Admissibility Criteria Of Individual Application To The Constitutional Court From The Point Of Administrative Proceedings

Son yıllarda birçok devlet, temel hak ve özgürlüklerinin kamu işlemlerine karşı korunması amacıyla bireylere, Anayasa Mahkemesine bireysel başvuru hakkını tanımıştır. Türkiye de, bireysel başvuru hakkı olarak tanımlanan bu dava türünü, Anayasa'nın 148. maddesinde yaptığı değişiklik sonucunda kabul etmiştir. Buna göre; Herkes, Anayasada güvence altına alınmış temel hak ve özgürlüklerinden, Avrupa İnsan Hakları Sözleşmesi kapsamındaki herhangi birinin kamu gücü tarafından, ihlal edildiği iddiasıyla Anayasa Mahkemesine başvurabilir. İdari davalara ilişkin bireysel başvuruların esastan görüşülebilmesi için öncelikle kabul edilebilirlik koşullarına sahip olması gerekmektedir. Bu nedenle, idari yargı mercileri önünde hukuki bir uyuşmazlığın tarafı olan kişilerin bireysel başvuruda bulunması halinde, kabul edilebilirlik kriterlerine uygunluk büyük bir öneme sahip olacaktır. Tez iki ana bölümde oluşmaktadır. İlk bölümde genel hatlarıyla bireysel başvurudan bahsedilmiş, ikinci bölümde ise idari davalara bakan yönüyle kabul edilebilirlik kriterleri açıklanmaya çalışılmıştır.In recent years, many states have recognized their citizens the right to individual application to constitutional court for the protection of basic rights and freedoms against public proceedings. Turkey have also accepted this type of case, which is defined as individual application by the amendments made in Article 148 of the Constitution. According to this provision; everyone may apply to the Constitutional Court on the grounds that one of the fundamental rights and freedoms within the scope of the European Convention on Human Rights which are guaranteed by the Constitution has been violated by public authorities. For examing individual application related to administrative proceedings in merits, the admissibility criteria of individial application must be provided. Therefore, it is a great importance for the person who the party plaintiff of the administrative dispute to comply with admissibility criteria in case to appeal individual application.Thesis is compused of two main sections. In the first section, individual application has been introduced in genaral terms. In the second section, admissibility criteria have been explained from the point of administrative proceeding

Approaches of Physicians for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Thromboembolism: A Questionnaire Study

Objective: We aimed to demonstrate the approaches of physicians with a questionnaire toward the patients with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in our country.Methods: An invitation letter including a questionnaire with 28 questions to assess the approaches they prefer in the patients with PTE and the capabilities of the departments they work at and a link for the questionnaire was directed to the mail groups of chest diseases specialists. Responses of the physicians who participated in the questionnaire were reviewed. Results: The examinations used to diagnose PTE such as D-dimer, troponin, echocardiographic Doppler ultrasonography and multidetector computed tomography (CT) have been performed in 94% of the institutions, ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy, MRI and pulmonary angiography examinations were performed in 50% of the instututions. While D-dimer test was performed in 73.2% of the institutions by quantitative ELISA; in 15.7% of them it was semiquantitative and in 11.6% of the instutitions it was performed by latex agglutination. 81% of physicians were seen to be using clinical probability scoring systems and most commonly used scoring method was seen to be Wells scoring with a rate of 90%. According to the simplified PESI score, 61.5% of the physicians reported to prefer outpatient treatment. In non-massive and submassive pulmonary thromboemboli patients, 86.2% of the physicians reported to prefer thr low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) treatment; vitamin K antagonist in maintenance treatment was also the most commonly resorted drug with a percentage of 84.9. Conclusion: The absence of the examinations used in the diagnosis and treatment of PTE in most institutions and difficulty to reach the available examinations at all hours of the day were significant facts. Especially; lack of access to high-sensitivity D-dimer test, bedside echocardiography used to assess right ventricular dysfunction, troponin and NT-proBNP makes us think about low adaptation to guidelinesObjective: We aimed to demonstrate the approaches of physicians with a questionnaire toward the patients with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in our country.Methods: An invitation letter including a questionnaire with 28 questions to assess the approaches they prefer in the patients with PTE and the capabilities of the departments they work at and a link for the questionnaire was directed to the mail groups of chest diseases specialists. Responses of the physicians who participated in the questionnaire were reviewed. Results: The examinations used to diagnose PTE such as D-dimer, troponin, echocardiographic Doppler ultrasonography and multidetector computed tomography (CT) have been performed in 94% of the institutions, ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy, MRI and pulmonary angiography examinations were performed in 50% of the instututions. While D-dimer test was performed in 73.2% of the institutions by quantitative ELISA; in 15.7% of them it was semiquantitative and in 11.6% of the instutitions it was performed by latex agglutination. 81% of physicians were seen to be using clinical probability scoring systems and most commonly used scoring method was seen to be Wells scoring with a rate of 90%. According to the simplified PESI score, 61.5% of the physicians reported to prefer outpatient treatment. In non-massive and submassive pulmonary thromboemboli patients, 86.2% of the physicians reported to prefer thr low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) treatment; vitamin K antagonist in maintenance treatment was also the most commonly resorted drug with a percentage of 84.9. Conclusion: The absence of the examinations used in the diagnosis and treatment of PTE in most institutions and difficulty to reach the available examinations at all hours of the day were significant facts. Especially; lack of access to high-sensitivity D-dimer test, bedside echocardiography used to assess right ventricular dysfunction, troponin and NT-proBNP makes us think about low adaptation to guideline

İdiyopatik Pulmoner Fibrozis Hastalarında Tanı ve Tedaviye Yaklaşım: Bir Anket Çalışması

Objective: As Turkish Respiratory Society Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Diseases-Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Study Group (TRS DPLD-PVD SG), we aimed to demonstrate the approaches of physicians with a questionnaire toward the patients with IPF in our country.Methods: An invitation letter including a questionnaire with 24 questions to assess the approaches they prefer in the patients with IPF and the capabilities of the departments they work at and a link for the questionnaire was directed to the mail groups of chest diseases and thoracic surgery specialists. Responses of the physicians who participated in the questionnaire were reviewed.Results: Thirty percent of the participants saw less than 5 patients with IPF in a year and 16.8% of them saw more than 21. 66.3% of partici-pants stated that anamnesis, symptoms and clinical findings along with typical radiologic findings would be sufficient for the diagnosis, while 27.7% suggested that pathological findings should indicate IPF along with clinic and radiologic ones.When the methods used for tissue samp-ling were viewed; application rates of bronchoscopic transbronchial biopsy, thoracoscopic biopsy and open lung biopsy were found very close to one another.In the patients with the suspected disease of IPF, the fields in which the hesitation was the most problematic were respectively pathological examination of biopsies (73.2%) and interpretation of radiologic findings (49.5%). 37.6% of the patients with diagnosis of IPF were directed to experienced centers; medical treatment and drugless follow-up rates were respectively 33.6% and 14.8%. Among the participants, 29.7% suggested lung transplantation for all cases while 48.5% only preferred this operation in particular onesObjective: As Turkish Respiratory Society Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Diseases-Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Study Group (TRS DPLD-PVD SG), we aimed to demonstrate the approaches of physicians with a questionnaire toward the patients with IPF in our country.Methods: An invitation letter including a questionnaire with 24 questions to assess the approaches they prefer in the patients with IPF and the capabilities of the departments they work at and a link for the questionnaire was directed to the mail groups of chest diseases and thoracic surgery specialists. Responses of the physicians who participated in the questionnaire were reviewed.Results: Thirty percent of the participants saw less than 5 patients with IPF in a year and 16.8% of them saw more than 21. 66.3% of participants stated that anamnesis, symptoms and clinical findings along with typical radiologic findings would be sufficient for the diagnosis, while 27.7% suggested that pathological findings should indicate IPF along with clinic and radiologic ones.When the methods used for tissue sampling were viewed; application rates of bronchoscopic transbronchial biopsy, thoracoscopic biopsy and open lung biopsy were found very close to one another.In the patients with the suspected disease of IPF, the fields in which the hesitation was the most problematic were respectively pathological examination of biopsies (73.2%) and interpretation of radiologic findings (49.5%). 37.6% of the patients with diagnosis of IPF were directed to experienced centers; medical treatment and drugless follow-up rates were respectively 33.6% and 14.8%. Among the participants, 29.7% suggested lung transplantation for all cases while 48.5% only preferred this operation in particular ones.Conclusion: Some of the results of our study is compatible with the guidelines of IPF, is to show that the quality of debate and confusion still continued in this regar

Approaches in Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Questionnaire Study

Objective: As Turkish Respiratory Society Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Diseases-Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Study Group (TRS DPLD-PVD SG), we aimed to demonstrate the approaches of physicians with a questionnaire toward the patients with IPF in our country. Methods: An invitation letter including a questionnaire with 24 questions to assess the approaches they prefer in the patients with IPF and the capabilities of the departments they work at and a link for the questionnaire was directed to the mail groups of chest diseases and thoracic surgery specialists. Responses of the physicians who participated in the questionnaire were reviewed. Results: Thirty percent of the participants saw less than 5 patients with IPF in a year and 16.8% of them saw more than 21. 66.3% of participants stated that anamnesis, symptoms and clinical findings along with typical radiologic findings would be sufficient for the diagnosis, while 27.7% suggested that pathological findings should indicate IPF along with clinic and radiologic ones.When the methods used for tissue sampling were viewed; application rates of bronchoscopic transbronchial biopsy, thoracoscopic biopsy and open lung biopsy were found very close to one another.In the patients with the suspected disease of IPF, the fields in which the hesitation was the most problematic were respectively pathological examination of biopsies (73.2%) and interpretation of radiologic findings (49.5%). 37.6% of the patients with diagnosis of IPF were directed to experienced centers; medical treatment and drugless follow-up rates were respectively 33.6% and 14.8%. Among the participants, 29.7% suggested lung transplantation for all cases while 48.5% only preferred this operation in particular ones. Conclusion: Some of the results of our study is compatible with the guidelines of IPF, is to show that the quality of debate and confusion still continued in this regard

Diagnostic Value of Adenosine Deaminase Level for the Differential Diagnosis of Tuberculosis and Malignancy in Exudative Lymphocytic Pleurisy

Amaç: Plevra sıvısı eksudatif-lenfositik özellik gösteren olguların Tüberkuloz plörezi (TBP) ve Malign plörezi (MP) ayırımında adenozin-deaminaz (ADA) düzeyinin tanısal performansını değerlendirmek. Yöntemler: Eksudatif-lenfositik plörezili olguları içeren doktora tez çalışmasının verileri retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Çalışma populasyonu 37'si TBP, 17'si MP olmak üzere toplam 54 olguyu içeriyordu. Bulgular: TBP ve MP grubu arasında yaş, ADA, total protein, albumin ve LDH düzeyi açısından anlamlı farklılık gözlendi. ADA cut off düzeyi 35,1 olarak belirlendi. Bu cut off düzeyi için sensitivite ve spesifite sırasıyla %92 ve %100 olarak bulundu. TBP ile ilişkili bağımsız değişkenleri değerlendirmek için lojistik regresyon analizi yapıldı. Modelde bağımsız tahmin ettirici faktörler olarak ADA (OR 1,21, 95% GA: 1,06-1,39, p=0,006)] ve yaş (OR 0,92, 95% GA:0,84-1,00, p=0,052)] kaldı. Regresyon denkleminin AUC değeri 0,979 olarak bulundu (p=50), iki farklı cut off değeri ile (>13,51, >35,1) ile bir hasta haricinde tüm TBP'li olgulara tanı konulabilmekteydi. Sonuç: Plevral ADA düzey ölçümü biopsi işleminin yapılamadığı veya sonuçsuz kaldığı durumlarda TBP tanısı için oldukça faydalı bir testtir. Bahsedilen grupta ADA için konvansiyonel cut off düzeyini düşürmek ve/veya yaş bazlı yaklaşım bu testin tanısal performansını artırıyor gözükmektedir.Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels in patients with exudative lymphocytic pleurisy for the differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy (TBP) and malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Methods: Data on patients with exudative lymphocytic pleurisy were retrospectively analyzed. The study population comprised 54 patients. Thirtyseven were diagnosed with TBP and 17 were diagnosed with MPE. Results: Significant differences were determined in terms of age and ADA, total protein, albumin, and LDH levels between the TBP and MPE groups. The optimal cut-off value of ADA levels was 35.1 U/L for diagnosing TBP. Sensitivity and specificity were 92% and 100%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess independent variables associated with TBP. Independent predictive factors in the model were ADA (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.39, p=0.006)], and (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.84-1.00, p = 0.052)]. The AUC value by the regression equation was 0.979 (p=50), two different cut-off values (>13.51 and >35.1) for each age range were found in all, but one, TBP patients. Conclusion: ADA levels are useful for the diagnosis of TBP in cases where pleural biopsy cannot be performed or that are inconclusive in making a diagnosis of TBP. In this group, reducing the conventional cut-off value and/or performing an age-based approach seems to improve the diagnostic performance of ADA levels

Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis (Churg Strauss Syndrome): Case Report

Polianjitisle birlikte seyreden eozinofilik granülomatozis (Churg Strauss sendromu), nadir, sıklıkla solunum sistemini tutan ve özellikle küçük ve orta çaplı damarları etkileyen, astım ve doku eozinofilisi ile karakterize, sistemik nekrotizan bir vaskülittir. Lökotrien antagonistlerini de içeren pek çok ilacın bu hastalığın gelişiminde rolü olduğundan şüphelenilmektedir. Biz de klinik ve radyolojik bulgularla tanı alan ve lökotrien reseptör antagonistleri ile ilişkili olmadığını düşündüğümüz bir olguyu sunmak istedik.Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis characterized by tissue and blood eosinophilia. Several drugs including leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) are suspected to trigger EGPA development. Here, we present a case of EGPA unrelated to LTRAs

PET/BT ve ekokardiografi ile tanı konan küçük hücreli akciğer kanserinin kardiyak metastazı

Malign tümörlerin kardiyak metastazları kalbin primer tümörlerinden daha sık görülür. Primer akciğer kanserlerinde kalbin ve perikardın lokal invazyonu sık görülür ancak lokal invazyon olmadan myokard tutulumu nadirdir. FDG PET/BT malign tümörlerin tanısal değerlendirmesinde ve evrelemesinde yaygın olarak kullanılmaktadır, ancak myokardın FDG tutulumu oldukça yoğun ve heterojendir. Bronkoskopik biyopsi ile küçük hücreli akciğer kanseri tanısı alan 55 yaşında erkek hastanın PET BT incelemesinde myokartta yoğun FDG tutulumu saptandı. Transtorasik ekokardiyografide her iki ventrikül apeksinde kitle benzeri lezyon tespit edildi. Klinik, radyolojik ve ekokardiyografik bulgularla küçük hücreli akciğer kanserinin kardiyak metastazı olarak kabul edildi ve histopatolojik incelemeye gerek görülmedi. Malign tümörlerin kardiyak metastazlarının lokal invazyon olmadan da görülebileceği ve PET BT’ nin kardiyak metastaz tanısında kullanılabileceğini göstermek için bu vakayı sunmak istedik.Cardiac metastases of malignant tumors occur more frequently than primary tumors of the heart. Local invasion of the pericardium and heart is commonly seen in primary lung cancer, but myocardial metastasis without local invasion rarely occurs. 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) is widely used in the diagnostic evaluation and staging of different malignant tumors, but the FDG uptake of myocardium is intense and heterogeneous. A-55-year old male smoker was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) by bronchoscopic biopsy, and FDG PET/CT showed high FDG uptake in myocardium. Transthoracic echocardiagraphy revealed mass like lesions in the apical regions of both ventricules. After systematic evaluation of imaging studies, the mass was diagnosed as intracardiac metastasis of SCLC and histopathologic examination. This case shows that intracardiac metastases of malignant tumors can be seen without local invasion, and FDG PET/CT can be a useful diagnostic tool in evaluation of intracardiac metastasi

Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesinde Çalışan Hemşire ve Araştırma Görevlisi Doktorlarda Horlama ve Obstrüktif Uyku Apne Sendrom Sıklığının Araştırılması

Amaç: Uyku bozuklukları kişinin üretkenliğini ve performansını olumsuz yönde etkileyerek yaşam kalitesinin azalmasına neden olan önemli bir halk sağlığı sorunudur. Uyku düzeninin bozulduğu vardiyalı çalışan kişilerde uyku bozukluklarının görülme sıklığı çok belirgindir. Çoğu vardiyalı çalışan sağlık çalışanlarında obstrüktif uyku apne sendromu (OUAS) ile ilgili yeterli veri yoktur ve bu çalışma sağlık çalışanlarında tüm gece polisomnografi (PSG) testi ile yapılan ülkemizdeki ilk çalış- madır. Çalışmamızda hastanemizde görevli hemşire ve asistan doktorlarda horlama ve OUAS sıklığını araştırmayı amaçladık. Yöntemler: Hastanemizde görevli olan ve çalışmaya katılmayı kabul eden tüm hemşire ve asistan doktorlara yüz yüze görüşme yöntemiyle anket uygulandı. Horlama şikayetine, tanıklı apne ve/veya gündüz aşırı uykululuk hali (GAUH) eşlik eden kişilere tüm gece PSG tetkiki önerildi. Polisomnografi yapılan olgularda OUAS sıklığı ve OUAS saptanan ve saptanmayan olgularda nöbet tutma oranları karşılaştırıldı. Bulgular: Çalışmaya 257 kişi katıldı. Katılımcıların %63'ünü hemşireler, %37'sini ise asistan doktorlar oluşturuyordu. Olguların %34,2'si erkek idi. Olguların yaş ortalaması 28,8±3,7 (19-39 yıl), vücut kitle indeksi ortalaması 24,03±3,85 kg/m2 idi. Çalışmaya katılanlarda aylık tutulan gece nöbet ortalaması 7,6±3,8 gün idi. Olguların %28,8'inde (n=74) horlama, %2,7'sinde (n=7) tanıklı apne, %7,8'inde (n=20) GAUH (Epworth uykululuk skalası >=11) tespit edildi. PSG önerilen 20 kişiden 4'ü (%1.6) PSG çalışmasını reddetti. 16 olguya (%6.2) PSG yapıldı. PSG sonuçlarına göre, OUAS prevalansının sağlık çalışanlarında %4,7, vardiyalı çalışan sağlık personelinde ise %5,1 olduğunu bulduk. OUAS tespit edilenlerin %91,7'si (11/12) nöbet tutmaktayken, OUAS tespit edilmeyenlerin %83,3'ü (204/245) nöbet tutmaktaydı (p=0,697). OUAS saptananların hepsi erkek iken, OUAS saptanmayanların %31'i erkek idi (p=11). Four (1.6%) of the 20 participants who were proposed to undergo PSG refused this examination. Sixteen cases were exposed to PSG (6.2%). According to the PSG results, the prevalence of OSAS was 4.7% among all healthcare providers and 5.1% among the health staff working shifts. Of the cases with OSAS, 91.7% (11/12) were working shifts while 83.3% (204/245) of those without OSAS were working shifts (p=0.697). All of the cases diagnosed with OSAS were male, but 31% of the cases without OSAS were male (p<0.001). Conclusion: For those healthcare providers who are engaged in duties requiring significant amounts of attention and concentration, the symptoms related to sleep disorders should be questioned and diagnostic evaluation and treatment should be performed for suspected case

SOLITARY PULMONARY NODULE DUE TO COMPLICATED COAL WORKER'S PNEUMOCONIOSIS WITHOUT MINOR OPACITY

Komplike kömür işçisi pnömokonyozu (KİP) akciğer dokusunda 1 cm veya daha büyük pnömokonyoza bağlı nodüllerin varlığı olarak tanımlanır ve basit pnömokonyoz zemininde gelişir. Minör opasite olmaksızın komplike KİP ortaya çıkması beklenen bir durum değildir. Biz de minör opasite olmaksızın tek nodülle ortaya çıkan ve nodülün karakteristik özellikleri açısından öncelikle pnömokonyoz dışı nedenlere bağlı pulmoner nodülü akla getiren ilginç bir komplike KİP olgusunu sunmayı amaçladık. Altmış beş yaşında erkek hastanın 25 yıl kömür madeninde çalıştığı ve daha sonra emekli olduğu öğrenildi. Akciğer grafisinde belirgin bir patoloji tespit edilmedi. Hastanın toraks tomografis'nde sol akciğer alt lob laterobazal segmentte 16 mm çaplı subplevral nodül görüldü. Bronkoskopide bronş mukozasında bir kaç adet antrakotik pigmentasyon görüldü. Hastaya tanı ve tedavi açısından videotorakoskopi yardımlı akciğer cerrahisi ile birlikte wedge rezeksiyon yapıldı. Akciğer wedge rezeksiyon materyalinin patololojik incelemesinde ardışık bant tarzında dizilim gösteren karbon pigment birikimlerinin yer aldığı iyi sınırlı nekrobiyotik nodül tespit edildi ve hastaya KİP tanısı koyuldu. Takip altına alınan hastanın en son çekilen tomografisinde (cerrahiden 1 buçuk yıl sonra) yeni bir lezyon veya progresyon tespit edilmedi. Sonuç olarak komplike KİP'in beklenmedik yerlerde ve beklenmedik radyolojik görünümlerde ortaya çıkabileceği unutulmamalı, soliter pulmoner nodülleri olan hastalarda mutlaka meslek öyküsü sorgulanmalı ve invazif girişimlere karar vermeden önce hasta bu açıdan da değerlendirilmelidir.Complicated coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) was defined the nodules that equal or greater than 1cm Complicated CWP was developed on the basis of simple pneumoconiosis. Complicated CWP without minor opacity was seen very rarely. We aimed to introduce an interesting case of complicated CWP without minor opacity that suggest the nonpneumoconiosis diseases. Sixty five age years old patient was retired from coal mine. There was no pathological view on chest x-ray. In computed thorax tomography there was 16mm diameter of pulmonary nodule in laterobasal segment of lower lobe of left lung. A few anthracotic pigmentation on bronchus mucosa were determined in bronchoscopy. Videoassociated thoracoscopic surgery was performed. Carbon pigmentation was seen in the surgical material of pulmonary nodule. The patient was followed up for 1.5 years. At the end of the follow up period there were no pathological view in control computed thorax tomography. In conclusion complicated CWP may have seen in varied radiological view and different areas of the lung. In the patients with solitare pulmonary nodule occupational history should be questioned attentively and before the invazive interventions the patients should be evaluted in this respect

Evaluation of Clinical Data and Mortality among COPD Patients Receiving Domiciliary NIMV Therapy

very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. This study was aimed to investigate the clinical data and mortality among COPD patients receiving domiciliary NIMV treatment.MATerIAL ANd MeTHods: A total of 40 COPD patients who were prescribed domiciliary NIMV at discharge between January 2010 and December 2011 were contacted by phone regarding their current health status, and the electronic patient charts of 34 patients who used NIMV regularly were retrospectively reviewed.resULTs: The mean age of the patients was 67±15 years and 59% of them were females. The mean length of hospital stay was 14.5±6.82 days. Rate of admission to intensive care unit and use of invasive mechanical ventilation was 56% and 27%, respectively. The median follow up duration was 17 months. The 6-months, 1-year, 2-years and overall mortality rates were 24%, 38%, 50% and 56%, respectively. For patients surviving at least one year after domiciliary NIMV initiation (n=21), the mean number of hospitalizations in the year before-and after-NIMV initiation were 1.38±1.28 and 0.57±0.93 (p=0.003), respectively. Mean daily NIMV use was 8.91±4.46 hours. Mean daily NIMV use of the patients with a lifespan 2 years (11.82±4.02 hours/day versus 6.0±2.62 hours/day, respectively) (p2 years (11.82±4.02 hours/day versus 6.0±2.62 hours/day, respectively) (p<0.001). Long term oxygen was prescribed for the first time to 62% of the patients using NIMV.CoNCLUsIoN: Domiciliary NIMV may have numerous beneficial effects such as decreasing hospital admissions for acute COPD exacerbations and related costs. It is very important in the battle against COPD, a disease with significant morbidity, mortality and economic burden