Favorite colors of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the favorite colors of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. METHODS: Following examination, 50 patients were diagnosed in accordance with the 2005 proposal of the International League Against Epilepsy and the definition of drugresistant epilepsy since 2010. The favorite color examination used a six-color tape and Trycolors, an online color mixing tool. The patients' color preferences were compared with those of 50 individuals without epilepsy. RESULTS: Patients with drug-resistant epilepsy preferred the color blue the most (30%), significantly more yellow (p = 0.0001), and significantly less green (p < 0.0001) compared to individuals without epilepsy. By mixing these colors at a certain percentage, we obtained the Go Ben color. SIGNIFICANCE: This information on preferred colors can help to improve compliance and can be utilized in designing medications and environments for patients with epilepsy.

Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 on Health Care Workers.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has generated significant symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression among health care workers, which can negatively affect the health and well-being of individuals. Although the WHO stressed the importance of nurturing mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, a more significant response focused on this area was still lacking in most countries. Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the differences in the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in healthcare professionals in relation to exposure to contact with COVID-19 positive patients, as well as to examine the differences and correlation of sociodemographic characteristics of health workers in the experience of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Methods: The research included 266 respondents, and it used a socio-demographic questionnaire and the DASS-21 scale. Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman correlation coefficient were used in data processing. Results: The prevalence of high to extremely high symptoms of depression was reported in 45.49% of employees, anxiety 63.91% and stress 23.22%. Those who have been in continuous contact with COVID-19 positive patients, or 27.07%, report experiencing high or extremely high symptoms of depression, 36.60%, high to extremely high symptoms of anxiety, and 22.18% high to extremely high symptoms of stress. Discussion: The degree of self-care and family care, education level, and work experience were found to be a statistically significant factor in experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Workers who were more in contact with COVID19 patients reported a higher degree of symptom on the DASS-21 scale. Those employees with more work experience had previously encountered similar situations of uncertainty and pressure, had better developed defense mechanisms, and showed less pronounced symptoms. A higher level of education often implies a higher degree of involvement in active treatment around each patient, which results in more responsibility and pressure in a given situation. Conclusion: High levels of stress, anxiety and depression in healthcare workers can lead to repercussions in their work with patients. Therefore, the mental health of health workers should be put in focus, as a very important part of the public health problem during the COVID19 pandemic.

Sensory Fibers in Martin-Gruber Anastomosis: An Electrophysiological Study.

INTRODUCTION: Anatomical variations in the innervation of intrinsic hand muscle are well known as Martin - Gruber anastomosis (MGA) that spread from the median to the ulnar nerves in the forearm. Although anatomical studies have shown that a crossover of sensory fibers is not rare in forearm MGA, it has been electrophysiologically described only in rare subjects. We hypothesized that the sensory fibers are not rare in MGA, and often follow the motor fibers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 59 of subjects with a total of 111 arms, with electrodiagnostically confirmed the presence of MGA on the forearm for motor fibers. In order to demonstrate the presence of sensory fibers in MGA, we stimulated the median nerve at the elbow and recorded the antidromic sensory potential from ulnar innervated digit (5th finger). RESULTS: Sensory MGA were present in 42 out of 111 arms (37.8%) with CI 95. There were 54 left hands with motor MGA, of which 18 (33.3%) had sensory fibers MGA, and 57 right hands with motor MGA, and 24 (42.1%) of which had sensory MGA. CONCLUSION: This electrophysiologically study demonstrated the high incidence of sensory fibers in MGA anastomosis. Presence of sensory fibers as a possible anatomical variation should be taken into consideration during electroneurography analysis, diagnosis and surgical therapy.