Atrial dysrhythmia is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with atrial septal defect. Increased P wave duration can predict the risk of atrial dysrhythmia. The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk of atrial dysrhythmia by measuring P wave dispersion, and to observe the effect of surgical and transcatheter closure. Sixty-one patients and 30 controls were investigated. In patient group, before and after closure and in control group at the time of presentation, 12-lead electrocardiography records were evaluated. P wave duration and amplitude, P wave axis, PR interval, P wave dispersion, QRS axis, corrected QT interval, and QT dispersion were calculated. The measurements in patient and control groups, measurements before and after closure, and measurements of surgical and transcatheter group were compared. There were 27 patients in surgical group and 34 patients in transcatheter group. In patient group, signs of right heart volume overload were apparent but there was no significant difference in terms of P wave dispersion between two groups. We compared patient group in itself and found that while the use of medication, cardiothoracic index, ratio of right ventricular dilation, and paradoxical movement in interventricular septum were increased, mean age of closure was younger in surgical group. While P wave dispersion decreased in transcatheter group after closure, it increased in surgical group (p = 0.021). In conclusion, atrial septal defects may cause atrial repolarisation abnormalities and this effect persists even after surgical closure. Transcatheter closure in childhood may decrease dysrhythmia risk in long-term follow-up.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients have a limited life expectancy, but significant medical advances now highlight the need for successful transition programs from pediatric to adult care. The goal of this project was to introduce the transition program CF R.I.S.E (Responsibility. Independence. Self‐care. Education.) to a CF center with limited resources at Marmara University (MU). Methods: The program was adapted and translated into Turkish with the CF Foundation's permission. A team of experts collaborated to develop educational materials for patients and families. After translation and implementation of the CF S.O.B.E program, 11 Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire (KQA) tests were administered online to the patients aged between 16 and 25 years to assess the lack of patient knowledge. Results: The CF R.I.S.E program was successfully implemented within 6 months. A pilot study showed positive feedback from randomly selected patients, indicating the program's effectiveness and understandability. The mean age of the patients was 19.4 ± 2.9 years, and 42 (52%) were female. The mean forced expiratory volume (FEV1pp) was 76.3 ± 23.2. Fourteen (17.3%) and 4 (4.9%) of the patients colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), respectively. Fifteen (18.5%) were on modulator therapy. Eleven Knowledge Assessment Questionnaires (KAQ) surveys were administered to 81 patients. The percentage of correct responses to the KAQs ranged from 47.9% to 68.3%. Conclusion: MU CF Center in Turkey implemented the CF S.O.B.E (Responsibility, Self‐care, Independence, and Education in Turkish) program. The center aims to make the program a regular practice and expand collaboration with adult clinics. Future studies will assess its long‐term impact and applicability in different health settings. The final goal is to disseminate the program's resources and promote structured transition practices across the country.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic disease causing recurrent respiratory tract infections. Viral respiratory tract infections are more severe in CF. The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) was seen in Turkey on March 11, 2020, and nationwide school closure and lockdown were implemented. School closure and home confinement might have adverse effects on children's physical and mental health. In this study, we aimed to compare the effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic on psychological reactions of CF patients and healthy controls. Methods: This is a controlled cross‐sectional study including 7–18‐year‐old children with CF. The survey included questions regarding family environment and peer relations, self‐care, and psychological reactions to the COVID‐19 pandemic. The questionnaire was administered to children via telephone calls under parental supervision. Results: We evaluated 132 CF patients and 135 of their healthy peers. Mean age was 11.5 ± 2.9 years in the CF group and 11.8 ± 3.2 years in the control group ( P = 0.98). There were 55 girls (41.7%) in the CF group and 81 girls (60%) in the control group ( P = 0.027). The socioeconomic status of their families was similar. The CF patients were found to be less anxious for family members at risk of COVID‐19, less upset about school closure, and less anxious about the COVID‐19 pandemic ( P < 0.001, 0.02, 0.01, respectively). Conclusions: Cystic fibrosis patients seem to show more resilience in coping with the pandemic. Appropriate psychological support should be provided to them and resilience strategies in coping with the pandemic should be nurtured.