Factors associated with current smoking in COPD patients: A cross-sectional study from the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey

INTRODUCTION Even though smoking is a major reason for the development and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-and quitting smoking is the only way to stop its progression-a significant number of smokers still continue to smoke after being diagnosed with COPD. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical and demographic characteristics of COPD patients who are current and former smokers and to find factors associated with their current smoking status. METHODS For this study, data were collected between June 2015 and August 2016; COPD patients who had been regularly visiting Hopa State Hospital’s outpatient clinic over the last year or longer were included. Their demographic, clinical and functional data were recorded. Patients completed a pulmonary function test, six-minute walk test (6-MWT), COPD assessment test (CAT), and modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale. Comparisons were then made according to their smoking status. RESULTS In total 100 patients were included in the study; with a mean age of 63.4±10.7 years and mostly males (94%). Regarding smoking status, 49% were current smokers and 51% were former smokers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that current smoking was negatively associated with age (odds ratio, OR=0.93, 95% confidence interval, CI=0.88–0.96) and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage (OR=0.32, 95% CI=0.13– 0.79), and was positively associated with six-minute walk distance (OR =1.005, 95% CI=1.001–1.009) and CAT score (OR=1.07, 95% CI=1.009–1.13). CONCLUSIONS Nearly half of the COPD patients in the study continued smoking even after having been diagnosed with COPD. The younger patients, with better lung function, better exercise capacity and poor quality of life were associated with current smoking

The effects of total intravenous anesthesia and inhalational anesthesia on intra-abdominal pressure in the supine prone positions

Amaç: Sırtüstü ve yüzüstü pozisyonları verilerek ameliyat edilen olgularda, total intravenöz anestezi ve inhalasyonda sevofluran anestezisinin intraabdominal basınç, kardiyovasküler ve solunum sistemlerine etkileri karşılaştırıldı. Çalışma Planı: Çalışmaya, lomber diskektomi ameliyatı geçirecek ASA I-II 30 olgu (17 erkek, 13 kadın; ort. yaş 50; dağılım 35-70) total intravenöz anestezi (grup I, n=15) ve sevofluran anestezisi (grup II, n=15) uygulanmak üzere rastgele iki gruba ayrıldı. Grup I’de, intravenöz olarak uygulanan alfentanil ve propofol ile sağlanan indüksiyondan sonra entübasyon atrakuryum ile gerçekleştirildi. Anestezinin idamesinde ise alfentanil ve 10 dakikalık sürelerle azalan dozlarda propofol infüzyon şeklinde kullanıldı. Grup II’de, intravenöz propofol ile sağlanan indüksiyondan sonra atrakuryum ile entübasyon gerçekleştirildi. Anestezi sürekliliği sevofluran ile sağlandı. Olguların sırtüstü pozisyonda anestezi indüksiyonundan önce ve hemen sonra; yüzüstü pozisyonuna çevrildikten hemen sonra, ameliyat boyunca her 30 dakikada bir ve sırtüstü pozisyonda ekstübasyondan hemen sonra intraabdominal basınç, arter basıncı, kalp atım hızı, periferik oksijen satürasyonu, endtidal CO2 basıncı ölçülerek kaydedildi. Bulgular: İki grup arasında bütün ölçüm zamanlarında, intraabdominal basınç, hemodinamik ve solunum parametre değerleri arasında anlamlı farklılık bulunmadı. Sonuç: Her iki pozisyonda uygulanan total intravenöz anestezi ve sevofluran anestezisinin, intraabdominal basınç ile hemodinamik ve solunum parametrelerinde değişiklik oluşturmadığı belirlendi.Objectives: We compared the effects of total intravenous anesthesia and inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane on intra-abdominal pressure and cardiovascular and respiratory systems in patients undergoing surgery in the supine and prone positions. Study Design: Thirty ASA I-II patients (17 males, 13 females; mean age 50 years; range 35 to 70 years) undergoing elective lumbar discectomy were randomly assigned to total intravenous anesthesia (group I, n=15) and inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane (group II, n=15). In group I, after anesthesia induction with intravenous alfentanil and propofol, entubation was performed with atracurium. Anesthesia was maintained with alfentanil and decreasing doses of propofol. In group II, induction was obtained with intravenous propofol, entubation with atracurium, and maintenance with sevoflurane. Intra-abdominal pressure, arterial pressures, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation, and endtidal CO2 were monitored and recorded in the supine position before and after anesthesia induction, immediately after turning to the prone position, every 30 minutes throughout the operation, and immediately after extubation in the supine position. Results: At all times of monitoring, no significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to intraabdominal pressure, hemodynamic and respiratory parameters. Conclusion: Total intravenous anesthesia and sevoflurane anesthesia do not appear to affect intra-abdominal pressure, hemodynamic and respiratory parameters in both positions

Epidemiology and Management of Cysticercosis and Taenia solium Taeniasis in Europe, Systematic Review 1990-2011

Background: Cysticercosis is caused by the invasion of human or pig tissues by the metacestode larval stage of Taenia solium. In Europe, the disease was endemic in the past but the autochthonous natural life cycle of the parasite is currently completed very rarely. Recently, imported cases have increased in parallel to the increased number of migrations and international travels. The lack of specific surveillance systems for cysticercosis leads to underestimation of the epidemiological and clinical impacts. Objectives: To review the available data on epidemiology and management of cysticercosis in Europe. Methods: A review of literature on human cysticercosis and T. solium taeniasis in Europe published between 1990-2011 was conducted. Results: Out of 846 cysticercosis cases described in the literature, 522 cases were autochthonous and 324 cases were imported. The majority (70.1%) of the autochthonous cases were diagnosed in Portugal from 1983 and 1994. Imported cases of which 242 (74.7%) diagnosed in migrants and 57 (17.6%) in European travellers, showed an increasing trend. Most of imported cases were acquired in Latin America (69.8% of migrants and 44.0% of travellers). The majority of imported cases were diagnosed in Spain (47.5%), France (16.7%) and Italy (8.3%). One third of neurosurgical procedures were performed because the suspected diagnosis was cerebral neoplasm. Sixty eight autochthonous and 5 imported T. solium taeniasis cases were reported. Conclusions: Cysticercosis remains a challenge for European care providers, since they are often poorly aware of this infection and have little familiarity in managing this disease. Cysticercosis should be included among mandatory reportable diseases, in order to improve the accuracy of epidemiological information. European health care providers might benefit from a transfer of knowledge from colleagues working in endemic areas and the development of shared diagnostic and therapeutic processes would have impact on the quality of the European health systems. Key words: cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, Taenia solium, taeniasis, Europe, travellers, migrants

Identification by cluster analysis of patients with asthma and nasal symptoms using the MASK-air® mHealth app

peer reviewedBackground: The self-reporting of asthma frequently leads to patient misidentification in epidemiological studies. Strategies combining the triangulation of data sources may help to improve the identification of people with asthma. We aimed to combine information from the self-reporting of asthma, medication use and symptoms to identify asthma patterns in the users of an mHealth app. Methods: We studied MASK-air® users who reported their daily asthma symptoms (assessed by a 0-100 visual analogue scale – “VAS Asthma”) at least three times (either in three different months or in any period). K-means cluster analysis methods were applied to identify asthma patterns based on: (i) whether the user self-reported asthma; (ii) whether the user reported asthma medication use and (iii) VAS asthma. Clusters were compared by the number of medications used, VAS asthma levels and Control of Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis Test (CARAT) levels. Findings: We assessed a total of 8,075 MASK-air® users. The main clustering approach resulted in the identification of seven groups. These groups were interpreted as probable: (i) severe/uncontrolled asthma despite treatment (11.9-16.1% of MASK-air® users); (ii) treated and partly-controlled asthma (6.3-9.7%); (iii) treated and controlled asthma (4.6-5.5%); (iv) untreated uncontrolled asthma (18.2-20.5%); (v) untreated partly-controlled asthma (10.1-10.7%); (vi) untreated controlled asthma (6.7-8.5%) and (vii) no evidence of asthma (33.0-40.2%). This classification was validated in a study of 192 patients enrolled by physicians. Interpretation: We identified seven profiles based on the probability of having asthma and on its level of control. mHealth tools are hypothesis-generating and complement classical epidemiological approaches in identifying patients with asthma. © 2022 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologi

Manuscrits, livres et culture livresque à Istanbul

Works on the history of books and libraries in the Ottoman Empire is still in its very early stages. Authors who do publish on the subject emphasize the technical history of printing, the history of art and the written book. Since authors come up against a number of problems such as sources, it is of interest to present background concerning written books in Istanbul and their production and distribution as well as describing the public reading places available to the inhabitants of the capital. The article also analyzes the portrait of the Turkish reader and the « reading capacity » of the intellectual Ottoman over the centuries especially during the 16th to 19th centuries.Les études consacrées à l'histoire du livre et des bibliothèques existent dans le domaine turc, mais en sont encore à leurs balbutiements. Il nous a ainsi semblé utile de présenter le livre-manuscrit à Istanbul, sa fabrication, sa commercialisation ; d'évoquer ensuite les lieux publics de lecture qui s'offraient aux habitants de la capitale, en insistant plus particulièrement sur la naissance des bibliothèques publiques. Enfin, d'essayer de cerner le lecteur turc, et de savoir quel était la « capacité livresque » de l'intellectuel ottoman au cours des siècles, notamment au cours de la période qui va du XVIe au XIXe siècle