Acta Medica Ruha

Boost by Brachytherapy in Breast Cancer: Experience of the Radiotherapy Department at CHU Hassan II of Fès

Chrifi Alaoui Ghita — 2024-12-20

Introduction: Breast-conserving surgery combined with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is widely recognized as an effective treatment for localized breast cancer. To improve local control, a boost dose to the tumor bed is frequently recommended, particularly for patients at higher risk of recurrence. High-dose-rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy enables precise boost delivery while reducing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of HDR interstitial brachytherapy as a boost following EBRT in patients with T1-T2 breast cancer.

Method: This retrospective study included 21 patients with T1-T2 breast cancer treated at the Radiotherapy Department of CHU Hassan II of Fez from October 2016 to December 2023. Patients underwent lumpectomy and were selected based on GEC-ESTRO and ASTRO inclusion criteria. Initial EBRT was delivered via conventional fractionation (50 Gray in 25 fractions) or hypofractionation (42 Gray in 15 fractions), followed by an HDR brachytherapy boost of 8-10 Gray administered in two fractions with a minimum 6-hour interval. Clinical and radiological follow-ups were conducted to assess local control, side effects, and survival.

Results: The median age was 44 years, with a median follow-up of 55 months. Among the 21 patients, 11 presented with T1 stage cancer, and 10 with T2 stage. The local recurrence rate was 4.76%. Mean disease-free survival was 54.4 months, and overall survival was 56 months. HDR brachytherapy showed strong local control, with minimal recurrence rates and favorable survival outcomes.

Conclusion: HDR interstitial brachytherapy as a boost following EBRT in breast-conserving surgery appears to be an effective approach for enhancing local control in T1-T2 breast cancer, with low recurrence and good survival outcomes. These findings support HDR brachytherapy as a viable, tissue-sparing option for boosting tumor bed dose in this patient group.

Sexual Myths During Pregnancy and Affecting Factors

Şükran Başgöl — 2024-12-20

Introduction: Sexual myths during pregnancy are significant social constructs based on misinformation and beliefs, shaping individuals' perceptions of this period. Investigating these myths is crucial for promoting accurate knowledge about sexuality during pregnancy and improving healthcare services.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to examine sexual myths during pregnancy and the factors that influence them.

Method: The study was descriptive and cross-sectional. Snowball sampling method was used and 431 pregnant women who completed the online questionnaires were included in the study. Data were collected using a personal information form and the Scale of Attitudes and Beliefs about Sexuality during Pregnancy. Independent samples t-test, ANOVA test, and regression analysis were used for data analysis.

Results: The mean score of the Attitudes and Beliefs Scale about Sexuality During Pregnancy (ABSSP) was 61.64 (SD 15.83). It was found that there is a significant difference in the number of pregnancies, number of children, educational status, spouse's educational status, presence of a risky condition in the fetus, planned and voluntary pregnancy, receiving sexual health education, continuing sexuality during pregnancy, comfortable talking about sexuality with spouse, and marriage type variables between the mean score ABSSP scale (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Health professionals should provide opportunities for couples to discuss sexuality in pregnancy and to express their attitudes about sexuality before pregnancy and during pregnancy follow-up. The risk factors identified in this study will contribute to the structuring of educational content and the literature.

Determination of Health Workers' Attitudes Towards Quality Studies

Dilek Sakallı — 2024-12-20

Introduction: Quality in health is defined as the delivery of the right service, at the right time, to the right people at the right time. Quality in health service delivery is a tool to provide effective and safe care, and quality in health is a necessity since an error in service delivery affects human life.

Objective: The study was conducted to determine the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards quality studies.

Method: It is a descriptive study. It was conducted between December 2023 and April 2024 with healthcare professionals working in a university hospital. The sample of the study included 269 healthcare professionals. Data were collected using the Information Form and Attitude Toward Quality Studies Scale: Healthcare Workers Version form. Descriptive methods, independent sample t test and one-way ANOVA test analysis were applied to analyze the data.

Results: The mean and standard deviations of the scores obtained by the healthcare professionals from the scale sub-dimensions and total were 3.37±0.83 for institutional approach, 3.37±0.87 for managerial approach, 3.60±0.95 for employee approach and 3.40±0.79 for total. It was found that the mean scores differed significantly according to the status of receiving quality training (institutional approach t=2.473, p<0.05; managerial approach t=2.202, p<0.05; employee approach t=2.005, p<0.05 and total t=2.608, p<0.05) and there was a low level positive significant relationship between the years of employment and employee approach scores (rS=0.121, p<0.05).

Conclusion: It was determined that the attitudes of healthcare workers towards quality studies were at a high level, and that receiving quality-related training and increasing experience positively affected attitudes towards quality studies. It is recommended to conduct quality trainings in institutions, share quality

Assocıations Between Executive Functions, Attentıon Skills and Upper Extremity Motor Abilities in Individuals with Chronic Stroke

Ramazan Öztürk — 2024-12-20

Introduction: One of the most common problems encountered after stroke is the loss of motor function in the upper extremities. Improvement in upper extremity motor function is very important to minimize long-term limitations and improve quality of life.

Objective: This study aims to examine the relationship between executive functions, attention skills and upper extremity motor functions in chronic stroke individuals who are considered cognitively normal.

Method: 58 individuals with chronic stroke who were treated at Erenköy Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital were included in the study. Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), Stroop Test TBAG Form and Digit Span Test were used to assess the cognitive, executive and attention skills of the individuals. Fugl Meyer Upper Extremity Assessment Scale (FMA-UE) and Box and Block Test (BBT) were used to assess the level of upper extremity functions.

Results: When we look at the findings of the study, the upper extremity motor functions of the individuals had a positive correlation with the MoCA and Digit Span Test scores and a negative correlation with the Stroop Test components (p<0.05). Cognitive functions were found to be 40% effective on upper extremity motor functions according to the regression analysis between MoCA and BBT and 17% effective on upper extremity motor functions according to the regression analysis between MoCA and FMA-UE.

Conclusion: The results of the study confirm the relationship between executive functions and attention skills and upper extremity motor functions in chronic stroke patients who are considered cognitively normal. Taking executive function and attention components into consideration when creating protocols during the rehabilitation process will help therapists create personalized and successful programs.

Review of Postgraduate Theses on the Roy Adaptation Model in the Field of Nursing in Turkey: A Systematic Review

Zehra Özdemir — 2024-12-20

This study aimed to scan master's theses and doctoral theses prepared with the Roy Adaptation Model in the field of Nursing in Turkey. The universe of the study was composed of master's theses and doctoral theses prepared in the Nursing Departments between the years 2013-2023 and registered in the National Thesis Center database of the Council of Higher Education. The keywords "Roy Adaptation Model and Roy Adaptation Model" were used in this study. Although the words Roy Adaptation Model and Roy Adaptation Model were included in the title, they were not included in the keywords and theses prepared in different fields were not included. In the retrospective descriptive literature study, 42 theses, 9 master's theses and 33 doctoral theses, published between the years 2013-2023, were summarized, with a total of 3161 people participating. It was determined that the majority of the postgraduate theses were doctoral theses. It was observed that theses prepared with this model increased over the years and the majority of the sample groups were patients. It is recommended that the perspective of using models be gained in postgraduate education and that postgraduate studies be made widespread.

Bilateral Infraclavicular Block in a Pediatric Patient with Hurler Scheie Syndrome: A Successful Approach

Muhammed Halit Satıcı — 2024-12-20

Abstracts are not requested for ‘Letter to the Editor’ articles in accordance with the journal writing rules.

Potential Causes for Differences Between Regions in Coronary Artery Diseases in Turkey

Gürkan İmre — 2024-12-20

Abstracts are not requested for ‘Letter to the Editor’ articles in accordance with the journal writing rules.

Patient with Blastocystis Hominis Associated with Unelucidated Pathogenicity Case Report

Uğur Ergün — 2024-12-20

Objective: Blastocystis hominis is one of the parasites that found commonly in the human intestinal tract. It has been described as a non-pathogenic protozoan parasite, even if it has been claimed to cause intestinal diseases for many years. Therefore, the role and treatment of the parasite in forming the symptoms of the gastrointestinal system are controversial. There may be clinical symptoms such as non-specific abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia, vomiting and weight loss, and sometimes it can be manifested in an invasive table, such as rare symptoms like rectal bleeding.

Case: In this report, we present Blastocystis hominis in stool examination of our patient who was admitted to our clinic with non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms for approximately one month. Metronidazole therapy for this parasitic infection was initiated and was observed to recover in the patient’s clinic.

Conclusion: We want to report that Blastocyctis hominis, which has been exposed to many different definitions in the past, provides additional support for its recognition as a human pathogen with this case report.