September 2023
Original Research
Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence in medicine: Insights of future medical professionals
Challenges and opportunities of AI in medical training
Tuna Albayrak 1, Ali Muhtaroğlu 2
1 Department of Anesthesia and Reanimation, 2 Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey
DOI: 10.4328/ECAM.10050 Received : 2023-05-17 Accepted : 2023-07-05 Published Online : 2023-07-19 Printed Online : 2023-09-01
Abstract
Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate future medical professionals’ perspectives on the advantages, disadvantages, and importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine.
Material and Methods: A survey was conducted among two groups: preclinical and clinical medical students (including residents). The survey consisted of questions regarding AI’s advantages, disadvantages, and importance in medicine. The responses were collected and analyzed to identify prevailing trends and patterns within each group.
Results: In the preclinical group, over 50% of respondents acknowledged the advantages of AI in medicine, including the potential for more accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations, faster and more effective treatment processes, and a reduced workload for doctors. However, ethical and confidentiality concerns, uncertainty about AI’s accuracy, and the attribution of medical errors to AI were identified as potential disadvantages. Similar sentiments were echoed by the clinical group, with a majority recognizing the advantages of AI in medicine, particularly in terms of accurate diagnoses, efficient treatment processes, and reduced doctor workload. Ethical and confidentiality issues and concerns about AI accuracy were also highlighted as potential drawbacks.
Discussion: The findings of this study underscore the potential advantages of AI in medicine, such as improved diagnostics, treatment recommendations, and overall healthcare efficiency. However, ethical and confidentiality considerations and concerns regarding AI accuracy should be carefully addressed. By embracing AI responsibly, the medical community can harness its transformative potential to enhance patient care and drive innovation in healthcare practice.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Medical Education, Workload Reduction, Future Medical Professionals
Corresponding Author: Ali Muhtaroğlu, Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Giresun University, Giresun University Training and Research Hospital, 28100, Giresun, Turkey. • E-Mail: alimuhtarogluu@gmail.com • P: +90 506 314 64 41 • F: +90 454 310 20 02 • Corresponding Author ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5412-2175
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Giresun Training and Research Hospital Clinical Researches (Date: 2023-04-28, No: 16)
How to cite this article: Tuna Albayrak, Ali Muhtaroğlu. Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence in medicine: Insights of future medical professionals. Eu Clin Anal Med 2023;11(3):31-36
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Evaluation of the approaches of the doctors working in the perioperative period in Turkey to patient blood management
Evaluation of patient blood management by doctors in Turkey
Mehlika Kuşvuran Kurtay, Şeref Çelik, Betül Güven Aytaç
Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
DOI:10.4328/ECAM.10052 Received : 2023-07-19 Accepted : 2023-08-21 Published Online : 2023-08-25 Printed Online : 2023-09-01
Abstract
Aim: Patient blood management is a thoroughly researched and inclusive strategy to improve care of patients who may need blood transfusions by utilizing a team-based approach. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been providing support for it since 2010. Patient blood management aims to improve patient safety by reducing mortality and morbidity rates while avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions and related products. Our research is focused on identifying the methods used by medical professionals in patient blood management during the perioperative phase and evaluating their level of understanding of the subject matter.
Material and Methods: Between July and September 2022, a study was carried out, which consisted of 21 questionnaire questions focused on the method of patient blood management. The survey was electronically sent out to anesthesiologists and doctors of different branches who participate in preoperative preparations across numerous centers in Turkey, utilizing the Google Forms TM application.
Results: Out of all the participants, 59.8% have undergone training on patient blood management. Among them, 39.6% were aware of the perioperative anemia treatment protocol in their center. In the Anesthesiology group, there was a statistically significant increase in awareness that perioperative anemia can result in higher perioperative morbidity and mortality. Anesthesiologists preferred to delay surgery by starting oral iron replacement 4-8 weeks prior, while the other physicians preferred performing ES transfusion before starting replacement therapy.
Discussion: Various European countries have adopted Patient Blood Management guidelines, and healthcare professionals have welcomed this approach. A survey conducted in Turkey shows a greater awareness of this practice, particularly in anesthesia.
Keywords: Patient Blood Management, Perioperative Anemia, Transfusion Reactions
Corresponding Author: Betül Güven Aytaç, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Ankara City Hospital, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey. • E-Mail: drbguven@hotmail.com • P: +90 507 357 83 51 • Corresponding Author ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4787-9350
This study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Health Sciences University Ankara City Hospital (Date: 2022-06-04, No: E1-22-2521)
How to cite this article: Mehlika Kuşvuran Kurtay, Şeref Çelik, Betül Güven Aytaç. Evaluation of the approaches of the doctors working in the perioperative period in Turkey to patient blood management. Eu Clin Anal Med 2023;11(3):37-41
Assessment of cyberostracism and personality inventory in first year university students in Turkey
Cyberostracism and personality inventory
Feyza Nehir Öznur Muz 1, Ali Kılınç 2, Alaettin Ünsal 1, Didem Arslantaş 1, Mustafa Tözün 3
1 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, 2 Department of Public Health, Konya Beyşehir Health Directorate, Konya, 3 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, Türkiye
DOI:10.4328/ECAM.10053 Received : 2023-07-21 Accepted : 2023-08-30 Published Online : 2023-08-30 Printed Online : 2023-09-01
Abstract
Aim: Exclusion can occur not only in face-to-face communication but also through social communication tools. All kinds of exclusion through media, such as e-mail, phone calls and messages, and social media sites, are defined as cyberostracism. The study aimed to determine the level of cyberostracism (CO) among students who have just started the university, examine variables that are thought to be related, and to evaluate the relationship between cyberostracism and personality types.
Material and Methods: The study covers preparatory and first-year students studying at a total of 209 different universities or colleges in Turkey. The study group consisted of 2953 students. The CO scale was used to measure the participants’ level of cyberostracism, and the Ten-item Personality Inventory (TIPI) scale was used to measure their personality types.
Results: In the study, the level of cyberostracism was surprisingly low among young people who had just started university. It was determined that personality types (in univariate analysis) and gender, family type, face-to-face communication with friends of young people and creating memberships with hidden identity on social media were predictive factors for cyberostracism (in multivariate analysis) in those who have just started university.
Discussion: In order to prevent cyberostracism, it may be useful to guide young people to use social media more consciously in the future. It is necessary to increase awareness on this subject by designing new further studies on the subject in larger groups.
Keywords: Cyberostracism, Personality Inventory, University Students, Communication
Corresponding Author: Feyza Nehir Öznur Muz, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey. • E-Mail: feyzanehir@yahoo.com • P: +90 222 239 29 79 • Corresponding Author ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8747-9867
This study was approved by the Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Eskişehir Osmangazi University (Date: 2021-05-25, No: E-25403353-050.99-194642)
How to cite this article: Feyza Nehir Öznur Muz, Ali Kılınç, Alaettin Ünsal, Didem Arslantaş, Mustafa Tözün. Assessment of cyberostracism and personality inventory in first year university students in Turkey. Eu Clin Anal Med 2023;11(3):42-46
Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) may be a predictive marker of vascular endothelial damage in lean and obese women with PCOS
Soluble CD40 ligand and PCOS
Zercan Kalı 1, Fatma Tanılır Çağıran 2
1 Department of Obstetrıc -Gynecology, Private Gozde Hospital, Malatya, 2 Department of Obstetrıc -Gynecology, Private Obstetric and Gynecology Clinic, Diyarbakır, Turkey
DOI:10.4328/ECAM.10054 Received : 2023-08-11 Accepted : 2023-08-30 Published Online : 2023-08-31 Printed Online : 2023-09-01
Abstract
Aim: Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) is a transmembrane protein that leads to endothelial damage and the emergence of vascular diseases. This study was designed to detect the change in serum sCD40L levels in women with PCOS without obvious cardiac pathology.
Material and Methods: A total of 60 patients, including 40 PCOS patients without overt heart disease and 20 non-PCOS healthy controls, were included in the study. ECG and, if necessary, echocardiography were performed to investigate the presence of cardiac pathologies. The PCOS patients were divided into two subgroups according to their BMI values. Group 1: normal/lean PCOS (n=20), Group 2: overweight PCOS (n=20). Patients with a BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 were considered normal or underweight. Those with a BMI of 25.0-29.9 kg/m2 were considered obese. sCD40L levels in venous blood samples were measured with ELISA.
Results: The serum sCD40L values of the obese PCOS group were higher than in both the lean PCOS and the control groups. Lean PCOS group had a higher serum sCD40L value than the control group. The serum LH value in the obese PCOS group was significantly higher than in the patients in both the lean PCOS and control groups. Serum testosterone levels of the participants in the lean and obese PCOS group were significantly higher than in the control group. The HOMA-IR value in the obese group was significantly higher than in both the lean PCOS and control groups. A positive and significant correlation was found between serum sCD40L, BMI and LH levels in both lean and obese PCOS groups. Similarly, a positive and significant correlation was found between serum testosterone, HOMA-IR and serum sCD40L values in both lean and obese PCOS groups.
Discussion: The significant increase in sCD40L in both lean and obese PCOS patients without obvious cardiovascular disease suggests that it can be used as a marker of endothelial damage.
Keywords: PCOS, Inflammation, sCD40L, Endothelial Damage
Corresponding Author: Zercan Kali, Department of Obstetrıc -Gynecology, Private Gozde Hospital, Malatya, Turkey. • E-Mail: zercankali@gmail.com • P: +90 530 223 96 30 • Corresponding Author ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7128-7550
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tinaztepe University (Date: 2023-05-10, No: 03)
How to cite this article: Zercan Kalı, Fatma Tanılır Çağıran. Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) may be a predictive marker of vascular endothelial damage in lean and obese women with PCOS. Eu Clin Anal Med 2023;11(3):47-50
Complementary and alternative medicine practices used by families in asthmatic children
Complementary and alternative medicine
Uğur Altaş 1, Muhammed Esad Sıddık Özkars 2, Zeynep Meva Altaş 3, Neslihan Sağlam 4, Mehmet Yaşar Özkars 1
1 Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, University of Health Sciences Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, 2 Department of Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul Medeniyet Unıversity, 3 Department of Public Health, Ümraniye District Health Directorate, 4 Department of Pediatrics, University of Health Sciences Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
DOI:10.4328/ECAM.10055 Received : 2023-08-14 Accepted : 2023-08-30 Published Online : 2023-08-30 Printed Online : 2023-09-01
Abstract
Aim: In this study, we aimed to examine the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children with asthma.
Material and Methods: This is a descriptive type of study. The study included all patients aged 2-17 years who visited to the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Department of a tertiary hospital in Istanbul between May and July 2022 with asthma diagnosis. Age, duration of asthma diagnosis, use of complementary and alternative therapies of the patients were asked.
Results: Pediatric patients (n=115) with asthma were evaluated. All families used at least one CAM. Of the children, 72.2% (n=83) used multiple CAM product. While the percentage of those who used one of the CAM products was 27.8% (n=32), 6.1% (n=7) of the families used five different CAMs. The most frequently used CAM was honey with a percentage of 67.0% (n=77). Honey was followed by carob molasses (n=29, 25.2%), ginger (n=29, 25.2%), black seed oil (n=20, 17.4%) and lemon (n=20, 17.4%). Only three (2.6%) parents stated that they had heard about CAM from their doctor. The duration of asthma diagnosis was statistically significantly longer in children using multiple products (p=0.017).
Discussion: In our study, the percentage of multiple CAM products usage among children with asthma was high. However, very few parents have used CAM on doctor’s advice. Further studies on the reasons for CAM use, CAM side effects and benefits should be planned.
Keywords: Asthma, Children, Complementary Medicine, Alternative Medicine
Corresponding Author: Uğur Altaş, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, University of Health Sciences Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, 34764, Ümraniye, İstanbul, Turkey. • E-Mail: druguraltas@gmail.com • P: +90 216 632 18 18 • Corresponding Author ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5871-2033
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of University of Health Sciences Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital (Date: 2022-02-10, No: 41)
How to cite this article: Uğur Altaş, Muhammed Esad Sıddık Özkars, Zeynep Meva Altaş, Neslihan Sağlam, Mehmet Yaşar Özkars. Complementary and alternative medicine practices used by families in asthmatic children. Eu Clin Anal Med 2023;11(3):51-54
Opinions and knowledge level of pediatricians on circumcision
Pediatricians’ views on circumcision
Ceyhan Şahin 1, Neslihan Gülçin 2
1 Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, 2 Department of Pediatric Surgery, Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
DOI:10.4328/ECAM.10056 Received : 2023-08-14 Accepted : 2023-08-30 Published Online : 2023-08-30 Printed Online : 2023-09-01
Abstract
Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge level and opinions of pediatricians about circumcision and the preputium and discuss them in light of the existing literature.
Material and Methods: This descriptive field study, employing a mixed design, was conducted among pediatricians (n = 292). The questionnaire form was prepared by the researchers based on the existing literature. The questionnaire forms were distributed via WhatsApp, Messenger, and SMS. Analysis of variance was used to examine knowledge levels in groups of three stages and above. A chi-square test was used to compare proportionate data, and a p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Among the study participants, 92.2% stated that they recommended circumcision in cases of phimosis, while 88.9% did so for recurrent urinary tract infections. Additionally, 98.3% acknowledged hypospadias awareness, 64.4% stated that they considered circumcision a part of their cultural/religious identity, and 28.1% expressed the belief that circumcision should be avoided in patients with bleeding disorders unless medically warranted. It was observed that 33.2% of the participants endorsed circumcision between the ages of 6–10 years, 74.4% recommended it be performed by pediatric surgeons, and 96.6% suggested its execution in a hospital setting. The average knowledge level of the participants was found to be 47.95 ± 19.84 points out of 100.
Discussion: The results revealed that pediatricians who participated in our study believed that there should be no legislation limiting circumcision and that circumcision should preferably be performed by pediatric surgeons in a hospital setting, in the presence of an anesthesiologist, and with the option of sedation or local anesthesia. Furthermore, the participants’ knowledge level indicates a potential need for training on circumcision and the preputium.
Keywords: Circumcision, Hypospadias, Phimosis
Corresponding Author: Ceyhan Şahin, Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Ümraniye, Istanbul, Turkey. • E-Mail: ceyhan.sahin60@gmail.com • P: +90 532 707 27 73 • Corresponding Author ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3101-3915
This study was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of Health Sciences University Umraniye Training and Research Hospital (Date: 2023-04-24, No: B.10.1.TKH.4.34.H.GP.0.01/145)
How to cite this article: Ceyhan Şahin, Neslihan Gülçin. Opinions and knowledge level of pediatricians on circumcision. Eu Clin Anal Med 2023;11(3):55-59