The purpose of this study is to evaluate serum Pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) levels in Sars-CoV-2 virus infection (COVID-19) patients and to investigate whether PTX-3 predicts the disease prognosis. This study was conducted on 88 confirmed COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized due to symptomatic pneumonia between April 15 2020 and August 15 2020. The patients were divided into two groups as survived patients and non-survived patients. Both groups were compared according to demographic features, comorbid conditions and measurement of the PTX-3 and other laboratory parameters of the patients. Of 88 patients with COVID-19, 59 (67%) were discharged with complete cure and 29 (33%) resulted in death. 46 (52.3%) of the patients were men. PTX-3 median value [IQR] was 3.66 ng/mL (0.9-27.9) in all patients, 3.3 ng/mL (0.9-27.9) in survivors and 3.91 ng/mL (1.9-23.2) in non-survivors which was significantly higher (p= 0.045). As a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis the cut-off value of PTX-3 for predicting mortality in patients was 3.73 with 65% sensitivity and 65% specificity (AUC: 0.646, 95% CI: 0.525-0.767, P= 0.045). Also, we found significant cut-off values with respect to D-Dimer, D-Dimer/ PTX-3, high-sensitivity troponin, high-sensitivity troponin/ PTX-3, lymphocyte, PTX-3/ lymphocyte, procalcitonin, procalcitonin/ PTX-3, CRP, and CRP/ PTX-3 (P<0.05). In this study, as far as we know, for the first time, we have shown PTX-3 as the new mortality biomarker for COVID-19 disease.

Introduction: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) prevalence data in Türkiye is limited. We aimed to determine the nationwide prevalence of MASLD and advanced hepatic fibrosis risk in subjects with cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF). Despite recent international consensus redefining fatty liver disease terminology, no nationwide MASLD study has been reported in Türkiye. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 14,371 adults with ≥1 CMRF from 44 centers across 31 cities. MASLD was diagnosed using liver ultrasonography plus cardiometabolic criteria. Advanced fibrosis risk was assessed by fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score (≥1.3 for ≤65 years; ≥2.0 for >65 years). Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of high FIB-4. Results: A total of 61.4% of participants were women, the mean age was 51.3 ± 14.4 years, and the mean BMI was 31.4 ± 6.0 kg/m². MASLD prevalence was 75.7% (n = 10,873), rising with the number of CMRFs (56.5% with one factor vs. 83.4% with all). The prevalence of high FIB-4 scores was 12.0% overall, being lower in MASLD patients than non-MASLD patients (11.2% vs. 14.4%, p < 0.001). FIB-4 scores decreased with increasing BMI (28.1% underweight vs. 8.7% class III obesity). Male sex, T2DM, and hypertension independently predicted high FIB-4 scores, while smoking, higher BMI, and MASLD were inversely associated. Conclusions: Three-quarters of Turkish adults with CMRF have MASLD. Standard FIB-4 thresholds may underestimate fibrosis risk in obese and smoking populations, underscoring the need for adjusted cut-offs or alternative tools. This study is the first to provide nationwide MASLD prevalence data in Türkiye.

Objectives: Obesity is a significant public health concern, as it is associated with the development of numerous chronic diseases. The prevalence of obesity and attendant diseases has been increasing over recent years. This study attempted to ascertain the frequency of chronic diseases in obese patients in Türkiye for the first time on this scale. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, with patients admitted to the internal medicine outpatient clinics or obesity centers between December 2023 and December 2024 included in this study. Participants were recruited from seven regions, 20 provinces, and 28 centers, and the inclusion criteria were met by those aged 18 years and over with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg per square meter (kg/m²) or above. Their status, with respect to chronic diseases, and their anthropometric parameters were documented. Results: The total number of patients was 10,121, with a mean age of 45.2 ± 13.92. Of these, 7222 (71.35%) were female. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension (HT), dyslipidemia (DL), coronary artery disease (CAD), obstructive pulmonary disease (OPD), obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), and fatty liver disease (FLD) was found to be 35.01%, 78.19%, 12.37%, 10.32%, 5.88%, and 75.12%, respectively. A subsequent analysis of the prevalence of these diseases by region revealed a statistically significant variation between regions (p < 0.001 for all regions). Conclusions: This study represents a substantial contribution to the existing body of knowledge in this field, particularly with regard to the identification of the current chronic disease rate of obese patients in Türkiye.

Since SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19) has been labeled as a pandemic, it took the spotlight in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with acute respiratory and systemic symptoms. Leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonoses in the world, yet it is mainly a disease of differential diagnosis for places that do not have it as an endemic. Due to the high burden of COVID-19 on the healthcare field, patients suffering from other infections may have been inadvertently neglected. COVID-19 infection can mimic other infectious diseases and can confuse physicians in their search for a confirmatory diagnosis. Nonetheless, it is very crucial to broaden the differential diagnosis and keep diseases like leptospirosis within the differential diagnosis despite its rarity, especially in patients presenting with unexplained systemic infectious symptoms. This is a unique case of a patient who presented with dyspnea, jaundice and change in urine color who was suspected to be COVID-19 positive. After a detailed investigation, the patient was diagnosed with leptospirosis instead of COVID-19 and was treated with plasmapheresis and antibiotics accordingly.

Background and aim Although direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are widely used and their side effects related to bleeding at various body sites have been well studied in the literature, less is known about their local impact on gastric mucosa. Some studies suggest that the higher risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding associated with DOACs may be due to their direct local anticoagulant effects on the gastric mucosa. In this study, we aim to evaluate whether this potential local effect has a favorable outcome on the gastric mucosa and the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP). Materials and methods A total of 125 patients with dyspepsia were included in the study. Sixty patients who had been using a DOAC for at least one month were classified as the "DOAC group," while 65 patients who had not used DOACs were designated as the "control group." Demographic, laboratory, and pathological findings for these patients were retrospectively analyzed from their medical files. Results Patients in the DOAC group were significantly less likely to have antral gastritis (AnG) (p = 0.028), while the frequencies of HP and atrophic gastritis (AtG) were similar between the two groups. Although not statistically significant, the DOAC group showed fewer instances of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and a higher number of upper GI ulcers. Patients who had been using DOACs for more than 12 months had increased incidences of IM, upper GI ulcers, AnG, and HP compared to those who had been using DOACs for 12 months or less. The Rivaroxaban subgroup showed significantly lower HP positivity compared to patients using other DOACs (p = 0.042). Among all subgroups, the Rivaroxaban group had the lowest frequency of AnG (p = 0.024). Conclusion While DOACs seem to prevent AnG, HP, and IM at their early use stages, unfavorable gastric mucosa manifestations might increase with prolonged use. Higher upper GI ulcer prevalence is another controversial result of this issue. Rivaroxaban shines amongst other DOACs with its lesser HP and AnG association. These exciting findings should be supported by randomized controlled trials with large patient populations.

Leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonotic bacterial infections worldwide. It is an infection that usually affects people with low socioeconomic status, with morbidity and mortality risk. The clinical course of the disease may range from mild, featuring nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms, to severe, resulting in death. The respective studies conducted in Turkey indicate that leptospirosis seropositivity in animals and humans is higher in coastal and rural areas. Turkey’s Eastern Black Sea Region has a humid climate with heavy rainfalls and a large population of mice and other rodents. However, a Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava case is yet to be reported in this region. This article reports the case of a 38-year-old patient who presented fever and acute renal failure and was diagnosed with Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava after hospitalization.