The effects of DNA repair pathway on survival were assessed by measuring the tumoral excision repair cross complementation 1 (ERCC1) expression in patients with resected non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). We aimed to determine the prognostic and predictive significance of ERCC1 in patients with completely resected NSCLC. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to assess the expression of ERCC1 in resected lung tumor samples obtained from 98 patients untreated without pre- or post-operative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The median H score was used as a cut-off for ERCC1 IHC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for factors influencing patient survival. The 5-year survival rates of patients for ERCC1 positive expression and ERCC1 negative expression were 76% and 49%, respectively; this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Subsequent multivariate analysis suggested that ERCC1 expression (adjusted hazard ratio for death, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.78; p = 0.008) and pathological stage (2.2; 95% CI, 1.09 to 4.5; p = 0.027) were both independent prognostic factors. The level of ERCC1 expression in tumors a strong predictor of survival in resected NSCLC patients untreated without pre- or post-operative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Introduction: Fatality due to COVID-19 continues to be a challenge. Timely identification of critical COVID-19 patients is crucial for their close clinical follow-up and treatment. We aimed to identify the mortality predictors of critical COVID-19 patients. Methodology: We analyzed medical records of 232 out of 300 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) whose medical records were available in the hospital database. Non-survivors and survivors were compared for parameters. Medical records of demographics, comorbidities, radiological signs, respiratory support, and laboratory tests on the first day of ICU admission were included. The durations of ICU stay and hospitalization were also evaluated. Results: The patients with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE-II) score above 28.5 and the patients with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) above 45.5 mg/dL were significantly more mortal (95% CI: 0.701, p = 0.0001; 95% CI: 0.599, p = 0.022; respectively). Partial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F) ratio below 110.5 mmHg was a predictor for mortality (95% CI: 0.397, p = 0.018). Older age, smoking, crazy paving pattern on computed tomography (CT), and short duration of hospitalization were also predictors of mortality. The patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation were significantly more mortal whereas the patients requiring high flow oxygen and non-invasive ventilation were significantly more likely to survive. Conclusions: We recommend evaluating APACHE-II score, BUN value, P/F ratio, age, smoking status, radiological signs on CT, length of hospitalization and modality of respiratory support upon ICU admission to identify critical patients with poor prognoses.

COPD,COVID-19,exacerbation,SARS-CoV-2

Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare benign disorder that is seldom progressive. Here, we report a case diagnosed with TO in our hospital. Bronchoscopy revealed multiple cartilaginous and ossifying nodules that are diagnostic for TO. Nodules protruding into the airways were observed as widespread and extended by the repeat bronchoscopy after 2 months of the diagnosis. TO was confirmed with the histopathology of the biopsies from nodules. Then he was referred to an interventional pulmonologist for laser ablation.

Amaç: Kronik Obstrüktif Akciğer Hastalığı (KOAH) klinik seyrinde, kötü prognoza neden olan, ek tedavi gerektiren, solunum semptomlarında (dispne, öksürük, balgam) kötüleşme olarak tanımlanan alevlenmeler gözlenebilir. Maliyet-etkin mortalite öngörücüleri, KOAH’ın tedavi yönetimi için değerlidir.Akut KOAH alevlenmeleri olan serum ürik asit (ÜA) ve serum ürik asitin kreatinine oranının (ÜKO) mortalite ve hipoksemi için belirleyici olup olmadığını araştırmayı amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu gözlemsel kesitsel çalışmada, Ocak 2014 ile Aralık 2018 arasında bir referans göğüs hastanesinde yatan 105 KOAH alevlenmesindeki hasta retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. ÜA ve ÜKO ile uzun vadeli mortalite, hipoksemi, komorbidite, FEV1 değeri, KOAH’ın tanı, tedavi ve önlenmesi için küresel strateji (GOLD) evreleri arasındaki ilişkiler analiz edildi. Bulgular: KOAH alevlenmesindeki toplam 105 hastayı (97’si erkek, ortalama yaş 65±9 yıl) içeren bu çalışmada hiperürisemi ile mortalite arasında anlamlı bir korelasyon bulunurken (sırasıyla, p=0.027; p=0.016), ÜKO ile mortalite arasında korelasyon bulunmadı (sırasıyla, p=0.051, p=0.053). Düşük ÜA seviyesi hipoksemi ile anlamlı olarak ilişkiliydi (p=0.022), ancak ÜKO ile hipoksemi arasında bir ilişki gözlenmedi (p=0.094). Sonuç: KOAH alevlenmesindeki hastaların uzun vadeli mortalitesini öngörmede serum ÜA’nin ÜKO’na göre daha değerli olduğu görülmektedir. Sık klinik takip ve yoğun tedavi yönetimi gerektiren yüksek riskli KOAH hastalarının tanımlanması için serum ÜA’in uzun vadeli mortalitenin biyobelirteci olarak kullanılabileceğini öneriyoruz.