Objective: The present study aims to investigate the level of anxiety experienced by healthcare workers employed in COVID-19 services, the effects of anxiety on sleep quality and quality of life and, the relationship between these variables and problem-solving skills of the healthcare workers. Material and method: The study was conducted in two healthcare facilities which serve as pandemic hospitals. 140 healthcare workers, who were employed in the COVID-19 outpatient clinics or emergency departments, participated in the present study. All participants were submitted to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Findings: The number of participants without anxiety was 41(29%), with mild anxiety was 53(38%). Clinically significant anxiety findings were found in only 33% of the participants. A positive correlation was found between the participants' BAI scores and PSQI, PSI scores, and a negative correlation with the WHOQOL-BREF scores. PSQI and PSI scores of nurses were statistically higher when compared to those of physicians and staff. WHOQOL-BREF scores were found to be lower. Conclusion: Healthcare workers might develop psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbance. Such symptoms could adversely affect the problem-solving skills of healthcare workers and cause a deterioration in their quality of life.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic values of pentraxin‐3 (PTX‐3) in patients with infected diabetic foot ulcers (IDFU) as well as to assess the association between PTX‐3 levels and IDFU severity. This study included 60 IDFU patients (Group 1), 45 diabetic patients without DFU (Group 2), and 45 healthy controls. Patients with IDFU were divided into mild, moderate, and severe subgroups based on classification of clinical severity. Patients who underwent amputation were also documented. Blood samples were collected to determine PTX‐3 levels. PTX‐3 levels in healthy controls, Group 1, and Group 2 were 5.83 (3.41‐20) ng/mL, 1.47 (0.61‐15.13) ng/mL, and 3.26 (0.67‐20) ng/mL, respectively. A negative correlation between plasma PTX‐3 and glucose levels was found. There were significant differences in terms of procalcitonin (PCT) and PTX‐3 levels in the subgroup analysis of Group 1. The PTX‐3 level in patients who did or did not undergo amputation was 4.1 (0.8‐13.7) and 1 (0.6‐15.1) ng/mL, respectively. Results suggest that PTX‐3 is a particularly effective marker in patients with IDFU, both in terms of predicting disease severity and assisting in the decision to perform amputation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate compliance with guidelines in surgical prophylaxis (SP) procedures in Turkey. Materials and Methods:A point prevalence study involving 4 university, 5 education and research and 7 public hospitals was performed assessing compliance with guidelines for antibiotic use in SP. Compliance was based on the "Clinical Practice Guidelines for Antimicrobial Surgery (CPGAS) 2013" guideline.Results: Sixteen centers were included in the study, with 166 operations performed at these being evaluated. Parenteral antibiotic for SP was applied in 161 (96.9%) of these. Type of antibiotic was inappropriate in 66 (40.9%) cases and duration of use in 47 (29.1%). The main antibiotics used inappropriately in SP were ceftriaxone, glycopeptides and aminoglycosides. No significant difference was observed between secondary and tertiary hospitals in terms of inappropriate selection. Duration of prophylaxis was also incompatible with guideline recommendations in approximately half of surgical procedures performed in both secondary and tertiary hospitals, however statistical significance was observed between institutions in favor of tertiary hospitals. ÖzAmaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, ülkemizdeki cerrahi proflaksi uygulamalarının rehberlere uygunluğunun değerlendirilmesidir. Gereç ve Yöntem:Bu amaçla, 4 üniversite, 5 eğitim-araştırma ve 7 devlet hastanesini içine alan bir nokta prevalans çalışması yapılmıştır. Cerrahi proflaksideki uygunluğunun değerlendiril-mesinde "Clinical Practice Guidelines for Antimicrobial Surgery (CPGAS) 2013" rehberi baz alınmıştır. Bulgular:Toplam 16 merkez çalışmaya katılmış olup, bu merkezlerdeki 166 operasyon değerlendirilmiştir. Bunların 161'inde (%96,9) cerrahi proflaksi amacıyla parenteral antibiyotik uygulanmıştır. Olguların 66'sında (%40,9) kullanılan antibiyotiğin türü, 47'sinde (%29,1) ise süresi uygunsuz bulunmuştur. Cerrahi proflakside uygunsuz kullanılan antibiyotikler olarak en çok; seftriakson, glikopeptidler ve aminoglikozitler dikkati çekmektedir. İkinci ve 3.basamak sağlık kuruluşları arasında antibiyotik seçimindeki uygunsuzluk açısından anlamlı bir fark görülmemiştir. Cerrahi uygulamaların yaklaşık yarısında proflaktik antibiyotiklerin süresi rehber önerileriyle uyumlu bulunmamış olmakla birlikte; istatistiksel olarak 3.basamak hastanelerinin lehine bir durum olduğu görülmüştür.

BackgroundBrucellosis is a zoonosis that affects several systems, especially with the osteoarticular involvement.ObjectivesThis study aims to compare the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), mean platelet volume (MPV) and red blood cell distribution (RDW) in patients with the osteoarticular involvement and those with non-localised brucellosis and evaluate their predictive value for the diagnosis of osteoarticular brucellosis.MethodsWe enrolled 140 patients with brucellosis, 70 with the osteoarticular involvement and 70 without any localised involvement. We collected patients' data retrospectively and compared haematological parameters between both groups. In patients with osteoarticular brucellosis, a correlation of the NLR with the ESR and CRP and correlation of the MLR with the ESR and CRP were assessed. Furthermore, the predictive performance of the ESR, CRP, NLR and MLR on the osteoarticular involvement was evaluated.ResultsThe NLR, MLR, ESR, CRP, neutrophil and monocyte levels were higher in the patient group than the control group.ConclusionThe NLR, MLR, ESR and CRP are useful parameters to estimate the clinical course of patients with brucellosis, and the NLR and MLR are alternative to inflammatory markers in the osteoarticular involvement.

Anthrax is still a serious public health problem in Turkey. Cutaneous anthrax must always be kept in mind when characteristic lesions such as a painless ulcer with vesicles, edema, and a history of contact with animals or animal products are observed in an individual. Early and correct diagnosis significantly affects course of the disease. Protective precautions such as vaccination of animals against anthrax and education of the population would reduce the incidence of the disease.