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Objective: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic mentioned some disease-specific problems related to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This study determined problems faced by patients using positive airway pressure (PAP) devices due to OSAS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Patients with OSAS using PAP were retrospectively identified. The cases that were contacted by phone were invited to complete the survey. Patients who agreed to participate in the study were asked whether the pandemic process affected their daily lives, OSAS treatment and PAP device use, and their responses were recorded. Results: Fifty patients (37 men/13 women) included in this study. Eleven cases had a history of COVID-19 infection; however, the disease symptoms were not severe in any case. Half of the patients reported that daily living was moderately or severely affected during the pandemic. Eight patients experienced problems with their PAP devices, five patients started to use the PAP devices irregularly during the pandemic, and 10 cases completely stopped using them. Conclusion: A significant portion of the patients experienced serious problems with PAP devices and the daily living activities were affected in half of the them during the pandemic. However, the follow-up and treatment services for many chronic diseases, as for OSAS, have been interrupted in this period that obligate the patients to handle their condition on their own. To provide continuous and adequate health care for OSAS patients under similar conditions in the future, it may be beneficial to establish widespread remote telecommunication systems in advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: The late-term neurological effects of COVID-19 are not fully understood yet. Herein, we aimed to determine if COVID-19-related acute and late-term neurological symptoms exist in the patient group that differs from the general population during the pandemic period. Methods: Two hundred fifty patients with a history of COVID-19, whose treatments were completed at least one month before enrollment, were examined together with a control group consisting of 150 individuals that lived in the same socio-cultural environment during the same period. A survey that included questions about possible neurological symptoms that might be related to the COVID-19 infection was completed in both groups. Results: The patient and control groups were mostly similar regarding the neurological symptoms in the pre-pandemic period. The control group did not report any new symptoms except ageusia during the pandemic period. Whereas a number of neurological symptoms such as headache, ageusia and anosmia, difficulty in thinking and planning, forgetfulness, clumsiness of one or both hands, dizziness, unsteadiness, numbness in both hands and feet, and neuropathic pain occurred during the infection. Neurological symptoms, except headache and unsteadiness, prolonged to the late-term with a decreased prevalence. Conclusion: The emergence of new neurological symptoms during the pandemic in those with COVID-19 disease, unlike the control group, suggested that these symptoms are related to the infection itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]