system and to stay physically and mentally fit in the challenging working conditions of daily life. The most commonly used types of DSs, which do not cause any health problems when consumed consciously, are single preparations of minerals or vitamins and/or their complex forms. In this study, DSs, whose recognition, consumption and product portfolio increase day by day are examined.
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INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine the descriptive characteristics of randomized controlled trials published in PubMed on COVID-19 vaccines until May 30, 2021. METHODS: Seventy three articles reached by scanning the keywords "vaccine" and "COVID 19" in the PubMed database were reviewed by researchers, 33 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to COVID 19 vaccines were included in the study. According to the 17-item questionnaire created by the researchers, the descriptive features of included studies were examined. RESULTS: The total number of investigative authors in 33 RCT articles published in approximately one and a half years from the outbreak of the pandemic was 946, and the average number of authors per article was 28.67+or-18.56.39.3% of the articles were published in The Lancet and 27.2% in The New England Journal of Medicine. Of the vaccines used in the studies, 36.3% mRNA vaccine, 21.2% Inactivated vaccine, 18.1% Recombinant adenovirus vaccine, 12.1% Chimpanzee adenovirus-based vector vaccine, 6% BCG vaccine. 22.5% of vaccines are Phase 1, 12.9% Phase 2, 19.3% Phase 3, 3.2% Phase 4, 32.3% Phase 1-2, 9%,6 of them are Phase 2-3 studies. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The majority of randomized controlled trials on COVID-19 vaccines are phase 1 and phase 2 trials for mRNA vaccines and inactivated vaccines. Studies have generally been conducted on the adult age group and studies are needed to evaluate the effect of vaccines on the pediatric age group. In studies, the safety of vaccines has been examined more, and there is limited information on efficacy and effectiveness of vaccines.
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INTRODUCTION: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to negatively affect Turkey, as it does many other areas all over the world. One effect of COVID 19 has been the significant expenditure increases in health services in post-pandemic countries. Our aim for this study was the following: determining the frequency of outpatient, inpatient, and intensive care treatment in COVID 19 cases, the factors affecting the rates of inpatient and, intensive care treatments, and examining the changes in healthcare costs according to patient characteristics. METHODS: This research is a cross-sectional record review. The universe of this study is composed of outpatients and inpatients that have been treated after being diagnosed with COVID 19 as from March 11, the date the pandemic was first seen in Turkey, to November 30, 2020. Within the scope of the study, data relating to the COVID-19 diagnosis, comorbidity, age (< 50 and 50), and gender were obtained from all primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare institutions in the province. RESULTS: When the invoices of the inpatients who received no intensive care treatment were examined, it was found that the bills of the male patients aged 50 years and older and those with comorbidities were statistically significantly higher. In the patient groups receiving both clinical and intensive care, the mean amount of invoices of female patients and those aged 50 and older were found to be higher than male patients (p < 0.05). In addition to, In all other patient groups, it has been determined that the invoice amounts are below the patient costs, that is, the invoice amounts do not cover the patient cost. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The disease is more severe in those aged 50 and older, those with comorbidities, and it is more severe and more common in males. Consequently, bill amounts and costs of these patients were found to be higher than those of the opposing groups. As a result, the rate of men getting the COVID-19 disease is higher than women. The disease is more severe in males in hospitalized patients, in 50 age group, and in patients with comorbidities. In parallel with these, the invoice amounts and costs of these patients are higher than the opposite groups. In general, the treatment costs of the patients are higher than the invoice amounts and they carry great risks for the future in ensuring the sustainability of the service. Ensuring sustainability in healthcare services depends on the ability of healthcare institutions to obtain invoices to cover their costs. COVID-19 not only creates a big economic burden for reimbursement institutions but also brings a great economic burden for the institutions that provide the service.
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Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is a serious infectious disease transmitted from person to person through the respiratory route. This disease, which has become a pandemic all over the world, has become an important public health problem. Adequate and balanced nutrition is known as a preventive method in reducing the spread of the virus. In order to increase the immune system with the formation of this awareness in individuals, in addition to adequate and balanced nutrition during the pandemic period, it is seen that the use of dietary supplements (DS) has increased significantly.
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Introduction: In this study, we aimed to compare the place of throat mouthwash in the diagnosis of COVID-19 and the detection values of SARS-Cov-2 in naso-oropharyngeal swab (NOS) and mouthwash samples. Materials and Methods: NOS and mouthwash water samples were taken from the patients simultaneously. Mouthwash sampling was obtained by himself. For the NOS sample;after the swab sample was taken from the patient’s oropharynx with a dacron tip swab, with the same swab. RNA isolation from combined oral/nasal swab samples was performed with the EZ1 (Qiagen, Germany) device. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software version 21.0. Results: The diagnostic efficacy of throat mouthwash and combined NOS samples taken from 106 volunteers were compared (56 males, mean age 42.9 years). The diagnostic sensitivity of the mouthwash was 60.71%, specificity 98.65%, positive predictive value 94.44% and negative predictive value 86.9% compared to the results of the NOS. According to these results, although mouthwash is a specific test, its sensitivity to NOS is not satisfactory. The value of kappa was substantial agreement as 0.668, and it was found statistically significant (<0.001). Conclusion: Throat mouthwash is a promising noninvasive technique for diagnosis, monitoring and infection control in patients with COVID-19 infection and reduces the risk of transmission for the healthcare provider.
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Objective: SuPAR is known as a marker for inflammation. In this study, we aimed to analyse suPAR levels and its correlation with disease prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Method: Demographical, clinical and laboratory data of the 36 patients were recorded. Existence of suPAR levels and other parameters along with prognosis was studied. Result: Of 36 patients included in this study, 15 were female (42%) and 21 were male (58%). The median age of the patients with mortality was 73 (min-max ,IR;49-88, 25), and the median age of the patients with no mortality was 72 (min-max ,IR;47- 83, 21) revealing a statistically non-significant difference (p=0,596). Among lab tests, hemoglobin (p=0,044), urea (p=0,011), troponin(p=0,033), LDH (p=0,005), and procalcitonin (p=0,036) were significantly associated with mortality. Median suPAR level was 102 (min-max, IR;29-540, 274) for the patients with no mortality whereas, median suPAR level was 61 (min-max, IR;29-540, 355) for the patients with mortality, and the difference was statistically non-significant (p=0,607). Conclusion: SuPAR levels seem to be ineffective to predict disease severity and prognosis of COVID-19. More randomised controlled trials with larger groups are needed to clarify the association of suPAR levels and COVID-19. © 2021 A. CARBONE Editore. All rights reserved.
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Objective: We aimed to investigate the content of Covid-19 news in the media before and after the declaration of the first Covid-19 case in Turkey, as well as the compatibility of their medical massages with World Health Organisation (WHO) data. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, Covid-19 news in Turkey's most visited webpages of five newspapers and five internet news sites was examined retrospectively for two months categorized as the periods of one month before and one month after the first Covid-19 case declaration in Turkey. The news was evaluated according to their content, sources, content and headline compatibility, evidence and accuracy levels in terms of WHO reports, its potential to evoke social negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, panic, and to produce negative bias against China. Statistical analysis was performed by using the SPSS 21 program and the results were expressed as numbers and percentages. Results: It was determined that in total of 7915 news, the most content was about the protection and prevention methods. In the news before and after the first case declaration in Turkey, the content-headline incompatibility rates were 50,8% and 1,1%;incompatibility rates of the medical information in the news with WHO reports were 7,1% and 2,9%;the rates of referencing were 74,3% and 66,9%, the rates of the news having the potential to produce anxiety and fear in the reader were 56,9% and 19,6% and to produce prejudice and negative attitudes towards China were 19,7% and 4,6%, respectively. Conclusions: It seems that the declaration of the first Covid-19 case changed the news making pattern of the media to a more responsible behaviour for the public. We suggest that it is a rational approach to use the power of the media correctly in enhancing public awareness towards Covid-19 pandemic.
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Synopsis Four women mathematicians at various stages of their careers at public liberal arts institutions share their struggles and challenges in their professional and personal lives during the pandemic.
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Shortly after the first cases were reported in late 2019 in Wuhan Province of China, SARS CoV 2 spread all over the world and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 12, 2020. In Turkey the first case was in March 10, 2020 and March 25, 2020 in Duzce. Duzce University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, PCR laboratory was declared to be "T.C. Ministry of Health Duzce authorized Covid 19 PCR laboratory " in 28.03.2020. Samples are sent to our laboratory from all provincial and district hospitals, private hospitals and public health institutions in Duzce. This is the only Covid 19 center in our city and it works for 7 days a week. In our laboratory, Covid 19 antibody tests are carried out with card tests and ELISA methods. A total of 8500 COVID 19 PCR tests and 2200 anti Covid19 ELISA total antibody tests were studied in our laboratory within three months. Although covid 19 patients are not followed in our hospital, pandemic process continues in our laboratory. In addition, all PCR studies and IFA studies of the hospital are carried out in this laboratory.