Background: Pressure ulcers (PUs) remain a prevalent and serious complication in palliative care settings, often resulting from a combination of immobility, systemic illness, and inadequate preventive strategies. Understanding the multifactorial risk landscape is essential for developing effective interventions. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pressure ulcers and to identify clinical and systemic risk factors associated with PU development in a palliative care population. Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted by reviewing medical records of 339 adult patients hospitalized for more than 24 h in the palliative care unit of Maltepe University Hospital between June 2021 and November 2023. Demographic data, comorbidities, Braden and Care Dependency Scale (CDS) scores, and PU characteristics were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent risk and protective factors. Results: The overall prevalence of pressure ulcers was 33.6%. A total of 385 ulcers were recorded among 114 patients, with deep tissue injury (26%) being the most common type. Significant independent risk factors included stroke (OR: 4.89), gastrointestinal diseases (OR: 8.72), paraplegia (OR: 17.65), recent confusion (OR: 148.00), hypertension (OR: 2.98), coronary artery disease (OR: 3.42), arrhythmia (OR: 3.05), and heart failure (OR: 3.88). Longer hospital stay also increased PU risk (OR: 1.04 per day). In contrast, adherence to PU prevention protocols (OR: 0.18) and complete care dependency (OR: 0.02) were significant protective factors. Conclusion: Pressure ulcers are alarmingly common in palliative care patients and are closely linked to multiple comorbid conditions. Targeted preventive measures focusing on cardiovascular and neurological stability, nutritional support, cognitive function, and strict adherence to care protocols are vital. Proactive, multidisciplinary management and individualized risk assessment should be integrated into routine care to reduce PU burden and improve patient outcomes.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate nosocomial infections (NIs) in intensive care unit (ICU) in terms of site of infection, distribution of pathogens and risk factors for developing infection. Methods: 80 patients staying for more than 48 hours in the ICU were included in the study. Epidemiologic characteristics of the patients, invasive procedures and other risk factors were noted. Cultures, identification of isolates and antibiotic susceptibility tests were made by standard microbiologic methods. Results: Of 56 patients who have developed NIs, 26 (50%) had pneumonia, 15 (28.8%) had bloodstream infections and 6 (11.5%) had urinary tract infections. Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.6%), and Acinetobacter spp. (15.6%) were the most frequently isolated microorganisms, respectively. For Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) rate was 91.6%, carbapenem resistance rate was 15.6% and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. carbapenem resistance rates were 60% and 100% respectively. Hemodialysis, enteral nutrition, total parenteral nutrition and prolonged hospitalization for more than 10 days were determined as independent risk factors for developing NI. Additionally Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, length of ICU stay and lenght of hospital stay before ICU were found to be high in the NI group. Conclusion: Pneumonia is the most common NI and carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative bacilli was remarkably high in our ICU. It was considered that infection control measures must be applied carefully, invasive procedures should be used in correct indications and we should avoid long-term hospitalization if unnecessary. J Clin Exp Invest 2015; 6 (3): 233-239 Key words: Intensive care unit, nosocomial infections, carbapenem resistance

Background: Identifying undiagnosed cases of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is important because timely recognition may help reduce the risk of associated complications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), stroke, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of MetS and obesity levels among patients attending an outpatient clinic. Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted at the outpatient clinics of Istanbul, Maltepe University Hospital, Türkiye, between January 2018 and December 2019, involving adults between the ages of 18 and 70. Demographic and lifestyle information (age, sex, marital status, education, employment, smoking, and comorbidities) was collected through a structured questionnaire. Weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were recorded for all participants. Body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride levels, extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) profiles, and fluorescent antinuclear antibody (FANA) levels were assessed. The Turkish Endocrinology and Metabolism Society’s criteria were used to diagnose MetS. Results: Of the 504 study participants, 55.9% ( n = 282) were female, with a mean age of 52.2 ± 10.8 years. The overall prevalence of MetS was 32.7% ( n = 165), with 32.9% ( n = 93) in females and 32.4% ( n = 72) in males. Despite similar MetS rates between sexes, lower education and unemployment were associated with higher prevalence. High BMI and a high prevalence of obesity were associated with MetS. Key indicators for MetS diagnosis among participants included weight, height, triglyceride, and HDL levels. The relationship between ENA profiles, FANA levels, and MetS showed significance upon analysis. Conclusion: In this study, one‐third of adults were diagnosed with MetS, with no significant difference in overall prevalence between sexes. Men had lower HDL‐C and higher triglycerides, while women showed higher abdominal obesity. In addition, 15.5% of participants were positive for ENA and FANA antibodies despite no clinical autoimmune disease. Socioeconomic disparities, including lower education and unemployment, were also associated with higher MetS prevalence. These findings highlight the importance of integrating both sex‐related and socioeconomic factors into targeted screening strategies.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the level of trust in medical information shared on social media among different professional groups in the healthcare field, and to examine how this trust varies by age, gender, and professional role. Material and Methods: A total of 350 participants, including 200 medical students, 75 pharmacists, 75 nurses, and 50 physicians, were included in this cross-sectional survey study. The 30-item questionnaire covered demographics, usage patterns, trust, and misinformation. Exploratory factor analysis identified a nine-item Trust and Attitudes toward Online Medical Information Scale (TAOMIS) with acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s α=0.742). Scores (1–4) were rescaled to 0–100. Results: All respondents reported daily social media use. Students and nurses more often spent >2 hours/day, while physicians and pharmacists used 1–2 hours (p

Behcet's disease is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder that is characterized by recurrent oral and genital aphthous ulcers, skin lesions, uveitis, as well as the involvement of different organs, including the central nervous system (CNS) [1]. Neurological manifestations, better known as neuro-Behcet's (NB), occur in about 5-10% of cases, ranging from headaches and impaired cognition to severe neurological deficits [2,3]. This case report describes a unique case of neuro-Behcet's disease in a patient with substance use in the background, and it adds to knowledge while enhancing further understanding of this complex interplay and its implications regarding management

Background: Pancreatic atrophy (PA) is a progressive reduction in pancreatic parenchymal volume, accompanied by acinar cell loss, fibrosis, and fatty infiltration. It is an important radiological marker of glandular damage associated with physiological aging, chronic inflammatory diseases, and metabolic disturbances, such as diabetes mellitus and obesity. However, PA is still reported mainly using subjective terms, which leads to inter-observer variability and limits reliable clinical correlation and longitudinal follow-up. Purpose: This study aimed to introduce and validate the İstanbul Morphometric Pancreatic Atrophy Classification (IM-PAC), a four-tier morphometric grading system based on CT and MRI measurements, and to evaluate its association with graded CP severity features (CP). Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, 280 abdominal CT and MRI examinations performed in 2023 were analyzed. Pancreatic head, body, and tail thicknesses were measured at standardized anatomical landmarks. Chronic pancreatitis (CP)–related imaging features were graded using predefined ordinal severity scales for ductal abnormalities and MRI-defined fibrosis. Analyses used true modality-specific denominators (CT n = 168; MRI n = 112). Inter-observer reproducibility was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and quadratic weighted Cohen’s kappa. Results: IM-PAC grades were distributed as Grade 0 (n = 54, 19.3%), Grade 1 (n = 119, 42.5%), Grade 2 (n = 93, 33.2%), and Grade 3 (n = 14, 5.0%). Increasing IM-PAC grade was significantly and monotonically associated with ductal abnormality severity (Spearman ρ = 0.52, p < 0.001) and MRI-defined fibrosis severity (ρ = 0.48, p < 0.001). Calcifications assessed in the CT subgroup (n = 168) showed progressive enrichment across grades (p < 0.001). Inter-observer agreement was excellent for thickness measurements (ICC = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.84–0.92) and substantial for ordinal ductal and fibrosis grading (weighted κ = 0.81 and 0.78, respectively). Conclusion: By integrating severity-based CP grading, IM-PAC provides a reproducible and clinically relevant morphometric framework for quantifying pancreatic atrophy.