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This study was conducted to determine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL) training given to the informal caregivers of palliative patients on burnout and caregiving burden. A single-blind, randomized, controlled, experimental study was conducted with 54 caregivers of patients admitted to a hospital palliative care unit. The participants were randomly allocated to the experimental group (n = 26) and control group (n = 28). The experimental group received MBCL training twice a week for 4 weeks. Data were collected before and after the intervention using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Caregiver Burden Scale and Self-Compassion Scale--Short Form. The data were analyzed using kurtosis and skewness coefficients, number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, independent samples t test, Wilcoxon signed ranks test and Mann-Whitney U test in SPSS version 22.0. The informal caregivers in the experimental group demonstrated a significant decrease in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores and an increase in personal accomplishment and self-compassion scores in posttest assessments after the MBCL intervention (P < 0.05). All of these parameters differed significantly between the experimental and control groups after the intervention (P < 0.05). MBCL training seems to be effective in reducing emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and increasing personal accomplishment and self-compassion among informal caregivers of palliative inpatients. The results of this study can be generalized to the caretakers of patients receiving palliative care in university hospitals.

Aim: Kidney disease is common in older adults due to age-related structural and functional changes in the kidneys, higher rates of chronic disease, and increased drug use. As societies age, there is a rise in the prevalence of renal disease and the number of kidney biopsies being performed in older patients. This study aimed to investigate renal biopsy indications, complications, pathology results, and subsequent treatment among older adults in Turkey. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients aged 65 and over who underwent renal biopsy in a university nephrology department between 2004 and 2023. The patients’ demographic information, chronic comorbidities, biopsy indications, pre-biopsy laboratory values, post-biopsy complications, pathology results, and post-biopsy treatments were obtained by reviewing their medical records and biopsy reports. Results: A total of 66 patients were included in the study. The median age was 73.0 years (IQR: 68.8-79.0 years) and 66.7% of the patients were men. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (83.3%), diabetes mellitus (24.3%), coronary artery disease (22.7%), and chronic kidney disease (21.2%). The most common indication for renal biopsy was nephrotic-range proteinuria (56.1%), followed by acute kidney injury (24.2%). When the pathology results were examined, primary glomerulonephritis (62.1%) was the most common result, followed by secondary glomerulonephritis (21.2%) and tubulointerstitial nephritis (12.1%). The most common histopathological diagnoses in primary glomerulonephritis were membranous glomerulonephritis (39.4%) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (12.1%), while those in secondary glomerulonephritis were secondary amyloidosis (9.1%) and lupus nephritis (4.5%). After biopsy, 54.5% of the patients received immunosuppressive therapy and 34.8% received renal replacement therapy. No post-biopsy complications were observed. Conclusion: Although the most common indication for kidney biopsy in older adults is nephrotic-range proteinuria. Kidney biopsy is the gold standard method for the diagnosis of renal parenchymal diseases and is a safe procedure in older patients, with low complication rates. Kidney biopsy should not be avoided in geriatric patients if deemed clinically necessary.

Abstract Inadequate health literacy is common among adults with HF. The disease management process in HF closely depends on health literacy. No questionnaire is used to assess health literacy among Turkish patients with heart failure. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish form of the ‘Heart Failure-Specific Health Literacy Scale’. The research is a methodological study design. The study was conducted at the cardiology clinic between May and July 2021, located in the eastern part of Türkiye. The study sample consisted of 121 patients with HF. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form and the Heart Failure-Specific Health Literacy Scale. The patients’ mean age was 62.88 ± 12.55 and 66.9% were men. Based on the factor analysis, three factors with eigenvalue above 1 have been identified. These model has been determined as x2 = 80.209, sd = 49 and p = 0.003. The fit indices were as follows: x2/SD = 1.637; RMSEA = 0.073, GFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.94, IFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.92 and NFI = 0.87. The scale has a total Cronbach’s alpha of 0.66. With test–retest analysis, it was determined that it had a good, positive and significant correlation in terms of both the scale and its sub-dimensions. The Turkish form of the form is a valid and reliable tool.

Aim: The number of studies examining the frequency of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, Hp antigen (Ag) test in the stool together with endoscopy and pathology findings in the elderly is limited in the literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of Hp Ag positivity in the stool samples of elderly patients who checked in to the internal medicine clinics of our hospital with dyspepsia and its relationship with age, gender, seasonal changes, endoscopy and pathology findings. Materials and Methods: The data of the geriatric patients whose stool samples were investigated for the presence of Hp Ag who applied to the Internal Medicine Clinics of our university with dyspepsia between January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Besides demographic and clinical data, endoscopy and pathology reports were recorded. Results: A total of 2276 patients were included in the study. 60.3% of the patients who requested Hp Ag test were female. Of the total 592 stool samples tested, 20.3% were positive. Hp positivity was highest in the young-old group with a rate of 81.7% (p

Aim:This study aimed to evaluate mortality risk associated with readily accessible laboratory parameters and underlying conditions in hospitalized older adults.Materials and Methods:This retrospective study included geriatric patients admitted for inpatient care to the internal medicine wards of two major university hospitals in two different regions of Turkey. Data related to the patients were collected by retrospective review of patient charts and electronic records. Survival data were obtained from the Death Reporting System of the Turkish Ministry of Health. Survival after admission at 30 days and 1 year was noted.Results:The study included 1.465 hospitalized older adults with a median age of 74 years, of whom 51% were women. Of these patients, 115 (7.8%) died within 30 days and 382 (26.1%) died within 12 months. For 30-day mortality, independent risk factors appeared to be infectious diseases [odds ratio (OR) 2.109, p=0.006], receiving palliative support (OR 5.982, p=0.006), malignancy (OR 2.514, p=0.001), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (OR 1.219 per unit increase, p

Background Mortality rates after hip fractures increase by up to 30% with age. This study investigated the contribution of various parameters to prognosis and mortality. Methods Our study prospectively examined patients with hip fracture aged 65 years and over who applied to the Atatürk University Medical Faculty Hospital Orthopedics Service in 2020–2021. Results The 120 patients included in the study had a mean age of 79.71±7.27 years, and 51.7% were female. Twenty patients (16.7%) died within the first 30 days after a hip fracture. They had a significantly lower median Lawton–Brody instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scale score (p=0.045) and a higher rate of malnutrition according to the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score (p=0.016). Additionally, these patients with 30-day mortality had a significantly lower rate of surgical treatment (p=0.027) and a longer time from injury to surgery (p=0.014). The time to surgery was a significant independent risk factor for 30-day mortality, with each 1-hour delay increasing the odds of mortality by 1.066 (odds ratio [OR]=1.066; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001–1.013; p=0.013). In addition, the presence of malnutrition was another independent risk factor that increased the odds of mortality by 4.166 times (OR=4.166; 95% CI, 1.285–13.427; p=0.017). Conclusion We recommend placing more importance on supportive treatment in patients presenting with hip fractures, especially in those with malnutrition; performing surgical intervention as early as possible; and more closely following up with patients with the aforementioned risk factors.

Aim:To study changes in hepcidin, a key protein synthesized in the liver, following chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis and/or liver transplant, as well as the effect of hepcidin level variation on liver function tests and iron levels.Materials and Methods:The patient population was distributed as follows: Group 1: inactive chronic hepatitis B (n=31); Group 2: chronic hepatitis C (n=30); Group 3: decompensated cirrhosis linked to hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) (n=29); Group 4: decompensated HCV- or HBV-related cirrhosis treated by liver transplantation (n=31).Results:The following characteristics were unequally distributed among the groups: age, Hb, AST, ALP, LDH, T. bil, albumin, total cholesterol, HDL, serum total iron binding capacity, and transferrin saturation (TS). In the two-group comparison of Groups 1 and 2, significant differences in Hb, AST, AP, albumin, and prohepcidin were observed; the latter was more elevated in HCV patients (Group 2) (p

INTRODUCTION: Inherited and acquired disorders of hemostasis cause thrombophilia. Thrombosis occurs earlier in individuals with multiple inherited hemostatic disorders. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the distribution of mutation types in patients with suspected heritable thrombophilia according to the presence of venous or arterial thrombosis. METHODS: Data pertaining to patients with suspected inherited thrombophilia who underwent genetic mutational analysis between September 1998 and December 2009 were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: The study included a total of 394 patients suspected of having inherited thrombophilia due to the presence of venous thrombosis (66.5%) or arterial thrombosis (33.5%). Of these patients, 202 (51.3%) were female and the mean age was 45.49 +- 15.08 years. Evaluation of risk factors for venous and arterial thrombosis revealed that smoking history, metabolic syndrome, and genetic mutations were more common among patients with arterial thrombosis compared to those with venous thrombosis. Venous thrombosis was found to be associated with older age, immobility, and history of surgery and prior embolism. Heterozygous MTHFR 677 mutation was significantly more common among patients with arterial thrombosis. Heterozygous FVL, homozygous FVL, and PG20210A mutations were significantly more common in patients with venous thrombosis compared to those with arterial thrombosis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Heterozygous and homozygous FVL mutations and PG20210A mutation were associated with higher risk of venous thrombosis, while heterozygous MTHFR 677 mutation was associated with higher risk of arterial thrombosis.

Gastrointestinal stromal tümörler gastrointestinal sistemin nadir (%1) mezenkimal neoplazmıdır. Yerleşim yeri sıklık sırasına göre mide (%60-70), ince barsaklar, kolorektum ve özofagustur. Çapı 4 cm’den büyük, sınırları düzensiz, heterojen ekolu, ekojenik odaklar ve kistik oluşumlar içeren Gastrointestinal stromal tümörler genellikle maligndir. Seçkin tedavisi komplet cerrahi rezeksiyondur. Üst gastrointestinal sistem kanaması ile prezente olan, gastrointestinal stromal tümör saptanan, 65 yaşında, erkek hasta sunulmuştur.

Introduction: Malignant tumors of the small intestine comprise 2-3% of all gastrointestinal cancers. Adenocarcinomas account for 95% of primary small intestine malignancies. The prevalence of adenocarcinoma increases with advanced age. They are commonly located in the distal duodenum and the proximal jejunum. They are usually diagnosed coincidentally and are most effectively treated by surgery.Case Presentation: Here we present a 67-year-old female patient who underwent emergency surgery for acute strangulated hernia during which a tumoral mass was discovered in the ileum, leading to a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the ileum.Conclusion: The most effectively treated method is surgery in small intestine adenocarcinomas.