The evaluation of vitamin K status in children with febrile seizure

Background: Febrile seizure is the most common neurological disorder in childhood. The exact pathophysiology of febrile seizures is unknown. Recent studies showed the role of vitamin K in nonhematological and inflammatory disorders. This study aimed to investigate the serum vitamin K levels in children with febrile seizures. Aims: To evaluate vitamin K levels in children with febrile seizures. Study Design: Prospective case-control study. Methods: This multicenter study examined representative populations in 8 different cities in Turkey between April 1, 2018 and April 1, 2019. Blood samples were taken from all children at presentation. Vitamin K1, vitamin K2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1 beta, and interleukin 6 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: A total of 155 children were included in the study—84 children with febrile seizures and 71 children in febrile control group. Serum vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 levels were also higher in children with febrile seizures than in the controls. The results of statistical analysis showed that vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 levels were correlated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1 beta, and interleukin 6 levels. The median vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 levels of children experiencing their first febrile seizure were higher than those in children with recurrent febrile seizures. Type of febrile seizure has no effect on serum vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 levels. Conclusion: In children with febrile seizures, vitamin K levels are higher than those in the control group. These new findings may contribute to elucidating the etiopathogenesis of febrile seizures

Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric intensive care unit patients: the results of a multicenter, prospective study in Turkey

IntroductionMalnutrition is defined as a pathological condition arising from deficient or imbalanced intake of nutritional elements. Factors such as increasing metabolic demands during the disease course in the hospitalized patients and inadequate calorie intake increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to evaluate nutritional status of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Turkey, examine the effect of nutrition on the treatment process and draw attention to the need for regulating nutritional support of patients while continuing existing therapies.Material and MethodIn this prospective multicenter study, the data was collected over a period of one month from PICUs participating in the PICU Nutrition Study Group in Turkey. Anthropometric data of the patients, calorie intake, 90-day mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay and length of stay in intensive care unit were recorded and the relationship between these parameters was examined.ResultsOf the 614 patients included in the study, malnutrition was detected in 45.4% of the patients. Enteral feeding was initiated in 40.6% (n = 249) of the patients at day one upon admission to the intensive care unit. In the first 48 h, 86.82% (n = 533) of the patients achieved the target calorie intake, and 81.65% (n = 307) of the 376 patients remaining in the intensive care unit achieved the target calorie intake at the end of one week. The risk of mortality decreased with increasing upper mid-arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.871/0.894; p = 0.027/0.024). The risk of mortality was 2.723 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h (p = 0.006) and the risk was 3.829 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at the end of one week (p = 0.001). The risk of mortality decreased with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.894; p = 0.024).ConclusionTimely and appropriate nutritional support in critically ill patients favorably affects the clinical course. The results of the present study suggest that mortality rate is higher in patients who fail to achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h and day seven of admission to the intensive care unit. The risk of mortality decreases with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score

Retrospective evaluation of the autoacoustic emission test and auditory brainstem response in risky newborns

Introduction: The early development of the sense of hearing in the baby affects both language and language development considerably, as well as emotional, social and mental development. Hearing loss, which higher in newborns with risk factors, is 1-2% incidence in 1000 live births. Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (EOAE) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) methods are used in neonatal hearing screenings. We aimed to evaluate the EOAE and ABR results of the newborns in this study and the comparison of the two tests. Methods: Between January 2011 and July 2011, 104 newborns with a high-risk factor in our hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Results: The risk factors for the congenital anomaly, be in intensive care and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, were found to be statistically significantly higher in the Hearing Loss group (+) than in the Hearing Loss group (-). In logistic regression analysis, it was determined that neonatal hyperbilirubinemia was a significant risk factor for hearing loss. Discussion and Conclusion: Our findings contributed to the national data and our findings suggest that neonatal hyperbilirubinemia increases the risk of hearing loss

Saproxylic beetles on old hollow oaks (Quercus spp.) in a small isolated area in southern Turkey

Abstract. Old oaks (Quercus spp.) and their fauna are rare and threatened all over Europe including Turkey. Preliminary results are presented from a study in Turkey using window traps in a cemetery with old hollow oaks. In total, 87 beetle species were identified and the number of beetle species was the highest from the families Elateridae, Anobiidae and Tenebrionidae. Several of the species are considered to be very rare in Europe and one of the species will be described as new to science (Mycetochara sp.). Species composition was surprisingly high when compared to similar studies in the region