Kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastalığında nötrofil-lenfosit oranının öngörücü rolü]

Objective: Recently neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) -the level of neutrophil reflecting the severity of inflammation and lymphocyte occurring after physiological stress has been gaining popularity, which was, along with other inflammatory markers, commonly accepted as an accurate marker of the inflammatory status. In this multi-centered study, an early, rapid, and low-cost diagnosis method was investigated. To this end, the correlation between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and inflammation was planned to be utilized and whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a valid tool in the diagnosis of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was investigated. Method: We retrospectively enrolled the 467 patients. Control group included sex and age-matched healthy people. C-Reactive protein, forced expiratory volume-1, forced vital capacity, complete blood count and clinical data A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the best cut-off value of N/L ratio and C-Reaktif protein to predict the exacerbation. Two-sided p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: By spearman analysis, there was a strong correlation between. C-Reactive protein and N/L ratio in both stable group (r=0.436, p<0.001) and exacerbation group (r=0.534, p=0.001). Conclusion: Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio may be a useful predictor of inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute exacarbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Prognostic value of red cell distribution width and echocardiographic parameters in patients with pulmonary embolism

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PTE) is a common cardiovascular emergency. We aimed to predict mortality in the acutephase and to assess the development of pulmonary hypertension in the chronic period with the combined use of red cell distributionwidth (RDW) and echocardiography (ECHO) for the prognosis of PTE. Material and methods: Cases diagnosed with acute PTE were prospectively monitored in our clinic. The initial data of 56 patientswere evaluated. The subjects were separated into two groups basing on RDW; group 1 had RDW ≥ 15.2%, while group 2 hadRDW &lt; 15.2%. Results: Ninety-eight patients were enrolled in the study. We established the sensitivity (73.3%) and the specificity (73.2%) ofRDW to determine mortality in the cases with PTE. RDW ≥ 15.2% value was significant as an independent risk factor for predictingmortality (OR:7.9 95% CI, 1.5–40.9 p = 0.013) in acute PTE. The mean tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) valuewas significantly different between the group-1 (RDW ≥ 15.2%, 2.20 cm (± 0.43)) and group-2 (RDW &lt; 15.2%, 1.85 cm (±0.53))(p = 0.007). The threshold value for tricuspid jet velocity was &gt; 2.35m/s, the sensitivity and specificity were 76.9% and61.9%, respectively for predicting mortality (AUC: 0.724, 95% CI: 0.591–0.858, p = 0.033). Conclusion: Our results indicate that high RDW levels are an independent predictor of mortality in acute PTE. Lower TAPSElevels show right heart failure in PTE patients; this may also be indicative of right ventricular systolic function. We believe thatdeveloping new scoring systems, including parameters such as RDW, TAPSE, and tricuspid jet velocities, may be effective indetermining the prognosis of pulmonary embolism

Evaluation of patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease: Preliminary results from the Turk-UIP study

OBJECTIVE: Differential diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is important among fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILD). This study aimed to evaluate the rate of IPF in patients with fibrotic ILD and to determine the clinical-laboratory features of patients with and without IPF that would provide the differential diagnosis of IPF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included the patients with the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern or possible UIP pattern on thorax high-resolution computed tomography, and/or UIP pattern, probable UIP or possible UIP pattern at lung biopsy according to the 2011 ATS/ERSARS/ALAT guidelines. Demographics and clinical and radiological data of the patients were recorded. All data recorded by researchers was evaluated by radiology and the clinical decision board. RESULTS: A total of 336 patients (253 men, 83 women, age 65.8 +/- 9.0 years) were evaluated. Of the patients with sufficient data for diag-nosis (n=300), the diagnosis was IPF in 121 (40.3%), unclassified idiopathic interstitial pneumonia in 50 (16.7%), combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) in 40 (13.3%), and lung involvement of connective tissue disease (CTD) in 16 (5.3%). When 29 patients with definite IPF features were added to the patients with CPFE, the total number of IPF patients reached 150 (50%). Rate of male sex (p<0.001), smoking history (p<0.001), and the presence of clubbing (p=0.001) were significantly high in patients with IPE None of the women <50 years and none of the men <50 years of age without a smoking history were diagnosed with IPE Presence of at least 1 of the symptoms suggestive of CTD, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and antinuclear antibody (FANA) positivity rates were significantly higher in the non-IPF group (p<0.001, p=0.029, p=0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: The rate of IPF among patients with fibrotic ILD was 50%. In the differential diagnosis of IPF, sex, smoking habits, and the presence of clubbing are important. The presence of symptoms related to CTD, ESR elevation, and EANA positivity reduce the likelihood of IPF

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

Etiology of benign mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy

Ulusal Akciğer Sağlığı Kongresi’nde poster bildiri olarak sunulmuştur (14-18 Mart 2018, Antalya).Çalışmamızda benign mediastinal/hiler lenfadenopati saptanan hastalar takip edilerek lenfadenopatiye neden olan hastalıkların dağılımı incelenmiştir. Çalışmamız, Mayıs 2015 ile Haziran 2016 tarihleri arasında prospektif olarak yürütüldü. Çalışmaya mediastinal/hiler lenfadenopati nedeni ile EBUS/ Mediastinoskopi/ Torakoskopi yapılan olgular alındı ve başlangıçta biyopside malignite saptanan hastalar çalışmadan çıkarıldı. Çalışmaya dahil edilen benign mediastinal/hiler LAP saptanan 93 hastanın %59.1 (55)’i kadın, %40.9 (38)’u erkek, yaş ortalaması 55.1 (±12.6) idi. Seksen üç hastaya Endobronşiyal Ultrason Eşliğinde Transbronşiyal İğne Aspirasyonu (EBUS TBİA), 7 hastaya mediastinoskopi, 2 hastaya Video-asiste torakoskopik cerrahi (VATS) ve 1 hastaya torakotomi yapıldı. Hastaların %53.8 (50)’inde sarkoidoz, %12.9 (12)’unda antrakoz, %5.1 (5)’inde tüberküloz, %4.3 (4)’ünde silikozis, %1.1 (1)’inde churg strauss sendromu, %1.1 (1)’inde hipersensitivite pnömonisi, %1.1 (1)’inde enfeksiyon, %1.1 (1)’inde kanser, %19.4 (18)’ünde nedeni bilinmeyen lenfadenopati bulundu. Çalışmamızdaki esas bulgu benign mediastinal/hiler lenfadenopatinin en yaygın nedeninin sarkoidoz olarak bulunmasıdır. Enfeksiyöz nedenlerden tüberküloz ise 3. sıklıkta LAP nedeni olarak bulunmuştur. Ayrıca granülomatöz lenfadenitin benign mediastinal/hiler lenfadenopatilerin yarısından fazlasını oluşturduğu görülmüştür. Mediastinel/hiler LAP’lerin büyük oranda EBUS TBİA yöntemiyle örneklenebildiği saptanmıştır. Ayırıcı tanının yapılamadığı olgularda takip ile tanıya gidilebileceği de anlaşılmaktadır.Our study was conducted as prospectively between May 2015 and June 2016. Cases that underwent EBUS/ Mediastinoscopy / Thoracoscopy with the diagnosis of mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy were included in the study and patients who were diagnosed to have malignancy in the initial biopsy were excluded from the study. The included 93 cases consisted of 40.9% men (38) and 59.1% women (55) with a median age of 55.1 (±12.6) years. Patients underwent Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS TBNA) (83 patients), mediastinoscopy (7 patients), video-assisted thoracic surgery (2 patients) and thoracotomy (1 patient). The final diagnosis of the patients was accepted to be sarcoidosis in 50 (53.8%), anthracosis in 12 (12.9%), tuberculosis in 5 (5.1%), silicosis in 4 (4.3%), churg strauss syndrome in 1 (1.1%), hypersensitivity pneumonia in 1 (1.1%), infectious in 1 (1.1%), malignancy in 1 (1.1%) and uncertain in 18 (19.4%). The main findings of this study revealed that sarcoidosis was the most common cause for benign mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy. Tuberculosis was the third most common cause of benign mediastinal/hilar LAP. Furthermore, granulomatous lymphadenitis comprised more than half of benign mediastinal / hilar lymphadenopathy. It has been found that mediastinal/hilar LAP can be sampled by EBUS TBNA method to a large extent. In cases with impossible differential diagnosis, follow-up of patients may direct one to diagnosis in time

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

Prognostic Value of Red Cell Distribution width and Echocardiographic Parameters in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PTE) is a common cardiovascular emergency. We aimed to predict mortality in the acute phase and to assess the development of pulmonary hypertension in the chronic period with the combined use of red cell distribution width (RDW) and echocardiography (ECHO) for the prognosis of PTE. Material and methods: Cases diagnosed with acute PTE were prospectively monitored in our clinic. The initial data of 56 patients were evaluated. The subjects were separated into two groups basing on RDW; group 1 had RDW ≥ 15.2%, while group 2 had RDW &lt; 15.2%. Results: Ninety-eight patients were enrolled in the study. We established the sensitivity (73.3%) and the specificity (73.2%) of RDW to determine mortality in the cases with PTE. RDW ≥ 15.2% value was significant as an independent risk factor for predicting mortality (OR:7.9 95% CI, 1.5–40.9 p = 0.013) in acute PTE. The mean tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) value was significantly different between the group-1 (RDW ≥ 15.2%, 2.20 cm (±0.43)) and group-2 (RDW &lt; 15.2%, 1.85 cm (±0.53))(p = 0.007). The threshold value for tricuspid jet velocity was &gt;2.35 m/s, the sensitivity and specificity were 76.9% and 61.9%, respectively for predicting mortality (AUC: 0.724, 95% CI: 0.591–0.858, p = 0.033). Conclusions: Our results indicate that high RDW levels are an independent predictor of mortality in acute PTE. Lower TAPSE levels show right heart failure in PTE patients; this may also be indicative of right ventricular systolic function. We believe that developing new scoring systems, including parameters such as RDW, TAPSE, and tricuspid jet velocities, may be effective in determining the prognosis of pulmonary embolism

Prognostic importance of central thrombus in hemodynamically stable patients with pulmonary embolism

Saylan, Bengu/0000-0002-5922-0847WOS: 000414152700007PubMed: 28248408Background: the association between mortality and localization of central thrombus in hemodynamically stable patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) is unclear. Sufficient data are not available to help clinicians to select between low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), unfractionated heparin (UFH) and thrombolytics for the management of central thrombus. the present study aims to investigate whether central thrombus in the pulmonary artery affects 30-day mortality rate, and to compare the outcomes of different treatment approaches in patients with central thrombus. Methods: This multi-central, prospective, observational study included 874 hemodynamically stable patients with PE confirmed by multidetector computed tomography scan. the localization of the emboli was evaluated and categorized as central (saddle or at least one main pulmonary artery), lobar or distal. the primary study outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Results: Localization of the emboli was central in 319 (36.5%) patients, lobar in 264 (30.2%) and distal in 291 (33.2%) patients. Seventy-four (8.5%) patients died during the 30-day follow-up period. All-cause mortality rate was 11.9%, 6.8% and 6.2% in patients with central, lobar, and distal emboli, respectively (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis did not show that hemodynamically stable central thrombus was an independent predictor of mortality. Additionally, mortality rate was not significantly different between UFH, LMWH and thrombolytic therapy groups. Conclusions: the present study showed that central thrombus was not an independent predictor of mortality in hemodynamically stable PE patients. LMWH and UFH were similarly effective in the treatment of this patient group