Real life treatment experience and outcome of consecutively hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia by Omicron-1 vs Delta variants.

Background: Omicron-1 COVID-19 is less invasive in the general population than previous viral variants. However, clinical course and outcome of hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia during the shift of the predominance from Delta to Omicron variants are not fully explored.

Methods: During January 2022 consecutively hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were analysed.

Bloodstream Infections in a COVID-19 Non-ICU Department: Microbial Epidemiology, Resistance Profiles and Comparative Analysis of Risk Factors and Patients' Outcome.

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by highly resistant pathogens in non-ICU COVID-19 departments pose important challenges. Methods: We performed a comparative analysis of incidence and microbial epidemiology of BSI in COVID-19 vs. non-COVID-19, non-ICU departments between 1 September 2020-31 October 2021.

Chronic periaortitis (retroperitoneal fibrosis) concurrent with giant cell arteritis: a case report.

Introduction: Giant cell arteritis is the most common form of large-vessel vasculitides. However, it is probable that extracranial involvement is underdiagnosed in patients with classical giant cell arteritis. In the recent literature most cases of giant cell arteritis have been described in conjunction with aortic aneurysms or dissections.

Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for pregnancy-associated dermatomyositis.

Pregnancy-associated dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare disorder, until recently treated only with corticosteroids due to the toxicity of other immunosuppressive agents for the fetus. We present a pregnant woman with DM treated successfully with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and medium dose corticosteroids. A 42-year-old woman presented with a rash, muscle weakness and increased muscle enzymes on the 15th week of her first pregnancy.

Effective etanercept treatment for psoriatic arthritis complicating concomitant human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus infection.

High levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and all stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. TNF-alpha may have a role in both the pathogenesis and the response to treatment of these chronic viral diseases. We describe a 42-year-old HIV/HCV coinfected hemophiliac man who developed psoriasis and severe psoriatic arthritis not responding to combination treatment with methotrexate and cyclosporin A.

Antiemetic prophylaxis with ondansetron and methylprednisolone vs metoclopramide and methylprednisolone in mild and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether its is possible to successfully replace ondansetron (OND) with metoclopramide (MCP) in patients exposed to moderately emetogenic chemotherapy who did not experience severe nausea and vomiting while undergoing OND treatment during their first chemotherapy cycle. After switching to MCP, patients continued with this drug for three cycles, provided that they had adequate control of nausea and vomiting. Otherwise, they were switched back to OND.

Pure red cell aplasia as presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus: antibodies to erythropoietin.

In this case report we describe two patients with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) as an initial manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Antibodies to erythropoietin were determined, by an ELISA method developed in our laboratory, in frozen serum obtained from one of the patients. A high titer of antibodies to erythropoietin was detected in serum obtained before treatment with high dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).

The uncertain role of immunosuppressive agents in Sjögren's syndrome.

Although Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder, immunosuppressive agents have yielded disappointing results in clinical trials. In this paper we summarize our experience using immunosuppressive and cytotoxic agents to treat Sjögren's syndrome, and present an illustrative case history.

Subclinical multisystemic autoimmunity presenting as a progressive myelopathy.

Autoimmunity can manifest clinically in many ways; however, despite the various efforts to classify autoimmune disorders into specific disease entities, the borders between these disorders remain, in many cases, unclear. In this report we describe a young woman with subclinical Sjögren's syndrome and biliary cirrhosis, who presents clinically with symptoms exclusively from the central nervous system. This neurological syndrome is consistent with a progressive myelopathy.

Mixed cryoglobulinemia in Greece. Primary disorders in 10 cases.

Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is a systemic disorder whose pathogenesis is based on the presence of serum cryoglobulins. The purpose of this study was to evaluate on a prospective basis patients presenting with MC with regard to the clinical manifestations and the underlying disorders. We present ten patients with MC, who were diagnosed and followed up during a one year period in the Division of autoimmune rheumatic diseases (Clinical Department of Pathophysiology).