Publications by authors named "Dimitra Rafailia Bakaloudi"

Article Synopsis
  • Small cell bladder cancer (SCBC) is a rare and aggressive type of cancer, prompting a study to compare outcomes of two treatment methods: cystectomy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).
  • The study examined data from an institutional database and SEER-Medicare, identifying 53 and 1166 patients, respectively, to evaluate overall survival (OS) and found that NAC followed by cystectomy resulted in a median OS of around 45-46 months compared to lower OS of 23-26 months with CCRT.
  • Although NAC + cystectomy correlated with a potential 30% reduction in mortality compared to CCRT, results were not statistically significant, highlighting
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The aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate the existing data on the health impacts, of the consumption of organically grown foods versus conventionally farmed alternatives, with specific focus on the postulated health superiority of organic foods. A systematic literature research was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria were articles on adults (>18 years of age) consuming organic foods for ≥6 months, written in English language, and provision of comparative results between conventional and organic nutrition regarding health indices.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigated the relationship between Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) and Microsatellite Instability (MSI) status in patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC) receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), focusing on overall survival (OS).
  • - Results showed that patients with a higher TMB (≥10 mut/Mb) generally experienced longer median OS compared to those with lower TMB, although these differences weren't always statistically significant.
  • - Notably, patients treated with maintenance avelumab had a significantly better OS when TMB was high (61 months vs. 17 months for low TMB), indicating potential benefits of ICI based on TMB and MSI status, warranting further investigation.
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Article Synopsis
  • - The study examines genomic alterations (GA) in patients with urothelial bladder cancer (UBC), focusing on those with ERBB2 mutations and amplifications, and comparing them to patients with wild-type ERBB2.
  • - Findings show that 6.3% of UBC cases have short variant GAs in the ERBB2 extracellular domain, 2.7% in the kinase domain, and 9.1% show ERBB2 amplification, while 81.9% are ERBB2 wild-type.
  • - The analysis indicates that ERBB2-altered cases exhibit higher tumor mutational burden and specific genetic changes compared to wild-type ERBB2 cases, with notable associations found between various genetic markers
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Objectives: Binge spectrum disorders are prevalent worldwide. Psychiatric and medical comorbidities are common, and societal costs are significant. Evidence-based treatment remains underutilized.

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Background: Invasive infection with complex (SBSEC) bacteria is associated with underlying colorectal neoplasia. However, the link between intestinal or fecal colonization with SBSEC isolates or antibody responses to SBSEC members and colorectal cancer is not thoroughly investigated in the literature.

Methods: We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases for case-control studies as well as retrospective or prospective cohort studies reporting an association between SBSEC bacteria and colorectal neoplasia.

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Bulimia Nervosa is a disorder with high rates of psychiatric and medical comorbidity and substantial societal costs. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is considered the preferred treatment, but access can be problematic. Pharmacotherapy is more accessible but remains significantly underutilised.

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Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT-2) presents with a growing incidence, and its complications contribute mainly to cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. DMT-2 prevention and early stage management include lifestyle modification by adopting healthy eating patterns and increasing physical activity levels. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with beneficial effects on human health and has been found effective for preventing and managing DMT-2.

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Background: Platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC) followed by avelumab switch maintenance in nonprogressors is standard first line (1L) treatment for advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC). We describe clinical features and outcomes in a "real-world' cohort treated with avelumab maintenance for aUC.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients (pts) who received 1L switch maintenance avelumab after no progression on PBC for aUC.

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Objectives: COVID-19 and the implementation of lockdowns have impacted daily lives worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the impact of lockdowns on the smoking and vaping behaviours of adults during the pandemic.

Study Design: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Conducted on 102 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, measurements of PhA and HGS were taken twice: shortly after admission and on the 7th day.
  • * Results indicated that HGS on the first day was linked to better clinical outcomes, while PhA showed no significant effect; further research is necessary to confirm these findings.
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Background: The growing incidence of cancer globally, and the importance of nutrition support for these patients, emphasize the need for the development of nutritional clinical practice guidelines and consensus papers (CPGs) in the field. Numerous relevant CPGs have been published by several organizations worldwide. The aim of this systematic review was to compare the content of the existing CPGs and evaluate the quality of their development using the AGREE-II tool.

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Background: Increasingly, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is becoming an inevitable consequence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. As the disease progresses, and through dialysis, the need for and loss of water-soluble vitamins both increase. This review article looks at the benefits and possible risks of supplementing these vitamins with the treatment of CKD.

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Objectives: To examine patient and disease characteristics, toxicity, and clinical outcomes for patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC) who are rechallenged with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapy.

Patients And Methods: In this retrospective cohort, we included patients treated with ICI for aUC after having prior ICI treatment. Endpoints included the evaluation of radiographic response and disease control rates with first and second ICI courses, outcomes based on whether there was a change in ICI class (anti-PD-1 vs.

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The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children is constantly rising. Lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of the management of pediatric NAFLD. Even though several clinical trials have been conducted, there are barely any approved medications or supplements that can be used in the management of pediatric NAFLD.

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in both sexes and the second in terms of mortality. Apart from genetic predisposition, dietary and lifestyle factors have been implicated in the development of CRC. Several studies suggested that vitamin D (VitD) might be a promising strategy in CRC prevention, while other studies did not confirm this finding.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study aimed to review the effectiveness of probiotics in treating pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through a systematic analysis of current research.
  • The analysis included four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 238 children and found that probiotic supplementation significantly reduced liver enzyme levels and improved various health parameters like cholesterol and fat levels.
  • The findings suggest that probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus acidophilus with other strains, could benefit children with NAFLD, but more research is needed to determine the best probiotic strains and their effects on liver histology.
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The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been characterized by the World Health Organization as a pandemic in March 2020 and the lockdown measures that were implemented in an effort to limit the transmission of the virus affected the daily life of many people in all over the world. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the changes during/after the lockdowns in caffeine consumption by coffee and energy drinks. A systematic literature search was conducted in three databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science) up to 31 December 2021 and out of 19,511 studies found and 12,885 screened, 16 studies were included according to eligibility criteria.

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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease in children and no medications or supplements are currently recommended. The role of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids has been investigated in clinical trials with promising results. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed summary of the evidence about the efficacy of n-3 in the treatment of pediatric NAFLD.

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Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in children and one of the leading indications for liver transplantation in adults. However, current screening methods are inadequate and are accompanied by several disadvantages. This meta-analysis aims to identify the anthropometrical and biochemical characteristics most commonly appearing in pediatric NAFLD that could contribute to the diagnosis of the disease in the every-day clinical setting.

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HFpEF represents a heterogeneous syndrome with complex pathophysiological substrates and multiple clinical manifestations. Recently, much attention has been focused on cardiac rehabilitation programs for HFpEF patients, and several studies have examined the effects of exercise training on this specific population. This systematic review and meta-analysis included studies on adult patients with HFpEF and evaluated the impact of exercise on the cardiorespiratory fitness variables measured during CPET.

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Importance: Substance use during pregnancy is a major health issue for both the mother and the fetus, but it also represents an important public health concern.

Objective: The aim of this review was to summarize and compare recommendations from recently published guidelines on substance use during pregnancy and especially regarding alcohol, smoking, and drug use.

Evidence Acquisition: A descriptive review of guidelines from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on substance use was conducted.

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Article Synopsis
  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients experience lower physical activity and exercise capacity due to complications in their cardiac, nervous, and muscular systems.
  • This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed studies using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to compare exercise capacity (measured as peak oxygen uptake, or VOpeak) between individuals with CKD and those without.
  • Results showed that CKD patients had significantly lower VOpeak and related measures compared to non-CKD controls, indicating a diminished functional cardiopulmonary reserve in CKD individuals.
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