Epidemiology of HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy in people living with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Greece.

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is among the most common complications among people with HIV with prevalence rates varying widely among studies (10-58%).

Objective: This study aims to assess the prevalence of HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy among HIV-positive people in Northern Greece monitored during the last 5-year period and investigate possible correlations with antiretroviral therapy, disease staging, and potential risk factors, as there is no prior epidemiological record in Greek patients.

Methods: Four hundred twenty patients were divided into a group with peripheral neuropathy ( = 269), and those without ( = 151).

The STAT signaling profile at the single cell level reveals novel insights in the association of FOXP3+ T regulatory cells with recurrent spontaneous abortions before and after lymphocyte immunotherapy.

Foxp3+ T regulatory cell (Tregs) are central in the pathobiology of recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA). Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins instruct Treg differentiation and polarization, but the STAT signaling architecture of Tregs in RSA and its modifications by lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) are yet unknown. By using single-cell phospho-specific flow cytometry we show that the STAT signaling biosignature of Tregs in women with RSA was characterized by marked downregulation of the IFNα/pSTAT1&5, IL-6/pSTAT1&3 and IL-2/pSTAT5 signaling nodes compared to age-matched fertile females.

Sleep apnea syndrome, inflammation and oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients.

Introduction: Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is an established cardiovascular risk factor in the general population related to inflammation and oxidative stress and is very common among hemodialysis patients. Cardiovascular disease and its complications is the main cause of death among hemodialysis patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of SAS in the promotion of inflammation and oxidative stress and thus in the augmentation of cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis patients.

The Impact of Methylprednisolone Pulses during Relapses of Multiple Sclerosis on the Kinetics of Anti-Interferon-Beta Antibodies.

Background/aims: We assessed the, hitherto unknown, impact of intravenous methylprednisolone (ivMP) pulses during relapses of multiple sclerosis (MS) on the kinetics of anti-interferon-beta neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) and binding antibodies (Babs).

Methods: Babs (ELISA) and Nabs (antiviral cytopathic effect assay) titers were evaluated before, immediately after and at 1 month following ivMP in 60 MS patients.

Results: ivMP reduces Nabs and Babs titers for at least 1 month.

HLA and asthma phenotypes/endotypes: a review.

Asthma is a complex chronic inflammatory disease of the airways caused by the interaction of genetic susceptibility with environmental influences. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) represent the most powerful approach for asthma, that have identified several genes (e.g.

Peripheral corneal ulceration associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Patient: Female, 60 FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Corneal ulceration Symptoms: Blurred vision Medication: Abatacept Clinical Procedure: - Specialty: Ophthalmology.

Objective: Management of emergency care.

Background: To report a case of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and associated peripheral corneal ulceration.

Thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies and early miscarriages in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis: a case-control study.

We have previously hypothesized that early miscarriage in women with Hashimoto thyroiditis might be the result of a cross-reactivity process, in which blocking autoantibodies against thyrotropin receptor (TSHr-Ab) antagonize hCG action on its receptor on the corpus luteum. To test this hypothesis from the clinical perspective, we investigated the presence of TSHr-Ab in Hashimoto thyroiditis patients with apparently unexplained, first-trimester recurrent miscarriages compared to that in Hashimoto thyroiditis patients with documented normal fertility. A total of 86 subjects (43 cases and 43 age-matched controls) were finally included in a case-control study.

Genotype and allele frequencies of heme oxygenase-1 promoter region in a Greek cohort.

Background: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an enzyme, which catabolizes heme into carbon monoxide, biliverdin and free iron. The induction of this enzyme is an important cytoprotective mechanism, which occurs as an adaptive and beneficial response to a wide variety of oxidant stimuli. HO-1 inducibility is mainly modulated by a (GT)(n) polymorphism in the promoter region, and has been shown that short (S) repeats are associated with greater up-regulation of HO-1, compared with long (L) repeats.

Are educators at high risk of sub-fertility? A multicenter study.

Problem: A high percentage of women schoolteachers having fertility problems were observed by three independent teams.

Method: Expected percentage of educators was calculated in 4650 sub-fertile women and 2,062,891 women at reproductive age. To explore the possibility that schoolteachers' contact with childhood viral infections results in alterations of peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells, a multiple linear regression analysis for profession, age, difficulty to conceive, number of abortions/implantation failures (predictor variables) was performed in childless educators (210) and housewives (184).

HLA Class II alleles and the presence of circulating Epstein-Barr virus DNA in Greek patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background And Purpose: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) represents a seldom malignancy in most developed countries. Nevertheless, NPC receives an endemic form in concrete racial entities. The aims of this study were to detect the presence of Epstein-Barr virus DNA (EBV-DNA) in peripheral blood of NPC patients, to molecularly define human leukocyte antigens (HLA) DRB1*, DQA1* and DQB1* allele frequencies, and, finally, to determine whether the genetic predisposition of an individual to NPC depends on the liability to EBV infection.