Publications by authors named "Giannopoulos S"

The optimal management of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) remains a controversial subject. While some surgeons opt for a hemiarch approach to minimize bypass and cross-clamping time, others prefer partial or total arch replacement to prevent the need for additional operations. The advent of hybrid approaches offers a variety of options to the aortic surgeon in treating ATAAD.

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Radiotherapy (RT) remains crucial in treating both primary and metastatic central nervous system cancer. Despite advancements in modern techniques that mitigate some toxic adverse effects, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans still reveal a wide range of radiation-induced changes. Radiation can adversely affect neuroglial cells and their precursors, potentially triggering a demyelinating pattern similar to multiple sclerosis (MS).

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: Alzheimer's disease (AD) may present with pure (typical or atypical) and mixed phenotypes, sometimes causing difficulties in (differential) diagnosis. In order to achieve a diagnostic accuracy as high as possible, the diagnosis of AD during life depends on various biomarkers, including the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. : Classical CSF AD biomarkers were determined in a total of 61 patients, classified as both beta amyloid- and tau-positive AT (or AT according to the recently revised Alzheimer Association criteria for diagnosis and staging of AD).

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Introduction: Patients with obesity seeking bariatric surgery undergo an extensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals' (HCPs) to assess patient compliance among other factors and determine their eligibility for surgery. However, the HCPs' assessments are not devoid of bias that may affect eligibility and preoperative decisions. This study aimed to investigate team members' ability to predict patient outcomes following bariatric surgery.

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  • Siponimod is being studied for its potential to treat active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) in a year-long clinical trial involving 50 patients.
  • Over the 12-month follow-up, significant improvements were seen, including reductions in annual relapse rates, the number of gadolinium-enhanced lesions, and fatigue levels.
  • The treatment successfully maintained stable cognitive and physical disability statuses, indicating its overall efficacy for SPMS patients, including those with higher initial disability scores.
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  • * A case study of a 66-year-old woman illustrates how subacute motor weakness and numbness followed a respiratory infection, highlighting the importance of her medical history, including diabetes and Sezary syndrome.
  • * The text stresses the need for thorough evaluations and awareness of clinical signs and tests in neuropathy cases, particularly for those with a history of blood-related cancers, as early treatment can significantly impact outcomes.
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  • GLP-1 receptor agonists (liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide) may lower cardiovascular risk in overweight/obese individuals without diabetes.
  • A systematic review of 16 trials involving over 28,000 participants showed these medications reduced major adverse cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality compared to placebo.
  • While they significantly lowered the risk of myocardial infarction, the relationship with stroke is less clear due to limited data.
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Arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis (OA), is a common synovial condition observed in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite its high prevalence and significant impact on the quality of life of MS individuals, there is a gap in the current literature regarding the prevalence of OA in this population and its relation to MS pathology. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of OA in the MS population and explore potential associations with demographic and MS-specific characteristics.

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Introduction: Weight recurrence (WR) affects > 20% of patients following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Shortening of the common channel (CC) after RYGB (distal bypass) has been proposed for additional weight loss in patients with WR, but results vary, and concerns for vitamin deficiencies/malnutrition exist. Our aim was to determine whether the percentage of bowel bypassed after distal bypass is associated with the amount of postoperative weight loss.

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  • A study evaluated the safety and efficacy of IV thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in patients who received dabigatran reversal with idarucizumab, as limited data exist on this topic.
  • Thirteen cohorts and one case series involving 553 patients were analyzed, revealing low rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (4%), any intracranial hemorrhage (10%), and 3-month mortality (18%).
  • Functional outcomes were promising, with 56% achieving excellent outcomes and 70% good outcomes at 3 months, with no significant differences observed between patients treated with idarucizumab and those without.
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Objective: Aneurysmal degeneration of the common iliac artery (CIA) can pose a challenge to achieve distal landing zone sealing at the time of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). The aim of this study was to summarize the current literature regarding the bell-bottom technique (BBT) for ectatic CIAs during EVAR.

Methods: This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

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  • The study aimed to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of lymphadenectomy/sampling (LND) in patients diagnosed with vulvar melanoma, analyzing data from 2004-2015 to compare clinical characteristics and survival outcomes.
  • Out of 1286 patients, 62.8% underwent LND, with those who had the procedure being generally younger, more likely to have private insurance, and presenting with more severe tumor characteristics.
  • Results indicated that patients who underwent LND had significantly better overall survival (median of 49.08 months) compared to those who did not (35.91 months), suggesting that LND contributes positively to survival rates in vulvar melanoma cases.
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Background: Patients with acute cholecystitis (AC) presenting with unfavorable systemic or local conditions are often managed with percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) as a temporary measure. The clinical outcomes of interval cholecystectomy following PC remain unclear. The aim of the study was to identify the association between the timing of cholecystectomy following PC for AC and perioperative complication rates at interval cholecystectomy.

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Type II endoleak (T2EL) represents a challenging clinical entity following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Although several studies have suggested that T2ELs are related to an increased risk of aneurysm sac growth and subsequent rupture, the exact role that T2ELs play in long-term outcomes remains debatable. Understanding the pathophysiology, diagnostic modalities, and management options of T2ELs is important for patients' safety and proper resource utilization.

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Introduction: Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a common symptom that affects 40-90% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous studies have highlighted the negative impact of sexual dysfunction in the mental health status and overall quality of life in patients with MS.

Methods: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) in the primary SD symptoms in patients with MS.

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: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is exclusively expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and is found on the outer surface of oligodendrocytes. Antibodies to MOG are associated with CNS demyelination, whereas peripheral nervous system (PNS) demyelination is seldom reported to be related to MOG-IgG. : The database of patients seen in our neurological academic center was searched for MOG-IgG seropositivity and concomitant demyelinating polyneuropathy.

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Background: Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are abundant in the central nervous system (CNS), playing critical roles in brain function. Antigenicity of nAChRs has been well demonstrated with antibodies to ganglionic AChR subtypes (i.e.

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Background: Immunogenicity of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines varies and requires further elucidation in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) under treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).

Methods: Adult MS patients who consented with vaccination after standard-of-care consultation by their treating physicians were enrolled. All received a single dose of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine and of the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine.

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Introduction: We aimed to investigate the performance of several neuroimaging markers provided by perfusion imaging of Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) in order to predict clinical outcomes following reperfusion treatments.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated consecutive AIS patients with LVO who were treated with reperfusion therapies, during a six-year period. In order to compare patients with good (mRS scores 0-2) and poor (mRS scores 3-6) functional outcomes, data regarding clinical characteristics, the Alberta Stroke Programme Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) based on unenhanced computed tomography (CT), CT angiography collateral status and perfusion parameters including ischemic core, hypoperfusion volume, mismatch volume between core and penumbra, Tmax > 10 s volume, CBV index and the Hypoperfusion Index Ratio (HIR) were assessed.

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Background: Epidemiological data are sparse regarding the risk of stroke in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To estimate the following: (1) the pooled prevalence of all-cause stroke, acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) and intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) in MS patients; (2) the relative risk for all-cause stroke, AIS and ICH in MS patients compared to the general population; (3) associations between patient characteristics and the risk for AIS and ICH in MS patients.

Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of registry-based and cohort studies.

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While obesity has been shown to elevate the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), there is a lack of strong evidence regarding its role in the disability progression and status of MS patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide comparative estimates of WC and BMI in patients with MS (PwMS) and to investigate potential associations between the waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) and demographic and specific MS characteristics. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a detailed search of the MEDLINE PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases was conducted.

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Background: Weight recurrence (WR) affects nearly 20% of patients after bariatric surgery and may decrease its benefits, affecting patients' quality of life negatively. Patient perspectives on WR are not well known.

Objectives: Assess patient needs, goals, and preferences regarding WR treatment.

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Introduction: Mounting evidence suggests that glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor-agonists (GLP-1 RAs) attenuate cardiovascular-risk in type-2 diabetes (T2DM). Tirzepatide is the first-in-class, dual glucose-dependent-insulinotropic-polypeptide GIP/GLP-1 RA approved for T2DM.

Patients And Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled clinical trials (RCTs) was performed to estimate: (i) the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE); and (ii) incidence of stroke, fatal, and nonfatal stroke in T2DM-patients treated with GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 RAs (vs placebo).

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