ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to establish whether there is a relationship between the level of knowledge about COVID-19, anxiety scores, and pseudo increases in the symptoms of the patients or not. METHODS: The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health General Directorate's COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 infection) General Information, Epidemiology, and Diagnosis Guide were reviewed to generate the questionnaire's content. The data were obtained through a face-to-face interview method. To test their level of knowledge about COVID-19, they were asked multiple-choice questions that have one or more possible right answers. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for statistical analysis. The results were presented as mean and standard deviations for numerical variables and as frequency and percentage for categorical data. RESULTS: A total of 402 patients were included in this questionnaire-based study. The average age of the patients was 44.67 ± 4.95 years, and 204 (50.7%) of them were female. The average anxiety score according to the BAI was 7.98 ± 1.29 which classifies as mild anxiety. The overall responses for the knowledge level on COVID-19 section are presented in Table 2. The average score was 9.2 ± 2.7 points out of a possible 14. CONCLUSION: The study population showed a moderate level of knowledge, and on average, the patients were not very anxious about the outbreak. The psychosomatic effects of the anxiety caused by the pandemic should be kept in mind by the clinicians since the patients might require a psychiatric consultation in the treatment process.
ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of botulinum toxin administration in patients who consulted the otolaryngology clinic with secondary otalgia caused by bruxism. INTRODUCTION: Botulinum toxin can be applied to the hypertrophic muscles in patients who suffer from facial asymmetry even though they do not experience pain. Injection intervals and the condition of the muscles should be monitored as botulinum toxin applications to the muscles may result in decreased muscle strength and chewing difficulties. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted with bruxism patients at Private Kesan Hospital otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic between August 2019 and December 2019. The diagnosis was based on the anamnesis and physical examination of the patient. The Visual Analogue Scale was used to evaluate patients' pain levels throughout the treatment. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients, between 19 and 51 years old, 22 (59.46%) females and 15 (40.54%) males, who consulted to the otolaryngology clinic in Private Kesan Hospital between August 2019 and December 2019 with a diagnosis of otalgia caused by bruxism were included in the study. Nine patients (24.3%) had facial asymmetry due to masseter muscle hypertrophy. The average age of the participants was 34.00 ± 9.13 years old. Two weeks after the application of botulinum toxin, patients' complaints subsided. In patients with facial asymmetry, it was observed that asymmetry decreased after the 2nd month and noticeably improved after the 4th month. DISCUSSION: Bruxism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with ear pain. Botulinum toxin can be applied in patients who do not respond adequately to classical treatments such as medical treatments, chewing training, neck and facial muscle relaxation techniques, psychological support, and dental splint applications.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Allergic rhinitis is a common disease in Turkey. However, there are not enough studies on its prevalence. Survey-based studies conducted by experienced and qualified researchers to large populations provide information about the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and risk factors associated with it. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and related factors in university students in Anatolia. METHODS: An extended and modified form of "The European Community Respiratory Health Survey" was conducted to university students in Turkey. The data were obtained through a face-to-face interview method. R version 4.0.2 was used for statistical analysis. Data were presented as frequency and percentage. Chi-squared test of independence was used to analyze the relationship between allergic rhinitis diagnosis and other variables. Statistically significant variables were further analyzed with multivariate logistic regression test. RESULTS: Data was collected from a total of 2020 participants, but 1714 participants were eligible for multivariate analysis. The mean age of the participants was 20.71 ± 3.12 years; 42.88 (n= 735) were male, and 57.12% (n= 979) were female. While the rate of those who thought that they had nasal allergies was 23.862% (n = 409), the rate of those diagnosed by a doctor was 15.986% (n = 274). The most common allergic symptom in the participants was sneezing, and the most common triggering factor was house dust. CONCLUSION: We found a high prevalence of 15.986% doctor diagnosed allergic rhinitis among university students in Anatolia. Genetic, environmental and economic factors were associated with high prevalence of allergic rhinitis.
