METHOD
Study was conducted in thoracic oncology palliative care unite in
Atatürk Chest Disease and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research
Hospital. We have retrospectively analysed lung cancer patients who
hospitalized due to respiratory symptoms from 2020, March 11, the date
of first seen COVID-19 in Turkey. Among 108 hospitalized patients 18 of
them were included. Respiratory symptoms were defined as; cough, sputum,
shortness of breath, haemoptysis, fever and coexistence of these
symptoms. If patients had other symptoms causing major indications for
hospitalization along with respiratory symptoms they were excluded.
Patients demographic data like age, gender, TNM stage, therapies before
hospitalization, physical examination findings (transcutaneous oxygen
saturation (hypoxia was defined ≤88%), bronchospasm, dyspnoea,
tachypne), laboratory parameters (LDH with range of 0-247 IU/L,
haemogram analyses, C reactive protein), radiological findings on chest
X-ray and high resolution thorax tomography (HRTT) were recorded. In our
clinic all patients with signs of respiratory tract infection are
examined for acid-resistant bacillus (ARB), bacterial and fungal culture
examination. When required, considering epidemiological history and
clinical symptoms, nasopharyngeal swabs for new coronavirus nucleic
acids were obtained according to local guide for new coronavirus (1). In
our country, a Covid-19 suspect case completes the diagnosis and
treatment process in the hospital. Patients with suspected contact or
high risk for COVID-19 had transferred to specially prepared department
for centralized isolation and treatment in hospital. In case of
continuing clinical suspicion, a second swab was taken. On the other
hand, the necessary tests for differential diagnosis were continued and
empirical antibacterial treatment was started in all cases.
Study was approved by our hospital ethical committee with number
673-14.05.2020 and necessary permission was obtained from the Turkish
Ministry of Health with application number of 2020-05-08T00_20_42.