Nurses' use of complementary treatment for Covid-19 and attitudes

Tüm dünyayı kısa sürede etkileyen Koronavirüs (COVID-19) salgınıyla mücadelede hemşireler ön saflarda yer almaktadır. Bu süreçte hemşirelerin sağlıklarını koruyabilmeleri ve sürdürebilmeleri önem arz etmektedir. Amaç: Bu çalışmada hemşirelerin COVID-19’a yönelik tamamlayıcı tedavi yöntemlerini kullanım durumu ve tutumunun belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı nitelikte olan bu araştırma, ülkemizde Ocak-Mart 2021 tarihleri arasında COVID-19 sürecinde kamu hastanelerinde hizmet veren ve Türkiye genelinde il sınırlaması olmaksızın sanal kartopu örnekleme yöntemiyle yürütülen online ankete yanıt veren 385 hemşire ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırmanın verilerinin toplanmasında, Birey Tanıtım Formu ve Tamamlayıcı Tedavileri Kullanmaya Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği (TTTÖ) kullanılmıştır. “Google Forms” uygulaması kullanılarak hazırlanan veri toplama formunun online anket linki hemşirelere e-posta veya WhatsApp uygulaması üzerinden gönderilerek araştırmanın verileri toplanmıştır. Araştırma verilerinin değerlendirilmesinde ortalama, standart sapma, yüzde, bağımsız gruplarda t testi ve ikiden fazla grupların karşılaştırılmasında One-way ANOVA testi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Bu çalışmaya katılan hemşirelerin yaş ortalaması 29.67 ± 7.27 ve %76.1’i kadındır. Hemşirelerin %32.5’inin en az bir tane tamamlayıcı tedavi yöntemi kullandığı ve en sık tercih edilen tamamlayıcı tedavi yönteminin bitkisel ürün kullanımı olduğu belirlenmiştir. Hemşirelerin Tamamlayıcı Tedavileri Kullanmaya Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği toplam puan ortalamasının 22.16 ± 6.06 olduğu saptanmıştır. Bu çalışmada kadın, 31-41 yaş grubunda olan ve COVID-19’da doktor önerisi dışında tedavi kullanan hemşirelerin Tamamlayıcı Tedavileri Kullanmaya Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği toplam puan ortalamasının istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır (p < .05). Sonuç: Bu çalışmada hemşirelerin tamamlayıcı tedavi yöntemi kullanım oranı düşük olmasına rağmen tamamlayıcı tedavi yöntemlerine ilişkin tutumunun olumlu olduğu saptanmıştır. Bu nedenle hemşirelerin hem hastaları hem de kendileri için tamamlayıcı tedavi yöntemlerine ilişkin bilgilerini güncellemeleri ve bu yöntemlere ilişkin planlı eğitimler yapılması önerilmektedir.Nurses are at the forefront in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, which affects the whole world in a short time. In this process, it is important for nurses to protect and maintain their health. Objectives: In this study, it was aimed to determine the status and attitude of nurses using complementary treatment methods for COVID-19. Methods This descriptive study was conducted with 385 nurses who were serving in public hospitals during the COVID-19 process in our country between January and March 2021 and responded to the online survey conducted with virtual snowball sampling method throughout Turkey without any provincial limitation. The data of the study were collected using the Individual Identification Form and the Attitudes towards Using Complementary Treatments. The online questionnaire link of the data collection form prepared using the "Google Forms" application was sent to the nurses via e-mail or WhatsApp application, and the data of the research were collected. Mean, standard deviation, percentage, t test in independent groups and one-way Anova test in comparisons in more than two groups were used. Results: Of the nurses participating in our study, the mean age was 29.67 ± 7.27 and 76.1% were women. It was determined that 32.5% of the nurses used at least one complementary treatment method and the most preferred complementary treatment method was the use of herbal products. The mean score of the Attitudes towards Using Complementary Treatments was determined as 22.16 ± 6.06. In our study, it was determined that the total mean score of the Attitudes towards Using Complementary Treatments of the nurses who were female, in the 31-41 age group and who used treatment other than the doctor's recommendation in COVID- 19 was statistically significantly higher (p < .05). Conclusion: In our study, although the rate of use of complementary treatment methods by nurses was low, it was found that their attitudes towards complementary treatment methods were positive. For this reason, it is recommended that nurses update their knowledge of complementary therapy methods for both their patients and themselves, and to conduct planned trainings on these methods

Keratinocyte growth factor-2 and autologous serum potentiate the regenerative effect of mesenchymal stem cells in cornea damage in rats

AIM:To investigate the healing process after severe corneal epithelial damage in rats treated with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultured with or without keratinocyte growth factor (KGF-2) and autologous serum (AS) on amniotic membrane (AM). Many patients are blind and devastated by severe ocular surface diseases due to limbal stem cell deficiency. Bone marrow-derived MSCs are potential sources for cell-based tissue engineering to repair or replace the corneal tissue, having the potential to differentiate to epithelial cells.METHODS:The study included 5 groups each including 10 female “Sprague Dawley” rats in addition to 20 male rats used as bone marrow donors. Group I rats received AM+MSCs, Group II rats AM+MSCs cultured with KGF-2, Group III rats AM+MSCs cultured with KGF-2+AS, Group IV rats only AM and Group V rats, none. AS was derived from blood drawn from male rats and bone marrow was obtained from the femur and tibia bones of the same animals. Therapeutic effect was evaluated with clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical assessment. MSC engraftment was demonstrated via detection of donor genotype (Y+) in the recipient tissue (X) with polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS:Corneal healing was significantly better in Groups I-III rats treated with MSC transplantation compared to Group IV and Group V rats with supportive treatment only. The best results were obtained in Group III rats with 90% transparency, 70% lack of neovascularization, and 100% epithelium damage limited to less than 1/4 of cornea.CONCLUSION: We suggest that culture of MSCs with KGF-2 and AS on AM is effective in corneal repair in case of irreversible damage to limbal stem cells

A complex splicing defect associated with homozygous ankyrin-deficient hereditary spherocytosis

Defects in erythrocyte ankyrin are the most common cause of typical, dominant hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Detection of ankyrin gene mutations has been complicated by allelic heterogeneity, large gene size, frequent de novo mutations, and associated mRNA instability. Using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC)–based mutation detection, a mutation in the splice acceptor of exon 17 was discovered in a Turkish family. Reticulocyte RNA and functional minigene splicing assays in heterologous cells revealed that this mutation was associated with a complex pattern of aberrant splicing, suggesting that removal of intron 16 is important for ordered ankyrin mRNA splicing. As predicted by clinical, laboratory, and biochemical studies, the parents were heterozygous and the proband was homozygous for this mutation. These data indicate that DHPLC offers a highly sensitive, economic, and rapid method for mutation detection and, unlike previously suggested, homozygosity for a mutation associated with dominant ankyrin-linked HS may be compatible with life

Clinical and laboratory data of primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: A retrospective review of the Turkish Histiocyte Study Group

WOS: 000286303200005PubMed ID: 27263739Objective: This study analyzes the clinical and laboratory findings of children with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) followed in various referral centers of Turkey. Materials and Methods: A simple three-page questionnaire prepared by the Turkish Histiocyte Study Group was used for documentation of patient data. Results: Age at diagnosis varied from 0.6 to 78 months (median +/- SD, 16.5 +/- 26.1). Sex distribution was almost equal (F/M= 10/12). The frequencies of parental consanguinity and sibling death in the family history were 100% and 81.1%, respectively. The most common clinical findings were hepatomegaly (100%) and fever (95%). The most common laboratory findings were anemia (100%), hyperferritinemia (100%) and thrombocytopenia (90.9%). Triglyceride and total bilirubin levels in the deceased versus surviving group appear to be high (triglyceride: 394 +/- 183 mg/dl, 289 +/- 7 mg/dl; total bilirubin: 2.7 +/- 6.9 mg/dl, 0.5 +/- 1.2 mg/dl, respectively). Conclusion: We concluded that fever, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperferritinemia are the most common clinical and laboratory findings in primary HLH. Increased triglyceride and total bilirubin level at the time of diagnosis might be an indicator of poor prognosis in HLH. (Turk J Hematol 2010; 27: 157-62