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Background/aim: Broad-spectrum antibiotics have become available for use only with the approval of infectious disease specialists (IDSs) since 2003 in Turkey. This study aimed to analyze the tendencies of doctors who are not disease specialists (non-IDSs) towards the restriction of antibiotics., Materials and methods: A questionnaire form was prepared, which included a total of 22 questions about the impact of antibiotic restriction (AR) policy, the role of IDSs in the restriction, and the perception of this change in antibiotic consumption. The questionnaire was completed by each participating physician., Results: A total of 1906 specialists from 20 cities in Turkey participated in the study. Of those who participated, 1271 (67.5%) had 5 years of occupational experience in their branch expressed that they followed the antibiotic guidelines more strictly than the JSs (P < 0.05) and 755 of physicians (88%) and 720 of surgeons (84.6%) thought that the AR policy was necessary and useful (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: This study indicated that the AR policy was supported by most of the specialists. Physicians supported this restriction policy more so than surgeons did.

We aimed to investigate the predictors for limb loss among patients with diabetes who have complicated skin/soft-tissue infections. In this observational study, consecutive patients with diabetic foot infection (DFI) from 17 centres in Turkey, between May 2011 and May 2013 were included. The Turkish DFI Working Group performed the study. Predictors of limb loss were investigated by multivariate analysis. In total, 455 patients with DFI were included. Median age was 61 years, 68% were male, 65% of the patients were hospitalized, 52% of the patients had used antibiotics within the last month, and 121(27%) had osteomyelitis. Of the 208 microorganisms isolated, 92 (44.2%) were Gram-positive cocci and 114 (54.8%) were Gram-negative rods (GNR). The most common GNR was Pseudomonas; the second was Escherichia coli, with extended spectrum beta-lactamase positivity of 33%. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species were found in 14% (29/208). Amputations were performed in 126/455 (28%) patients, 44/126 (34%) of these were major amputations. In multivariate analysis, significant predictors for limb loss were, male gender (OR 1.75, 95% Cl 1.04-2.96, p 0.034), duration of diabetes >20 years (OR 1.9, 95% Cl 1.18-3.11, p 0.008), infected ulcer versus cellulitis (OR 1.9, 95% Cl 1.11-3.18, p 0.019), history of peripheral vascular disease (OR 2, 95% Cl 1.26-3.27, p 0.004), retinopathy (OR 2.25, 95% Cl 1.19-4.25, p 0.012), erythrocyte sedimentation rate >70 mm/hr (OR 1.6, 95% Cl 1.01-2.68, p 0.05), and infection with GNR (OR 1.8, 95% Cl 1.08-3.02, p 0.02). Multivariate analysis revealed that, besides the known risk factors such as male gender, duration of diabetes >20 years, infected ulcers, history of peripheral vascular disease and retinopathy, detection of GNR was a significant predictor of limb loss. Clinical Microbiology and Infection (C) 2015 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geyik, Mehmet Faruk/0000-0002-0906-0902; demirdal, tuna/0000-0002-9046-5666; KARABAY, OGUZ/0000-0003-1514-1685; Karabay, Oguz/0000-0003-0502-432X; Gunduz, Alper/0000-0001-9154-844X WOS: 000352106600012 PubMed: 25500658 Introduction: Although pegylated interferons (pegIFNs) alpha-2a and alpha-2b have been used in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment for many years, there are few studies concerning predictors of sustained virologic response (SVR) to pegIFN therapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the predictors of response to pegIFN treatment in cases with HBeAg-negative CHB infection. Methodology: Seventeen tertiary care hospitals in Turkey were included in this study. Data from consecutively treated HBeAg-negative CHB patients, who received either pegIFN alpha-2a or alpha-2b, were collected retrospectively. SVR is defined as an HBV DNA concentration of less than 2,000 IU/mL six months after the completion of therapy Results: SVR was achieved in 40 (25%) of the 160 HBeAg-negative CHB patients. Viral loads in patients with SVR were lower compared to those with no SVR, beginning in the third month of treatment (p < 0.05). The number of cases with a decline of 1 log(10) IU/mL in viral load after the first month of treatment and with a serum HBV DNA level under 2,000 IU/mL after the third month of treatment was higher in cases with SVR (p < 0.05). The number of patients who had undetectable HBV DNA levels at week 48 among responders was significantly greater than among post-treatment virological relapsers (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Detection of a 1 log(10) decline in serum HBV DNA level at the first month of treatment and a serum HBV DNA level < 2000 IU/mL at the third month of therapy may be predictors of SVR.