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Giriş: Bu çalışmada, obstrüktif uyku apne sendromu (OSAS)'nun değerlendirilmesinde kullanılan antropometrik ölçüm ve oranlarınülkemize ait değerlerini belirlemek istedik.Materyal ve Metod: Çok merkezli prospektif olarak planlanan çalışmamıza 13 ilimizde yer alan, akredite olmuş 20 uyku merkezikatıldı. OSAS semptomları olan ve polisomnografik inceleme ile apne-hipopne indeksi (AHİ) ≥ 5 bulunan olgular OSAS çalışmagrubu; AHİ < 5 ve STOP-Bang < 2 olan olgular ise kontrol grubu olarak alındı. Olgulara ait demografik özellikler [yaş, cinsiyet, bedenkitle indeksi (BKİ)] ve antropometrik ölçümler (boyun, bel ve kalça çevresi, bel/kalça oranları) kaydedildi.Bulgular: Çalışmaya 20 merkezden yaş ortalaması 50.50 ± 0.21 yıl olan 2684 (%81.3’ü OSAS’lı) olgu alındı. Olgular, ülkemizin altıcoğrafi bölgesinden (Akdeniz, Doğu Anadolu, Ege, İç Anadolu, Karadeniz ve Marmara Bölgesi) alındı. Olguların demografik özellikleri ve antropometrik ölçümleri; kontrol grubuna göre karşılaştırıldığında yaş, boyun, bel, kalça çevresi ve bel/kalça oranları ve BKİözellikleri; bölgelere göre karşılaştırıldığında ise yaş, boyun, bel, kalça çevresi ve bel/kalça oranları istatistiksel olarak farklı bulundu(sırasıyla p< 0.001, p< 0.001, p< 0.05). Cinsiyetlere göre karşılaştırıldığında yaş, boyun ve kalça çevresi, bel/kalça oranı, boy, kilo veBKİ özellikleri istatistiksel olarak farklı idi (sırasıyla, p< 0.001). Boyun çevresi ve bel/kalça oranı sırasıyla erkeklerde 42.58 ± 0.10 cm(cut-off 41; duyarlılık %61.2; özgüllük %68.3), 0.99 ± 0.002 (cut-off 0.97; duyarlılık %56.4; özgüllük %54.3); kadınlarda 39.24 ±0.16 cm (cut-off 37; duyarlılık %66.5; özgüllük %63.4), 0.93 ± 0.004 (cut-off 0.89; duyarlılık %70.9; özgüllük %49.5) bulundu.OSAS fenotipleri; klasik OSAS, okült OSAS, REM bağımlı OSAS, pozisyon bağımlı OSAS, REM ve pozisyon bağımlı OSAS, overlapsendromu ve kompleks uyku apne sendromu olarak belirtildi. OSAS fenotiplerine göre karşılaştırıldığında yaş, boyun ve kalça çevresi,boy, kilo ve BKİ özellikleri istatistiksel olarak farklı iken (sırasıyla, p< 0.001) bel/kalça oranı farklı bulunmadı.Sonuç: Boyun çevresi erkeklerde standart değerin altında iken, kadınlarda üstünde bulundu. Bel/kalça oranı hem erkeklerde hem dekadınlarda ideal ölçülerin üzerinde idi. Bu bağlamda ülke değerlerinin tespiti OSAS olasılığı olan hastaların belirlenmesini ve polisomnografi için uyku merkezlerine yönlendirilmesini sağlayacaktır.

Postoperative pleural effusions are common in patients who undergo cardiac surgery and orthotopic heart transplant. Postoperative pleural effusions may also occur as postcardiac injury syndrome. Most of these effusions are nonspecific and develop as a harmless complication of the surgical procedure itself and generally have a benign course. Here, we investigated the cause and clinical and laboratory features of postoperative early and late pleural effusions in orthotopic heart transplant patients.We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 50 patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplant between 2004 and 2015 at Baskent University. Patient demographics and clinical and laboratory data, including cause of heart failure, presence of pleural effusions at chest radiography in the first year after transplant, timing of onset, microbiologic and biochemical analyses of pleural effusions, and treatment strategies were noted.Mean age of patients was 39.22 ± 13.83 years (39 men, 11 women). Reason for heart failure was dilated cardiomyopathy in most patients (76%). Nineteen patients (38%) had postoperative pleural effusions, with 15 patients (78.9%) with pleural effusion during the first week after transplant. Of these, 4 patients had recurrent pleural effusion. A diagnostic thoracentesis was performed in 10 patients, with 4 showing transudative effusion and 6 showing exudative effusion secondary to infection (2 patients), postcardiac injury syndrome (1 patient), and hemothorax (3 patients). Aspergillus fumigatus was detected by quantitative culture from pleural effusion in 1 patient. Tube thoracoscopy drainage was performed in 10 patients (25%), and 2 patients received antibiotic therapy.Pleural effusions are frequent after cardiac transplant. Complications may occur in a small portion of patients, with most effusions being nonspecific and having a benign course with spontaneous resolution. Early diagnostic thoracentesis could improve postoperative outcomes in these patients.

Systemic infection is among the common complications after solid-organ transplant and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Because it has prognostic significance, timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial. Procalcitonin is a propeptide of calcitonin and has been increasingly used as a biomarker of bacterial infection. Here, we investigated procalcitonin's role in identifying infectious complications in solid-organ transplant recipients.We retrospectively evaluated the records of 86 adult patients who underwent solid-organ transplant (between 2011 and 2015) with procalcitonin levels determined at our center. Clinical and demographic variables and laboratory data were noted. Relation between C-reactive protein and procalcitonin serum levels were compared in patients who were diagnosed as having pneumonia on clinical, microbiologic, and radiologic findings.Mean age of our patients was 45.5 ± 13.4 years (range, 18-70 y), with 61 male patients (70.9%). We included 26 liver, 44 kidney, 14 heart, and 2 heart and renal transplant recipients. Procalcitonin was positive in 43 patients (50%). Of the 39 patients who were diagnosed with pneumonia, procalcitonin was positive in 18 patients (46.2%). There was a significant correlation between serum levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (r = 0.45; P.001) and neutrophil count (r = 0.24; P = .025). There was no correlation between mortality and procalcitonin level, CRP level, or leukocyte count (P.05).Our findings indicate that procalcitonin is a promising biomarker to detect infectious complications in transplant recipients. Physical examination and radiologic findings of bacterial pneumonia may be nonspecific, and in a considerable number of immunocompromised patients the site of infection could not be identified. Serum levels of procalcitonin should not be used as sole criteria for clinical decision making; however, it can guide us in therapy of such conditions in addition to currently used serum markers of infection.

Pulmonary hypertension is a common finding in chronic liver disease patients that has prognostic significance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence and severity of pulmonary hypertension in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant. We also evaluated pulmonary artery pressure changes after transplant surgery.The records of adult patients with chronic liver disease who underwent orthotopic liver transplant at our center between 2004 and 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. Clinical and demographic variables and laboratory data were noted. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiographic examination reports were obtained. Using continuous-wave Doppler examination, systolic pulmonary artery pressure values were calculated. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as systolic pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 30 mm Hg. Among 208 adult patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplant, 203 who had Doppler echocardiographic examination were enrolled.The mean age of patients was 42.1 ± 14.1 years (range, 16-67 y), and 143 (70.4%) were men. During preoperative assessment, pulmonary hypertension was identified in 47 patients (23.2%), of whom 10 displayed systolic pulmonary artery pressure50 mm Hg. Compared with preoperative values of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (46.8 ± 8.4 mm Hg), a significant reduction in mean values (to 39.3 ± 13.3 mm Hg) was observed postoperatively (P = .007).The findings of this study indicate that pulmonary hypertension is a common finding in adult chronic liver disease patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant. A significant improvement occurs in systolic pulmonary artery pressure values following transplant surgery. Regarding the prevalence and prognostic significance of pulmonary hypertension, all patients with chronic liver disease should be evaluated with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography before transplant.

Heart transplant is the best treatment for end-stage heart failure. Respiratory insufficiency after heart transplant is a potentially serious complication. Pulmonary complications, pulmonary hypertension, allograft failure or rejection, and structural heart defects in the donor heart are among the causes of hypoxemia after transplant. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of hypoxemia and respiratory insufficiency in patients with orthotopic heart transplant during the early postoperative period.We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 45 patients who had received orthotopic heart transplant at our center. Clinical and demographic variables and laboratory data were noted. Oxygen saturation values from patients in the first week and the first month after transplant were analyzed. We also documented the cause of respiratory insufficiency and the type of treatment.Mean age was 35.3 ± 15.3 years (range, 12-61 y), with males comprising 32 of 45 patients (71.1%). Two patients had mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 1 had asthma. Twenty-five patients (55.6%) had a history of smoking. Respiratory insufficiency was noted in 9 patients (20%) during the first postoperative week. Regarding cause, 5 of these patients (11.1%) had pleural effusion, 2 (4.4%) had atelectasis, 1 (2.2%) had pneumonia, and 1 (2.2%) had acute renal failure. Therapies administered to patients with respiratory insufficiency were as follows: 5 patients had oxygen therapy with nasal canula/mask, 3 patients had continuous positive airway pressure, and 1 patient had mechanical ventilation. One month after transplant, 2 patients (4.4%) had respiratory insufficiency 1 (2.2%) due to pleural effusion and 1 (2.2%) due to atelectasis.Respiratory insufficiency is a common complication in the first week after orthotopic heart transplant. Identification of the underlying cause is an important indicator for therapy. With appropriate care, respiratory insufficiency can be treated successfully.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the rate of occurrence and features of pleural effusion in patients referred to our institution for liver transplant.This study included 135 patients (43 women, 92 men) with a mean age of 40 years (range, 16-66 y). Patient characteristics such as history of pulmonary disease and types of respiratory symptoms were recorded. The chest radiographs of every study patient were examined.Of the 135 study patients, 16 (11.9%) had respiratory symptoms upon admission to the hospital, and 49 (36.3%) had abnormalities on their chest radiographs. The most common radiographic abnormality was elevated right hemidiaphragm in 32 patients (23.7%), followed by pleural effusion in 22 (16.2%), atelectasis in 21 (15.5%), hilar enlargement in 18 (13.3%), and elevated left hemidiaphragm in 9 (6.6%). Seventeen of 22 patients (77.3%) had right pleural effusion, 4 (18.2%) had bilateral, and 1 (4.5%) had left pleural effusion. Of the 10 patients undergoing thoracentesis, 9 had transudates and 1 had an exudate.Preoperative pleural effusion is a common problem in patients who are candidates for a liver transplant. Most of these patients have right transudative pleural effusion.

Pulmonary complications are a leading problem after a liver transplant. This study sought to predict postoperative early complications by a chest radiograph performed after a transplant among adult orthotopic liver transplant recipients.One hundred thirty-five patients (43 women, 92 men; mean age, 40 y; range, 16-66 y) were included and their medical data reviewed retrospectively. A postoperative chest radiograph of each patient was evaluated to check for pulmonary complications.Smoking history was noted in 61 patients (45.2%). Postoperative first chest radiograph evaluation showed normal findings in 56 patients (41.5%). Right pleural effusion was found in 25 patients (18.5%), and atelectasis was found in 25 (18.5%). Bilateral pleural effusion was the second most-frequent finding on postoperative radiograph (14.8%). Effusion accompanied by atelectasis was found in 3 patients (2.2%). Other postoperative chest radiograph findings were consolidation (n=2, 1.5%), left pleural effusion (n=2, 1.5%), and bronchiectasis (n=2, 1.5%).We investigated the reflection of the first chest radiograph after liver transplant on postoperative early complications. Postoperative first chest radiograph can be an inexpensive and accessible diagnostic tool for predicting postoperative problems.