Dane Ediger

The relationships of serum prealbumin levels with parameters that indicate severity of disease and emphysema pattern in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE Malnutrition, which is a complication frequently observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and negatively affects prognosis, has become a parameter that must be monitored. Even though various methods are applied to assess malnutrition, biochemical parameters, especially serum prealbumin levels, are useful. MATERIALS AND METHODS The relationships between serum prealbumin levels, which we used as an indicator of malnutrition, with the severity of disease and the parameters predicting emphysema in stable COPD patients with no additional health problems were determined in this prospective study. RESULTS One hundred stable COPD patients were evaluated prospectively. Serum prealbumin levels had a negative correlation with the total number of hospitalizations due to acute exacerbation, total hospitalization time, and average number of annual hospitalizations, whereas it showed a positive correlation with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC% values. Serum prealbumin levels were positively correlated with the length of the line connecting the costophrenic sinus to the dome of the diaphragm, which is used to assess the presence of emphysema and was negatively correlated with retrosternal distance. Also, in COPD patients with low prealbumin levels, while the FEV1 and FEV1/FVC% values and the length of the line connecting the costophrenic sinus to the diaphragm dome significantly decreased, the retrosternal distance dramatically increased compared to COPD patients with normal prealbumin levels. CONCLUSION Serum prealbumin levels were convenient for monitoring malnutrition in COPD, were correlated with spirometric and anamnestic data indicating the severity of COPD, and were useful in distinguishing the subtype of COPD due to its decrease in the presence of emphysema.

Un)Awareness of Allergy

BackgroundAllergy is associated with considerable morbidity.ObjectiveThe aim of this multicenter study was to provide insight into allergy knowledge and perceptions among the population.MethodsDuring the World Allergy Day, several allergy clinics conducted public meetings to encourage the awareness of and education in allergy. At the beginning, participants filled out a questionnaire to assess their knowledge about what is allergy and to determine by whom those symptoms are cared.ResultsA total of 256 participants (187 women/69 men, mean age, 31.2 ± 12.5 years) completed the survey. Of the 202 participants with symptoms, 58.9% had physician-diagnosed allergic disease. Among the 19 symptoms evaluated, 56.5% of the symptoms were recognized as related with allergy, and this increased in compliance with education level (r = +0.427; P < 0.001) but not with diagnosed allergy (P = 0.34). Sneezing was the most common symptom thought to be related with allergy-related symptom (77.5%), whereas loss of smell was the least one (37.9%). Participants were more likely to be cared by an allergologist (72.9%) followed by other specialties, when experiencing allergy.ConclusionsIncreasing the awareness for allergic symptoms is the key not only for the diagnosis but also for the optimal treatment. Therefore, education is an important component of prevention and control of allergic diseases.

Bursa ilindeki öğretmenlerin astım farkındalığının değerlendirilmesi

Introduction The purpose of this study was to elucidate the asthma knowledge level of primary-secondary school teachers in Bursa, and factors associated with this subject. Materials and Methods In our study 1812 teachers from 64 randomly selected primary schools in Bursa were included. Result It was known by the vast majority of participants that asthma symptoms, asthma is not a contagious disease and may be familial, medications taken by inhalation. It was known by 64.1% of the teachers that asthmatic children do not mind doing sports. Approximately one of the two teachers knew that the medication were not addictive. Conclusions The knowledge level of the teachers was related to female gender and age. We think that an asthma education program is needed for Turkish teachers to increase their understanding about what asthma is, its impact and how to meet the needs of a child with asthma to achieve improved wellbeing and school attendance.

Kounis syndrome not induced but prevented by the implantation of a drug-eluting stent: a case report

Kounis syndrome is an allergy-associated acute coronary syndrome, which develops secondary to mast cell activation in coronary arteries due to hypersensitivity or anaphylactoid reaction (1). The triggering factors may be various drugs, food, environmental exposure, and intracoronary stents (2–4). In this case report, an extraordinary case of Kounis syndrome (acute myocardial infarction with concomitant allergic reaction to paracetamol/propyphenazone) has been presented.