The attachment established between the caregiver and the infant is a fundamental factor affecting mental health, starting from the prenatal period and developing during infancy. Prematurity is among the factors that influence the quality of attachment, making it difficult for healthy parent-child relationships to be established. Premature infants treated in intensive care units must separate emotionally and physically from their caregivers, putting them and their parents at risk of mental health problems and interrupting the attachment process. With the increase in premature birth rates, studies have investigated the relationship between attachment quality and premature birth, concluding that premature birth negatively affects secure attachment and that attachment quality decreases as gestational age decreases and neonatal intensive care time increases. Protective interventions and multidisciplinary approaches are recommended to reduce this negative effect, and long-term studies are needed to better understand the relationship.

Objective: Vitamin B12 deficiency, an essential vitamin for the human body, is common in Turkey, and infants are at risk in this regard. This study was intended to investigate the effect of vitamin B12 levels of breastfeeding mothers with infant vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels.
Material and Methods: A total of 214 infants aged 1-6 months and their mothers who applied to the infancy outpatient clinic of Ýstanbul Medeniyet University Göztepe Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. In this study, vitamin B12 levels of the mothers, vitamin B12, folic acid, and homocysteine levels in the infants were primarily analyzed, and the associated risk factors were secondarily determined.
Results: The rate of adequate vitamin B12 levels in infants was 20.09% (n=43), and the rate of normal homocysteine levels in mothers of infants with sufficient vitamin B12 and normal homocysteine levels was 383.93 pg/mL and 379.07 pg/mL. 66.27% sensitivity and 75.56% specificity were calculated when 220 pg/mL was taken as the vitamin B12 cut-off value, which predicts homocysteine elevation.
Conclusion: This study predicted that only one in five infants had sufficient vitamin B12 levels, but if breastfeeding mothers had sufficient vitamin B12 levels, infants were much less likely to have vitamin B12 deficiency. Since adequate vitamin B12 levels are important for infants, especially in terms of neurodevelopment, we believe that it is necessary to evaluate pregnant women in our society in terms of vitamin B12 levels and to provide vitamin B12 support.

Objective: Lower respiratory tract infections of predominantly viral origin disproportionately affect infants and children, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary pathogen in this age group. This study employed rapid testing methodologies to detect RSV infection among hospitalized pediatric patients, providing insights into its prevalence, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics, and impact on mortality and morbidity.
Material and Methods: This study, conducted between September 1, 2009 and April 30, 2011, targeted infants aged 0-24 months who were hospitalized with lower respiratory infections at the Pediatric Clinic of University of Health Sciences Turkey, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kýrdar Training and Hospital. Upon admission, each patient underwent a comprehensive medical history evaluation, which included assessments for prematurity, congenital heart disease, recurrent infectious diseases, reactive respiratory system disease, and immune system disorders. Additionally, physical examination, routine tests, and nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected. RSV detection was performed using the Respi-Strip kit.
Results: Among the 311 patients included in the study, 182 (58%) were male, and RSV was detected in 110 (35%) patients. Of those who tested positive for RSV, 72 (65%) were male. A significant prevalence of RSV infection was observed among patients aged 6 months. The incidence of RSV was notably higher in December, January, and March. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the duration of breastfeeding and the likelihood of RSV infection. RSV positivity was significantly associated with temperatures below 10 °C and relative humidity levels exceeding 60%. Additionally, a significant association was noted between RSV infection, the presence of clinically diagnosed otitis media, and chest retraction.
Conclusion: Regular screening for RSV is essential for early diagnosis, enabling targeted therapy, and improving patient outcomes. This proactive strategy may reduce morbidity, mortality, and economic impacts. Further epidemiological and clinical research on RSV transmission is crucial for protecting populations at risk, enhancing disease prevention measures, optimizing isolation protocols, and developing novel treatment options.

Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the surgical intervention needs and outcomes of patients aged >65 years who were admitted from the emergency department to the general surgery ward due to gastrointestinal complaints. This study further explores the impact of age and comorbidities on surgical outcomes in this population.
Material and Methods: A total of 525 patients aged 65 years and older who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms were included in this retrospective observational study conducted at Ýzmir Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital. Data on demographic characteristics, presenting complaints, diagnoses, surgical interventions, and outcomes were collected and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0.
Results: The mean age of the study population was 79.72±9.25 years, and 45.1% were female. The most common presenting complaint was abdominal pain (54.7%), and the most frequent diagnoses were ileus (25.0%), acute cholecystitis (21.9%), and perforation (10.1%). Emergency surgery was required in 35.6% of the patients. The present study found a statistically significant association between higher mortality rates and diagnoses such as perforation, mesenteric ischemia, and trauma. Mortality was also significantly higher among patients with severe comorbidities.
Conclusion: Elderly patients requiring emergency surgical intervention are at high risk of mortality, particularly in the presence of specific diagnoses and comorbidities. These findings highlight the need for careful surgical decision-making and the adoption of multidisciplinary approaches in the management of elderly patients to improve outcomes. Further research is recommended to optimize perioperative care in this vulnerable population.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between hypo/hypercapnia and fluctuations in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) during the initial 72 hours of life among preterm infants.
Material and Methods: A retrospective study of premature infants with birth weights between 750 and 1.250 g and gestational ages of 30 weeks who required respiratory support. Blood gas measurements were collected during the first 3 days of life. Multivariate analyses were performed to assess the association between hypercapnia and carbon dioxide pressure (pCO2) fluctuations and IVH.
Results: Our cohort included 376 patients with a median gestational age of 28 weeks and a median birth weight of 920 g. After controlling for gestational age and birth weight, histologic chorioamnionitis and pCO2 fluctuations remained significantly associated with severe IVH.
Conclusion: Fluctuations in pCO2 over a short period may have a stronger association with severe IVH than the mere occurrence of hypo- or hypercapnia.