Browsing by Subject "Pilot Projects"
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Item The effect of perendoscopic sclerosing agent injection in Forrest's II ulcers- A pilot study from Turkey(2002) Saruc M.; Ozden N.; Kucukmetin N.; Tuzcuoglu I.; Yuceyar H.Background: We aimed to clarify the outcome of perendoscopic prophylactic injection of sclerosing agent in Forrest's II ulcers. Material/Methods: Patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding in last 6 hours were performed emergency endoscopy and were enrolled. The patients in group-1 were performed prophylactic injection therapy with 1% aethoxysclerol and then given medical treatment with intravenous 40 mg omeprazole twice a day and somatostatin infusion at the dose of 6 mg/day during 3 days. Group-2 patients were only given medical treatment with same agents and at same doses without having any perendoscopic therapy. Results: There were 32 patients in group-1 and 20 in group-2. In emergency endoscopy, 20 (62.5%) patients had IIa ulcers and 12 (37.5%) patients had IIb ulcers in group-1. These patients underwent prophylactic perendoscopic hemostasis by 1% aethoxysclerol in addition to medical treatment. Early rebleeding occurred in 9 (28.1%) patients of group-1 and 3 (15%) in group-2 (p<0.001). At the endoscopic control after 48 hours 13 (40.6%) patients in the group-1 and 15 (75%) patients in group-2 showed improved local ulcer stigmata (p<0.001). The numbers of blood units transfused were lower in the group-2 (p=0.002). The hospital stay was longer in group-1 (p=0.01). In the group-1, more endoscopic intervention was needed. Any death and the need for surgical intervention did not occurred in any groups. Conclusion: According to our results; the indication of perendoscopic prophylactic injection of sclerosing agent in non-bleeding ulcers with high risk of rebleeding must be reviewed by large population based, prospective, radomized trials.Item Somatostatin infusion and hemodynamic changes in patients with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A pilot study(2003) Saruç M.; Can M.; Küçükmetin N.; Tuzcuoglu I.; Tarhan S.; Göktan C.; Yüceyar H.Background: Intravenous somatostatin decreases acid secretion, splanchnic blood flow, and portal pressure, but the evidence for its efficacy in the treatment of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been mixed. We aimed to evaluate the vasoactive effect and possible mechanisms of somatostatin infusion in the cessation of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Material/Methods: Patients with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding without portal hypertension were enrolled in the study. They were given somatostatin infusion in a dose of 250 μgr/hour for 72 hours. Superior mesenteric arterial average flow velocity (SMA-V), SMA pulsatility index (SMA-PI), portal venous volume flow (PV-F), and renal artery resistance index (RA-RI) were measured two times for each patient by Doppler ultrasound; oncee on the first day of infusion therapy and again 6 hours or more after stopping the infusion. Results: 21 patients (12 male, mean age 44.1±9.9) with bleeding peptic ulcer were enrolled. During somatostatin infusion, PV-F was 33.7±19.7 cm3/sec. After stopping infusion, it increased to 56.3±16.0 cm3/sec (p=0.001). SMA-V was 39.7±13.1 cm/ sec and 64.4±15.1 cm/sec during somatostatin infusion and after cessation of somatostatin respectively (p=0.01). SMA-PI was 2.0±0.8 during somatostatin infusion but 2.8±0.8 without somatostatin infusion (p=0.02). However, RA-RI showed no difference between states with or without somatostatin infusion (p>0.05). Conclusions: Somatostatin infusion causes a decrease in arterial blood flow to the stomach and duodenum in patients with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding without portal hypertension. Somatostatin therapy also decreases portal blood flow while not altering renal blood.Item Quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: A pilot study(2007) Turan Y.; Duruöz M.T.; Cerrahoglu L.The aims of this study were to evaluate quality of life (QOL) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to determine the relationship between QOL and clinical condition/functional status. Forty-six AS patients (37 males) were included in the study. The demographic data of the patients were recorded. Disease activity Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), enthesitis involvement Mander Ehthesis Index (MEI), functional evaluation Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and quality of life Short-Form 36 (SF-36) were assessed. The mean age of the patients was 39.2 (SD: 11. 46) years. Most MEI was found related to physical function (P = 0.014), physical role (P = 0. 01), pain (P = 0.002) and vitality (P = 0.004) in SF-36 subgroups. Among the subgroups, the best correlations with the general health was found in BASDAI (P = 0.014) and secondly in MEI (P = 0.038). None of the mental health and social function subgroups had any significant correlation with any of the parameters (P > 0.05). A significant relationship was found between the emotional role and BASFI, and chest expansion (P = 0.004). Clinical and functional state were affecting QOL of patients with AS. It has been found out that in patients with AS, the QOL subgroups are mostly related with enthesis involvement. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.Item The attitudes to ageing questionnaire (AAQ): Development and psychometric properties(2007) Laidlaw K.; Power M.J.; Schmidt S.; Quinn K.; Toner H.; Lucas R.; Skevington S.; McCrate F.; Amir M.; Ben Ya'acov Y.; Narkiss-Guez T.; Kullman L.; Bech-Anderson G.; Martigny K.; Fang J.-Q.; Hao Y.; Angermeyer M.C.; Winkler I.; Hawthorne G.; Kalfoss M.; Leplege A.; Dragomirecka A.; Martin M.; Bushnell D.; Tazaki M.; Eiseman M.; Nygren B.; Molzahn A.; Ceremnych J.; Fleck M.; Leung K.-F.; Von Steinbuchel N.; Eiser E.; Schwartzmann L.; Killian R.Objective: This paper describes the development of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ) which is a self-report measure with which older people themselves can express their attitudes to the process of ageing. Method: The development of the AAQ followed a coherent, logical and empirical process taking full account of relevant gerontological knowledge and modern and classical psychometric analytical methods. Pilot testing with 1,356 participants from 15 centres worldwide refined the scale and provided the basis for a field test. A total of 5,566 participants from 20 centres worldwide contributed to the further development of this new scale with the derivation involving both classical and modern psychometric methods. Results: The result is a 24-item cross-cultural attitudes to ageing questionnaire consisting of a three-factor model encompassing psychological growth, psychosocial loss, and physical change. The three-factor model suggests a way of conceptualizing and measuring successful ageing in individuals. Conclusions: The AAQ provides researchers, clinicians and policy makers with a unique scale to measure the impact of successful ageing interventions. It also provides a vehicle for the measurement of how individuals age across cultures and under different economic, political and social circumstances. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Item Osteoporosis in women with breast cancer and its effect on quality of life: A pilot study(2009) Turan Y.; Kocaaga Z.; Karakoyun-Celik O.; Gurgan A.; Duransoy A.Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of osteoporosis (OP) in patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. The secondary aim was to investigate the effect of OP on the quality of life of these patients. Patients and methods: Twenty-six patients with breast cancer and 21 healthy controls were recruited into the study. All breast cancer patients were treated with 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. Results: The mean lumbar area BMD value was significantly lower in patients with breast cancer than in healthy controls (p=0.017). There were no significant differences in the femoral area BMD measurements between the groups. OP was more pronounced after 24 months of the last chemotherapy course than in the first 12 months (p=0.04). The most affected domain of the SF-36 in patients with breast cancer was the physical role. Conclusion: Adjuvant chemotherapy increases the risk of accelerated bone loss in the lumbar spine. OP should be investigated during follow-up in order to improve the quality of life of the surviving breast cancer patients. © 2009 Zerbinis Medical Publications.Item Assessment of alveolar epithelial permeability with Tc-99m DTPA aerosol scintigraphy in patients with Sjogren syndrome(2010) Pirildar T.; Gumuser G.; Ruksen E.; Sakar A.; Dinc G.; Sayit E.Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) is a systemic autoimmune disease that mainly affects the exocrine glands and usually presents as persistent dryness of the mouth and eyes. Lung disease in SjS has been reported to occur early following clinical presentation of the disease. In this study, technetium-99m diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (Tc-99m DTPA) aerosol inhalation scintigraphy was used to assess the pulmonary membrane permeability in patients with primary SjS. A total of 18 patients with primary SjS and 13 healthy controls were investigated. Clinical evaluation, chest X-ray examination, pulmonary function tests, Tc-99m DTPA aerosol scintigraphy were performed in all the cases. The presence of respiratory symptoms (dyspnea and cough), duration of sicca symptoms were recorded. The clearance half time of Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosols in patients with SjS (20.49 ± 2.56 min) was faster when compared to normal controls (42.32 ± 13.28 min) (P = 0.000) which means that there is a significant increase in lung permeability in patients with SjS compared to the controls. There is also a significant difference between PI of patients with SjS (0.34 ± 0.09) and that of controls (0.42 ± 0.07) (P = 0.012). According to the results of our preliminary study, one can detect pulmonary involvement by Tc-99m DTPA aerosol inhalation scinti-graphy in patients with primary SjS. © Springer-Verlag 2009.Item The Quality of Care and Support (QOCS) for people with disability scale: Development and psychometric properties(2011) Lucas-Carrasco R.; Eser E.; Hao Y.; McPherson K.M.; Green A.; Kullmann L.This paper describes the development of a Quality of Care and Support (QOCS) scale for use with adult persons with physical and intellectual disabilities. In the pilot phase of the study, 12 centers from around the world carried out focus groups with people with physical and disabilities, their carers, and with professionals in order to identify themes that were relevant for their quality of care. Items generated from the focus groups were then tested in a pilot study with 1400 respondents from 15 different centers worldwide, with items being tested and reduced using both classical and modern psychometric methods. A field trial study was then carried out with 3772 respondents, again with the use of both classical and modern psychometric methods. The outcome of the two rounds of data collection and analysis is a 17-item module for assessment of quality of care in physically or intellectually disabled people. Further modifications are also proposed for the use of the QOCS with adults with intellectual disabilities, including simplification of wording of some of the items, the use of a three-point response scale, and the inclusion of smiley faces. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.Item Impact of family involvement on social cognition training in clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia - A randomized pilot study(2012) Tas C.; Danaci A.E.; Cubukcuoglu Z.; Brüne M.Recovery of social functioning is a largely unattained goal in schizophrenia rehabilitation. In the recent past, new neurocognitive and social cognitive training approaches have been introduced to improve functioning in various domains of patients' social life. These programs have neglected, to some degree, the social environment in which the training takes place. Accordingly, the present study sought to examine if family-assisted social cognitive training could improve quality of life, social functioning and social cognition in schizophrenia patients as compared to a social stimulation approach. In a randomized, controlled, parallel group trial design with two groups, one receiving family-assisted social cognitive training once a week (F-SCIT) and the other, social stimulation once every three weeks (SS), both for 14-weeks period, patients were assessed at baseline, before randomization and 16. weeks after randomization. Participants were recruited from Celal Bayar University Psychosis Unit and were in a clinically stable condition. Patients who received F-SCIT significantly improved in quality of life, social functioning and social cognition, whereas the SS group worsened in nearly all outcome variables. Family-assisted SCIT is effective in improving quality of life, social functioning and social cognition. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.Item Development and validation of a functional disability index for chronic low back pain(2013) Duruöz M.T.; Özcan E.; Ketenci A.; Karan A.OBJECTIVE: To develop a valid and reliable functional disability scale for chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS: Inpatients and outpatients suffering from low back pain (LBP) for at least 3 months were selected randomly. Patients with inflammatory LBP were not recruited. Interrater reliability and Cronbach's α were examined. Face, content, convergent and divergent validities were investigated. Factor Analysis and pearson's correlation coefficients (r) were performed. RESULTS: 112 patients (71 females) with a mean age of 39.93 (SD: 12.92) answered the 66 questions on the provisional scale. Elimination left 18 daily activity questions. The interrater reliability of the scale was 0.79 and Cronbach's α was 0.90. Face and content validities were determined. It showed good convergence with the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (r: 0.82), the Oswestry Disability Index (r: 0.76), Waddell's Functional Index (r: 0.68), and the Visual Analog Scale of Handicap (VAS-handicap) (r: 0.49) The scale showed no significant or fair relationship (divergence) with VAS-lumbar, VAS-radicular, Beck Depression Inventory, morning stiffness, night pain, finger tip-ground distance, radicular pain duration, or modified Schöber's index. The scale had two main factors. First represents activities implicating forward bending and second represents standing activities. CONCLUSION: A practical functional disability scale for CLBP was developed and validated. © 2013 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.Item Effects of a kefir supplement on symptoms, colonic transit, and bowel satisfaction score in patients with chronic constipation: A pilot study(Turkish Society of Gastroenterology, 2014) Turan I.; Dedeli O.; Bor S.; Ilter T.Background/Aims: Although probiotics have been extensively studied in irritable bowel syndrome, data on the impact of probiotics on chronic constipation are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the effects of kefir, which is a probiotic fermented milk product, on the symptoms, colonic transit, and bowel satisfaction scores of patients with chronic constipation. bMaterials and Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with functional constipation according to the Rome II criteria were divided into two groups based on their colon transit studies: 1. The normal transit (NT) group (n=10); and 2. The slow transit (ST) group (n=10). After a baseline period, 500 mL/day of a probiotic kefir beverage was administered to all patients for 4 weeks. Defecation parameters (stool frequency, stool consistency, degree of straining, blaxative consumption) were recorded in diaries daily by the patients. Bowel satisfaction scores were assessed using a visual analog scale. The colon transit study was repeated in the ST group at the end of the study. bResults: At the end of the study, the patients showed an increased stool frequency (p<0.001), improved stool consistency (p=0.014), and decreased laxative consumption (p=0.031). The degree of straining during evacuation showed a tendency to improve after kefir administration; however, this was not statistically significant (p=0.18). A repeat transit study showed an acceleration of colonic transit in the ST group (p=0.013). Bowel satisfaction scores also improved (p<0.001). bConclusion: This pilot study shows that kefir has positive effects on the symptoms of constipation. Our results also suggest that kefir improves bowel satisfaction scores and accelerates colonic transit. Controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings. © Copyright 2014 by The Turkish Society of Gastroenterology.Item A multinational study to pilot the modified Hypomania Checklist (mHCL) in the assessment of mixed depression(2014) Altinbas K.; Ozerdem A.; Prieto M.L.; Fuentes M.E.; Yalin N.; Ersoy Z.; Aydemir O.; Quiroz D.; Oztekin S.; Geske J.R.; Feeder S.E.; Angst J.; Frye M.A.Background Mixed depression is a common, dimensional phenomenon that is increasingly recognized in unipolar and bipolar disorders. We piloted a modified version of the Hypomania Checklist (mHCL-32) to assess the prevalence and clinical correlates of concurrent manic (hypo) symptoms in depressed patients. Methods The mHCL-32, Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-24) were utilized in the assessment of unipolar (UP=61) and bipolar (BP=44) patients with an index major depressive episode confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Differential mHLC-32 item endorsement was compared between UP and BP. Correlation analyses assessed the association of symptom dimensions measured by mHCL-32, YMRS and HAMD-24. Results There was no significant difference between mood groups in the mean mHCL-32 and YMRS scores. Individual mHLC-32 items of increased libido, quarrels, and caffeine intake were endorsed more in BP vs. UP patients. The mHCL-32 active-elevated subscale score was positively correlated with the YMRS in BP patients and negatively correlated with HAMD-24 in UP patients. Conversely, the mHCL-32 irritable-risk taking subscale score was positively correlated with HAMD-24 in BP and with YMRS in UP patients. Limitations Small sample size and cross-sectional design. Conclusion Modifying the HCL to screen for (hypo) manic symptoms in major depression may have utility in identifying mixed symptoms in both bipolar vs. unipolar depression. Further research is encouraged to quantify mixed symptoms with standardized assessments.Item Different patterns of manic/hypomanic symptoms in depression: A pilot modification of the hypomania checklist-32 to assess mixed depression(Elsevier B.V., 2015) Prieto M.L.; Youngstrom E.A.; Ozerdem A.; Altinbas K.; Quiroz D.; Aydemir O.; Yalin N.; Geske J.R.; Feeder S.E.; Angst J.; Frye M.A.Methods The study sample consisted of 188 patients with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR disorders (SCID) confirmed bipolar or major depressive disorder. We modified the Hypomania Checklist-32 (mHCL-32) to assess current instead of lifetime symptoms. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted to identify clusters of mHCL-32 items that were endorsed concurrently. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was carried out to identify groups of patients with similar mHCL-32 item endorsement patterns.; Background There are no self-report scales that assess manic/hypomanic symptoms in patients with depression. The aim of this study was to explore the use of a modified screening instrument for bipolar disorder to assess current manic/hypomanic symptoms in patients with a depressive episode.; Results The EFA identified 3 factors: factor #1 ("elation-disinhibition-increased goal directed activity"), factor #2 ("risk-taking-impulsivity-substance use") and factor #3 (distractibility-irritability). The LCA yielded 3 classes (2 showing manic/hypomanic features). While class #1 patients endorsed more items related to disinhibition and racing thoughts, class #2 patients recognized more items associated with irritability and substance use.; Limitations Lack of an adequate gold standard measure of mixed depression to compare to, the cross-sectional design and the lack of a validation sample.; Conclusions The mHCL-32 scale allowed a comprehensive and convergent delineation of hypomanic/manic symptoms in depression. Further validation of these findings is needed. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Item Maternal serum ADAMTS-9 levels in gestational diabetes: a pilot study(Taylor and Francis Ltd, 2017) Artunc-Ulkumen B.; Ulucay S.; Pala H.G.; Cam S.Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized with insulin resistance which is diagnosed during pregnancy. Although pregnancy is a diabetogenic state, not all women develop GDM. Genetic factors together with enviromental factors cause the maladaptation of maternal pancreas to this diabetogenic state and GDM develops. ADAMTS-9 is a recently recognized molecule whose genetic variants have risk of GDM. Decreased levels have already been shown in fetal membranes. Maternal serum levels of this protein have not been studied yet. We hypothesized that the alteration of ADAMTS-9 expression should cause changes in maternal serum levels which further could help to identify the disease and develop new treatment strategies. Materials and methods: This prospective case–control study is consisted of 27 pregnancies with GDM and 30 healthy singleton pregnancies matched for matenal age, gestational week, and maternal weight. GDM diagnosis was made with 2-h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. ADAMTS-9 levels were compared between groups. Results: ADAMTS levels were 3.62 ± 0.33 ng/dL (range: 3.04–4.23) in GDM group and 4.65 ± 1.70 ng/dL (range: 3.07–8.21) in control group (p < 0.001). ADAMTS levels were not affected by maternal age, gestational age, and maternal weight. Conclusion: ADAMTS-9 levels were significantly lower in GDM pregnancies. This may help to understand the mechanism of GDM pathogenesis. In future, target treatments with ADAMTS proteins may help to improve the severity of diabetes pathogenesis. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Item The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) score of allergic rhinitis using mobile technology correlates with quality of life: The MASK study(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2018) Bousquet J.; Arnavielhe S.; Bedbrook A.; Fonseca J.; Morais Almeida M.; Todo Bom A.; Annesi-Maesano I.; Caimmi D.; Demoly P.; Devillier P.; Siroux V.; Menditto E.; Passalacqua G.; Stellato C.; Ventura M.T.; Cruz A.A.; Sarquis Serpa F.; da Silva J.; Larenas-Linnemann D.; Rodriguez Gonzalez M.; Burguete Cabañas M.T.; Bergmann K.C.; Keil T.; Klimek L.; Mösges R.; Shamai S.; Zuberbier T.; Bewick M.; Price D.; Ryan D.; Sheikh A.; Anto J.M.; Mullol J.; Valero A.; Haahtela T.; Valovirta E.; Fokkens W.J.; Kuna P.; Samolinski B.; Bindslev-Jensen C.; Eller E.; Bosnic-Anticevich S.; O'Hehir R.E.; Tomazic P.V.; Yorgancioglu A.; Gemicioglu B.; Bachert C.; Hellings P.W.; Kull I.; Melén E.; Wickman M.; van Eerd M.; De Vries G.Mobile technology has been used to appraise allergic rhinitis control, but more data are needed. To better assess the importance of mobile technologies in rhinitis control, the ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) score ranging from 0 to 4 of the Allergy Diary was compared with EQ-5D (EuroQuol) and WPAI-AS (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment in allergy) in 1288 users in 18 countries. This study showed that quality-of-life data (EQ-5D visual analogue scale and WPA-IS Question 9) are similar in users without rhinitis and in those with mild rhinitis (scores 0-2). Users with a score of 3 or 4 had a significant impairment in quality-of-life questionnaires. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.Item Treatment of allergic rhinitis using mobile technology with real-world data: The MASK observational pilot study(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2018) Bousquet J.; Devillier P.; Arnavielhe S.; Bedbrook A.; Alexis-Alexandre G.; van Eerd M.; Murray R.; Canonica G.W.; Illario M.; Menditto E.; Passalacqua G.; Stellato C.; Triggiani M.; Carreiro-Martins P.; Fonseca J.; Morais Almeida M.; Nogueira-Silva L.; Pereira A.M.; Todo Bom A.; Bosse I.; Caimmi D.; Demoly P.; Fontaine J.F.; Just J.; Onorato G.L.; Kowalski M.L.; Kuna P.; Samolinski B.; Anto J.M.; Mullol J.; Valero A.; Tomazic P.V.; Bergmann K.C.; Keil T.; Klimek L.; Mösges R.; Shamai S.; Zuberbier T.; Murphy E.; McDowall P.; Price D.; Ryan D.; Sheikh A.; Chavannes N.H.; Fokkens W.J.; Kvedariene V.; Valiulis A.; Bachert C.; Hellings P.W.; Kull I.; Melen E.; Wickman M.; Bindslev-Jensen C.; Eller E.; Haahtela T.; Papadopoulos N.G.; Annesi-Maesano I.; Bewick M.; Bosnic-Anticevich S.; Cruz A.A.; De Vries G.; Gemicioglu B.; Larenas-Linnemann D.; Laune D.; Mathieu-Dupas E.; O'Hehir R.E.; Pfaar O.; Portejoie F.; Siroux V.; Spranger O.; Valovirta E.; VandenPlas O.; Yorgancioglu A.Background: Large observational implementation studies are needed to triangulate the findings from randomized control trials as they reflect “real-world” everyday practice. In a pilot study, we attempted to provide additional and complementary insights on the real-life treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) using mobile technology. Methods: A mobile phone app (Allergy Diary, freely available in Google Play and Apple App stores) collects the data of daily visual analog scales (VAS) for (i) overall allergic symptoms, (ii) nasal, ocular, and asthma symptoms, (iii) work, as well as (iv) medication use using a treatment scroll list including all medications (prescribed and over the counter (OTC)) for rhinitis customized for 15 countries. Results: A total of 2871 users filled in 17 091 days of VAS in 2015 and 2016. Medications were reported for 9634 days. The assessment of days appeared to be more informative than the course of the treatment as, in real life, patients do not necessarily use treatment on a daily basis; rather, they appear to increase treatment use with the loss of symptom control. The Allergy Diary allowed differentiation between treatments within or between classes (intranasal corticosteroid use containing medications and oral H1-antihistamines). The control of days differed between no [best control], single, or multiple treatments (worst control). Conclusions: This study confirms the usefulness of the Allergy Diary in accessing and assessing everyday use and practice in AR. This pilot observational study uses a very simple assessment (VAS) on a mobile phone, shows novel findings, and generates new hypotheses. © 2018 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.Item The effect of maternal vitamin D levels on placental shear wave elastography findings in the first trimester(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2021) Artunc-Ulkumen B.; Kirteke K.; Koyuncu F.M.The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal serum Vitamin D levels on the elasticity of placenta. Seventy-four spontaneously conceived singleton pregnancies in their first trimester were enrolled into this study. Fifty-one of them had Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL), while 23 pregnancies had Vitamin D levels ≥20 ng/mL. The placental elasticity was measured by the transabdominal Point Shear Wave Elastography (pSWE) method. In each case, the mean of 10 consecutive measurements was accepted as the mean placental elasticity value. The mean pSWE values did not significantly differ between the Vitamin D deficient group and the control group (p >.05). Placental elasticity was not found to be different in the pregnancies with Vitamin D deficiency during the first trimester.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? The pSWE technique provides opportunity to determine the elasticity of any interested tissue. Placental elasticity has been found to be changed in inflammatory and fibrotic conditions such as in preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction or diabetes. On the other hand, Vitamin D deficiency is linked with several comorbidities such as autoimmune disorders, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. Vitamin D also plays a role in placental angiogenesis in the first trimester. Maternal Vitamin D levels are shown to be related with adverse pregnancy outcomes. What do the results of this study add? To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first assessing the association between Vitamin D levels and placental elasticity. Placental elasticity was not found to be changed by Vitamin D deficiency. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our pilot study revealed that Vitamin D deficiency does not have any impact on placental elasticity in the first trimester. However, longitudinal studies concerning placental elasticity in subsequent trimesters are needed to support our findings. © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Item Relationship between psychosocial characteristics and asthma management self-efficacy of caregiver mothers: a pilot study of pediatric asthma management in Turkey(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2022) Yildirim B.; Tuncay T.We analyzed the relationships between family functionality, caregiver burden, perceived social support, and asthma management self-efficacy of 300 Turkish mothers who provide care to pediatric asthma patients in this cross-sectional sampling study. The mean age of the caregiver mothers was 31.82 ± 5.08. Our study results showed that the participants had above moderate but insufficient perceived social support and asthma management self-efficacy and they were moderately satisfied with caregiver burden and family functioning. As mothers’ perceived social support increased, their satisfaction with family functioning and asthma management self-efficacy also increased but their caregiver burden decreased. Additionally, the caregiver mothers had a sufficiently high level of self-confidence in caregiving to children with asthma, and the caregiver mothers who received training or more information about asthma believed that they were able to manage asthma to a great degree. The researchers conducted regression analysis and they found that biological and social factors and the degree of caregiving burden were significantly associated with asthma management self-efficacy levels. The multivariate biopsychosocial model accounted for 37.4% of the total variance in asthma management self-efficacy. Parent asthma management self-efficacy levels of the caregiver mothers are largely linked to their biological and psychosocial characteristics. © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.