Turk J Med Sci
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The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique challenge to the care of patients with hematological malignancies. We aim to provide supportive guidance to clinicians making individual patients decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular during periods that access to healthcare resources may be limited. ⋯ This review also provides recommendations, which are convenient in evaluating indications for therapy, reducing therapy-associated immunosuppression, and reducing healthcare utilization in patients with specific hematological malignancies in the COVID-19 era. Specific decisions regarding treatment of hematological malignancies will need to be individualized, based on disease risk, risk of immunosuppression, rates of community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and available local healthcare resources.
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Children on dialysis are under increased risk of influenza and invasive pneumococcal disease. Although vaccination against these microorganisms are recommended in dialysis patients and despite the fact that these vaccines can reduce disease burden and rates of hospitalization due to infection, vaccination rates are below expected and desired. We aimed to evaluate influenza and pneumococcal vaccination and infection rates in European pediatric dialysis centers. ⋯ Although influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are highly recommended in pediatric dialysis patients, vaccination rates were lower than expected. Pneumococcal vaccination rates were higher in PD compared to the patients on HD. The rate of children with influenza infection was higher than pneumonia. The efficacy of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines was highlighted by the low infection rates. Higher pneumonia rates in patients vaccinated against pneumococcus compared to unvaccinated ones might be due to coexisting risk factors.
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As the number of case reports related to the new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) increases, knowledge of and experience with the virus and its complications also increase. Pleural complications are one relevant issue. We aimed in this study to analyze pleural complications, such as pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and empyema, in patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. ⋯ The mortality rate is very high in patients with pleural complications of COVID-19 pneumonia. Pneumothorax is a fatal complication in critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.
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It is known that the increased growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have mitogenic and antiapoptotic properties in breast cells in acromegaly. Our study aims to evaluate breast findings in patients with acromegaly by comparing them to the control group. ⋯ Benign and malign breast lesions were found out to be similar to the control group, although breast density rate was detected to be higher in acromegaly patients. A regular follow-up is required in these patients via suitable breast visualization techniques considering their age and clinical status due to mass formation risk derived from increased GH level and extreme breast density despite the absence of any detected breast lesion frequency in acromegaly patients.
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This meta-analysis comprehensively investigated the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). ⋯ Treatment of IMN with RTX has comparable efficacy to other immunosuppressive treatments (ISTs). RTX has the advantages of no requirement for steroids and lower rates adverse event and relapse rates. Patients who relapse or are resistant to other IST agents also respond to RTX. RTX-based regimens and other B-cell-targeted therapies may represent the future of IMN therapy.