Publications by authors named "Katsaounou P"
Tobacco smoke exposure remains a significant public health concern, particularly for lactating women and their infants. Despite widespread awareness of the harms of smoking during pregnancy, many women continue to smoke postpartum, directly impacting lactation success and infant health. Studies have shown that nicotine, the primary component of tobacco smoke, inhibits prolactin production and the milk ejection reflex, resulting in a decreased milk supply and poor breastfeeding outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In the ACCESS trial, the addition of clarithromycin to standard-of-care antibiotics (SoC) enhanced early clinical response and attenuated the inflammatory burden in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring hospitalisation. A post-hoc analysis was performed to investigate the benefit in specific subgroups.
Methods: The primary endpoint comprised two conditions to be met during the first 72 h: ≥50% decrease in respiratory symptom severity score; and any of ≥30% decrease in sequential organ failure assessment score and favourable change in the kinetics of procalcitonin (PCT, defined as ≥80% PCT decrease or PCT <0.
Background: Clinical trials and real-world experience have provided evidence for the clinical benefits of mepolizumab, an anti-IL-5 biologic, in severe asthma. However, limited data exist regarding the impact of mepolizumab on airway remodeling.
Objective: We sought to investigate the effect of mepolizumab on airway structural remodeling in patients treated for severe asthma in routine clinical care.
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a chronic disease with increasing incidence and prevalence and serious chronic complications, especially from cardiovascular system. However, other organs can be affected too. Several studies have associated T2D, especially when poorly controlled, with multiple pulmonary diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Smoking cessation is crucial for reducing complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but associated weight gain can worsen glycemic control, discouraging quitting attempts. Varenicline, a partial agonist of α4β2 nicotinic receptors, aids smoking cessation. This study examines the effects of varenicline on body weight and metabolic parameters in patients with T2DM and prediabetes.
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- Post-COVID-19 syndrome affects millions, and while rehabilitation is important, studies show mixed results due to variations in participant characteristics and factors like age and disease severity that are not well understood.
- This non-randomized case-control study involved participants with post-COVID-19 symptoms, comparing those who attended an 8-week supervised rehabilitation program to those who did not, with measurements taken at the start and after the program.
- Results indicated that participants in rehabilitation showed significant improvements in various health metrics, including walking distance, physical performance, quality of life, and cognitive function, further highlighting the potential benefits of rehabilitation for post-COVID-19 recovery.
Background: Patients who were infected with COVID-19 may experience Long COVID syndrome. We examined the effectiveness of physiotherapy on dyspnea, muscle strength, and functional status in Long COVID syndrome.
Methods: The exercise group underwent an 8-week supervised physiotherapeutic program consisting of interval aerobic exercise and strengthening exercises, each lasting 30 min.
Article Synopsis
- - This study analyzes particle emissions from five heated tobacco products (HTPs) using precise measurement tools to assess black carbon and particulate matter across different flavors and smoking techniques.
- - Results indicate that the majority of particles emitted from HTPs are notably small (under 1 μm), with emissions increasing based on heating temperature and smoking intensity, which varies by flavor.
- - Although marketed as safer alternatives to regular cigarettes, HTP emissions reveal significant particle concentrations that differ by brand and smoking method, with minimal variation in black carbon emissions.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examined serum levels of GFAP, s100b, and total Tau in long-COVID patients to investigate links to symptoms, cognitive decline, mental health issues, and quality of life.
- - It included 65 long-COVID patients and 20 controls, finding that GFAP levels were higher in patients but didn’t correlate with long-COVID symptoms; other biomarkers like s100b and total Tau showed no significant difference.
- - The research highlighted high rates of cognitive decline (65.9%), depression (32.2%), anxiety (47.5%), and PTSD (44.1%) among long-COVID patients, with most participants scoring below normal on quality of life assessments.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines whether adding the macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin to β-lactam antibiotics can improve early clinical responses in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia, based on previous observational studies rather than randomized trials.
- Conducted as a phase 3 double-blind randomized controlled trial in Greece, the research involved adult patients with severe pneumonia who were given either standard care plus a placebo or standard care plus clarithromycin for seven days.
- The primary outcome measured included a significant improvement in respiratory symptoms and reduction in inflammatory response after 72 hours of treatment, with both groups being kept unaware of their allocated treatment for unbiased results.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate how consistently the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), the 1-min Sit to Stand test (1-MSTS), and the Chester Step Test (CST) can be assessed remotely in patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
- Twenty-five post-COVID-19 patients took these tests both online at home and in-person at a rehabilitation center, completing a preparatory session before their assessments.
- Results showed that the remote assessments had moderate to excellent reliability, indicating these methods can be trusted for evaluating physical performance in recovering patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate a blood test that measures MxA and CRP levels to differentiate between viral and bacterial respiratory infections in adults.
- A total of 537 patients were analyzed, leading to the development of a diagnostic equation with high sensitivity for bacterial infections (91.6%).
- The findings suggest that using MxA and CRP measurements can effectively identify the type of respiratory infection, helping guide appropriate treatment.
Objective: To investigate hormonal status in patients with long-COVID and explore the interrelationship between hormone levels and long-COVID symptoms.
Design: Prospective observational study.
Participants: Patients who visited our long-COVID outpatients' clinic due to long-COVID symptoms from February 2021 to December 2022.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, both COVID-19-associated coagulopathy biomarkers and a plethora of endothelial biomarkers have been proposed and tested as prognostic tools of severity and mortality prediction. As the pandemic is gradually being controlled, attention is now focusing on the long-term sequelae of COVID-19. In the present study, we investigated the role of endothelial activation/dysfunction in long COVID syndrome.
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- Sleep disorders are common in pregnant women and can negatively impact health and quality of life, with insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea being prevalent examples.
- Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a serious complication during pregnancy, and research suggests sleep disorders contribute to an increased risk of developing GDM.
- The ideal sleep duration for pregnant women is 8-9 hours per night, highlighting the need for healthcare providers to stress the importance of good sleep for better pregnancy outcomes.
Purpose: We aimed to identify whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction is related to deterioration in a percentage of patients who progress to severe COVID-19.
Methods: In this cohort observational study, we evaluated HPA axis activation by measuring cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels, whole blood expression levels of the key glucocorticoid receptor, GCR-α, and the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ), and cytokines, as markers of the inflammatory phase, in 149 patients with respiratory infection admitted in the ward, without known adrenal disease and/or confounding medications (glucocorticoids). One hundred and four (104) patients were SARS-CoV-2 positive (C +) and controls consisted of 45 SARS-CoV-2-negative patients (NC).
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates support for a ban on slim cigarettes in six European countries, using data from the 2018 ITC EUREST-PLUS project with 5,592 adult smokers.
- Support for the ban varied, with Romania showing the highest support (33.8%) and Greece the lowest (18.0%).
- Key factors influencing lower support included being female, a daily smoker, using menthol cigarettes, and not planning to quit smoking soon, alongside a prevalent belief that slim cigarettes are less harmful than regular ones.*
Article Synopsis
- * Vulnerable groups with chronic diseases may not have received sufficient information about smoking's impact on their health, including the importance of treatment options and follow-up care.
- * It's crucial for healthcare professionals to prioritize education on the benefits of smoking cessation and stay informed through high-quality, independent research to advise on newer tobacco products and their health implications.
Article Synopsis
- This study explored the effectiveness of an 8-week rehabilitation program combined with usual care for COVID-19 pneumonia patients, comparing it with usual care alone.
- The program aimed to improve respiratory symptoms, fatigue, and overall quality of life among participants seven weeks post-hospital discharge.
- Results showed that those in the rehabilitation group had significant improvements in various health metrics, including reduced fatigue levels and enhanced physical and mental well-being.
Article Synopsis
- Asthma affects 5-10% of people globally and this review focuses on updating the understanding of its diagnosis and misdiagnosis.
- A total of 51 recent research articles were analyzed, highlighting the lack of a definitive test for asthma, which contributes to both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis, impacting patient care and costs.
- Current guidelines stress the importance of a standardized diagnostic approach with objective measures, and more research is needed to improve diagnosis and treatment, particularly for patients with severe asthma.
Vaccination remains the best strategy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in terms of prevention. The efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines is supported by well-designed clinical trials that recruited many participants. It is well-known that vaccination is associated with local side effects related to the injection site, and mild, systemic side effects.
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- COPD is a prevalent respiratory disease that can be effectively managed and prevented through early interventions and newer treatment strategies.
- The Hellenic Thoracic Society's Working Group compiled updated information on COPD management, including prevalence data, diagnostic approaches, and disease severity classification.
- A comprehensive treatment strategy for COPD includes not just medication, but also pulmonary rehabilitation, physical activity, patient education, and self-assessment to enhance patients' quality of life and minimize exacerbations.
Article Synopsis
- * The article reviews OSA as an independent risk factor for T2DM development and progression, along with related cardiovascular complications like hypertension and heart disease.
- * Coexisting OSA and T2DM significantly raise the risk of cardiovascular mortality, emphasizing the need for clinicians to screen for OSA in T2DM patients and consider targeted therapies for better health outcomes.
olitary fibrous tumour of the pleura (SFT) is rare neoplasms and consist less than 5% of the primary tumours of the pleura. In the English literature, very few cases of giant solitary fibrous tumours have been described. We report a clinical case of an intrathoracic giant SFT of the pleura in a 62-year-old female patient.
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- The COVID-19 pandemic, while causing significant disruption in education for over 1.5 billion students worldwide, has also opened up new opportunities, particularly in health education.
- This study highlights five key developments in health education that emerged during the pandemic: the importance of health values, preventive interventions, effective communication of health messages, the use of e-learning technologies, and real-life applications of health education principles.
- Overall, the pandemic has acted as a "violent teacher," revealing untapped potential for growth and innovation in health education that should be embraced moving forward.