Evaluating the efficacy of Online Verbal Behaviour Training to ABA-Practitioners working with autistic individuals

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online training platforms have become more popular as a training delivery method. Given the importance of the Verbal Behaviour (VB) approach in teaching communication skills to autistic individuals, the current research was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a bespoke online VB training platform for practitioners. A quasi-experimental design was utilised to compare the effectiveness of the training platform with an experimental group (n = 20) who accessed the online VB platform and a control group (n = 20) who received hard copies of the training materials. Linear multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the online learning platform was significantly more effective in increasing practitioner knowledge of VB in comparison to receiving hard copies of the teaching materials. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Initial Signs and Symptoms in Suspected Patients Admitted to Triage Outpatient Clinic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Single-Center Experience

Objective: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a worldwide pandemic with a huge burden of illness, high economic costs, and mortality rates. This study sought to compare clinical signs and symptoms among adult COVID-19 patients admitted to triage outpatient clinics. Methods: In this observational retrospective study, clinical symptoms, biochemical parameters, and chest computed tomography (CT) of 1745 suspected patients admitted to COVID-19 triage outpatient clinic between 01 April 2020-01 September 2020 were analyzed. Results: A total of 650 (37.2%) of 1745 patients who were admitted to triage outpatient clinic were diagnosed as COVID-19 by PCR confirmation. Of the participants, 88.1% had at least one symptom, 11.9% were asymptomatic. Almost half of the patients (50.1%) had a history of exposure including contact with COVID-19 confirmed cases. COVID-19 (+) patients were more diabetic and hypertensive than negative cases. In patients who underwent chest CT imaging, 40.6% (310) had pneumonic infiltrations compatible with COVID-19 pneumonia. Hemoglobin, leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts were lower, but CRP levels were higher in patients with COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (OR=1.020;p=0.018), contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient (OR=1.907, p=0.009), fever (OR=1,588, p=0,001), fatigue (OR=2.075, p=0.009), cough (OR= 2.301, p<0.001) were significantly associated with increased odds of PCR (+) status. Conclusions: Predictive factors associated with PCR (+) test results were older age, history of contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient, high fever, fatigue, cough in our study. Some symptoms could have a significant relationship with PCR positivity, which requires a more careful approach during the first admission to healthcare facilities.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients with COVID-19: A Single-Center Experience

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, the first cases of which were reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The disease often presents with major respiratory symptoms. In addition, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are observed. They may be the first or even the only symptoms of the disease. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the presentation of GI symptoms and their relationship to other symptoms, the clinical course and prognosis of patients with COVID-19. Methods: Included in this study were patients over 18 years of age who had been hospitalised for treatment in clinics and intensive care units due to COVID-19 between March and June 2020. The symptoms reported by the patients at the time of admission and the data collected as a result of the clinical follow-up were evaluated. Results: Out of the 1,045 patients with COVID-19, 140 patients (13.4%) had GI symptoms. The complaints of these 140 patients were nausea (53.6%), vomiting (32.1%), abdominal pain (11.4%), diarrhea (45.7%), anorexia (43.6%) and loss of taste (5.6%). In 3.2% of the patients, only GI symptoms were present, without any respiratory symptoms. Conclusion: Gastrointestinal symptoms were present at the time of admission in 13.4% of the patients with COVID-19. The most common GI symptom in the patients was nausea. Length of stay in hospital and mortality rate were higher in patients with only GI symptoms. Therefore, GI symptoms should be considered in patients with suspected COVID-19.

A Tertiary Care Hospital Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Early detection of the severity of COVID-19 disease is important for patient prognosis and effective use of hospital capac- ity. Early detection of critical patients and providing supportive treatment is the main goal of disease management. In this study, we evaluated demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological findings in COVID-19 patients and aimed to find risk factors associated with poor prognosis. Materials and Methods: A total of 579 cases hospitalized with the diagnosis of COVID-19 were evaluated retrospectively. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity or typical clinical, laboratory and radiological findings. The study population was divided into groups according to the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 disease severity classification. Significant risk factors associated with severe disease and mortality were investigated by comparing the demographic, clinical, labora- tory and radiological data of these groups. Results: Mean age of the 579 cases was 54 +/- 18.25, and 321 of them (55.4%) were male. Severe disease was detected in 131 (22.6%) patients and mortality rate was %8.29. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (31.8%), diabetes mellitus (18.5%) and coronary artery disease (17.8%), respectively. The most common symptoms at the time of admission to the hospital were cough (40.7%), fever (38 degrees C;33.6%) and shortness of breath (26.3%). Age, coronary artery disease and shortness of breath, neutrophil count, urea, CRP, ferritin, Pro-BNP, fibronogen, IL-6 values were found to be predictive variables for severe disease. Age, presence of shortness of breath, urea, ferritin and Pro-BNP values were found to be independent predictive variables for severe disease, and the cut-off points were calculated for these variables (age 59.5, urea 33.5 mg/dL, ferritin 50.8 mu g/L and Pro-BNP 881 pg/mL). Conclusion: Some predictive factors were demonstrated to detect severe disease in COVID-19 patients. It is important to predict poor prognosis based on these factors. It provides early detection of critical patients and it will be a guide for reducing mortality rates in these patients with effective treatment.

The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic to the Practices of Cardiology Clinics and on the Anxiety Levels of Cardiologists

Objective: The study aimed to determine coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the attitudes of cardiologists, the anxiety conditions and effect on clinical functioning. Material and Methods: The clinical activities scale developed by researchers and the Beck Anxiety Scale were used as data collection tools in the study. Descriptive statistical methods, materiality tests, correlation, and regression analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Results: In cardiology clinics, patient admission continued;elective interventional diagnosis and treatment work decreased. Cardiologists declared that there was a serious decline in acute coronary syndrome application (87.2% of cardiologists) and that the most common cause of patients not wanting to come to the hospital was the fear of being infected. The severity of pandemic and the improved treatment protocols for COVID-19 were found to be effective in cardiac interventional treatment decisions. It was found that disruptions in clinical functioning increased anxiety (β=0.128), whereas the fight and prevention against COVID-19 (β=-0.304) decreased anxiety. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruptions in the routine functioning of cardiology clinics and interventional procedures and an increase in anxiety among physicians. In a pandemic, preventions should be taken to minimize the treatment of non-infected patients and the anxiety of doctors besides the treatment of infected patients.