COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease of 2019) is an infectious disease outbreak later on declared as a pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2). It spreads very rapidly and can result in severe acute respiratory failure. The clinical studies have shown that advanced age and chronic diseases increase the risk of infection. However, influence of the blood groups on COVID-19 infection and its outcome remains to be confirmed. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there exists a relationship between the blood groups of the patients and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. 186 patients with PCR confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were included in this study. Age, gender, blood groups, comorbidities, need for intubation and intensive care unit follow up and mortalities of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. 1881 healthy individuals, who presented to the Hacettepe University Blood Bank served as the controls. The most frequently detected blood group was blood group A (57%) amongst the COVID-19 patients. This was followed by the blood group O (24.8%). The blood group types did not affect the clinical outcomes. Blood group A was statistically significantly more frequent among those infected with COVID-19 compared to controls (57% vs 38%, p <0.001; OR: 2.1). On the other hand, the frequency of blood group O was significantly lower in the COVID-19 patients, compared to the control group (24.8% vs 37.2%, p: 0.001; OR: 1.8). The results of the present study suggest that while the blood group A might have a role in increased susceptibility to the COVID-19 infection, the blood group O might be somewhat protective. However, once infected, blood group type does not seem to influence clinical outcome.

As of March 2021, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 2.7 million people worldwide. Vaccination has started in most countries around the world. In this study, we estimated the cost-effectiveness of strategies for COVID-19 vaccination for Turkey compared to a baseline in the absence of vaccination and imposed measures by using an enhanced SIRD (Susceptible, Infectious, Recovered, Death) model and various scenarios for the first year after vaccination. The results showed that vaccination is cost-effective from a health care perspective, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 511 USD/QALY and 1045 USD/QALY if vaccine effectiveness on transmission is equal or reduced to only 50% of effectiveness on disease, respectively, at the 90% baseline effectiveness of the vaccine. From a societal perspective, cost savings were estimated for both scenarios. Other results further showed that the minimum required vaccine uptake to be cost-effective would be at least 30%. Sensitivity and scenario analyses, as well as the iso-ICER curves, showed that the results were quite robust and that major changes in cost-effectiveness outcomes cannot be expected. We can conclude that COVID-19 vaccination in Turkey is highly cost-effective or even cost-saving.

Introduction. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly worldwide since December 2019. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has a great affinity for the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor, which is an essential element of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). This study is aimed at assessing the impact of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphisms, on the susceptibility and clinical outcomes of the COVID-19 immunoinflammatory syndrome. Patients and Methods. A total of 112 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between 1 and 15 May 2020 were enrolled in the study. ACE gene allele frequencies were compared to the previously reported Turkish population comprised of 300 people. Results. The most common genotype in the patients and control group was DI with 53% and II with 42%, respectively. The difference in the presence of the D allele between the patient and control groups was statistically significant (67% vs. 42%, respectively, ). Severe pneumonia was observed more in patients with DI allele (31%) than DD (8%) and II (0%) ( ). The mortality rate, time to defervescence, and the hospitalization duration were not different between the genotype groups. Conclusion. Genotype DI of ACE I/D polymorphism is associated with the infectious rate particularly severe pneumonia in this study conducted in the Turkish population. Therefore, ACE D/I polymorphism could affect the clinical course of COVID-19.

Background/aim: Despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for over 5 months, there is yet to be a standard management policy for all patients including those with mild-to-moderate cases. We evaluated the role of early hospitalization in combination with early antiviral therapy with COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care university hospital. Materials and methods: This was a prospective, observational, single-center study on probable/confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a tertiary care hospital on COVID-19 wards between March 20 and April 30, 2020. The demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were collected. Results: We included 174 consecutive probable/confirmed COVID-19 adult patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine wards of the University Adult Hospital between March 20 and April 30, 2020. The median age was 45.5 (19-92) years and 91 patients (52.3%) were male. One hundred and twenty (69%) were confirmed microbiologically, 41 (23.5%) were radiologically diagnosed, and 13 (7.5%) were clinically suspected (negative microbiological and radiological findings compatible with COVID-19); 35 (20.1%) had mild, 107 (61.5%) moderate disease, and 32 (18.4%) had severe pneumonia. Out of 171 cases, 130 (74.3%) showed pneumonia; 80 were typical, and 50 showed indeterminate infiltration for COVID-19. Patients were admitted within a median of 3 days (0-14 days) after symptoms appear. The median duration of hospitalization was 4 days (0-28 days). In this case series, 13.2% patients were treated with hydroxychloroquine alone, 64.9% with hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin, and 18.4% with regimens including favipiravir. A total of 15 patients (8.5%) were transferred to the ICU. Four patients died (2.2%). Conclusion: In our series, 174 patients were admitted to the hospital wards for COVID-19, 69% were confirmed with PCR and/or antibody test. At the time of admission, nearly one fifth of the patients had severe diseases. Of the patients, 95.4% received hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination. The overall case fatality rate was 2.2%.

Background/aim: The HIV-infected population is aging, and the concomitant comorbidities increase the likelihood of polypharmacy. There is a scarcity of data for determining drug-related problems in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out between September 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016. All patients underwent a face-to-face interview with a clinical pharmacist. The 'PCNE Classification V 7.0.' was used classify incident drug-related problems (DRPs). Results: The mean age of the patients was 40.4±13.06 years. The rate of polypharmacy was 66.1% in patients with comorbidities and 12.3% in those without comorbidities (p<0.001). DRPs were more prominent in older patients (46 vs. 37 years, p3 ART drugs was associated with more DRPs in the logistic regression model (odds ratio: 8.299, 95% confidence interval: 1.924–35.803). Fifty-eight interventions were performed in 45 (24.9%) patients. Clinical pharmacist interventions were performed in 18.9% of patients without polypharmacy and in 38.9% of patients with polypharmacy (p<0.001). Conclusion: DRPs and polypharmacy are common among elderly PLWHA. More interventions are warranted to boost the quality of life in aging PLWHA. Keywords: human immunodeficiency virus, polypharmacy, drug-related problems

Immunocompromised patients are at a greater risk of developing intestinal parasite infections. In this study, we examined the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encaphalitozoon intestinalis and other intestinal protozoa in stool samples of immunosuppressed patients. A total of 100 stool samples were obtained from patients receiving chemotherapy because of solid organ tumour with haematological malignancies and those receiving immunosuppressive treatment because of rheumatic diseases, organ transplant patients and patients receiving treatment for HIV-related infections. Stool samples were examined by using the native-lugol method in which the stool concentration, modified Kinyoun acid-fast and trichrome staining methods and parasite presence were analysed. The stool samples were also examined for the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis using an indirect fluorescent antibody method. Intestinal parasites were detected in 12% of all patients. The distribution of intestinal parasites in patients were 7% Blastocystis spp., 2% Blastocystis spp. + Dientamoeba fragilis, 1% Blastocystis spp. + Entamoeba coli, 1% Blastocystis spp. + Giardia intestinalis and 1% G. intestinalis. Microsporidia spp. were detected in 4% of all patients by the IFAT method and in 8% of all patients by calcoflour staining method. In our study, the most prevalent parasite detected in the immunosuppressed patients was Blastocystis spp. The pathogenesis of Blastocystis spp. remains to be controversial, and their role in immunocompromised patients continues to remain unknown. Although these rates detected in our study are similar to the prevalence in the normal population, it is important to study these microorganisms in immunocompromised patients in terms of the associated decreasing morbidity and mortality rates.