Introduction. This study aimed to examine the incidence of incidental papillary microcarcinoma (PMC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in patients with benign multinodular goiter (MNG) and to compare their relationship with some prognostic factors from a new perspective. Methods. Bilateral total thyroidectomy (BTT) was used to evaluate the data of 716 patients who underwent a surgery for MNG. The prognostic data for these tumors and the relationship between patients with bilateral and multifocal tumors were evaluated using statistical tests. Results. Papillary carcinomas were detected in 201 patients, PMC in 134 of them, and PTCs in 67. Bilaterality was more common in patients with PTCs than in those with PMC. The incidence of bilaterality in male patients with PTC was statistically more common. The presence of intra‐tumoral lymphocytes was higher in multifocal PTC cases than in unifocal PTC cases. Conclusion. The results revealed that the number of PMC s was high in incidental tumors, and patients with PTC with male sex, bilaterality, multifocality, and tumor capsule invasion were associated with poor prognosis.

The evidence on the waning protection of COVID-19 vaccines has been reviewed by the World Health Organization and has led to consideration of the need for booster doses. This study aimed to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19, and the COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers who received various types (inactive or m-RNA) and doses (2 to 4 doses) of the COVID-19 vaccine. The study was conducted with a total of 3,009 healthcare workers between August 1 and November 30, 2021 at a university hospital. Six different vaccination statuses were evaluated in the study. The effectiveness for COVID-19 infection, after adjusting for age, sex, and position, was highest in those who received two doses of CoronaVac and two doses of BNT162b2 (89.3%, 95% CI 72.2-95.9%) and was lowest in those who received two doses of CoronaVac (29%, 95% CI - 8-53%). The adjusted effectiveness of two doses of CoronaVac for COVID-19 infection was not significant (21.0%, 95% CI - 20.7-48.3%) but increased significantly with a booster dose of CoronaVac or BNT162b2. One or two doses of the BNT162b2 booster demonstrated higher effectiveness in comparison to a single dose of the CoronaVac booster. These results indicate the need for a booster dose, and heterologous boosting with BNT162b2 may be a better option for higher effectiveness for those who received two doses of CoronaVac. Future studies should evaluate the need for further booster doses and their long-term effects.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the level of improvement in blood gas parameters in the first hours of age and normal and diffusion-restriction brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: The study is a retrospective cohort study. Cases of the diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who received therapeutic hypothermia in our unit between January 2022 and January 2024 were included in the study. Clinical findings, blood gas values (first, cord; second, first hours of age; third, 24th hour of age), and MRI results were recorded from the case files and compared between normal and diffusion-restricted brain MRI groups. Results: Diffusion-restricted brain MRI was detected in 10 out of a total of 19 cases. The 5-minute Apgar score was lower (p=0.038) and mechanical ventilator support was higher (P=.003) in the diffusion-restricted MRI group than in the normal MRI group. The relationship was shown between high base excess (P=.022) in cord blood gas, low HCO₃ (p=0.025) in the 24th hour blood gas, and convulsion (P=.033) in the diffusion-restricted MRI group. Additionally, it was found that only the improvement level of the pH value in the first hour of age was significant (P=.025) in the diffusion-restricted brain MRI group than in the normal MRI group. Conclusion: We showed that there was a relationship between diffusion-restricted brain MRI and the improvement level in the pH value in the first hours of age of patients diagnosed with HIE who received treatment for therapeutic hypothermia. Cite this article as: Yilmaz A, Uygur A, Celik B, Metin Akdag A, Baser D, Ipek Ozturk S. The relationship between the improvement level in blood gas parameters in time and brain MRI findings in newborns with the diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2024;59(6):553-559.