Browsing by Author "Ozkale, Murat"

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Acute flaccid myelitis outbreak through 2016-2018: A multicenter experience from Turkey
(2021) Unver, Olcay; Turkdogan, Dilsad; Guler, Serhat; Kipoglu, Osman; Gungor, Mesut; Paketci, Cem; Carman, Kursat Bora; Ozturk, Gulten; Genc, Hulya Maras; Ozkan, Mehpare; Dundar, Nihal Olgac; Isik, Ugur; Karatoprak, Elif; Kilic, Betul; Ozkale, Murat; Bayram, Erhan; Yarar, Coskun; Sozen, Hatice Gulhan; Sager, Gunes; Gunes, Ayfer Sakarya; Koytak, Pinar Kahraman; Saygi, Evrim Karadag; Ekinci, Gazanfer; Saltik, Sema; Caliskan, Mine; Kara, Bulent; Yis, Uluc; Aydinli, Nur; 33218883
Aim: We aim to describe the demographic characteristics, etiology, neurophysiology, imaging findings, treatment, prognosis, and prognostic factors of acute flaccid myelitis. Methods: The clinical data, laboratory test and, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results of pediatric patients diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis according to the Centers for Disease Control criteria between August 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018, from 13 centers in Turkey were reviewed. Results: Of the 34 cases identified, 31 were confirmed (91.2%). Eighteen patients (55.9%) were boys. The median patient age was 4 years (interquartile range 2.5-6.9 years). Most of the patients were admitted in 2018 (n = 27). A preceding history of a febrile illness was reported in all patients, with a median of 4 days (interquartile range 3-7 days) before symptom onset. Thirty-one patients had T2 hyperintensity on spinal MRI, and 18 patients had cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. The most common infectious agents were entero/rhinoviruses (n = 5) in respiratory specimens. All patients except one received immunotherapy either alone or in combination. Among 27 patients with follow-up data 24 had persistent weakness. Involvement of four limbs together with an abnormal brain MRI at onset were associated with a poor prognosis. Conclusion: The number of patients with acute flaccid myelitis increased since 2012, spiking with every 2-year interval, largely in the pediatric population. The median age decreases with every outbreak. Clinicians should be aware of the clinical picture for early collection of specimens and early start of rehabilitation programs. Further studies are needed to better characterize the etiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, and treatment of this rare condition. (c) 2020 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Association between platelet indices and febrile seizures in children
(2016) Ozkale, Murat; Erol, Ilknur; Ozkale, Yasemin; Sariturk, Cagla; 0000-0002-3530-0463; 0000-0003-0625-1057; 0000-0003-3009-336X; AAK-4825-2021; AAS-7129-2021; A-7806-2016; AAL-6136-2021
Purpose: Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common type of seizures in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between platelet indices and FS in children. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 40 children who presented with FS and 30 controls who presented with febrile illnesses without seizures. Complete blood counts, including platelet count (PC), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW) from both groups within 1 hour of FS and 1 month later were obtained. Results: We found that the MPV and PDW within 1 hour of seizure in children with complex FS group was higher than simple FS group while there was no significant difference in MPV and PDW between patients in the simple and complex FS groups at 1 month. The mean PC was not significantly different between simple and complex FS groups; but, we found that the mean PC in the complex FS group was slightly lower than simple FS group. There was a moderate significant positive correlation between MPV and PDW in children with FS while there was a moderate significant negative correlation between PC and MPV, PDW for FS. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the increasing platelet turnover in complex FS group causes a slightly decrease in the PC, an significantly increase of MPV and PDW values indicating that these parameters may play an important role in predicting the severity of FS in children at diagnosis.
Demographic, epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of poisoning cases followed in pediatric intensive care unit
(2020) Ozkale, Murat; Ozkale, Yasemin; 0000-0003-3009-336X; 0000-0003-0625-1057; AAL-6136-2021; A-7806-2016
Purpose: This study was planned with the aim of retrospectively reviewing the demographic, epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of poisoning cases who treated in the pediatric intensive care unit and compare them with literature. Materials and Methods: The records of 581 patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit due to acute poisoning between 2015 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Five hundred and eightyone cases were enrolled in this study. The poisoned patients were aged between 3 months-18years and the female to male ratio was 1.6. Most poisonings occurred via the oral route (97.8%). It was noted that 57.1% of poisoning cases were accidental, whereas 39.1% were suicidal and 3.8% were a result of a therapeutic error. Eighty point nine percent of the cases were drug related while 19.1% were non-drug-related. Central nervous system drugs (%40.6) were the most common agent in drug-related poisoning, however rat poisons were the most common in non drug-related poisoning. The overall mortality rate in this study was 0.1%. Conclusion: Drug poisoning is the most common cause of poisoning in our region, which requires hospitalization, indicates that the society primarily should be raised more in this regard. In addition, we believe that our study will guide the physicians working in childhood poisoning patients who require hospitalization in our province and it ssurroundings, reflecting the epidemiological and clinical features and our results will contribute to updating the regional poisoning data.
Duodenitis caused by Sarcina ventriculi in a case with Celiac disease and selective IgA deficiency
(2017) Canan, Oguz; Ozkale, Murat; Kayaselcuk, Fazilet; 0000-0002-1180-3840; 0000-0003-0625-1057; 0000-0003-0614-4497; AAE-2550-2021; A-7806-2016; AAI-9386-2021
Sarcina ventriculi is a gram-positive, obligate anaerobic bacteria first documented in the human gastrointestinal tract in 1842. Sarcina ventriculi are found to be associated with delayed gastric emptying and gastric outlet obstruction Up to date numerous cases of fatal disease have been attributed to this organism in the veterinary literature, but only a few human cases have been documented. Herein we report a case of a 10-year-old girl patient who was diagnosed Celiac disease, selective IgA deficiency and Sarcina ventriculi duodenitis. To the best of our knowledge the association Celiac disease and Sarcina ventriculi duodenitis has not been previously reported in children. Therefore, in the present study we want to draw attention to the importance of a rare coexistance of Celiac disease and Sarcina ventriculi duodenitis.
Evaluation of Nutritional Status in Pediatric İntensive Care Unit Patients: The Results of A Multicenter, Prospective Study in Turkey
(2023) Ozkale, Murat; 37601138; A-7806-2016
IntroductionMalnutrition is defined as a pathological condition arising from deficient or imbalanced intake of nutritional elements. Factors such as increasing metabolic demands during the disease course in the hospitalized patients and inadequate calorie intake increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to evaluate nutritional status of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Turkey, examine the effect of nutrition on the treatment process and draw attention to the need for regulating nutritional support of patients while continuing existing therapies.Material and MethodIn this prospective multicenter study, the data was collected over a period of one month from PICUs participating in the PICU Nutrition Study Group in Turkey. Anthropometric data of the patients, calorie intake, 90-day mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay and length of stay in intensive care unit were recorded and the relationship between these parameters was examined.ResultsOf the 614 patients included in the study, malnutrition was detected in 45.4% of the patients. Enteral feeding was initiated in 40.6% (n = 249) of the patients at day one upon admission to the intensive care unit. In the first 48 h, 86.82% (n = 533) of the patients achieved the target calorie intake, and 81.65% (n = 307) of the 376 patients remaining in the intensive care unit achieved the target calorie intake at the end of one week. The risk of mortality decreased with increasing upper mid-arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.871/0.894; p = 0.027/0.024). The risk of mortality was 2.723 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h (p = 0.006) and the risk was 3.829 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at the end of one week (p = 0.001). The risk of mortality decreased with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.894; p = 0.024).ConclusionTimely and appropriate nutritional support in critically ill patients favorably affects the clinical course. The results of the present study suggest that mortality rate is higher in patients who fail to achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h and day seven of admission to the intensive care unit. The risk of mortality decreases with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score.
FCN2 c.772G > T Polymorphism Is Associated With Chronic Adenoiditis And/Or Tonsillitis, But Not-4 A > G and-602 G > A
(2016) Erkan, Alper N.; Oz, Isilay; Terzi, Yunus K.; Aydin, Erdinc; Ozkale, Murat; Babakurban, Seda Turkoglu; Koycu, Alper; Sahin, Feride Iffet; 0000-0003-0625-1057; 0000-0001-5612-9696; 0000-0001-7138-1400; 0000-0003-1290-3509; 0000-0002-7380-4566; 0000-0001-5067-4044; 0000-0001-7308-9673; 0000-0001-6864-7378; 27368434; A-7806-2016; B-4372-2018; H-1063-2019; AAF-3650-2021; AAJ-1452-2021; AAI-8856-2021; AAC-7232-2020; AAJ-2379-2021
Objective: Ficolins are complement activating peptides that play a role in the initial host defense against infectious pathogens. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ficolin 2 gene (FCN2) and chronic adenotonsillitis in pediatric cases. Study Design: Case-control study. Methods: A total of 101 pediatric patients diagnosed with chronic adenotonsillitis and 100 healthy children were enrolled in the study. Genotypes of FCN2 promoter SNPs -602 G>A and -4 A>G, and the exonic SNP c.772G>T were determined by light SNP assay after realtime PCR analysis using genomic DNA samples obtained from peripheral blood samples of all participants. Results: Of the 101 chronic tonsillitis patients, 38 were girls and 63 were boys; the mean age was 5.2 +/- 2.3 years. The c.772G>T SNP frequency was significantly higher in chronic adenotonsillitis cases compared to the control group (p = 0.00); however, no significant difference was determined at positions -602 G>A or -4 A>G (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The FCN2 c.772G>T genotype appears to be associated with predisposition to chronic adenotonsillitis in the pediatric age group. This nucleotide change is likely to influence the level of gene expression and contribute to the development of disease. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Hematologic and Bone Marrow Changes in Children with Protein-Energy Malnutrition
(2014) Ozkale, Murat; Sipahi, Tansu; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0625-1057; 23987917; A-7806-2016
Background: All systems in an organism are affected by protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), but one of the worst affected is the hematopoietic system. Today PEM remains a very serious problem in developing countries. We examined the relationships between clinical features, hematological, and bone marrow changes with severe PEM from Turkey. Method: We evaluated 34 (11 females and 23 males) consecutive cases of severe PEM, with no underlying diseases aged 3-20 months. The clinical nutritional conditions of the patients were determined using the Wellcome-Trust PEM classification. Ten of the patients were in the Marasmic-Kwashiorkor (M-K) group, 10 were in the Kwashiorkor (KW) group, and 14 were in the Marasmic (M) group. Full blood count, protein, albumin, serum iron (SI), iron-binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, vitamin B12, folic acid, complement-3 (C3), complement-4 (C4), and bone marrow were investigated in all groups. Results: Anemia was detected in 97% of patients. We determined serum iron levels were low in 67.6% of the patients, TS levels were low in 76.4% of the patients and ferritin levels were low in 20.5%. The level of vitamin B12 was normal in all patients. Bone marrow analysis showed erythroid series hypoplasia in 28.5% of patients in the M group, 50% in the KW group, and 30% in the M-K group. Marrow iron was absent in 58.8% of patients. Conclusion: The most common hematologic change in the children with PEM was anemia and major cause of anemia was iron deficiency in this study. Patients with severe PEM have normal Vit B12 and serum folate levels. Most of the patients with severe PEM had normal cellularity with megaloblastic and dysplastic changes in bone marrow due to the inadequate and imbalanced intake of protein and energy.
Intractable Diarrhea from Cytomegalovirus Colitis in a Case with Hereditary Spherocytosis
(2015) Ozkale, Murat; Canan, Oguz; Asilsoy, Suna; Bal, Nebil; Noyan, Aytul
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common viral infection worldwide, with a frequency as high as 90% in developing countries. Only 10% of primary CMV infection is symptomatic in immunocompetent patients, and it rarely causes specific complications. We report CMV colitis in an immunocompetent adolescent with hereditary spherocytosis and spontaneous rupture of the spleen, who was critically ill with septicaemia and significant non-bloody diarrhoea that responded to specific CMV treatment.
Long-Term Accidental Overdose of Levetiracetam in an Infant
(2014) Ozkale, Yasemin; Ozkale, Murat; Saygi, Semra; Erol, Ilknur; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3009-336X; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0625-1057; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8522-5078; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3530-0463; 23520362; AAL-6136-2021; A-7806-2016; AAB-1203-2021; AAK-4825-2021
Levetiracetam is one of the new anticonvulsant drugs that has a high therapeutic index and potential antiepileptogenic effects. Herein, we report a patient with multidrug refractory epilepsy and Ohtahara syndrome who was accidentally administered 300 mg/kg/d for 35 days by her mother. To our knowledge, there are only a few cases of accidental overdose of levetiracetam in pediatric patients reported in the literature, and this case study is the first to report such a high and long-term dose in an infant who showed no adverse effects.
Neuromyelitis Optica Mimics the Morphology of Spinal Cord Tumors
(2016) Erol, Ilknur; Ozkale, Murat; Savas, Tulin; Alkan, Ozlem; Cekinmez, Melih; Erbay, Ayse; 0000-0002-3530-0463; 0000-0003-0625-1057; 0000-0001-9658-9005; 0000-0001-7526-3460; 28266199; AAK-4825-2021; A-7806-2016; AAM-4169-2021
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system, that predominantly affects the spinal cord and the optic nerve. Its key features include transverse myelitis, commonly associated with extensive inflammation spanning three or more consecutive vertebral segments. Longitudinal extensive spinal cord lesions can also occur in systemic autoimmune diseases, infections, vascular and metabolic disorders, subsequent to irradiation, intramedullary tumors and paraneoplastic myelopathies. We present a case study of an 8-year-old girl seropositive for antibodies against the aquaporin 4 who displayed longitudinal extensive spinal cord lesions, that was initially misdiagnosed as an intramedullary tumor.
Overview of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in Pediatric Neurology: A Single-Center Experience
(2018) Ozkale, Murat; Erol, Ilknur; Ozkale, Yasemin; Kozanoglu, Ilknur; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0625-1057; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3530-0463; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3009-336X; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5268-1210; 29882008; A-7806-2016; AAK-4825-2021; AAL-6136-2021; AAE-1241-2021
Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is used in the treatment of neurological, hematological, renal and autoimmune diseases with known or suspected immune pathogenesis. In comparison with neurological diseases of adults, knowledge about the use of TPE in children is incomplete. We report our experience on TPE in children with neurological diseases in a single institution and describe the underlying etiology, clinical course, treatment and outcome. We retrospectively evaluated 22 consecutive children (12 girls, 10 boys, aged 2-16 years) who underwent TPE in the pediatric intensive care unit between January 2010 and January 2017. There were 135 TPE procedures with median 6 TPE sessions per patient. Fresh frozen plasma was used as a replacement fluid in all cases. Most common indications were inflammatory polyneuropathy followed by acquired demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system. Other indications were autoimmune encephalitis and paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis. No mortality was recorded during TPE. The complication rate was 2.2% and consisted of transient events like hypotension and allergic reactions. Therapetic plasma exchange is one of the safe methods of treatment for neuroimmunological disorders in children, with Guillain-Barr, syndrome as the most common indication.
Peripheral Lymphadenopathy in Childhood: Single Center Study
(2015) Ozkale, Yasemin; Ozkale, Murat; Sipahi, Tansu
Purpose: Lymphadenopathy is defined as an abnormality in the size and/or character of lymph node. In this study we aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory findings of benign and malignant causes of peripheral lymphadenopathy in childhood. Material and Methods: Two hundred and twenty four patients who were admitted to the clinic with peripheral LAP were evaluated. Age, gender, laboratory and radiologic findings, final diagnoses, and duration, localization, size, consistency, spread, and accompanying local and systemic symptoms of LAP were determined. Benign and malignant causes of peripheral lymphadenopathy were compared. Results: One hundred twenty-six patients (56.0%) were male and 98 patients (44.0%) were female. After the first evaluation the patients were divided into two groups. The first group included 186 patients with benign causes and the second group included 38 patients with malignant causes. One hundred and sixty four of 224 patients (73.2 %) had localized peripheral lymphadenopathy. The most frequent cause of localized lymphadenopathy in the benign group was acute lymphadenitis (34.8%). The most common cause of localized lymphadenopathy in the malignant group was Hodgkin's lymphoma (4.3%). Sixty of 224 (26.8%) patients had generalized peripheral lymphadenopathy. The most significant cause of generalized lymphadenopathy in the benign lymphadenopathy group was Epstein-Barr virus (10.0%), whereas Hodgkin's lymphoma (23.3%) was the most common cause in malign lymphadenopathy group. Localized and generalized lymph node enlargement was most frequently found in cervical region. The most frequent site of involvement among benign and malignant cases was the cervical area. The results revealed that findings such as chronic course, generalized LAP, supraclavicular, cervical and inguinal location, organomegaly, hilier LAP, abdominal LAP, and abnormal laboratory findings (thrombocytopenia and blasts on the peripheral blood smear) were associated with malignant diseases. Conclusion: Infections are the most common cause of peripheral LAP. The risk of malignany increases with the age of child and the duration of LAP. Older children with chronic LAP, generalized LAP associated with organomegaly, abnormal laboratory findings should be considered as malignant LAP.
Plasma Exchange in the Treatment of A Child with West Nile Virus Encephalitis: A Case Report
(2022) Ozkale, Yasemin; Ozkale, Murat; Ceylan, Ozgur; Erol, Ilknur
Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the family Flaviviridae that can cause a wide range of clinical symptoms, from asymptomatic disease to severe meningitis, encephalitis flaccid paralysis, and death. In immunocompetent children, WNV infection is usually benign and self-limiting. However, this virus is also associated with severe neurological disease in some patients, especially those who are older, have a chronic disease, have undergone organ transplantation, or are immunocompromised. Case Report: A 12-year-old boy with selective immunoglobulin A-deficiency (SIgAD) and refractory seizures due to WNV encephalitis (WNE) was successfully treated with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) in conjunction with other immunomodulatory therapies. Conclusion: WNV can progress like autoimmune encephalitis. TPE appears to be safe and effective for treating children with WNE. To our knowledge, this report is the first of a child with WNV infection and SIgAD.
Role Of Automated Red Blood Cell Exchange In The Treatment Of Aluminum Phosphide Poisoning: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature
(2022) Ozkale, Murat; Ozkale, Yasemin; Kozanoglu, Ilknur; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5268-1210; 35104018; AAE-1241-2021
Aluminum phosphide (AIP) is a fumigant commonly used in agricultural areas. AIP is frequently misused for suicidal purposes because it is easily accessible. AIP poisoning causes severe metabolic acidosis, resistant hypotension, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and multiorgan failure with cardiogenic shock. Despite supportive management and intensive care, most patients die following AIP ingestion because there is no specific antidote. In this case report we present a 15-year-old female who presented with vomiting, coma and epigastric pain. She developed resistant metabolic acidosis and hypotension due to AIP poisoning. Although supportive treatment did not result in clinical improvement, she was successfully treated with automated red blood cell exchange. Automated red blood cell exchange is a procedure which is used to exchange the patient erythrocyte mass with donor red blood cell. Although automated red blood cell exchange is a preferred treatment method in the complications of sickle cell anemia, some blood diseases and infectious diseases such as malaria and babesiosis, there is little information about its use in poisoning. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first child with AIP poisoning who was treated with automated red blood cell exchange.
The Role of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in the Treatment of Childhood Intoxication: A Single-Center Experience (vol 21, pg e988, 2020)
(2021) Ozkale, Murat; Ozkale, Yasemin
Sadfly fever: two case reports
(2016) Ozkale, Yasemin; Ozkale, Murat; Kiper, Pinar; Cetinkaya, Bilin; Erol, Ilknur; 0000-0002-3530-0463; 0000-0003-0866-7339; 0000-0003-3009-336X; 0000-0003-0625-1057; 27489469; AAK-4825-2021; AAF-1346-2021; AAL-6136-2021; A-7806-2016
Sandfly fever, also known as 'three-day fever' or 'pappataci fever' or 'Phlebotomus fever' is a viral infection that causes self-limited influenza-like symptoms and characterized by a rapid onset. The disease occurs commonly in endemic areas in summer months and especially in August during which sandflies are active. In this article, two siblings who presented with high fever, redness in the eyes, headache, weakness, malaise and inability to walk, who were found to have increased liver function tests and creatine kinase levels and who were diagnosed with sadfly fever with positive sadfly IgM and IgG antibodies are reported because of the rarity of this disease.
Serum Magnesium and Calcium Levels in Children With Breath-holding Spells
(2018) Ozkale, Yasemin; Erol, Ilknur; Ozkale, Murat
Objective: Although breath-holding spells (BHS) are the most common form of non epileptic paroxysmal events in infancy, the pathophysiology of these events remain unknown. Several studies have indicated that multiple factors can be involved in the pathogenesis of BHS. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between BHS and serum magnesium and calcium levels. Materials and Methods: This prospective, case-control study enrolled 79 consecutive children with BHS and 114 healthy children, who were included as controls, without any illness between October 2012 and January 2014. Mean hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume, serum iron, serum iron binding protein, magnesium(Mg), calcium(Ca), phosphorus (P), and alkaline phosphatase levels and Ca/Mg ratiowere compared between the two groups. Results: Overall, the Hb, Ca, and P levels were in the normal range in both groups; however, the mean Hb, Ca, and P levels were significantly lower in the BHS group than in the control group. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the mean serum Mg level or Ca/Mg ratio between the groups. Conclusion: Therefore, low Hb, Ca, and P levels may decrease the threshold of BHS and thus constitute a risk factor for the development of BHS.
Serum Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, and Homocysteine Levels in Children with Febrile Seizure
(2015) Ozkale, Yasemin; Erol, Ilknur; Kilicarslan, Buket; Ozkale, Murat; Saygi, Semra; Sariturk, Cagla; Sezgin, Nurzen; 0000-0002-3530-0463; 0000-0002-8522-5078; 0000-0003-0625-1057; 0000-0003-3009-336X; 0000-0002-4130-1059; 27186696; AAK-4825-2021; AAB-1203-2021; A-7806-2016; AAL-6136-2021; AAS-7129-2021
The aim of this study is to investigate the associations between febrile seizure and serum levels of vitamin B-12, folic acid, and homocysteine. One hundred and four children who presented with febrile seizure and 75 controls who presented with febrile illness unaccompanied by seizure were enrolled into the study. Mean levels of vitamin B-12, folic acid and homocysteine were compared between two groups. Mean vitamin B-12 level in the febrile seizure group was significantly lower than the control group. The febrile seizure patients with 3 or more had significantly lower serum folic acid than the subgroups with two or one episode only. Serum concentrations of folic acid were significantly lower in the febrile seizure subgroup with body temperature 37.5-39.0 degrees C at time of convulsion. Low serum vitamin B-12 may reduce a child's threshold for seizure and may be a risk factor for febrile seizure. Low serum folic acid level may be predisposed to recurrent febrile seizure.
Side effects and antibody response of an inactive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine among health care workers
(2021) Gumus, Hatice Hale; Odemis, İlker; Aliska, Hikmet Eda; Karsli, Asli; Kara, Sibel; Ozkale, Murat; Gul, Eylem; 0000-0001-9071-9606; 0000-0001-9060-3195; 0000-0003-2638-0163; 34909957; AAJ-2108-2021; AAE-2282-2021
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the antibody response and the side effects of the two-dose inactive SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CoronaVac, Sinovac, China) among a health care worker population in Turkey. METHODS: This study was a prospective, cross-sectional, single-center study conducted between December 16, 2020, and March 15, 2021. We evaluated the side effects from a questionnaire, and anti-spike immunoglobulin G response to the vaccine (0- and 28-day schedule) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: A total of 94 of 184 health care workers completed this study. The percentages of participants who were seronegative at baseline and achieved to the seropositivity were 21.3 and 97.9%, respectively, on day 21 after vaccinations. The seropositivity was predominantly detected in 31-45 years of the age group (55.4%, p=0.636), normal body mass index (47.8%, p=0.999), nonsmokers (64.1%, p=0.999), those without any comorbidities (73.9%, p=0.463), and those without any side effects (70.2%, p=0.256). The frequencies of overall side effects within seven days after the first and second doses of CoronaVac were 37.2 and 28.7%, respectively. The most common side effects was localized pain at the injection site (15.7 and 11.6%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We found that vaccination by two-dose CoronaVac could elicit a specific humoral response, and it was well tolerated in health care workers. The high seropositivity developed after the second dose attracted attention. Our study will be useful in terms of showing short-term immunity and side effects.
Toxic Reaction due to Multiple Wasp Stings in a Child: A Case Report
(2022) Ozkale, Yasemin; Ozkale, Murat
Background: Poisoning caused by wasp and bee stings is the most common type of poisoning caused by insects in Turkiye. The wasp belongs to the family Vespidae, a subgroup of the class Hymenoptera (membrane-winged insects). While mild symptoms are frequently observed in response to a single wasp sting, multiple wasp stings can cause severe poisoning and toxic reactions. Case Report: We present a case of a 7-year-old male patient who died after developing rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury (AKI), and multiple organ failure as a result of multiple wasp stings. Conclusion: The case report of our patient revealed that poisoning from multiple wasp stings can show a fatal course in children. When the number of wasp stings is 20-200 and when stings occur in the head-and-neck regions, AKI and mortality are high. Therefore, these patients should be hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit and monitored closely for toxic reactions.