Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, has the potential to induce the formation of antibodies that target self-antigens. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), the most common type of autoantibody, in both healthy individuals and those recovered from COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective study involved 400 participants (200 with COVID-19 and 200 healthy controls), aged 18 to 60 years, without any chronic diseases, including autoimmune conditions. Analyses were performed using three different ANA ELISA test kits (anti-dsDNA, anti-ENA, and anti-Hep-2 nucleus tests) that were developed and validated. Results: Among the 200 healthy individuals, 38 (19%) tested positive for dsDNA, 37 (18.5%) for ENA, and 30 (15%) for Hep-2 nucleus antibodies. The rates of ANA positivity were significantly higher in individuals with COVID-19, with 97 (48.5%) positive for dsDNA, 81 (40.5%) for ENA, and 84 (42%) for Hep-2 nucleus antibodies (p < 0.05). Conclusion: One in every two to three individuals with COVID-19 exhibited ANA positivity, indicating that the SARS-CoV-2 virus poses a significant risk regarding autoimmunity. Furthermore, the incidence of ANA in healthy individuals was observed to be higher than the literature average.

Objective: SARS-CoV-2 infection induces virus-specific antibody production, and in some cases, these antibodies may cross-react with self-antigens, contributing to the development of autoantibodies. This raises the possibility that the magnitude of the antibody response may be associated with the emergence of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and ANA positivity. Materials and Methods: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit with a dynamic range of 1–475 RU/mL. The positivity threshold was 10 RU/mL, and high SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels were defined as >235 RU/mL (>75% Bo/B in the calibration curve). Samples from individuals with chronic diseases were excluded. Because the number of highly positive samples was limited, these samples were identified first, and negative and moderately positive groups were then formed through random selection. Antinuclear antibodies, including anti–double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), anti–extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA), and anti–HEp-2 nucleus antibodies, were measured using commercial ELISA kits. Results: A total of 1222 samples were screened. After excluding 246 samples, 976 remained eligible. The mean ANA levels and positivity rates for the negative, positive, and high-positive groups were as follows: dsDNA, 0.75 (14.9%), 0.55 (7.5%), 0.85 (29.9%); ENA, 0.75 (14.9%), 0.55 (7.5), 0.85 (29.9%); and Hep-2 nucleus, 0.75 (14.9%), 0.55 (7.5%), 0.85 (29.9%). The high-positive group had significantly higher ANA levels and ANA positivity rates compared with the negative and moderate-positive groups (p<0.001). Notably, the moderately positive group had lower ANA levels and positivity rates than the negative group (p<0.001). Conclusion: The findings suggest that ANA production may increase in individuals with a very high SARS-CoV-2 antibody response, while lower ANA levels were observed in those with a moderate antibody response. These results indicate that the relationship between virus-specific antibody magnitude and autoantibody development is more complex than expected. Given the clinical and immunological implications, further comprehensive studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Amaç: Bu çalışma hemşirelik öğrencilerinin ruhsal sağlık, yorgunlukve uyku kaliteleri arasındaki ilişkiyi ve etkileyen faktörleri belirlemek amacı ile yapılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışma tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel olarak yapılmıştır. Çalışmanın evreni 247 hemşirelik öğrencisidir. Örneklem 230 öğrencidir. Verilerin toplanmasında sosyo-demografik özellikler, Genel Sağlık Anketi, Yorgunluk Şiddet Ölçeği ve ve Pittsburgh Uyku Kalitesi İndeksi kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Mann-Whitney U testi, Kruskal-Wallis ve Spearman korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Öğrencilerin yaş ortalamaları 21.4±3.6 idi. Yüzde 9.6’sının kronik hastalığı bulunmaktaydı. Hiç sigara içmeyen öğrenci oranı %52.6; uyku düzeni olmayan öğrenci oranı ise % 52.2 idi. Kronik hastalığı olan ve düzensiz uykusu olan öğrencilerin genel sağlık ölçeği puan ortalaması anlamlı olarak yüksekti (p

Introduction: Virtual reality (VR) technologies utilizing three‐dimensional (3D) sound may offer sensually engaging imitations. Thus, they may lead to relaxation or may provide a way of escaping from disturbing life events. As they have the potential to manage stress, the current study aimed to investigate the effects of VR 3D sounds on the stress axes of the body, namely the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal (HPA).Methods: Participants (19 men and 27 women, mean age 25.8 ± 10.4 years), wearing on‐ear headphones, did not listen to anything (control) or listened to a mono or 3D sound imitating a real‐life situation taking place in a virtual barbershop. The control phase was immediately followed by mono or 3D phases. Half of the participants in mono and 3D phases were crossed, with 45 min intervals, to control the effect of time and habituation. Reactivity of ANS and HPA was measured by heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary cortisol measurements, respectively. HRV was measured during each phase by a 5‐min continuous electrocardiogram recording. Salivary samples were taken during control recording and 15‐min after mono or 3D sound listening. HRV parameters consisted of both time‐ and frequency‐domain parameters, including standard deviation of R–R interval (SDNN), total power (TP), and low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF), as a measure for sympathovagal activity.Results: Compared to the control phase, the 3D sound increased almost all HRV parameters (including SDNN, TP, LF/HF, etc., p < 0.05) but did not affect salivary cortisol levels (p > 0.05). Effects of mono sound were in between the control and 3D sound phases.Conclusion: It seems that a 3D sound imitating a real‐life environment does not affect HPA but increases HRV and sympathovagal balance, suggesting that VR 3D sound is likely to reproduce an ANS response observed in real life.