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.

Aluminum phosphide (AlP) is a commonly used cheap rodenticide, insecticide, and fumigant. Most intoxications in the literature are suicidal ingestions, however, AlP may cause incidental inhalational toxicities as well. After ingestion or inhalation, nausea, vomiting, dyspnea and abdominal pain develops within minutes. Hallmark of toxicity is refractory hypotension, cardiac failure and severe metabolic acidosis developing within a matter of hours are the major cause of mortality. In Turkey, AlP tablets are widely accessible and are sold without any restrictions. However, there are few local case reports in the literature. Additionally, incidental AlP intoxications are rarely reported. Herein, we present a 25-year-old male patient incidentally poisoned with AlP. He was found unconscious in a grain storage unit protected by aluminum phosphide tablets. He had hypotension and tachycardia. Arterial blood gas analysis did not reveal metabolic acidosis. He was quickly intubated and admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Supportive care crystalloid solution, n-acetyl cysteine and norepinephrine infusion was administered. After 36 hours, he was extubated and discharged without any complications. There is no specific antidote or treatment for AlP toxicity. Literature is controversial regarding treatment approach. Inhalational toxicity may occur under extreme conditions, as presented in this case report. Preventive strategies should be considered to reduce incidents. Clinicians should also be aware that AlP is a widely available and highly toxic compound that has no specific antidote and toxicity needs to be urgently treated with best supportive care.

Further diagnostic procedures are necessary for patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO) and unknown cause of inflammation (inflammation of unknown origin - IUO) for the identification of the definitive diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution and roles of F-18 FDG PET/CT (fluoro-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography) in the diagnostic process of patients with FUO/IUO. The data of 58 patients who had F-18 FDG PET/CT scans for FUO/IUO were re-evaluated retrospectively. The relationships between definitive diagnosis and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake and SUVmax (maximum standardized uptake value) were examined. Rheumatic disease was diagnosed in 26 patients (44.5%), malignancy in 20 patients (34.5%), and infectious diseases in six patients (10.3%). The most prevalent rheumatic disease in patients with FUO/IUO was systemic vasculitis (n:10, 17.2%), especially large vessel vasculitis. There were 37 patients (63.7%) with clinically significant true positive fluorodeoxyglucose uptake. True positive fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was significantly higher in patients diagnosed with malignancy (85%, 17/20 patients) compared to other diagnoses. Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake above physiological levels was determined in 15 of the 26 patients (57.6%) diagnosed with rheumatic diseases. The results of this study showed that F-18 FDG PET/CT is a useful imaging modality in FUO/IUO patients, who present a challenging diagnostic process for clinicians. In addition to malignancies, the presence of chronic inflammatory diseases, especially early period systemic vasculitis, were diagnosed in these patients.

Clinicians should know the frequency and resistance patterns of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections (UTI) to provide patients with appropriate treatment and antibiotic management. However, the frequency of culture reproducing organisms and resistance patterns change in each community. Therefore, these data must be determined locally to make better treatment decisions. Herein, we aimed to determine the frequency of UTI-causing agents and current antimicrobial resistance profiles in outpatients attending our hospital. This retrospective descriptive study included three hundred eight outpatients attending under the diagnosis of UTI between March and October 2020 who had a positive urine culture for bacterial growth. Age, sex, laboratory tests, urinalysis results, microorganisms grown in urine culture, and antibiograms were evaluated from the patients' medical records. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) for Windows. In urine culture results, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella species are the most commonly detected agents. The growth in 71 (23%) of the 308 cultures was extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positive. In the E. coli growths, the susceptibility rates to fosfomycin, gentamicin, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ampicillin were 95.2%, 90.3%, 95.3%, 76.8%, and 49.3%, respectively. The susceptibility of Klebsiella species to gentamicin was as high as 93.7%, similar to that of E. coli, whereas its susceptibility rates to fosfomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and nitrofurantoin were lower than those of E. coli (76.1%, 48.4%, and 68.4%, respectively). Of the 71 ESBL-positive growths, 52 were E. coli (17.3% of all UTIs), and 14 were Klebsiella species (4.6% of all UTIs). Of the ESBL-positive strains, 88.7%, 81%, and 76.1% were susceptible to fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin, respectively, and 64.9% and 45.7% were sensitive to cefoxitin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. UTIs are among the most common causes of hospital admission and infections for which empirical antibiotic administration is initiated. The increasing rates of ESBL positivity and resistance to antibiotics such as ampicillin, cephalosporins, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and quinolones, especially in E. coli and Klebsiella strains, which are the most common pathological agents of UTI in our region, have limited the use of these treatments. However, the high susceptibility of E. Coli growths to fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin and susceptibility of Klebsiella growths to gentamicin may make these antibiotics stand out as suitable options for the empirical treatment of UTI in our setting.