Bronchiectasis in Türkiye: Data from a Multicenter Registry (Turkish Adult Bronchiectasis Database).

Background: Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease characterized by permanent bronchial wall dilatation. Although it has been known as an orphan disease, it has recently gained attention because of registry-based studies and drug research. Aims: We aimed to use a multicenter database to analyze and compare data regarding the etiology, associated comorbidities, microbiological characteristics, and preventive strategies of bronchiectasis in Türkiye to those of other countries. Study Design: A multicenter prospective cohort study. Methods: The multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted between March 2019 and January 2022 using the Turkish Adult Bronchiectasis Database, in which 25 centers in Türkiye participated. Patients aged > 18 years who presented with respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum, and dyspnea and were diagnosed with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis using computed tomography were included in the study. Demographic information, etiologies, comorbidities, pulmonary functions, and microbiological, radiological, and clinical data were collected from the patients. Results: Of the 1,035 study participants, 518 (50%) were females. The mean age of the patients was 56.1 ± 16.1 years. The underlying etiology was detected in 565 (54.6%) patients. While postinfectious origin was the most common cause of bronchiectasis (39.5%), tuberculosis was identified in 11.3% of the patients. An additional comorbidity was detected in 688 (66.5%) patients. The most common comorbidity was cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis was identified in 19.5% of the patients. The most commonly detected microbiological agent was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (29.4%). Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) were used in 70.1% of the patients, and the frequency of exacerbations in the last year was significantly higher in patients using ICS than in nonusers (p < 0.0001). Age [odds ratio (OR): 1.028; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.005-1.051], cachexia (OR: 4.774; 95% CI: 2,054-11,097), high modified medical research council dyspnea scale score (OR: 1,952; 95% CI: 1,459-2,611), presence of chronic renal failure (OR: 4,172; 95% CI: 1,249-13,938) and use of inhaled steroids (OR: 2,587; 95% CI: 1,098-6,098) were significant risk factors for mortality. Mortality rates were higher in patients with COPD than in those with no COPD (21.7-9.1%, p = 0.016). Patients with bronchiectasis and COPD exhibited more frequent exacerbations, exacerbation-related hospitalizations, and hospitalization in the intensive care unit in the previous year than patients without COPD. Conclusion: This is the first multicenter study of bronchiectasis in Türkiye. The study results will provide important data that can guide the development of health policies in Türkiye on issues such as infection control, vaccination, and the unnecessary use of antibiotics and steroids.

Case of Prolonged Viral Shedding: Chronic, Intermittan COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a pandemic that has been affecting the entire world and has caused the death of approximately 2.8 million people. Although the duration of viral shedding varies, an average of 7-10 days is accepted. It is still unclear whether prolonged viral shedding means prolonged contagious period and whether COVID-19 will become chronic or not. This article presents a case with hematological malignancy (lymphoma) with the longest polymerase chain reaction positivity that we could find in the literature (110 days in total).

Polysomnography findings and risk factors for sleep-disordered breathing in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate polysomnography findings and risk factors for sleep-disordered breathing in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients (2 males, 37 females; mean age: 51.1±12.5 years; range, 21 to 76 years) who attended to the Rheumatology Clinic of Trakya University Medical Faculty between March 2014 and May 2014 were included in the study. Thoracic computed tomography, pulmonary function tests, carbon monoxide diffusion tests, echocardiography, and all-night polysomnography in a sleep laboratory were performed in all patients. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded. The Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) scores were calculated. Disease activity was examined using the Medsger Disease Severity Scale (MDSS). Possible risk factors for sleep-disordered breathing were evaluated. RESULTS: Using the AHI of ≥5 for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), 21 (53.8%) of the patients were classified as having OSA. There were no significant differences between the groups with and without OSA in terms of steroid use (p=0.4), CT involvement (p=0.3), and Warrick (p=0.6) and MDSS scores (p=0.5). Age, body mass index (BMI), and mean oxygen desaturation index were found to be significant in the univariate analysis (p<0.1); however, the multivariate analysis revealed only BMI as significant risk factor of OSA (p=0.028). In the multivariate analysis, the mean saturation was found to be significant risk factor for high pulmonary artery pressure (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Although OSA is common in SSc, only increased BMI is a significant risk factor of OSA, but not lung involvement, Warrick scores, or MDSS scores.

Chronic Pulmonary Diseases and COVID-19.

Over the past few months, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has assumed the character of a pandemic, leading to significant global mortality mostly because of COVID-19-related pneumonia. Pneumonia is likely to progress more severely in patients with underlying chronic lung disease. The purpose of this review is to discuss the management strategies in patients with chronic lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pleural diseases, and obstructive sleep apnea during the COVID-19 pandemic, with current literatures and international guidelines.

Effectiveness of Thoracic Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of the Severity of Pulmonary Involvement in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of thoracic ultrasonography (USG) in a single session in the evaluation of the severity of pulmonary involvement in systemic sclerosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 48 consecutive systemic sclerosis patients (2 males, 46 females; mean age 50.8±11.9 years; range 21 to 76 years) followed-up in our center were included. A thoracic USG using a linear probe was performed for each patient to evaluate the parenchymal involvement by two pulmonary disease specialists. The number of B-lines (B-lines described USG sign of interstitial lung fibrosis) was recorded. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure was measured by means of using a phase probe to evaluate pulmonary hypertension in the same sequence. The same day, pulmonary function tests were conducted. Warrick score was calculated according high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images which were evaluated independently from each other by a radiologist and a pulmonary disease specialist. Medsger severity scale was calculated for each patient according to the results of HRCT findings, pulmonary function test, and systolic pulmonary artery pressure. RESULTS: The number of B-lines detected on thoracic USG was correlated with the Warrick score (r=0.89; p=0.0001) and Medsger disease scale (r=0.55; p=0.0001) and negatively correlated with diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (r= -0.56; p=0.0001) and forced vital capacity (r= -0.46; p=0.001). When HRCT was accepted as the gold standard; the sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value, and negative predicted value for thoracic USG were 100%, 84.2%, 90.6%, and 100%, respectively. If thoracic USG was used instead of HRCT for the evaluation of Medsger scale, the results changed in only one of the 48 patients. CONCLUSION: Thoracic USG showed good correlation with HRCT findings for the evaluation of pulmonary parenchymal involvement in systemic sclerosis. Therefore, USG might be a noninvasive and useful tool for the long-term follow-up of systemic sclerosis patients after initial examination with USG and HRCT.

Economic burden of nosocomial pneumonia in non-intensive care clinics.

INTRODUCTION: Almost all data on the cost of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) in the literature is associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia. This study aims to determine the economic burden of nosocomial pneumonia in clinical inpatients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on costs of the 154 adult patients (97 male, 57 female; mean age 64.53 ± 14.92) who were hospitalized in non-intensive care clinics and developed NP were recorded prospectively. The control group consisted of 148 patients without pneumonia matched for age (mean age 65.66 ± 13.86), sex (94 male), diagnosis, and hospitalization date. Data obtained from both groups of patients for the number of hospitalization days and the data obtained from the hospital automation program (Avicenna) for costs were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: While the mean duration of hospitalization was 32.8 days in patients with NP, it was 9.8 (p< 0.0001) in the control group. The cost of hospital beds was $631 for NP patients and $153 for the controls (p< 0.0001). The total cost was $6241 for NP patients and $1117 for the controls (p< 0.0001). CONCLUSION: NP is a high-cost condition that increases the duration of hospitalization 3.5-fold, hospital-bed cost 4-fold, and the total cost 5-fold.

[Effecting factors on survival in patients taking thrombolytic treatment due to massive pulmonary embolism]. / Masif pulmoner emboli nedeniyle trombolitik tedavi uygulanan hastalarda yasam süresi üzerine etki eden faktörler.

Massive pulmonary embolism (MPE) is a life threatening disease, thrombolytic treatment could save lives. The aims of this study are to identify early and late mortality rates in patients with MPE who received thrombolytic treatment, and mortality related risk factors. All the hospital records for the MPE patients who received thrombolytic treatment between 1998 and 2006 were retrospectively investigated. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed through computed tomografi scan and V/P scintigraphy. Due to MPE, 21 women total 41 patients who undergo tPA or streptokinase were included in the study. Kaplan-Meier for the survival analysis and cox regression analysis for determining the mortality related independent risk factors were used. Dying while staying in hospital was accepted as early or hospital mortality, after discharge from hospital as late mortality. Out of 41 patients, 12 of them died while they are hospitalized (hospital mortality; 29%) 6 of them died after they were discharged (late mortality; 21%). The average survival time among discharged patients was 2304 days (95% confidence interval: 1725-2884). Among those patients who took streptokinase or tPA, late or early mortality rates (p> 0.05) and survival time did not show significant difference (p= 0.8908). The presence of arrhythmia [p= 0.01; odds rate (OR): 6.25] and jugular vein distention (JVD) (p= 0.03; OR: 6.25) for hospital mortality and multiple ongoing health problems for the late mortality were identified as the independent risk factors. For the hospital mortality, the presence of JVD or arrhythmia, for prognostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were recorded as 75%, 79%, 60% and 88% respectively. In conclusion, the presence of arrhythmia and/or JVD on a patient with MPE is a negative prognostic factor for hospital mortality. The presence of other ongoing health problems influences the survival time of the discharged patients.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to determine the clinical success rates, effect of neutropenia on treatment success rates, risk factors related to mortality, and survival in patients who developed hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) while receiving immunosuppressive therapy. METHODS: Forty-three adult patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy who developed HAP were included in this prospective study. Transplantation patients and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients were not included. Antibiotic treatment was managed by a multidisciplinary team. The Kaplan Meier method was used for the survival analysis and Cox regression was used for the identification of mortality-related independent risk factors. The relationship between neutropenia and the clinical success rate was determined using the chi-square test. RESULTS: Although anti-pseudomonal antibiotics were started empirically in 40 of the 43 patients (93%) at the beginning of the treatment, the most frequently isolated pathogens were Acinetobacter spp. and Escherichia coli. The success rate at the end of the treatment was 65.1%. The survival rates for the 3rd, 14th, 42nd, and 365th days were 97%, 86%, 58%, and 19%, respectively. Elevated levels of urea [Hazard Ratio=1.01 (95% CI: 1.00-1.02)] and blood glucose [HR=1.01 (95% CI: 1.00-1.02)] were found to be independent risk factors affecting survival. The treatment success rate was higher in patients without neutropenia (n=23) than in those with neutropenia (n=20) (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: The treatment success rate was low in patients who developed HAP while receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia developed in non-intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: There are few studies about hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) developing in non-intensive care units (non-ICUs). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence rate of non-ICU HAP, the risk factors associated with mortality and the survival rates of HAP patients at 6 weeks and 1 year. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2005 and February 2006, 154 adult patients (97 males) with HAP were prospectively evaluated. Immunocompromised patients who were developing pneumonia were excluded from the study. The HAP incidence was calculated and survival was noted at 6 weeks and 1 year later. Kaplan-Meier methods were used for survival analysis; Cox regression was used to identify the risk factors associated with HAP-induced mortality. RESULTS: During the study, and not counting those in the ICU, 45,679 adult patients were hospitalized. Of these, 154 patients developed HAP (incidence 3.3 cases/1,000 patients). The mean age of those developing HAP was 64.53 ± 14.92 years (range 15-98). Survival rates at the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 42nd and 365th day were 91, 89, 69, 49 and 29%, respectively. Independent risk factors associated with 6-week mortality were: age [relative risk (RR) 1.026; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.008-1.045], chronic renal failure (RR 1.8; 95% CI 1.087-3.086), aspiration risk (RR 2.86; 95% CI 1.249-6.564), steroid use (RR 2.35; 95% CI 1.306-4.257), and multilobar infiltration (RR 2.1; 95% CI 1.102-4.113). CONCLUSION: HAP - even if it develops in non-ICU environments - is hard to treat and has a higher mortality rate.

The cost of lung cancer in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the individual and societal burden of lung cancer in Turkey. A total of 103 cases with lung cancer attended our department between January 2002 and February 2003 were included in our study prospectively. The primary outcome measure was the cost of disease until death of the patients or the end of study. All the costs were expressed as United States dollars (USD) and were estimated regarding the effective exchange rate at the time of recording. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Kaplan-Meier analysis and non-parametric "Bootsraping" tests were performed to evaluate the data. The average survival was 6.8 months. The estimated total direct cost for the entire group was 564.490 USD, and the direct cost per patient was 5.480 +/- 4.088 USD. The total cost of lung cancer in the study group was 1.473.530 USD, with a per-patient cost of 14.306 +/- 17.705 USD. The average direct cost per life year was 18.058 +/- 25.775 USD. Age, gender and histopathology did not affect the cost, whereas direct medical costs were increased with increasing stage. With the low life expectancy and cure rates, lung cancer has been alerting for the cost minimization and disease control measures.

Lung cancer histopathology in the Thrace region of Turkey and comparison with national data.

Following the trends in lung cancer (LC) morbidity and mortality rates can show past trends of cigarette smoking and can give clues on some geographical factors. The demographics of LC patients and the histopathologic distribution of their disease in the Thrace region of Turkey have yet to be defined. A retrospective chart review of primary LC patients admitted to the pulmonology department of Trakya University Hospital between 1992 and 2001 was performed. Charts were available for review in 521 of 567 patients. The mean age was 61 +/- 10 years (30-86 years) and 497 (95.4%) patients were male (male/female ratio= 20.7). When compared with national and international data, male/female ratio for the LC patients from Thrace region was higher than the ratio found from Turkey in general and also from other countries. Adenocarcinoma (ADC) was present in seven of the 24 (29.2%) of the females and prevalence of ADC was more than 2.5 times in females than males (p< 0.05). Squamous cell types were more common in males. Histopathological type did not vary with age in females, but small cell carcinoma was more prevalent in males under the age of 45 (44.7% if . 45 years old vs. 29.1% if > 45 years old, p< 0.05). These data may support that the LC associated with smoking is in the earlier phase of the epidemic in Thrace region. Monitoring the LC trend in our region can give clues on evolving cigarette design and smoking attitudes and geographic factors.