Resveratrol Supplementation in Wet AMD: Association With Fewer Intravitreal Injections and Reduced Macular Fibrosis.

Purpose: To evaluate the 2-year outcomes of resveratrol oral supplement given as an adjunctive treatment in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that were treated with intravitreal injections of aflibercept.

Patients And Methods: In our retrospective study, 50 treatment-naïve patients suffering from wet-AMD were included. They were assigned to two subgroups of 25 patients each.

Weaning Failure in Critically Ill Patients Is Related to the Persistence of Sepsis Inflammation.

Introduction: Septic patients undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV) often experience difficulty in weaning. Th aim of this study was to determine whether inflammatory biomarkers of sepsis could be indicative of the failure or success of spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) in these patients.

Methods: Sixty-five patients on MV (42 septic and 23 intubated for other reasons) fulfilling the criteria for SBT were included in the study.

Study of inflammatory biomarkers in COPD and asthma exacerbations.

Introduction: Exacerbations are critical events in the course of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These events are potentially life-threatening, and the studies have shown that they have tremendous implications on long-term disease control and the overall prognosis of the patients. The aim of this study was to examine adipokines, cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) as potential biomarkers in asthma and COPD.

Acute effects of smoke exposure on airway and systemic inflammation in forest firefighters.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess respiratory health and airway and systemic inflammation in professional forest firefighters post firefighting.

Methods: A total of 60 firefighters who participated in forest firefighting operations in Greece during 2008 were included in the study. A questionnaire consisting of symptoms and exposure, pulmonary function, atopy, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and markers of inflammation in induced sputum, serum, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was assessed.

Differential Expression of Aquaporins in Experimental Models of Acute Lung Injury.

Aim: The mammalian lung expresses at least three aquaporin (AQP) water channels whose precise role in lung injury or inflammation is still controversial.

Materials And Methods: Three murine models of lung inflammation and corresponding controls were used to evaluate the expression of Aqp1, Aqp4, Aqp5 and Aqp9: lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury; HCl-induced lung injury; and ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI).

Results: All models yielded increased lung vascular permeability, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid; VILI additionally produced altered lung mechanics.

Prolonged occupational exposure leads to allergic airway sensitization and chronic airway and systemic inflammation in professional firefighters.

Background And Objectives: Little data exist on short- and long-term effects of occupational exposure on airway and systemic inflammation in professional firefighters. We aimed to characterize airway and systemic inflammation in training firefighters with a maximum occupational exposure of 1 year compared to the long-term exposure of professional firefighters.

Methods: A questionnaire for symptoms and exposure, pulmonary function, atopy, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and markers of inflammation in induced sputum, serum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and bronchial biopsies were assessed in a total of 92 firefighters (63 full-time professionals and 29 trainees).

Caveolar uptake and endothelial-protective effects of nanostructured lipid carriers in acid aspiration murine acute lung injury.

Purpose: Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), nanosized phospholipids/triglyceride particles developed for drug delivery, are considered biologically inactive. We assessed the efficacy of unloaded NLC as experimental treatment for acute lung injury (ALI).

Methods: To induce ALI, C57Black/6 male mice received intratracheal injections of HCl or saline; A single dose of 16 mg/Kg NLC or saline was injected intravenously concomitantly with HCl challenge.

Role of caveolin-1 expression in the pathogenesis of pulmonary edema in ventilator-induced lung injury.

Caveolin-1 is a key regulator of pulmonary endothelial barrier function. Here, we tested the hypothesis that caveolin-1 expression is required for ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). Caveolin-1 gene-disrupted (Cav-1(-/-)) and age-, sex-, and strain-matched wild-type (WT) control mice were ventilated using two protocols: volume-controlled with protective (8 mL/kg) versus injurious (21 mL/Kg) tidal volume for up to 6 hours; and pressure-controlled with protective (airway pressure = 12 cm H(2)O) versus injurious (30 cm H(2)O) ventilation to induce lung injury.

Metformin attenuates ventilator-induced lung injury.

Introduction: Diabetic patients may develop acute lung injury less often than non-diabetics; a fact that could be partially ascribed to the usage of antidiabetic drugs, including metformin. Metformin exhibits pleiotropic properties which make it potentially beneficial against lung injury. We hypothesized that pretreatment with metformin preserves alveolar capillary permeability and, thus, prevents ventilator-induced lung injury.

Secreted phosphoprotein-1 directly provokes vascular leakage to foster malignant pleural effusion.

Secreted phosphoprotein-1 (SPP1) promotes cancer cell survival and regulates tumor-associated angiogenesis and inflammation, both central to the pathogenesis of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Here, we examined the impact of tumor- and host-derived SPP1 in MPE formation and explored the mechanisms by which the cytokine exerts its effects. We used a syngeneic murine model of lung adenocarcinoma-induced MPE.

Pleiotropic effects of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids except for their effect on triglycerides levels have cardioprotective properties as well as antiarrhythmic properties.The pleiotropic effects of omega-3 fatty acids, also, include lowering of blood pressure and the favorable effect on endothelial function and high-density cholesterol levels. Furthermore, studies have showed their favorable action in subjects with dementia, Alzheimer's disease and learning disorders.

Challenges for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

The present review summarizes the existing literature data regarding the development of newer categories of antidiabetic agents, their mechanism of action and their clinical importance. In this paper, a review of the recent patents for the treatment of diabetes will be presented. In recent years significant achievements have been done, including the development of SGLT2 inhibitors, glucokinase activators as well as the role of free fatty acids and bile acid metabolism in the treatment of diabetes are reviewed.

Early serum levels of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in septic patients: correlation with monocyte gene expression.

Purpose: To define early kinetics of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) and of TREM-1 monocyte gene expression in critically ill patients with sepsis.

Methods: Blood was sampled at regular time intervals from 105 patients with sepsis. Concentrations of tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and IL-10 and IL-12p70 and sTREM-1 were measured by an enzyme immunoassay.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum, ocular manifestations, complications and treatment.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), also known as Groenblad syndrome, is an inherited disorder characterised by mineralisation and fragmentation of elastic fibres in a number of organs including the skin, eyes and arterial blood vessels. The clinical manifestations of PXE centre on three major organ systems: skin, cardiovascular system and the eyes. This review focuses on the ocular manifestations of pseudoxanthoma elasticum, namely, peau d'orange, angioid streaks and choroidal neovascularisation, the clinical course of patients, the diagnostic approaches and current therapeutic strategies, such as laser photocoagulation whether transpupillary thermotherapy or photodynamic therapy, macular translocation surgery and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment.

Plasma glucose levels and white blood cell count are related with ankle brachial index in type 2 diabetic subjects.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A simple, noninvasive method for the estimation of PAD is ankle brachial index (ABI). The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is an association between ABI and cardiovascular risk factors in T2DM subjects without apparent macrovascular disease.

Inhaled activated protein C protects mice from ventilator-induced lung injury.

Introduction: Activated Protein C (APC), an endogenous anticoagulant, improves tissue microperfusion and endothelial cell survival in systemic inflammatory states such as sepsis, but intravenous administration may cause severe bleeding. We have thus addressed the role of APC delivered locally by inhalation in preventing acute lung injury from alveolar overdistention and the subsequent ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). We also assessed the effects of APC on the activation status of Extracellular- Regulated Kinase 1/2 (ERK) pathway, which has been shown to be involved in regulating pulmonary responses to mechanical stretch.

Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among greek type 2 diabetic patients attending an outpatient clinic.

Background: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) attending an outpatient clinic.

Methods: We examined thyroid dysfunction in a total of 1,092 patients with T2D.

Results: Prevalence rate of thyroid dysfunction was 12.

In-hospital mortality in a tertiary referral hospital: causes of death and comparison between patients with and without diabetes.

Introduction: Subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have increased morbidity and mortality mainly due to macrovascular complications. In addition, diabetic patients show increased in-hospital admissions in comparison with nondiabetic patients. However, in-hospital mortality data for patients with T2DM are not available in our country.

Familial history of diabetes and clinical characteristics in Greek subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Background: A lot of studies have showed an excess maternal transmission of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim, therefore, of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of familial history of T2D in Greek patients, and to evaluate its potential effect on the patient's metabolic control and the presence of diabetic complications.

Methods: A total of 1,473 T2D patients were recruited.

Errors in death certificates in a rural area of Greece.

Introduction: A death certificate is the formal document in which a physician records the time, cause and circumstances under which the death of an individual has occurred. Morbidity and mortality statistics are mainly based on the analysis of these certificates, and inaccuracies in the detail may lead to biased estimation in several epidemiological parameters. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of cause of death in death certificates in a rural area of Greece, and to identify factors that may be associated with inaccuracies in the completion of these death certificates.

Protective effect of doxycycline use on coronary artery disease?

Objectives: The potential role of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis has received increasing attention. The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that use of doxycycline in doses prescribed in routine clinical practice for brucellosis, decreases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: A general practice (GP) database in Western Greece was used.

Plasma retinol and tocopherol levels in greek elderly population from an urban and a rural area: associations with the dietary habits.

Data on plasma concentrations of retinol and alpha-tocopherol in elderly (over 65 years) living in the Mediterranean countries are sparse. In the current study, plasma retinol and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were determined in 200 healthy subjects (82 men and 112 women) residing in an urban and in a rural area in South Western Greece. High prevalence of low plasma retinol concentration was observed for both sexes in each area.

Correlation between serum IL-6 and CRP levels and severity of head injury in children.

Objective: To examine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) release in children with head injury (HI) and investigate if there is a correlation between the levels of these two proteins and the severity of HI.

Design: Prospective clinical investigation.

Setting: Eight-bed paediatric intensive care unit in a university hospital.