Development and validation of Videogame Addiction Scale for Children (VASC)

The aim of the present study was to develop a valid and reliable Videogame Addiction Scale for Children (VASC). The data were derived from 780 children who completed the Videogame Addiction Scale (405 girls and 375 boys; 48.1% ranging in age from 9 to 12 years). The sample was randomly split into two different sub-samples (sample 1, n=400; sample 2, n= 380). Sample 1 was used to perform exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to define the factorial structure of VASC. As a result of EFA, a four-factor structure comprising 21 items was obtained and explained 55% of the total variance (the four factors being "self-control," "reward/reinforcement", "problems," and "involvement"). The internal consistency reliability of VASC has found 0.89. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to confirm the factorial structure obtained by EFA in the remaining half of sample (n= 390). The obtained fit indices from the CFA confirmed the structure of the EFA. The 21-item VASC has good psychometric properties that can be used among Turkish schoolchildren populations

SENSITIVITY OF TUBERCULIN TEST IN ADULT ASTHMATIC PATIENTS

WOS: 00034453130022

Kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastalığı ataklarında mortalite

We conducted a retrospective study to determine the mortality rate and death causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations at the hospital. In our cilinic 68 patients died due to COPD exacerbations between 1997-1999. The mean age was 70.1 (43-93) years, and 82.4% of the patients were male and 17.6% were female. The mortality rate due to COPD exacerbations was 6.2% and this ratio was 18.6% of the all deaths occurred in our clinic. The mean duration of hospitalization was 16.9 days (1-92). The most common comorbid disease was ischaemic heart disease. Nosocomial pneumonias caused by gram (-) bacteria and S. aereus occurred in 44.1% of the patients and it was statistically related to the duration of hospitalization (p;lt;0.05). Respiratory failure, nosocomial pneumonia and complications of heart disease were found to be the most important factors effecting mortality.Kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastalığı (KOAH) ataklarına bağlı hastanede görülen mortaliteyi ve bunu etkileyen faktörleri araştırmak amacıyla geriye dönük bir çalışma yapıldı. 1997 ile 1999 tarihlerinde 3 yıllık süre içinde toplam 68 hastanın KOAH ataklarına bağlı olarak hastanede yaşamını yitirdiği belirlendi. Yaş ortalaması 70.1 (43-93) olan olguların %82.4'ünün erkek, %17.6'sının kadın olduğu saptandı. Kliniğimizde meydana gelen ölümlerin %18.6'sından KOAH ataklarının sorumlu olduğu ve KOAH atakları sırasında hastanede gözlenen mortalitenin %6.2 olduğu gözlendi. Hastanede yatış süresi ortalama 16.9 (1-92) gün olan olgularda en sık gözlenen ek patoloji koroner arter hastalığıydı. Olguların %44.1'inde Gram (-) bakterilerden ve S. aereus'tan kaynaklanan nozokomiyal pnömoni geliştiği saptandı. Hastaların yatış süresi ile nozokomiyal infeksiyon gelişimi arasındaki ilişki istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulundu (p0.05). Mortalite nedeni olarak solunum yetersizliğinin, başta nozokomiyal pnömoniler olmak üzere solunum sistemi infeksiyonlarının ve kardiyovasküler sistem hastalıklarına bağlı komplikasyonların en önemli faktörler olduğu anlaşıldı

N-acetylcysteine in patients with COPD exacerbations associated with increased sputum [N-Acetylcystein bei Patienten mit Exazerbation einer COPD mit erhöhter Sputumproduktion]

PubMed ID: 25595117Background: N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been shown not to alter the clinical outcome in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. However, NAC may improve symptoms through its mucolytic effect in the subgroup of patients with increased sputum production. The aims of this study were to determine whether NAC improves symptoms and pulmonary function in patients with COPD exacerbation and increased sputum production. Methods: This was a placebo-controlled study, where patients with severe COPD and increased sputum production, who were hospitalized for an exacerbation, were included. They were randomized to receive either NAC 200 mg tid or placebo in addition to the usual treatment. Results: Forty-two patients were included and were equally distributed to NAC and placebo groups. The symptoms, namely, ease of sputum production and dyspnea at rest and on exertion significantly improved in both groups; but there was no difference in improvement between NAC and placebo groups (p = 0.96, 0.62, 0.31, respectively). Similarly, forced expiratory volume-one second (FEV1) and PaO2 levels improved significantly in NAC (964 ± 599–1239 ± 543 ml, p < 0.001, and 57.5 ± 14.5–70.5 ± 16.0 mmHg, p < 0.001, respectively) and placebo groups (981 ± 514–1180 ± 535 ml, p < 0.001 and 57.9 ± 14.3–68.7 ± 19.0 mmHg, p < 0.001, respectively), without any difference between the two groups (p = 0.52 and 0.57). There was no difference in the number of exacerbations during the 6-month follow-up period. Conclusion: NAC does not have any beneficial effect on clinical outcomes in patients with severe COPD exacerbation associated with increased and/or viscous mucus production. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Wien

Role of toll-like receptors in tuberculosis infection

Background: One-third of the world’s population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Investigation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) has revealed new information regarding the immunopathogenesis of this disease. Toll-like receptors can recognize various ligands with a lipoprotein structure in the bacilli. Toll-like receptor 2 and TLR-4 have been identified in association with tuberculosis infection. Objectives: The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between TLR polymorphism and infection progress. Methods: Twenty-nine patients with a radiologically, microbiologically, and clinically proven active tuberculosis diagnosis were included in this 25-month study. Toll-like receptor 2 and TLR-4 polymorphisms and allele distributions were compared between these 29 patients and 100 healthy control subjects. Peripheral blood samples were taken from all patients. Genotyping of TLR-2, TLR-4, and macrophage migration inhibitory factor was performed. The extraction step was completed with a Qiagen mini blood purification system kit (Qiagen, Ontario, Canada) using a peripheral blood sample. The genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: In total, 19 of the 29 patients with tuberculosis infection had a TLR-2 polymorphism, and 20 of the 100 healthy subjects had a TLR-2 polymorphism (P < 0.001). The TLR-4 polymorphism and interferon-? allele distributions were not statistically correlated. Conclusions: Toll-like receptor 2 polymorphism is a risk factor for tuberculosis infection. The limiting factor in this study was the lack of investigation of the interferon-? and tumor necrosis factor-? levels, which are important in the development of infection. Detection of lower levels of these cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens, especially among patients with TLR-2 defects, will provide new data that may support the results of this study. © 2016, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

The evaluation of preoperative diagnostic approach to solitary pulmonary nodule with solid structure [Solid yapıdaki soliter pulmoner nodüle preoperatif tanısal yaklaşımın değerlendirilmesi]

Aim: Management of patients with solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) after a thorough radiological evaluation may differ among different health centers. In this study in a set of radiologically solid SPN cases we aimed to compare the patients undergone surgical excision without histopathological evaluation with the patients undergone histopathological evaluation for decision of surgery. Material and Method: The patients diagnosed to have SPN between July 2009 and 2010 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Among 42 patients enrolled in the study, 13 (%31) undergone diagnostic and therapeutic surgery (group 1), 29 (%69) undergone additional diagnostic procedures like bronchoscopy, transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsy (TTFNAB), positron emission tomography (PET) or follow up computed tomography before decision of surgery. Malignant disease was detected in 29 cases (%69); 12 cases (%92) in group 1, and 17 (%58) cases in group 2 (p=0,035). In group 2, 11 patients (%37) were diagnosed or suspected to have malignant disease preoperatively and had proven malignancy by surgery. Out of 18 patients whose histopathological biopsy evaluation were nondiagnostic or benign, 6 (%33) had diagnosis of malignant disease after surgery, 11 patients (%61) were diagnosed to have benign disease by surgery of follow up, and 1 patient was lost in follow up. 33 patients (%79) undergone surgery among all SPN patients, 4 cases refused to have surgery although preoperative malignancy was detected or were inoperable due to comorbidities. 4 patients were thought to have benign disease in follow up period. All patients in both groups were hospitalized for diagnosis and treatment, except one patient in group 2. Medium hospitalization time was 11,76±4.22 days in group 1 and 17±12.21 in group 2 (p=0,09). Discussion: In patients that have radiologically solid SPN and that are thought to have malignant disease with preoperative radiological evaluation, additional diagnostic procedures and biopsies have limited diagnostic value and lengthens hospitalization times. In 1/3 of cases who undergone additional diagnostic procedures after detection of SPN, his-topathological diagnosis was false negative or insufficient. © 2015, Journal of Clinical and Analytical Medicine. All rights reserved

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Pseudo-outbreak at a University Hospital Bronchoscopy Unit in Turkey

WOS: 000365565100012PubMed ID: 25303196Objective: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an opportunistic pathogen found predominantly in the enviroment and hospital setting. Invasive procedures and treatment methods, instruments used for diagnosis and irrational antibiotic use play major roles in the spread of this pathogen. The study aimed to evaluate consecutive S maltophilia isolation from bronchoalveolar lavage samples during bronchoscopy procedure during a week. Methods: Four patients consecutively had S maltophilia isolated during bronchoscopy between September 8 and 15, 2012. The identification of the isolates and their antibiotic susceptibility were studied by automated Vitek version 2.0 (Biomerieux, France) system. The clonal relationship between the isolates was studied by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Four consecutive S maltophilia isolates had identical band patterns and showed clonal relatedness. Conclusion: Bronchoscopy is a common invasive procedure that is utilized in chest diseases departments and intensive care units (ICUs). Contamination may take place due to inappropiate use and cause spread of infectious pathogens. In the current study, we detected consecutive S maltophilia strains with identical band patterns isolated within a week. After appropiate disinfection and cleaning procedures, no further isolation was detected