Background: Individuals of any age can acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection, although adults of middle age and older are most commonly affected, and older adults are more likely to have severe disease. Therefore, the management of patients with COVID-19 over the age of 50 is very important. Aims: In this study, we aimed to investigate the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory findings of COVID-19 patients over the age of 50 in a tertiary education and research hospital. Study Design: Single-center retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods: Patients older than 50 years of age who applied to the emergency service with suspected COVID-19 and had positive nasopharyngeal PCR were included in the study. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their ages (50-64 years, 65-79 years, and 80 years and over, respectively). Demographic characteristics of the patients such as age, gender, admission symptoms, clinical findings, laboratory results, imaging results, and hospital follow-up periods were recorded. Results: A total of 119 patients were included in the study. Seventy-five patients were 50-64 years old (63.02%), 31 patients were 65-79 years (26.05%), and 13 patients were over 80 years old (10.9%). It was observed that fever and respiratory distress gradually increased with age (p = 0.019, p = 0.029). Considering the laboratory values between the groups, statistically significant differences were found in terms of anemia (p ˂ 0.05), lymphopenia (p ˂ 0.05), and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (p = 0.009). Positive computed tomography findings were detected in 88 (73.9%) cases. The rates of service and intensive care hospitalization increased with age and were highest in patients over the age of 80 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Age is an important risk factor in COVID-19 disease. In COVID-19 disease, special protocols should be established for elderly patients and studies involving larger patient samples should be conducted.

Introduction COVID-19 virus continues to spread and die worldwide. Some studies examining hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic agent reported that its efficiency and reliability have not been proven so that it must not be used for prophylaxis other than clinical researches. However we think that the results of this study we conducted in a local area will contribute to the literature data. Methods The study was designed as adult patients who were in follow-up taking HC due to their chronic diseases were included. 384 patients who were taking hydroxychloroquine regularly and 299 patients who were not taking hydroxychloroquine were included. The primary outcome of this study is to detect a positive PCR result in patients who received a PCR test and to determine the incidence rate and its course of the disease among those who were taking HC and those who were not taking hydroxychloroquine. Results The majority of the patients (median age: 51.8- range 17-89) were women and housewives. In the patient group using hydroxychloroquine, 22 patients were tested for PCR and only 2 positive patients were found. Covid-19 was detected in 24 (8.02%) of 65 (21.73%) patients who underwent PCR test at Control group (n = 299). PCR positivity was statistically lower in the HK group (n = 2, 0.52%, n = 24, 8.02%, respectively, p = 0.0001). Conclusions Our study supported the fact that there is a lower PCR positivity and symptoms are milder among patients who are using HC regularly, as compared to those who are not using hydroxychloroquine.

Introduction: In this study, it is planned to compare the RT-PCR test, which is the gold standard in the diagnosis of COVID-19, with Thorax computed tomography (CT) and rapid antibody test results. Methods: Patients who were admitted to the emergency service of İzmir Çiğli Training and Research Hospital between 01.04.2020 and 31.05.2020 and who were suspected of having COVID-19 infection were included in the study. The medical records of the patients were retrospectively analyzed through the hospital data processing database. Age, gender, hospitalization, status of home quarantine, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), thorax CT and rapid antibody test results of the patients were examined. The relationship between RT-PCR, thorax CT and rapid antibody test results were compared statistically. Results: A total of 181 patients, 115 (63.5%) male and 66 (36.5%) female, with an average age of 56.4 ± 18.06 years were included in the study. The nasopharyngeal swab PCR result obtained at the first admission of the patients to the emergency department was positive in 71 (39.2%) patients. Thorax CT was performed in 173 (95.6%) patients who applied to the emergency department, and 112 (64.7%) of them had findings that could be compatible with COVID-19. According to the thorax CT findings in patients, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for detecting COVID-19 infection were respectively; 76.1%, 43.1%, 48.2% and 72.1% (ĸ: 0.176, p <0.001). In our study, the mortality rate for COVID-19 was found to be 2.8%. Conclusion: Rapid antibody test and thorax CT examinations were found to have low diagnostic value in patients who admitted to the emergency department of our hospital and whose first RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test was positive. Studies involving larger patient groups are needed for their use alone in diagnosis and screening.

Introduction : The issue of Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR), which is still being debated all over the world, is extremely complex and has not yet been discussed extensively in our country. Our aim in this study; to determine the place of DNAR in emergency services and the applicability of DNAR concept. Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional survey in Turkey. The questions were designed to examine physicians’ approaches to the concept of DNAR, whether they apply this concept and why. Results: A total of 246 physicians were reached. Sixty-nine physicians (30%) stated that they used DNAR in practice and metastatic terminal stage malignancy patients were found to be the most accepted DNAR group. There was a statistically significant difference between physicians’ anxiety about physical violence. Discussion: In order to increase the quality of CPR, patients should be well analyzed. The applicability of the concept of DNAR in our country is not legally possible. However, this situation does not prevent the emergence of patients who will not benefit from treatment in the clinic. Conclusion: It is best to establish a committee on DNAR and redefine the legal rules within certain norms.