BackgroundPsychiatric comorbidities are prevalent in patients with chronic somatic disorders such as asthma. But, there is no clear evidence regarding the effect of atopic status and the type of sensitized allergen on emotional status. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of house dust mites and pollen allergies on emotional status, asthma control and the quality of life in patients with atopic asthma.MethodsThe study included 174 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with asthma accoring to the GINA criteria and who did not receive therapy for their allergy. All patients underwent a skin prick test. The asthma control, quality of life, and emotional status were evaluated using the ACT (asthma control test), AQLQ (asthma-specific quality of life questionnaire), and HAD (hospital anxiety depression questionnaire).ResultsAtopy was detected in 134 (78.7%) patients. Of those patients: 58 (33.3%) had anxiety and 83 (47.7%) had depression. There was no relationship between emotional status, atopic status, and the type of indoor/outdoor allergen. Furthermore, there was no relationship between atopy and asthma severity, asthma control, and the quality of life. The anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher and the quality of life scores lower in the uncontrolled asthma group. The ACT and AQLQ scores were also lower in the anxiety and depression groups.ConclusionsIt was concluded that anxiety and depression are prevalent in patients with uncontrolled asthma, and atopic status did not affect the scores in ACT, AQLQ, and emotional status tests.

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Aim The present study aimed to investigate the relation between FACED and BSI scores, which were developed to measure the severity of bronchiectasis, and systemic inflammation in patients with stable bronchiectasis. Methods FACED and BSI scores of 117 patients with stable bronchiectasis were calculated. The correlations between mean scores and CRP levels, leukocyte count, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were investigated. Findings Mean BSI and FACED scores were 7.2 ± 5.2 and 2.1 ± 1.8, respectively. The severity of bronchiectasis as determined based on BSI and FACED increased significantly with increasing levels of CRP in patients with stable bronchiectasis (p=0.001 and p=0.027, resp.). No significant changes were found in leukocyte count (p=0.72 and p=0.09, resp.) and N/L ratio (p=0.45 and p=0.71, resp.). BSI and FACED scores were significantly correlated with CRP but not with leukocyte count or N/L ratio. Conclusion In patients with stable bronchiectasis who are evaluated based on FACED and BSI scores, CRP can be a useful biomarker as a direct indicator of the severity of systemic inflammation.

Silicosis is an interstitial lung disease developing as a result of inhalation of inorganic silica particles. In silicosis cases developing as a result of environmental and occupational exposure, an increase is observed in Turkey especially depending upon denim sandblasting. We present a 35-year-old female case who was applied to our hospital due to complaint of progressive dyspnea, had a history of working in denim sandblasting for 18 months, were diagnosed with silicosis as a result of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma as a result of transbronchial lung biopsy made due to clinical deterioration and radiological progression within three months. The purpose of this report was to point out that lung cancer can develop in patients followed up with diagnosis of silicosis or radiologic findings in silicosis can be confused with lung cancer.

Behcet's disease is a multi-systemic and chronic inflammatory vasculitis of unknown etiology characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, uveitis, arthritis, arterial aneurysms, venous thrombosis, skin lesions and GIS lesions. Although pulmonary artery aneurysms are rare, it is a critical condition due to high risk of rupture. Venous involvement of Behcet's disease primarily occurs in the lower extremities. In the presence of deep vein thrombosis(DVT) and pulmonary embolism, the mainstay of treatment in Behcet's disease is immunosuppressant therapy. Anticoagulants can be used only after initiation of immunosuppressant therapy and suppression of the disease. Anticoagulant therapy alone may lead to fatal hemoptysis. We report the case of a 24 year-old patient who presented to the emergency service with complaints of shortness of breath, general condition disorder and hemoptyhis while using warfarin for DVT and whose thoracic CT angiography showed pulmonary embolism and pulmonary artery aneurysm and diagnosed with Behcet's disease.

Our results suggest that the MBL2 gene Codon 54 and TNF-alpha gene G308A polymorphisms are not associated with an increased risk for development of tuberculosis in our patients. Further studies are required including more cases of tuberculosis patients and other potentially relevant gene polymorphisms.

In the case we present, an elderly female patient developed respiratory arrest in the absence of pulmonary pathology after using nitrofurantoin (NF). To our current knowledge, this case is the first in the literature. The patient was monitored on mechanical ventilation, and her condition improved only after discontinuing NF treatment.

RLS was more frequent in people with asthma than in healthy individuals, and as asthma control decreased, frequency of RLS increased. It was concluded that it would be useful to evaluate people with asthma, particularly those with symptoms of depression and anxiety, with regard to RLS in order to address, and ultimately improve, their quality of life.