Chest X-ray: Is it still important in determining mortality in patients hospitalized due to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases exacerbation in intensive care unit?

OBJECTIVE: The present research aims to evaluate the effects of chest X-rays on mortality among patients who were hospitalized due to the exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in intensive care unit (ICU) of a secondary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-three patients (39 males, 60.9%), who were hospitalized in ICU due to COPD exacerbation between December 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012, were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Data, including demographics, smoking history, arterial blood gas measurements, posterior-anterior lung radiography (PALR) findings and mortality, were collected from the medical records. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 70.5 years (standard deviation [SD]: 13.3, range 44–88 years). Of all the cases, 42 (85.7%) had at least one comorbidity. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (34, 53.9%) and heart failure (19, 30.2%). Mean duration of hospital stay was 8 days (SD: 5.7, range: 2–26). Mechanical ventilation support was required in 17 (27%) cases. In total, seven female and four male patients died during hospitalization (17.7%). PALR indicated emphysema in 60.3%, infiltration in 54%, bronchiectasis in 31.7%, and unilateral or bilateral pleural effusion in 27% of the cases. Infiltration and pleural effusion in PALR were more common among the patients who died (died/alived 10/11 vs. 24/52, P = 0.008 and 6/11 vs. 11/52, P = 0.026, respectively). The multivariate model for mortality showed that only age (odds ratio 0.821, CI: 0.687–0.948, P = 0.044) was independently related to mortality. CONCLUSION: As a basic imaging method, PALR still remains as an important diagnostic tool for COPD patients hospitalized in ICU, and it may contribute to the prediction of mortality

Regional distribution of genetic mutation in lung cancer in Turkey (REDIGMA)

Introduction: The results of standard chemotherapy in lung cancer are not very satisfactory, so it is important to identify genetic mutations that provide targeted therapies. Recent reports have suggested influences of racial difference on the frequency of mutation in lung cancer. We aimed to determine the frequency and regional distribution of genetic mutations of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Turkey

Picturing asthma in Turkey: results from the Turkish adult asthma registry

Introduction: National data on asthma characteristics and the factors associated with uncontrolled asthma seem to be necessary for every country. For this purpose, we developed the Turkish Adult Asthma Registry for patients with asthma aiming to take a snapshot of our patients, thereby assigning the unmet needs and niche areas of intervention. Methods: Case entries were performed between March 2018 and March 2022. A web-based application was used to record data. Study outcomes were demographic features, disease characteristics, asthma control levels, and phenotypes. Results: The registry included 2053 patients from 36 study centers in Turkey. Female subjects dominated the group (n = 1535, 74.8%). The majority of the patients had allergic (n = 1158, 65.3%) and eosinophilic (n = 1174, 57.2%) asthma. Six hundred nineteen (32.2%) of the patients had obese asthma. Severe asthma existed in 670 (32.6%) patients. Majority of cases were on step 3–5 treatment (n: 1525; 88.1%). Uncontrolled asthma was associated with low educational level, severe asthma attacks in the last year, low FEV1, existence of chronic rhinosinusitis and living in particular regions. Conclusion: The picture of this registry showed a dominancy of middle-aged obese women with moderate-to-severe asthma. We also determined particular strategic targets such as low educational level, severe asthma attacks, low FEV1, and chronic rhinosinusitis to decrease uncontrolled asthma in our country. Moreover, some regional strategies may also be needed as uncontrolled asthma is higher in certain regions. We believe that these data will guide authorities to reestablish national asthma programs to improve asthma service delivery