Publications by authors named "Antoniou S"

Public Health England outlines a national ambition of anticoagulating 90% of eligible patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by 2029. In 2019/2020, two out of three boroughs reviewed in this study were in the bottom 10% of boroughs compared with others within England. Stroke National Audit data for these three boroughs from 2019 to 2020 identified that in patients with known AF admitted to hospital with strokes, 37% were not anticoagulated.

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Background: The surgical management of complicated diverticulitis varies across Europe. EAES members prioritized this topic to be addressed by a clinical practice guideline through an online questionnaire.

Objective: To develop evidence-informed clinical practice recommendations for key stakeholders involved in the treatment of complicated diverticulitis; to improve operative and perioperative outcomes, patient experience and quality of life through a systematic evidence-to-decision approach by a diverse, multidisciplinary panel.

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Background: We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of individualized patient data (IPD) to inform the development of evidence-informed clinical practice recommendations.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central in October 2023 to identify RCTs comparing Hartmann's resection (HR), primary resection and anastomosis (PRA), or laparoscopic peritoneal lavage (LPL) among patients with class Ib-IV Hinchey diverticulitis. Outcomes of interest were prioritized by an international, multidisciplinary panel including two patient partners.

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Introduction: There are many options for the surgical management of complicated diverticulitis, and standards vary widely despite international practice recommendations. We conducted a survey to capture the variation in practice across Europe.

Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to fellow and surgeon members of the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) via email using the Opinio survey platform.

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Background: There has been a recent rapid growth in the adoption of robotic systems across Europe. This study aimed to capture the current state of robotic training in gastrointestinal (GI) surgery and to identify potential challenges and barriers to training within Europe.

Methods: A pan-European survey was designed to account for the opinion of the following GI surgery groups: (i) experts/independent practitioners; (ii) trainees with robotic access; (iii) trainees without robotic access; (iv) robotic industry representatives.

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The Cyprus Biobank collects biosamples, medical and lifestyle information with the aim of reaching 16,500 Cypriots aged ≥ 18-years, by year 2027, as part of a multitasked EU funded project. Volunteers are both from the general population and from disease cohorts of focused research projects, who amongst others will contribute to canvas the architecture of the Cyprus human genome and study the healthy and morbid anatomy of Cypriots. The Cyprus Biobank is a research infrastructure pillar of the biobank.

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Background: Low back pain is prevalent among various populations and greatly impacts their quality of life. Professions that incorporate several working hours combined with heavy labor are the most affected. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an 8-week core training intervention in emergency personnel.

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Article Synopsis
  • Clinical guidelines are evidence-based recommendations created by experts to help healthcare providers and patients make informed decisions about health conditions, ultimately improving healthcare quality and tailored care.
  • The European Hernia Society (EHS) guidelines specifically assist surgeons in managing abdominal wall defects with reliable answers to their clinical questions, traditionally developed through consensus among key opinion leaders.
  • The GRADE method enhances the quality of these guidelines by providing a structured approach to evaluating evidence and making recommendations, addressing challenges in guideline production and advocating for dedicated research groups to improve adherence to this methodology.
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Beta-alanine is a nonessential amino acid that is commonly used to improve exercise performance. It could influence the buffering of hydrogen ions produced during intense exercise and delay fatigue, providing a substrate for increased synthesis of intramuscular carnosine. This systematic review evaluates the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on maximal intensity exercise in trained, young, male individuals.

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Background: Patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have a high risk of incisional hernia. Heterogeneity in recommendations regarding prophylactic mesh reinforcement between scientific society guidelines reflects the lack of sufficient data, with the Society for Vascular Surgery making no recommendation on methods for abdominal wall closure. We aimed to synthesize the most current evidence on mesh versus primary suture abdominal wall closure after open AAA repair.

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  • Risk governance is essential for biobanks to ethically manage samples and data, emphasizing the need for comprehensive identification and communication of risks beyond just technical aspects.
  • This study involves biobank staff in a risk mapping exercise using group discussions to better understand the complexities of biobank operations and highlight the importance of relationships in risk governance.
  • The findings propose an "organismic" view of biobanks, suggesting that trust and sustainability are crucial for ethical decision-making and that recognizing staff diversity enhances adaptive risk governance.
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Background: As the population ages, more older adults are presenting for surgery. Age-related declines in physiological reserve and functional capacity can result in frailty and poor outcomes after surgery. Hence, optimizing perioperative care in older patients is imperative.

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Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is currently the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. A competent healthcare workforce working in primary care delivering disease management services efficiently is the cornerstone of well performing health systems, impacting patient outcomes positively. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a training course to support pharmacists working in General Practitioner (GP) practices; and to evaluate its impact on practice.

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Background: The rapid adoption of robotic surgical systems across Europe has led to a critical gap in training and credentialing for gastrointestinal (GI) surgeons. Currently, there is no existing standardised curriculum to guide robotic training, assessment and certification for GI trainees. This manuscript describes the protocol to achieve a pan-European consensus on the essential components of a comprehensive training programme for GI robotic surgery through a five-stage process.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), a type of kidney injury that can happen during heart procedures, and looks at how inorganic nitrate might help prevent it.
  • In the trial called NITRATE-CIN, high-risk patients were given either potassium nitrate or a placebo for 5 days to see if it could lower the chances of developing CIN.
  • Results showed that patients taking inorganic nitrate had a much lower rate of CIN (9.1%) compared to those on placebo (30.5%), and it also helped improve kidney function and reduce heart problems.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate how effective prophylactic mesh is for preventing parastomal hernias in end colostomy patients, ultimately contributing to European clinical guidelines.* -
  • The meta-analysis included 12 randomized trials, showing that while quality of life (QoL) was unaffected by the use of mesh, it significantly reduced the incidence of parastomal hernias (risk reduction OR = 0.33).* -
  • No significant differences were found in surgery requirements or severe complications associated with mesh use, suggesting that while the mesh helps reduce hernia rates, it doesn’t impact QoL or lead to more serious surgical issues.*
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Article Synopsis
  • A new guideline has been developed for preventing parastomal hernias, prompted by evidence supporting the use of prophylactic mesh and advancements in guideline methods.
  • An interdisciplinary panel, including surgeons, nurses, and patients, employed a systematic review and meta-analysis to create trustworthy recommendations based on GRADE standards.
  • The guideline recommends using prophylactic mesh for patients with end colostomies, particularly those at high risk, while acknowledging moderate evidence certainty for parastomal hernia prevention and identifying areas for future research.
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Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether uterine artery embolization offers a better quality of life than myomectomy in premenopausal women diagnosed with leiomyomas of the uterus.

Data Sources: A literature search was performed using the electronic databases of PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to January 2023.

Study Eligibility Criteria: Randomized controlled trials comparing uterine artery embolization with myomectomy in women of premenopausal age suffering from uterine leiomyomas were considered.

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Background: New evidence has emerged since latest guidelines on the management of paraesophageal hernia, and guideline development methodology has evolved. Members of the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery have prioritized the management of paraesophageal hernia to be addressed by pertinent recommendations.

Objective: To develop evidence-informed clinical practice recommendations on paraesophageal hernias, through evidence synthesis and a structured evidence-to-decision framework by an interdisciplinary panel of stakeholders.

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Spring Viraemia of Carp (SVC) was assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular the criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on its eligibility to be listed, Annex IV for its categorisation according to disease prevention and control rules as in Article 9 and Article 8 for listing animal species related to SVC. The assessment was performed following the ad hoc method for data collection and assessment previously developed by the AHAW panel and already published. The outcome reported is the median of the probability ranges provided by the experts, which indicates whether each criterion is fulfilled (lower bound ≥ 66%) or not (upper bound ≤ 33%), or whether there is uncertainty about fulfilment.

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Infection with salmonid alphavirus (SAV) was assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular the criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on its eligibility to be listed, Annex IV for its categorisation according to disease prevention and control rules as laid out in Article 9 and Article 8 for listing animal species related to infection with SAV. The assessment was performed following the ad hoc method on data collection and assessment developed by AHAW Panel and already published. The outcome reported is the median of the probability ranges provided by the experts, which indicates whether each criterion is fulfilled (lower bound ≥ 66%) or not (upper bound ≤ 33%), or whether there is uncertainty about fulfilment.

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