Aims The aims of this research were to review patients visiting the paediatric emergency department over a 6‐month period 1 year before and during the pandemic, to review paediatric emergency department referral ratios and to determine whether there were any significant decreases in mortality and morbidity. Methods All patients from the ages of 0 to 18 years visiting the University of Health Sciences, Ankara Research and Training Hospital, paediatric emergency service from April‐October 2019 to April‐October 2020 with no missing information in their records were involved in this retrospective cross‐sectional study. Results The total number of paediatric emergency service consultations was 74 739; the number of emergency visits from April to October 2019 was 55 678, whereas it was 19 061 from April to October 2020 in the midst of the COVID‐19 pandemic period. There was a 67.7% decrease in consultations during the pandemic period. The mean age of participants from April to October 2019 was 8.11 ± 5.31 years, and 52.4% of cases were male. The mean age from April to October 2020 was 8.58 ± 5.93 years, and 51% of cases were male. COVID‐19‐related symptoms were higher during the pandemic period ( P < .05), with fever and gastroenteritis being the most frequently received diagnosis in both periods. During the pandemic period, the newborn consultation ratio was higher ( P > .05), there was a decrease in consultation ratios related to suicide attempts ( P < .05), and a threefold increase in death rates was observed ( P < .05). Conclusion In Turkey, where emergency consultation rates are quite high, these decreases look fearsome for secondary injuries that can develop in children. For this reason, families should be made aware of the importance of bringing their children to the hospital during emergencies, and that all necessary health precautions are being taken to decrease the spread of infection in hospitals.

ÖzBu çalışma, 2020 yılında bütün dünyayı etkisi altına alan ve hâlâ devam etmekte olan COVID-19 salgını ile dinî inanç arasındaki ilişkiyi tespit etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu kapsamda-Hitit Üniversitesi'nde öğrenim gören öğrencilerin COVID-19 salgınını ve bundan kaynaklı tıbbi, psikolojik, sosyal vb. durumları inanç açısından nasıl değerlendirdiklerini ve inancın hastalık üzerindeki etkisini tespit etmek amacıyla 344 öğrenciye anket uygulanmıştır. Katılımcıların vermiş olduğu cevaplar analiz * Araştırma verilerinin toplanması için Hitit Üniversitesi girişimsel olmayan araştırmalar etik kurulu'nun 02/07/2021 tarih 2021/73 sayılı izni alınmıştır.

Aim: Diagnostic biomarkers are needed for pediatric acute appendicitis (AA). We hypothesized that presepsin (soluble CD14 subtype), a biomarker for sepsis, can also be used in pediatric AA and aimed to investigate its diagnostic value in those patients. Materials and Methods: This prospective case-control study was conducted on children admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Department with suspected acute appendicitis. Serum levels of interleukin-6, and presepsin were statistically analyzed for their diagnostic values. Results: No remarkable demographic differences were present between the 41 cases and 47 controls. Clinical and routine laboratory findings were significantly positive for acute appendicitis in the cases compared to controls. ROC analysis indicated an AUC for presepsin as 0.999 (CI 95%: 0.890-0.993) and for interleukin-6 as 0.963 (CI 95%:0.949-1.000). The best cut-off point value for presepsin was at 739 pg/ml, corresponding to a sensitivity of 97.56% and a specificity of 100%. The best cut-off point value for interleukin-6 was at 19 pg/ml, corresponding to a sensitivity of 97.56% and a specificity of 90.32%. Conclusions: Our study results indicate that presepsin can be considered a biomarker for diagnosing appendicitis in pediatric cases. Future studies might better include the combination with other biomarkers in pediatric cases.

No abstract