SUMMARY OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to investigate the role of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), an inflammation marker, complete blood count, and biochemical parameters in the diagnosis of COVID-19. METHODS A total of 80 patients who had been hospitalized in the internal medicine clinic were enrolled in the study. The cases were allocated into two groups, i.e., COVID (+) and (-), based on real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory [NLR, platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), complete blood count, biochemistry, and serology] data of the patients were retrospectively obtained from the hospital data management system. RESULTS NLR and fever levels were found to be higher in COVID-19 (+) cases (P=0.021, P=0.001, respectively). There was no difference between males and females with regard to COVID-19 positivity (P=0.527). Total bilirubin levels were found to be lower in COVID-19 (+) cases (P=0.040). When the ROC analysis was carried out for NLR in COVID-19 (+) cases, the AUC value was found to be 0.660 (P=0.021), sensitivity as 69.01 %, specificity as 65.40 %, LR+: 1.98 and LR- : 0.48, PPV: 80.43, and NPV: 50.00, when the NLR was ≥2.4. The risk of COVID-19 was found to be 20.3-fold greater when NLR was ≥ 2.4 in the logistic regression (P=0.007). CONCLUSION NLR is an independent predictor for the diagnosis of COVID-19. We also found that fever and total bilirubin measurements could be useful for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in this population.

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PurposeThe aim of this study is to examine the effect Klorhex and Fittydent, which are used as cleaning agents on the adhesion of Candida on the surfaces of acrylic denture and palatal mucosa. In addition, ability of yeasts to adhere to acrylic strips was evaluated after applying these agents in vitro.Materials and MethodsEach group of 15 patients cleaned their dentures with either Klorhex or with Fittydent. The control group cleaned their dentures with water.ResultsIt was found that 62.2% of the patients had colonies of Candida species on their palatal mucosa which was reduced to 51.1% after using these cleaning agents. The colonization rate with Candida spp on their dentures was reduces from 82.2% to 68.8% using these cleaning agents. The mean adhesion value of the Candida strains isolated from the acrylic strips were found to be 75 cell/strip prior to applying the Klorhex and Fittydent and 37.5 cell/strip and 15 cell/strip after applying these agents, respectively.ConclusionThese results showed that Klorhex and Fittydent have a certain preventive effect on the colonization rate of Candida spp on the surface of these dentures, the palatal mucosa, as well as on the acrylic strips in vitro.

Background Some biomarkers have been reported to be related to the prognosis of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There are sparse data regarding the prognostic value of serum calprotectin in COVID-19 patients. Aims This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum calprotectin level and clinical severity of COVID-19 disease in hospitalized patients. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional cohort study included 80 consecutive hospitalized patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. The study population was divided into two groups as patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) and patients hospitalized but not in the ICU. The serum calprotectin levels, other laboratory, and clinical parameters were compared between groups. Results The mean age of the patients was 66.5 ± 15.7 years. Of the patients, 42 were in the ICU and 38 were not. Serum calprotectin level and acute-phase reactants such as C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin, fibrinogen, and white blood cell were significantly higher in ICU patients than in non-ICU patients. ROC curve analysis identified that serum calprotectin level was a predictor for ICU requirement with an area under the curve of 0.641 ( p = 0.031). Logistic regression analysis revealed that serum calprotectin was a significant determinant for whether or not patient required the ICU. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that serum calprotectin level seems to be a useful biomarker that can predict the severity of COVID-19 disease. Serum calprotectin is a significant predictor of ICU requirement in patients with COVID-19.

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Background Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and systemic immune‐inflammatory index (SII) are inflammation‐based novel markers that predict the prognosis in various patient populations. We have investigated the relationship between the disease severity in COVID‐19, and the PNI and SII scores in the present study. Materials and Methods This cross‐sectional retrospective study included 118 hospitalised patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID‐19. The patients were divided into two groups as those who were hospitalised at the intensive care unit (ICU) and those who had been internalised at the clinic (non‐ICU). Results Of the 118 patients, 50.8% were male. The mean age was 57.7 ± 17.5 years in non‐ICU patients and 70.3 ± 11.7 years in ICU patients and the difference was statistically significant ( P < .001). The lymphocyte count and the albumin levels were significantly lower in ICU patients ( P < .001, P < .001, respectively). The PNI score was significantly lower in ICU patients compared with non‐ICU patients ( P < .001). The SII score was found to be significantly higher in ICU patients compared with non‐ICU patients ( P < .001). The value of PNI and SII scores in prediction of the disease severity in COVID‐19 was evaluated with the ROC analysis (PNI: AUC = 0.796, 95%CI: 0.715‐0.877, P < .001; SII: AUC =0.689, 95% CI: 0.559‐0.819, P =.004). When the cut‐off value was taken as ≤36.7 for the PNI score, it was found to have 73.4% sensitivity and 70.8% specificity for predicting of the disease severity and ICU admission probability was 4.4 times higher. When the cut‐off value was taken as ≥813.6 for SII score, it was found to have 70.8% sensitivity and 66.0% specificity for predicting of the disease severity and ICU admission probability was six times higher. Conclusion The PNI and the SII scores are independent predictors of the prognosis and the disease severity in COVID‐19 patients who require hospitalisation at the ICU.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) became a pandemic and is causing unprecedented biopsychosocial, spiritual and economic issues across the world while mostly affecting unprivileged populations. Turkey has gradually implemented new regulations, which slowly affected the entire country and increased the need for mental health services disproportionally. We conducted a comprehensive literature review on mental health in Turkey during COVID-19. There was no well-grounded peer-reviewed manuscripts or projects utilized a framework. Therefore, we wrote this manuscript to provide a conceptual framework grounded in ecological systems theory, acceptance and commitment therapy, and community-based participatory action research to introduce contextually evidence-based online mental health services: hotline, psychiatric interview, counseling, and Read-Reflect-Share group bibliotherapy. The framework aims to (1) address biopsychosocial spiritual and economic issues, (2) enhance wellbeing, and (3) empower the mental health profession in research and practice. Our preliminary findings and clinical experience indicated that the proposed framework and interventions derived from the framework enhanced wellbeing and decreased psychopathological symptoms in experimental group compared to control groups. Based on the preliminary analysis, most of the online, phone based, or face-to-face mental health services introduced in this manuscript were highly recommended by the participants to be provided to general public during and after COVID-19. Mental health professionals and authorities can use the proposed framework and interventions to develop interventions and research in order to alleviate pandemic-based biopsychosocial spiritual and economic issues and enhance wellbeing.

These results demonstrated that NLR was associated with the nutritional status of geriatric patients. NLR may be a useful nutritional marker for evaluating the nutritional status of geriatric outpatients.