Objectives Long-term outcomes of COVID-19 patients who discharge ICU are unclear. We investigated the effect of COVID-19 on lung structure, pulmonary functional, exercise capacity and quality of life in patients discharge from ICU and medical ward. Methods A prospective single-centre study conducted in PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients who has been discharged from University of Health Sciences, Dr. Suat Seren Chest Disease and Thoracic Surgery Teaching and Research Hospital between 15 January and 5 March 2021. Patients who followed up for more than 48 hours in ICU and more than 72 hours in medical ward were included the study. Computed tomography scores, pulmonary functional tests (PFT), 6-min walking distance and health related quality of life by SF-36 were compared between ICU and medical ward patients at 6 months after discharge. Results Seventy patients were included final analyses and 31 of them discharged from ICU. ICU patients had higher CT scores than non-ICU patients at admission (17 vs 11) and follow up visit (6 vs 0). Two-three of ICU patients had at least one abnormal finding at control CT. Advanced age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.15) and higher CT score at admission (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.27) were risk factors for having radiological abnormalities at control CT. 90% of the patients discharged from the ICU had at least one persistent symptom. Conclusion A number of COVID-19 survivors could not fully recover after 6 months of hospital discharge. COVID-19 survivor needs to support therapies at recovery phase of the disease.

Introduction Sepsis is one of the major causes of death in intensive care unit (ICU). One of the most important treatment for sepsis is antibiotic treatment. At the beginning antibiotics is chosen empirically after that is changed according to culture results or response to initial treatment. Nevertheless, only small number of culture positivity can be detected. The factors associated culture positivity are of interest in the critically ill patients. Therefore, we aim in our study to explore the factors associated with blood culture positivity especially blood glucose levels at the time blood culture sampling. Methods We perform this prospective observational study at the Intensive Care Unit of Dr. Suat Seren Chest Disease and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital between August 1, 2016 and January 1, 2017, in İzmir, Turkey. Two separate samples from opposite sides of each patient were obtained, and blood glucose was measured simultaneously with bed-side blood glucose measurement device by using the blood drawn for blood culture for each vial. The average of the two measurements was considered as the simultaneous blood glucose level of the patient. Results 174 patients were enrolled into the study, blood culture positivity was detected in 53 (30%) patients. In univariate analyzes, blood glucose levels, presence of central venous catheter, antibiotic treatment, vasoactive drug infusion and diabetes mellitus (DM) were associated with culture positivity. In multivariate analyze only DM was associated culture positivity (OR 5.63 [95% CI 1.99-15.91] p=0,001). Conclusion DM increase possibility of blood culture positivity. It stems from uncontrolled DM. Further studies are needed to evaluate this condition stems from uncontrolled DM or both uncontrolled and well-controlled DM.