New CagL amino acid polymorphism patterns of helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcer and non-ulcer dyspepsia

Background and Objectives: Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with chronic gastritis, ulcers, and gastric cancer. The H. pylori Type 4 secretion system (T4SS) translocates the CagA protein into host cells and plays an essential role in initiating gastric carcinogenesis. The CagL protein is a component of the T4SS. CagL amino acid polymorphisms are correlated with clinical outcomes. We aimed to study the association between CagL amino acid polymorphisms and peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD). Materials and Methods: A total of 99 patients (PUD, 46; NUD, 53) were enrolled and screened for H. pylori by qPCR from antrum biopsy samples. The amino acid polymorphisms of CagL were analyzed using DNA sequencing, followed by the MAFFT sequence alignment program to match the amino acid sequences. Results: Antrum biopsy samples from 70 out of 99 (70.7%) patients were found to be H. pylori DNA-positive. A positive band for cagL was detected in 42 out of 70 samples (PUD, 23; NUD, 19), and following this, these 42 samples were sequenced. In total, 27 different polymorphisms were determined. We determined three CagL amino acid polymorphism combinations, which were determined to be associated with PUD and NUD. Pattern 1 (K35/N122/V134/T175/R194/E210) was only detected in PUD patient samples and was related to a 1.35-fold risk (p = 0.02). Patterns 2 (V41/I134) and 3 (V41/K122/A171/I174) were found only in NUD patient samples and were linked to a 1.26-fold increased risk (p = 0.03). Conclusions: We observed three new patterns associated with PUD and NUD. Pattern 1 is related to PUD, and the other two patterns (Patterns 2 and 3) are related to NUD. The patterns that we identified include the remote polymorphisms of the CagL protein, which is a new approach. These patterns may help to understand the course of H. pylori infection.Istanbul Aydin University Scientific Research Projects Uni

Validity and reliability of the Turkish Version of DSM-5 Level 2 Somatic Symptom Scale (Child Form for 11-17 years and Parent Form for 6-17 years)

Objective: This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish Version of DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) Level 2 Somatic Symptom Scale's Child and Parent Forms. Methods: The study group consisted of a community and clinical sample. The scale was applied to 120 parents and 186 adolescents that represented the clinical and community sample. During the assessment process, Child Somatization Inventory was also used. Results: Reliability analyses indicated a high internal consistency regarding DSM-5 Level 2 Somatic Symptom Scales, for parent forms and acceptable internal consistency for child forms. In the meantime, it was shown that both child and parents form for DSM-5 Level 2 Somatization Symptom Scale were significantly correlated with Child Somatization Inventory. As for the content validity, five factors for child forms and three factors for parent forms were obtained and was observed to be consistent with the original construct of the scale. Conclusion: It was concluded that Turkish version of DSM-V Level 2 Somatic Symptom Scale was a valid and reliable tool to be utilized both for clinical practice and research purposes

Comparison of Total Antibiotic Consumption of European Union Countries and Türkiye in the Period 2010-2021: Rational Drug Use and the Effects of the Pandemic

Introduction: Many initiatives are being implemented worldwide to reduce antibiotic consumption; however, the comparative analysis of these initiatives and their effectiveness in the face of large-scale variables such as pandemics are not thoroughly examined. In this regard, this study aims to analyze the total antibiotic consumption trends in the ATC group J01 in Türkiye and European countries, explore the differences between countries, and investigate the impact of the recent pandemic on changes in antibiotic consumption data. Materials and Methods: ATC group J01 total antibiotic consumption (hospital + community) data of Türkiye and 19 European countries between 2010 and 2021 were concatenated and compared. Data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TITCK) were used for the study. Antibiotic consumption data was represented in terms of defined daily dose (DDD) per 1000 patients per day. Results: Despite having the highest antibiotic consumption during the period in focus, Türkiye showed a statistically significant (p= 0.05) decrease with antibiotic consumption data of 41.43 defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 patients per day between 2010-2015 and 32.24 DDD per 1000 patients per day between 2016-2021. In 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was in effect, antibiotic consumption in Europe dropped to 14.91 defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 patients per day, the lowest level between 2010 and 2021, while in Türkiye it dropped to 24.39 defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 patients per day recorded in 2020 and increased to 26.97 defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 patients per day recorded in 2021. Conclusion: Rational drug use practices were effective in reducing antibiotic consumption in Türkiye. However, the trend was disrupted with the 2021 consumption data, indicating a deviation from the previous progress. In contrast, European countries displayed variations in antibiotic consumption levels, but overall, they experienced a decrease in consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic

Is the Incidence of Clostridium difficile in Nosocomial Diarrhoea Underestimated?

Introduction: Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive, obligatory anaerobe, spore-forming microorganism, which is highly associated with nosocomial infections. In our hospital and our country, the incidence of nosocomial diarrhoea and C. difficile-associated nosocomial diarrhoea rates are not clear. Determining the C. difficile-associated nosocomial diarrhoea incidence, reviewing the current resistance status of C. difficile, and evaluating diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this pathogen were the major aims of the present study

Endoskopik ve Eksternal Dakriyosistorinostomi Sonuçlarının Karşılaştırılması ve Hasta Memnuniyetinin Analizi

Amaç: Endoskopik ve eksternal dakriyosistorinostomi (DSR) ameliyat sonuçlarımızın karşılaştırılması ve hasta memnuniyetinin değerlendirilmesi. Yöntemler: Çalışmaya 46 (35 kadın, 11 erkek) endoskopik DSR ve 43 (37 kadın, 6 erkek) eksternal-DSR uygulanan hasta dahil edildi. Ameliyat başarısı objektif ve subjektif olarak değerlendirildi. Nazolakrimal kanaldan verilen salin solüsyonun endoskopi ile objektif olarak burundan gelişi değerlendirildi. Subjektif değerlendirme hastaların epiforalarının sorgulanması ile değerlendirildi. Ameliyat başarısının değerlendirilmesine ilaveten her iki hasta grubuna sonuç değerlendirme ve memnuniyet anketi uygulandı. Bulgular: Yaş ve cinsiyet açısından her iki grup arasında istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı bir fark yoktu (sırasıyla p=0.486, p=0.23). Ancak her iki grupta kadınların sayısı erkeklere göre daha yüksekti ve bu istatistiksel açıdan anlamlıydı (endoskopik DSR p=0.01, eksternal DSR p=0.001). Postoperatif kanama ve punktum hasarı açısından karşılaştırıldığında her iki grup arasında istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı bir fark saptanmadı. Başarı oranı endoskopik DSR grubunda %84.7 iken eksternal DSR grubunda %90.6 idi, ancak her iki grup arasında istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı fark yoktu (p=0.397). Her iki gruba yöneltilen anket sonucunda; ameliyattan genel memnuniyet oranı açısından gruplar arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunmadı (p=0.397). Sonuç: Literatürdeki birçok çalışmada iki grup için verilen sonuçlar çalışmamızda elde edilenlere benzerdir. Her iki tekniğin avantajları ve dezavantajları mevcuttur. Hangi yöntem tercih edilirse edilsin çalış- mamıza göre fonksiyonel başarı elde edilmesi hasta memnuniyetini belirleyen esas faktördür.Objective: Comparison of endoscopic and external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) results and evaluation of patients’ satisfaction. Methods: Forty six (35 females and 11 males) patients who underwent endoscopic DCR and 43 (37 females and six males) who underwent external DCR were included. Surgical success was objectively and subjectively assessed. The nasolacrimal duct was irrigated by a saline solution, and the saline solution was objectively visualized by endoscopy from the nose. Subjective assessment was performed asking the patients' epiphora. In addition to evaluating the success of the operation, satisfaction and result surveys were administered to the two groups. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age and sex (respectively p=0.486, p=0.23). However, the number of females was higher than the number of males in the two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (endoscopic-DCR p=0.01, external-DCR p=0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of postoperative bleeding and punctum damage. The success rate was 84.7% in the endoscopic DCR group and 90.6% in the external DCR group. There was no statistically significant difference in the success rate between the two groups (p=0.397). The survey results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of patient satisfaction (p=0.397). Conclusion: The results of many studies in the literature show operation success rates between the two groups that are similar to ours. Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages. Independent of the preferred procedure, our results show that functional success mainly determines patient satisfaction

Comparison of Endoscopic and External Dacryocystorhinostomy Results and Analysis of Patients' Satisfaction

WOS: 000386244200003PubMed ID: 29392027Objective: Comparison of endoscopic and external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) results and evaluation of patients' satisfaction. Methods: Forty six (35 females and 11 males) patients who underwent endoscopic DCR and 43 (37 females and six males) who underwent external DCR were included. Surgical success was objectively and subjectively assessed. The nasolacrimal duct was irrigated by a saline solution, and the saline solution was objectively visualized by endoscopy from the nose. Subjective assessment was performed asking the patients' epiphora. In addition to evaluating the success of the operation, satisfaction and result surveys were administered to the two groups. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age and sex (respectively p=0.486, p=0.23). However, the number of females was higher than the number of males in the two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (endoscopic-DCR p=0.01, external-DCR p=0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of postoperative bleeding and punctum damage. The success rate was 84.7% in the endoscopic DCR group and 90.6% in the external DCR group. There was no statistically significant difference in the success rate between the two groups (p=0.397). The survey results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of patient satisfaction (p=0.397). Conclusion: The results of many studies in the literature show operation success rates between the two groups that are similar to ours. Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages. Independent of the preferred procedure, our results show that functional success mainly determines patient satisfaction

Effect of nasal mometasone furoate on the nasal and nasopharyngeal flora

Objective: Mometasone furoate (MF) is one of the commonly used topical steroids, particularly for patients with allergic rhinitis. However, its effect on the colonization of bacteria that may cause superinfections by suppressing the local immunity is not known. Thus, we investigated the effect of MF use on the nasal and nasopharyngeal microbial flora