Background: Telephones, internet-connected devices (phablets, personal computers), chat platforms, and mobile apps (eg, Skype, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp) can be exploited for telemedicine applications. WhatsApp and similar apps are also widely used to facilitate clinical communication between physicians. Moreover, WhatsApp is used by emergency department (ED) physicians and consulting physicians to exchange medical information during ED consultations. This platform is regarded as a useful app in the consultation of dermatological and orthopedic cases. Preventing overcrowding in the ED is key to reducing the risk of disease transmission, and teleconsulting practice is thought to be effective in the diagnosis, treatment, and reduction of transmission risk of disease, most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Video consultation is highly recommended in some countries on the grounds that it is likely to reduce the risk of transmission. WhatsApp-like apps are among the video consultation platforms that are assumed to reduce the risk of contamination by minimizing patient-physician contact. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of WhatsApp video consultation on patient admission and discharge times in comparison to bedside consultation in the evaluation of potential patients with COVID-19 visiting a COVID-19 outpatient clinic during the pandemic. Methods: Patients who presented to the ED COVID-19 outpatient clinic between March 11 and May 31, 2020, and for whom an infectious disease specialist was consulted (via WhatsApp or at bedside) were included in the study in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eventually, 54 patients whose consultations were performed via WhatsApp and 90 patients whose consultations were performed at bedside were included in our study. Results: The median length of stay in the ED of discharged patients amounted to 103 minutes (IQR 85-147.75) in the WhatsApp group and 196 minutes (IQR 141-215) in the bedside group. In this regard, the length of stay in the ED was found to be significantly shorter in the WhatsApp group than in the bedside group (P<.001). Among the consulted and discharged patients, 1 patient in each group tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction test and thus was readmitted and hospitalized (P=.62). The median length of stay of the inpatients in the ED was found to be 116.5 minutes (IQR 85.5-145.5) in the WhatsApp group and 132 minutes (IQR 102-168) in the bedside group. The statistical analysis of this time difference revealed that the length of stay in the ED was significantly shorter for patients in the WhatsApp group than in the bedside group (P=.04). Conclusions: Consultation via WhatsApp reduces both contact time with patients with COVID-19 and the number of medical staff contacting the patients, which contributes greatly to reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. WhatsApp consultation may prove useful in clinical decision making as well as in shortening process times. Moreover, it does not result in a decreased accuracy rate. The shortened discharge and hospitalization timespans also decreased the length of stay in the ED, which can have an impact on minimizing ED crowding. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04645563; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04645563.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the serum biomarkers myeloperoxidase (MPO), paraoxonase (PON), and plasma asprosin in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) diagnosis and assess their compatibility with routinely screened cardiac biomarkers. This study was conducted using a prospective cross-sectional design and included 90 patients, consisting of 60 patients diagnosed with AMI (30 with ST-segment elevation and 30 with non-ST-segment elevation on ECG) and 30 controls (without a diagnosis of AMI). Changes in the levels of cardiac biomarkers (Hs-cTnI, CK, CK-MB), lipid profile (TC, TG, LDL, HDL), MPO, PON, asprosin, and routine biochemical parameters of patients were evaluated. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed the diagnostic value of Hs-cTnI, MPO, PON, and asprosin in predicting AMI. Binary logistic regression analysis of cardiac marker concentrations was used to predict the presence of AMI. In contrast, multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict the type of AMI and the control group. The median levels of MPO and plasma asprosin were found to be higher in the patient group (3.22 [interquartile range {IQR}: 2.4–4.4] ng/ml and 10.84 [IQR: 8.8–17.8] ng/ml, respectively) than in the control group (2.49 [IQR: 1.9–2.9] ng/ml and 4.82 [IQR: 4.6–8.0] ng/ml, respectively) (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The median levels of PON were 8.94 (IQR: 7.6–10.4) ng/ml in the patient group and 10.44 (IQR: 9.1–20.0) ng/ml in the control group (p < 0.001). In the binary logistic regression model, compared with the control group, a 1 ng/ml increase in MPO level increased the odds of having AMI by 3.61 (p = 0.041, 95% CI: 1.055–12.397), whereas a 1 ng/ml increase in asprosin level increased the odds of having AMI by 2.33 (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 1.479–3.683). In the multinominal logistic regression model, compared with the control group, a 1 ng/ml increase in the MPO level increased the odds of having NSTEMI by 4.14 (p = 0.025, 95% CI: 1.195–14.350), whereas a 1 ng/ml increase in asprosin concentrations increased the odds of having NSTEMI by 2.35 (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 1.494–3.721). Herein, MPO and asprosin concentrations increased with Hs-cTnI, and a decrease in PON concentration indicated that oxidant–antioxidant parameters and adipokines were related to AMI pathogenesis.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between infection-induced PV and inflammatory parameters levels, WBC, NLR, PLR and CRP in elderly patients. Material and Method: In our study, 122 patients with peripheral vertigo complaints were retrospectively evaluated. Their gender, age, the type of admission, emergency room discharge and hospitalization, hospital admission time, complaints, and physical examination findings rates were examined. Results: The mean age was 73.4 years.. 115 patients (94.3%) were discharged after follow-up in the emergency department, while 7 patients (5.7%) were hospitalized. Complaints were 75.4% dizziness, 18% nausea-vomiting and 6.4% headache, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in PLT, NEU, LYM, NEU / LYM and PLT / LYM values. Conclusion: In our study, WBC and CRP were significantly higher in patients. The results of our study showed that it can be used actively in the diagnosis of inflammatory causes in the pathogenesis of elderly patients with peripheral vertigo.

Aim: Coronavirus disease-2019 patients may experience an increase in inflammation or clotting disorders. It is believed that some biomarkers can be decisive in decision to hospitalize. Our aim in this study was to investigate the relationship between serum procalcitonin, troponin, D-dimer, ferritin and lactate levels, and Coronavirus disease-2019.Methods: Patients suspected of suffering from the Coronavirus disease-2019 and whose serum biochemistry and blood gas tests were performed, were included in the study. The relationships between the blood parameters of the patients with negative or positive Polymerase Chain Reaction test results, and those who were hospitalized or non-hospitalized, were examined.Results: Out of a total of 452 patients, 244 (54%) were male and 208 (46%) were female. There was a statistically significant difference between polymerase chain reaction test positive and test negative groups in terms of procalcitonin, D-dimer, lactate and troponin levels (p˂0.005). There was no statistically significant difference between hospitalized and non hospitalized patient in terms of ferritin (p=0.224). However, there was a significant difference in terms of procalcitonin, D-dimer and troponin levels (p˂0.005).Conclusion: Our results revealed that high serum procalcitonin, D-dimer, lactate and troponin levels are associated with the decision to hospitalize Coronavirus disease- 2019 patients, whereas ferritin levels played no such role.

Aim: We aimed to examine the similarity in the brain computed tomography (CT) reports of emergency medicine and neurosurgery specialists. Material and Methods: Patients who applied to the emergency department and underwent cranial CT in traumatic and non-traumatic conditions were analyzed retrospectively. The reports of emergency medicine and neurosurgeon specialists were reviewed. The radiologist's report was set as the gold standard. All CT examinations were performed independently of the radiologist by physicians with at least 5 years of experience. Results: Emergency medicine and neurosurgery specialists were found to be highly compatible in detecting pathologies in CT reports. There was significant similarity in the diagnosis of bone defects and maxillofacial trauma in the CT reporting of emergency medicine specialists and neurosurgeons. Conclusion: It was observed that emergency medicine specialists were as successful as neurosurgeons in the interpretation of brain CT pathologies of traumas. Since their knowledge and experience in non-traumatic pathologies are insufficient, they should receive support from radiology in residency training.