Ziynet Çınar

Usefulness of Admission Red Cell Distribution Width as a Predictor of Early Mortality in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is strongly associated with prognosis in cardiopulmonary disorders such as coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, acute and chronic heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension. However, its prognostic significance in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between admission RDW and early mortality in patients with acute PE. One hundred sixty-five patients with confirmed acute PE were included. Patients with previous treatment for anemia, malignancy, or chronic liver disease, those with dialysis treatment for chronic renal failure, and those who received erythrocyte suspension for any reason were excluded. A total of 136 consecutive patients with acute PE were evaluated prospectively. According to receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of RDW to predict early mortality was >14.6%, with 95.2% sensitivity and 53% specificity. Patients were categorized prospectively as having unchanged (group 1) or increased (group 2) RDW on the basis of a cut-off value of 14.6%. The mean age of patients was 63 ± 15 years. The mean follow-up duration was 11 ± 7 days, and 21 patients died. Among these 21 patients, 1 (1.6%) was in group 1 and 20 (27%) were in group 2 (p <0.001). Increased RDW >14.6% on admission, age, presence of shock, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and creatinine level were found to have prognostic significance in univariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis. Only increased RDW >14.6% on admission (hazard ratio 15.465, p = 0.012) and the presence of shock (hazard ratio 9.354, p <0.001) remained associated with increased risk for acute PE-related early mortality in a multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model. In conclusion, high RDW was associated with worse hemodynamic parameters, and RDW seems to aid in the risk stratification of patients with acute PE.

Moral distress in Turkish intensive care nurses

Background: Moral distress is a common problem among professionals working in the field of healthcare. Moral distress is the distress experienced by a professional when he or she cannot fulfill the correct action due to several obstacles, although he or she is aware of what it is. The level of moral distress experienced by nurses working in intensive care units varies from one country/culture/institution to another. However, in Turkey, there is neither a measurement tool used to assess moral distress suffered by nurses nor a study conducted on the issue. Aim/objective: The study aims to (a) validate the Turkish version of the Moral Distress Scale–Revised to be used in intensive care units and to examine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the scale, and (b) explore Turkish intensive care nurses’ moral distress level. Method: The sample of this methodological, descriptive, and cross-sectional design study comprises 200 nurses working in the intensive care units of internal medicine and surgical departments of four hospitals in three cities in Turkey. The data were collected with the Socio-Demographic Characteristics Form and The Turkish Version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised. Ethical considerations: The study proposal was approved by the ethics committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University. All participating nurses provided informed consent and were assured of data confidentiality. Results: In parallel with the original scale, Turkish version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised consists of 21 items, and shows a one-factor structure. It was determined that the moral distress total and item mean scores of the nurses participating in the study were 70.81 ± 48.23 and 3.36 ± 4.50, respectively. Conclusion: Turkish version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised can be used as a reliable and valid measurement tool for the evaluation of moral distress experienced by nurses working in intensive care units in Turkey. In line with our findings, it can be said that nurses suffered low level of moral distress. However, factors which caused the nurses in our study to experience higher levels of moral distress are inadequate communication within the team, working with professionals they considered as incompetent, and futile care.

Atrial fibrillation is associated with increased mean platelet volume in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Platelet abnormalities in diabetes mellitus (DM) and atrial fibrillation (AF) may underline the etiology of a prothrombotic state in these conditions. Increased mean platelet volume (MPV) is a marker of abnormal platelet function and activation. We aimed to investigate the possible association of chronic AF with MPV in patients who have type 2 DM. Patients who had type 2 DM with either chronic (≥6 months) AF or normal sinus rhythm (NSR) were included in the study. A total of 162 patients (aged 38–89 years) were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of either AF or NSR. Group 1 consisted of 81 diabetic patients with AF, and group 2 consisted of 81 diabetic patients with NSR. The two groups were not significantly different in terms of age, and gender, as well as in hypertension, smoking, history of coronary artery disease, previous cerebrovascular accidents, microalbuminuria, retinopathy, duration of DM, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride (p > 0.05 for all variables). Although no significant difference was present between groups concerning platelet count; for patients with AF, MPV was higher compared with patients with NSR (9.0 ± 0.2 fl vs. 8.4 ± 0.2 fl; p = 0.001). Furthermore, no significant difference was noted between groups regarding routine medications received by patients. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, MPV was the only variable independently related to AF (OR = 2.659; 95% CI, 1.286–5.498; p = 0.008). Consequently, it is concluded that AF is associated with increased MPV in patients with type 2 DM, suggesting the presence of tentatively related processes leading to reciprocal interaction.

Central diastolic blood pressure is associated with the degree of coronary collateral development.

Coronary collaterals (CCs) serve as alternative conduits for blood flow in obstructive coronary artery disease. We investigated the association of various components of blood pressure (BP) parameters with the the degree of coronary collateralization. Patients (n = 245) who underwent coronary angiography were included. Intraarterial BP in the ascending aorta was determined using a standard fluid-filled system. Readings of the conventional peripheral pressure were measured using a manual sphygmomanometer. All blood samples were drawn at admission, before coronary angiography. A total of 65 patients were found to have adequate CC development. Central diastolic BP and peripheral diastolic BP were found to be lower in the group with adequate CC. In multivariate logistic regression model, central diastolic BP and Gensini score were found to be independent predictors of adequate CC. In conclusion, low central diastolic BP in the case of severe coronary stenosis may be an important stimulus for adequate CC development.

Prevalence of common and atypical melanocytic nevi in Turkish children

The incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing rapidly in the white population of the world. Therefore, it is necessary to know the etiological factors of malignant melanoma and to take preventive measures in high-risk groups in different populations. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of common melanocytic nevi (CMN) and atypical melanocytic nevi (AMN) and to identify some phenotypic factors (eye and hair color, skin type), gender, and age associated with CMN and AMN presence in primary school children in a Turkish population. In this study, 1491 children aged from 7-15 were examined. Brown-black discrete lesions of two millimeters or larger, with the exceptions of solar lentigo and ephelides, were counted as CMN. The CMN prevalence was 73.85%, and the AMN prevalence was 3.45%. The numbers of CMN and AMN were found to be higher in boys than in girls. While more CMN were present in the head and neck areas than in other anatomic regions, the number of AMN was higher on the ventral and dorsal trunk. Our study provides evidence for a significant relationship between specific characteristics, including skin type, age, gender and the number of CMN in our population. However, CMN is more frequent in children having a lighter skin type, and its number increases with age. The results of our study and further studies which take sun-exposure characteristics and pigmentary factors into account, may facilitate the determination of the other factors affecting nevus production and the development of further strategies for following and preventing cutaneous melanoma in our geographical area.

Delayed habituation in Behcet's disease

BACKGROUND The autonomic nervous system in Behcets patients may be affected due to various reasons. This entity may be detected with the measurement of the electrodermal activities, heart rate variability and pupillometric methods. Habituation is one of the implicit forms of learning and memory and the loss of habituation can reveal pathological changes in the synaptic regions. AIM To determine whether there is a functional decrease in the synaptic effectiveness (habituation) of the pathways to sympathetic neurons that had been repeatedly activated in Behcets. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twelve patients with Behcets disease and 12 healthy controls were included in the study. Sympathetic skin potential (SSP) records were taken at normal room temperature in a quiet place within a Faraday cage. Sixteen square wave single shock impulses (duration: 1200 ms, strength: 5 mA) were applied on each case. RESULTS After the 1st stimulus, the SSP amplitudes were lower in the patients compared to the controls (P<0.001, t value=7.69). There was no significant differences among the SSP amplitudes after the 13th impulse in the patients (P>0.05). Whereas there was no significant differences among the SSP amplitudes after the 9th impulse in the controls (P>0.05). The habituation rate of the SSP after consecutive impulses was slowest in the patients compared to controls (P<0.001, t value=12.39). CONCLUSIONS There is a delayed habituation in Behcets disease and that may due to pathologic changes with vasculitis through their peripheral nerves.

A scale-development study: Exploration of intensive-care nurses’ attitudes towards futile treatments

Abstract The study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the tool used to assess nurses’ attitudes towards futility, and to explore intensive-care nurses’ attitudes towards futility. Principal components analysis revealed that 18item scale was made up of four subdimensions that assess Identifying(beliefs), Decision-Making, Ethical Principles and Law, and Dilemma and Responsibilities related to futile treatments. The internal consistency of the scale was in the acceptable range, with a total Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.72. Overall the results of study suggest that scale can be used as a valid and reliable assessment tool to assess nurses’ attitudes towards futility.

Kronik obstruktif akciğer hastalığı akut alevlenmeli hastalarda prokalsitonin ve diğer akut faz belirteçleri

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between procalcitonin and other acute phase reactants, and also analyze their relationship with clinical situation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) acute exacerbations. Materials and methods: The study was made with 122 acute COPD exacerbated patients, who were admitted to emergency service. Patients with below 0.25 ng/ml PCT value included Group 1, and the patients with PCT values ≥ 0.25 ng/ml Group 2. Serum procalcitonin levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) values and white blood cell (WBC) counts were measured. Also, patients hospitalization time and mortality rates were recorded and compared with PCT. Results: Patients were divided in 3 groups according to their clinical diagnosis; Pneumonia (n=27), MycoplasmaChlamydia pneumonia (n=11) and the patients with only COPD exacerbation(n=84). Mean PCT values according to the groups were 9.47 ± 8.1 ng/ml, 0.41 ± 0.2 ng/ ml, and 0.21 ± 0.05 ng/ml respectively. The relationship between PCT with CRP and white blood cell has been found between significiant (p=0.001, p=0.005 respec tively), whereas the relationship between PCT and ESR was nonsignificant (p=0.55). Procalcitonin and CRP had a positive correlation with the hospitalization time (p=0.034, p=0.022 respectively). The mean ± standard error of PCT for the patients who died was 28.3 ± 27.5 ng/ml, and the difference between patients who died or were discharged was statistically significant (p= 0.012). Conclusion: PCT can be a useful indicator for morbidity and prognosis in COPD patients.