Publications by authors named "Katsanos A"
Background: Even though ticagrelor was beneficial in prior cardiovascular trials, its efficacy in stroke prevention was inconclusive in recent randomized-controlled clinical trials (RCTs). We sought to consolidate the evidence for efficacy and safety of ticagrelor for stroke prevention.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs in major databases reporting following efficacy and safety outcomes among patients with cerebral or cardiovascular risk factors treated with ticagrelor (vs.
Introduction: Hypohidrosis and heat intolerance, frequently reported by men and women with Fabry disease (FD), is thought to be related not only to the deposition of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) in eccrine sweat glands, but also to reduced sweat gland sympathetic innervation.
Methods: We performed a case-control study to compare the density of sweat gland innervation between patients with FD and healthy controls by examining lower leg skin punch biopsies. We used a standardized grid of circles superimposed upon the immunofluorescent specimen to create a simple pattern of circles over the sweat gland.
Purpose: The purpose of this article was to evaluate the potential association between sociodemographic factors with clinical characteristics, vision-related quality of life (QoL), and glaucoma-related symptoms scores in a large cohort of primary open-angle glaucoma patients.
Materials And Methods: Multicenter, cross-sectional study involving academic and nonacademic centers. Previously diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma patients aged >18 years were enrolled.
Ranibizumab was the first anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent approved for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The use of ranibizumab and other anti-VEGF medications in recent years has revolutionized the treatment of several sight-threatening retinal disorders. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that anti-VEGF treatment can offer advantages in the management of other ocular conditions where VEGFs play a key role: ocular scarring following glaucoma filtering surgery and neovascular glaucoma (NVG).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the last decade, selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) has been commonly used in the management of several different types of glaucoma, as either primary or adjunct therapy. The technique has an excellent safety profile and is at least as effective as argon laser trabeculoplasty. Although the actual mechanism of action of SLT remains unclear, evidence has shown that it does not induce morphologically evident trabecular meshwork alterations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: In this multicenter study, we sought to evaluate comparative safety and efficacy of combined IV thrombolysis (IVT) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) vs direct MT in emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) patients.
Methods: Consecutive ELVO patients treated with MT at 6 high-volume endovascular centers were evaluated. Standard safety and efficacy outcomes (successful reperfusion [modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction IIb/III], functional independence [FI] [modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2 at 3 months], favorable functional outcome [mRS of 0-1 at 3 months], functional improvement [mRS shift by 1-point decrease in mRS score]) were compared between patients who underwent combined IVT and MT vs MT alone.
There is mounting evidence supporting infection as an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS), while preliminary data indicate that vaccination may prevent IS. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of available randomized clinical trials (RCTs) or prospective observational cohorts reporting associations of influenza vaccination (IV) and/or pneumococcal vaccination (PV) with IS. We identified a total of 12 studies (543,311 patients; 47.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Pharmacokinetic and prior studies on thienopyridine and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) coadministration provide conflicting data for cardiovascular outcomes, whereas there is no established evidence on the association of concomitant use of PPI and thienopyridines with adverse cerebrovascular outcomes.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies from inception to July 2017, reporting following outcomes among patients treated with thienopyridine and PPI versus thienopyridine alone (1) ischemic stroke, (2) combined ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, (3) composite outcome of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and cardiovascular death, (4) MI, (5) all-cause mortality, and (6) major or minor bleeding events. After the unadjusted analyses of risk ratios, we performed additional analyses of studies reporting hazard ratios adjusted for potential confounders.
Introduction: Despite the proven efficacy of anti-thrombotic, lipid-lowering, anti-hypertensive therapies and lifestyle modification changes for secondary ischemic stroke prevention, the risk of recurrent stroke, coronary events and vascular death remains substantial even for patients treated with high rates of established secondary preventive medications.
Methods: In the present review, we summarize available literature data on the association between systemic inflammation and symptomatic atherosclerosis including recurrent cerebral ischemia. We also highlight the potential role of colchicine in the suppression of atherosclerosis-induced inflammation, plaque stabilization and thromboembolism prevention.
Background And Purpose: Data are scarce on both stroke incidence rates and outcomes in Greece and in rural areas in particular. We performed a prospective population-based study evaluating the incidence of first-ever stroke in the Evros prefecture, a region of a total 147 947 residents located in North Eastern Greece.
Methods: Adult patients with first-ever stroke were registered during a 24-month period (2010-2012) and followed up for 12 months.
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between visual field (VF) loss, vision-related quality of life (QoL) and glaucoma-related symptoms in a large cohort of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. POAG patients with or without VF defects or "glaucoma suspect" patients were considered eligible. QoL was assessed using the validated versions of the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and glaucoma-related symptoms were assessed using the Glaucoma Symptom Scale (GSS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The total number of citations of a research article can be used to determine its impact on the scientific community. We aimed to identify the top-100 articles published on ischemic stroke and evaluate their characteristics.
Methods: Based on the database of Journal Citation Reports, 934 journals were selected that published original ischemic stroke articles.
Antidepressants for Depression Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Meta-analytical Study of Randomised Controlled Trials.
East Asian Arch Psychiatry
December 2017
Introduction: Depression following traumatic brain injury is experienced by 16% to 60% of affected patients. The present study aimed to update the best evidence-based pharmacological treatments for tackling such chronic and debilitating disorders.
Methods: We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed randomised controlled trials published from 1990 until August 2017 that compared the efficacy of antidepressants with placebo in the treatment of post-traumatic brain injury depression.
Background And Aims: The relationship between lipoprotein levels, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and clinical outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains controversial. We sought to evaluate the association of lipoprotein cholesterol levels and statin dosage with clinical and neuroimaging outcomes in patients with ICH.
Methods: Data on consecutive patients hospitalized with spontaneous acute ICH was prospectively collected over a 5-year period and retrospectively analyzed.
Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of visually non-significant cataract extraction in patients with hypotony maculopathy and reduced visual acuity due to over-filtering blebs after trabeculectomy.
Methods: Patients with intraocular pressure (IOP) < 6 mmHg and documented hypotony maculopathy due to over-filtering blebs after trabeculectomy were prospectively recruited. Eligible patients underwent visually non-significant cataract phacoemulsification, no earlier than 12 weeks from the diagnosis of hypotony maculopathy.
Background And Purpose: Although current guidelines advocate pretreatment with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in all eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke with large-vessel occlusion before mechanical thrombectomy, there are observational data questioning the efficacy of this approach. One of the main arguments in favor of IVT pretreatment is the potential for tissue-type plasminogen activator-induced successful reperfusion (SR) before the onset of endovascular procedure.
Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials and observational cohorts providing rates of SR with IVT in patients with large-vessel occlusion before the initiation of mechanical thrombectomy.
Glaucoma therapy-related ocular surface disease (OSD) is a serious pathology with a broad spectrum of insidious clinical presentations and complex pathogenesis that undermines long-term glaucoma care. Preservatives, especially benzalkonium chloride (BAK), contained in topical intraocular pressure-lowering medications frequently cause or aggravate OSD in glaucoma. Management of these patients is challenging, and to date often empirical due to the scarcity of controlled long-term clinical trials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic uveitis is a common extra-articular manifestation of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The classic clinical picture is one of chronic anterior uveitis, which usually remains asymptomatic until ocular complications arise. The risk of uveitis is increased in girls with an early onset of oligoarthritis and positive antinuclear antibodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To investigate the efficacy and safety of a treatment strategy with latanoprost and dorzolamide in primary pediatric glaucoma patients partially responsive to surgery.
Patients And Methods: Children with primary pediatric glaucoma having postsurgical untreated intraocular pressure (IOP) between 22 and 26 mm Hg were eligible. At baseline, patients were administered latanoprost once daily.
Objective: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the proposed association of restless legs syndrome (RLS) with cerebrovascular/cardiovascular outcomes.
Methods: We calculated the corresponding odds ratios on the prevalence of cerebrovascular/cardiovascular risk factors and standardized mean differences on the reported mean age at baseline between RLS patients and controls. We also calculated the corresponding risk ratios and adjusted for potential confounders hazard ratios (HRs ) on the reported outcomes of interest between RLS patients and controls.