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Esra Ertan Yazar,1 Tevfik Özlü,2 Muzaffer Sarıaydın,3 Mahşuk Taylan,4 Aydanur Ekici,5 Derya Aydın,6 İbrahim Güven Coşgun,7 Nagihan Durmuş Koçak8 On behalf of the COHOV Study Group 1Department of Pulmonology, Yedikule Chest Disease and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Department of Pulmonology, School of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey; 3Department of Pulmonology, School of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, Turkey; 4Department of Pulmonology, School of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Turkey; 5Department of Pulmonology, School of Medicine, Kırıkkale University, Kırıkkale, Turkey; 6Department of Pulmonology, Balıkesir Chest Disease Government Hospital, Balıkesir, Turkey; 7Department of Pulmonology, Afyonkarahisar Government Hospital, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey; 8Department of Pulmonology, Sureyyapasa Chest Disease and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey Background: Domiciliary noninvasive ventilation (NIV) use in stable hypercarbic COPD is becoming increasingly widespread. However, treatment compliance criteria and factors related to compliance remain to be defined. Methods: This research was designed as a prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter real-life study. Chronic hypercapnic COPD patients who were using domiciliary NIV for at least 1 year and being followed up in 19 centers across Turkey were included in the study. The patients who used NIV regularly, night or daytime and ≥5 hours/d, were classified as “high-compliance group,” and patients who used NIV irregularly and

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 is an ongoing disease with high morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate the relationship between demographics, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and the coronavirus disease 2019 severity at hospital admission., Material and Methods: A retrospective, observational cross-sectional study was carried out with 5828 coronavirus disease 2019 patients between March 11, 2020, and November 30, 2020. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to where they were followed up as an indicator of disease severity, namely outpatients, inpatients, and critically ill patients. The patients' demographics and hemogram values on admission were recorded. The predictive accuracies of lymphocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, eosinophil count, and eosinophil percentage for predicting severity were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict intensive care unit demand according to lymphocyte and eosinophil values., Results: Of the 5828 coronavirus disease 2019 patients, 4050 were followed up as outpatients, 1581 were hospitalized in a ward, and 197 were hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Lymphocyte count and lymphocyte percentage were significantly different between the groups, but the difference for eosinophil count and eosinophil percentage was not significant as it was for lymphocytes. Cutoff values for lymphocyte count (1.0 × 109 /L), lymphocyte percentage (22%), eosinophil count (0.052 × 109 /L), and eosinophil percentage (0.08%) were found to indicate a high risk for intensive care unit admission. Coronavirus disease 2019 patients >55 years of age, with a lymphocyte count <1.0 × 109 /L, a lymphocyte percentage <22%, and an eosinophil percentage <0.08% had a 2-fold higher risk of requiring intensive care unit management., Conclusion: Lymphocyte counts and percentages are quick and reliable biomarkers for predicting coronavirus disease 2019 severity and may guide physicians for proper management earlier.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been used in acute pulmonary thromboembolism as an alternative to warfarin due to drug interactions, narrow therapeutic range, and necessary close International Normalized Ratio (INR) monitoring. Phase 3 study results have reported that these drugs are at least as effective as warfarin and beneficial in terms of bleeding; however, studies that present up-to-date life data are necessary., Aims: To evaluate the frequency of using DOACs, which are prescribed with a limited number of indications in our country, and real-life data results., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Methods: This cross-sectional survey collected the clinical data (history, current treatment, treatment duration, etc.) of patients with pulmonary thromboembolism and who applied to the physician for follow-up between October 15, 2019, and March 15, 2020. The researchers kept the patient records sequentially., Results: Data from 836 patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism from 25 centers were collected, and DOAC was used in 320 (38.5%) of them. The most preferred DOAC was rivaroxaban (n = 294, 91.9%). DOAC was mostly preferred because it could not provide an effective INR level with warfarin (n=133, 41.6%). Bleeding was observed in 13 (4%) patients., Conclusion: The use of direct oral anticoagulants is becoming almost as widespread as conventional therapy. Real-life data results are important for their contribution to clinical practice.

Background: Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations are recommended in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients to decrease associated risks at all stages. Although the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is high in our country, as previously reported, vaccination rates are low., Aims: To assess the vaccination rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and factors that may affect these., Study Design: Multi-centre cross-sectional study., Methods: Patients admitted to the chest diseases clinics of six different centres between 1 February 2013 and 1 January 2014 with a pre-diagnosis of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease according to the Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease criteria, who were in a stable condition were included in the study. The survey, which included demographic characteristics, socio-economic status, severity of disease and vaccination information, was first tested on a small patient population before the study. The survey was completed by the investigators after obtaining written informed consent., Results: The average age of the 296 included patients was 66.3±9.3 years and 91.9% were male. Of these, 36.5% had the influenza vaccination and 14.1% had the pneumococcal vaccination. The most common reason for not being vaccinated was 'no recommendation by doctors': 57.2% in the case of influenza vaccinations, and 46.8% in the case of pneumococcal vaccinations. Both vaccination rates were significantly higher in those patients with comorbidities (influenza vaccination p<0.001; pneumococcal vaccination p=0.06). There was no significant correlation with age, gender, smoking and severity of disease (p>0.05). Vaccination rates were significantly higher in those with a white-collar occupation and higher education level, and who presented to a university hospital (p<0.001)., Conclusion: Medical professionals do not request vaccinations as often as the International Guidelines suggest for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Awareness of the importance of these vaccinations among both doctors and patients needs to be addressed.