Acute Scrotum (AS) is defined as pain associated with swelling and redness of the scrotum. This study investigates the hemogram and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) values obtained from patients diagnosed with AS, based on the hypothesis that blood parameters can be used as biomarkers in the diagnosis of Testicular Torsion (TT). The aim was to evaluate the predictability of these parameters in diagnosing AS in both pediatric and adult age groups. Demographic data and blood parameters including Hemoglobin (Hb), Platelet (PLT), CRP, and White Blood Cell (WBC) levels of patients who presented to our Emergency Department with the diagnosis of AS (TT, epididymitis, varicocele) and received medical and surgical treatment were analyzed. The importance of these parameters in diagnosis was assessed. A total of 26 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the cases was 15.8±3.6 years. 20 of the patients (76.9%) were in the pediatric age group, while 6 (23.1%) were in the adult age group. 93.1% (27) of the cases were unilateral, while 6.9% (2) had bilateral acute scrotum symptoms. The highest incidence of cases occurred in spring with 9 cases (31%), followed by winter and summer with 7 cases each (24.1%), and autumn with 6 cases (20.7%). Significant differences in age, platelet, and hemoglobin levels were observed between the pediatric and adult age groups. In conclusion, this study highlights significant age-related differences in the diagnosis and treatment of AS. The higher requirement for surgical intervention in pediatric patients further emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and timely intervention. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings and better understand the etiological differences. Additionally, a more specific analysis of blood parameters in subgroups (such as epididymitis, orchitis, TT) under the term “acute scrotum” may contribute to the literature.

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies in childhood. Its clinical management poses particular challenges in younger age groups. Blood parameters and inflammatory scoring systems have recently been investigated as promising biomarkers for prognostic prediction. However, the number of studies addressing this issue in the pediatric population remains limited. Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively, and pediatric patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis were included. Hematological parameters (WBC, HGB, NEU%, LYM, and PLT), biochemical markers (ALB, CRP, and GLC), and inflammatory indices (NLR, LAR, HALP, SII, SIRI, and WAR) were analyzed. The findings were evaluated in relation to complications (perforation, abscess, and mesenteric inflammation), length of hospital stay, and appendiceal diameter measured by ultrasonography. ROC analyses were performed to assess prognostic factors. Results: The HALP score was found to be significantly higher in patients without perforation ( p = 0.048). NEU%, NLR, and SII values were elevated in patients with abscess formation, whereas LYM, LAR, and HALP were higher in those without abscess ( p < 0.05). HGB, ALB, and HALP levels were significantly higher in patients without mesenteric inflammation, indicating an inverse relationship with the severity of inflammation. No correlation was observed between blood parameters and length of hospital stay; however, a weak but significant positive correlation was found among WBC, HGB, NEU%, NLR, SII, SIRI, and appendiceal diameter. ROC analysis demonstrated that HGB and HTC had moderate discriminative ability for mesenteric inflammation (AUC = 0.70), whereas GLC, NLR, and SII showed strong discriminative performance for abscess prediction (AUC = 0.84, 0.88, 0.93). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that HALP, NLR, and SII may hold prognostic value in pediatric patients with appendicitis. However, these parameters alone are insufficient and should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical and imaging findings. Validation of the results in larger, multicenter studies is required.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Hemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte, and Platelet (HALP) scores, the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), and the Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI) can predict intensive care unit (ICU) or inpatient admissions in pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) cases and to determine their sensitivity and specificity. Methods: This retrospective study included 39 pediatric patients (<18 years) diagnosed with DKA (pH < 7.3, HCO₃ < 15). HALP, SII, SIRI, and urine ketone values were collected from medical records. Statistical analyses included ROC curve analysis, correlation tests, and appropriate parametric or non-parametric comparisons to evaluate associations with 30-day outcomes. Results: The median age was 13 years (IQR: 8–15), 56.4% were male, and 64.1% required ICU monitoring. ICU patients had significantly lower pH (p = 0.005) and HCO₃ (p = 0.012) and significantly higher monocyte, SII, and SIRI values (all p ≤ 0.018). ROC analysis showed SIRI had the highest predictive power for ICU admission (cut-off: 3911; sensitivity: 76%; specificity: 85.7%), followed by SII. HALP scores did not demonstrate any value in assessingdisease severity for predicting ICU admission (AUC = 0.25). Conclusion: SIRI and SII are reliable predictors of ICU admission in pediatric DKA. HALP scores do not predict ICU admission and should not be considered a marker of disease severity. Incorporating SIRI and SII into clinical decision-making may improve early risk stratification. Prospective multicenter studies are warranted to validate these results.

This study aimed to evaluate cyclophosphamide-induced toxicity in rats by assessing levels of catalase (CAT), nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI). A total of 18 female Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups, with six rats in each group. The groups established were: a healthy control group (C, n=6), an ovariectomized group (O, n=6), and a group that received a single intraperitoneal (IP) dose of 200 mg/kg cyclophosphamide following ovariectomy (O+CPA, n=6). At the end of the study (24 hours after cyclophosphamide administration), the rats were euthanized via cervical dislocation under anesthesia in accordance with ethical guidelines, and blood samples were collected. Biochemical measurements (Catalase, Nitric Oxide, Total Antioxidant, and Total Oxidant) were performed on the collected blood samples. Analysis of the TAS, TOS, and OSI results revealed that TAS levels decreased, while TOS and OSI levels increased in the O+CPA group. In the O+CPA group, CAT levels decreased, whereas NO levels increased significantly. In conclusion, it has been determined that cyclophosphamide administration increases oxidative stress and impairs antioxidant defense, as evidenced by decreases in TAS and CAT levels and increases in TOS, OSI, and NO levels.

Aims/Background:Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, and early, high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is critical for survival. With increasing use of digital media, YouTube™ has become a common resource for CPR education. However, the educational quality and scientific reliability of these videos remain inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the educational quality, reliability, and technical adequacy of CPR training videos on YouTube™ using tools and an evaluation index.Methods:A total of 120 CPR-related YouTube™ videos were analyzed. Videos were assessed using four validated tools: Modified DISCERN Scale (MDS), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) scoring system, Global Quality Scale (GQS), and a newly developed evaluation index [cardiopulmonary resuscitation-video evaluation index (CPR-VEI)]. Video duration, views, likes, and uploader type were recorded, and analyses used nonparametric tests and Spearman correlation.Results:Institutionally produced videos demonstrated significantly higher view counts (p = 0.008) as well as higher JAMA (p < 0.001), CPR-VEI (p = 0.020), and MDS (p = 0.031) scores compared with individually uploaded content. Intermediate-duration videos demonstrated significantly higher CPR-VEI, GQS, and MDS scores compared with short-duration videos, while long-duration videos showed higher numbers of likes. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations between CPR-VEI and GQS and MDS scores, and a moderate positive correlation with the JAMA score.Conclusion:CPR training videos on YouTube™ exhibit substantial variability in educational quality and reliability. Institutionally produced videos demonstrated higher quality and reliability, while intermediate-duration videos showed higher educational scores and long-duration videos demonstrated greater engagement. However, popularity metrics such as views and likes did not reliably reflect educational quality. These findings support the role of guideline-based, technology-enhanced learning as an essential component of contemporary CPR education.