Emotional and Cognitive Responses to COVID-19 Information Overload under Lockdown Predict Media Attention and Risk Perceptions of COVID-19.

The present study examined positive and negative effects of health communication on the fight against the COVID-19 under lockdown, during the first wave of the pandemic in Greece. An online survey ( = 1,199) examined the relationships among media trust, emotional and cognitive reactions to COVID-19 information overload, media attention, and risk perceptions regarding COVID-19. Participants' media attention (exposure and attention combined) to information about the pandemic was positively related to their risk perceptions (perceived susceptibility and severity) about the disease.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of vildagliptin for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

This systematic review and meta-analysis provides an update on the efficacy and safety of vildagliptin for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We searched MEDLINE, COCHRANE, EMBASE and the drug manufacturer's website for randomised controlled trials of vildagliptin in patients with T2DM. Sixty-nine studies (28,006 patients) were included in the meta-analysis.

Debilitating chronic diarrhea caused by generalized gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus infection in an immunocompetent adult.

Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients, especially patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and transplant recipients. In contrast, CMV infection of the gastrointestinal tract is rare in immunocompetent individuals. We report a case of severe, protracted, and debilitating diarrhea caused by generalized CMV infection of the gastrointestinal tract in an elderly woman with no apparent immunosuppression.

Efficacy and safety of empagliflozin for type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of the novel sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor empagliflozin compared with placebo or other antidiabetic agents in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. We searched Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library through December 2013 and grey literature.

Determinants of microbial load in infected diabetic foot ulcers: a pilot study.

We examined the determinants of microbial load in infected diabetic foot ulcers in 62 patients (38 men and 24 women, mean age: 65.63 ± 12.71 years) with clinically infected diabetic foot ulcers.

Tissue and swab culture in diabetic foot infections: neuropathic versus neuroischemic ulcers.

We evaluated the diagnostic performance of swabs versus tissue cultures in 28 diabetic patients with neuropathic (group A) and 22 diabetic patients with neuroischemic foot ulcer (group B) and the differences in bacterial isolates between the 2 groups. In group A, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of swab cultures for the diagnosis of infection were 100%, 40%, 88.5%, and 100%, respectively.

Anatomic variations of the right hepatic duct: results and surgical implications from a cadaveric study.

Purpose. Thorough understanding of biliary anatomy is required when performing surgical interventions in the hepatobiliary system. This study describes the anatomical variations of right bile ducts in terms of branching and drainage patterns, and determines their frequency.

Uncoupling protein-2 45-base pair insertion/deletion polymorphism: is there an association with severe obesity and weight loss in morbidly obese subjects?

Background: Uncoupling proteins are attractive candidate genes for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our aim was to investigate the potential association of the uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) 45-bp insertion/deletion (ins/del) polymorphism with obesity, as well as the potential effect of this polymorphism on weight loss variability in severely obese subjects.

Methods: A total of 158 severely obese subjects (94 without and 64 with metabolic syndrome) and 91 age and sex-matched lean controls were recruited.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 is correlated with glycemic control and peripheral arterial disease in type 2 diabetic patients with metabolic syndrome.

We evaluated the serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and their association with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in 199 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome ([MetS], group A) in comparison with 109 healthy controls (group B). In group A, MCP-1 levels were significantly (P < .001) higher than group B and exhibited a positive correlation with HbA1c (P < .

Serotonin receptor 2A -1438G/A promoter polymorphism in relation to obesity and response to sibutramine.

Aims: Serotonin has been related to appetite and body weight control. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association of the -1438 /A promoter polymorphism of the serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2AR) gene with obesity-related variables and response to sibutramine.

Patients/methods: We examined the potential impact of this polymorphism on obesity and related metabolic traits in a cohort of 234 overweight/obese and 103 lean Greek subjects.

Increased serum levels of uric acid are associated with sudomotor dysfunction in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this paper was to assess serum uric acid (SUA) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with or without sudomotor dysfunction (evaluated by the Neuropad test). We included 36 T2DM patients with sudomotor dysfunction (group A: mean age 63.1 ± 2.

Accuracy of the Neuropad test for the diagnosis of distal symmetric polyneuropathy in type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To estimate the accuracy of Neuropad for the diagnosis and staging of distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DPN) across different stages of neuropathy, using multiple-level likelihood ratios (LRs) to interpret the time necessary to complete the color change of the test.

Research Design And Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, cohort-type diagnostic accuracy study in 251 consecutive adult type 2 diabetic patients with no peripheral arterial disease or other potential causes of neuropathy, who were recruited between January 2005 and December 2008 from the diabetes outpatient clinics in Alexandroupolis Hospital, Greece. Patients were tested for DPN by means of the neuropathy disability score (NDS) and Neuropad.

Evaluation of a new foam to increase skin hydration of the foot in type 2 diabetes: a pilot study.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new product (Neuropad repair foam(®)) in promoting skin hydration of the foot in type 2 diabetes. Included in this study were 20 type 2 diabetic patients (10 men, mean age 61·40 ± 2·44 years). Patients applied Neuropad repair foam(®) on the plantar aspect of the right foot twice daily.

Peripheral neuropathy is associated with increased serum levels of uric acid in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We assessed serum uric acid (SUA) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with or without peripheral neuropathy (diagnosed by the Neuropathy Disability score [NDS]). We enrolled 64 patients with T2DM with peripheral neuropathy (group A: 31 men, mean age 63.0 ± 2.

A prospective study on the use of the indicator test Neuropad® for the early diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes.

Aim: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the contribution of the indicator test for sudomotor function Neuropad® to the early diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Included were 109 type 2 diabetic patients (55 men, mean age 56.15 ± 6.

Association between foot temperature and sudomotor dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.

Background And Aims: Increased foot skin temperature has been described as a feature of diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this present study was to investigate the association between foot temperature and sudomotor dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Patients And Methods: This study included 51 patients (group A: 25 men, mean age 61.

Lanarkshire Oximetry Index as a diagnostic tool for peripheral arterial disease in type 2 diabetes: a pilot study.

We evaluated the Lanarkshire Oximetry Index (LOI) for the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in type 2 diabetic patients, using the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) as gold standard. We included 161 patients (71 men, mean age 63.1 +/- 9.

Matrix metalloproteinase-1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 levels in severely obese patients: what is the effect of weight loss?

Introduction: There is increased evidence that circulating levels of matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors are altered in obesity and may be implicated in its pathogenesis. This study aimed to compare the serum concentrations of pro-matrix metalloproteinase-1 (pro-MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) in severely obese patients with or without metabolic syndrome, and to investigate the potential effect of weight loss on their circulating levels.

Methods: A total of 102 severely obese subjects were included in our study.

Glycaemic control is correlated with well-being index (WHO-5) in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to examine the potential correlation of WHO-5 well-being index with glycaemic control and chronic complications in subjects with type 2 diabetes. The study included 156 subjects (73 men, mean age 64.05+/-9.

Achilles tendon volume in type 2 diabetic patients with or without peripheral neuropathy: MRI study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate Achilles tendon (AT) in type 2 diabetic patients with vs. without peripheral neuropathy using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The study included 19 patients (group A, mean age 63.

The fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) Pro129Thr polymorphism is not associated with severe obesity in Greek subjects.

Fatty amid acid hydrolase (FAAH) has been implicated at both protein and gene level with obesity. An association between Pro129Thr variant of the FAAH gene and obesity has been described, but various studies have yielded conflicting results. Our aim was to determine whether this polymorphism is related to severe obesity and whether it confers a risk for variability of quantitative metabolic traits in a cohort of Greek obese subjects.

Foot temperature in type 2 diabetic patients with or without peripheral neuropathy.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to evaluate foot temperature in type 2 diabetic patients with vs. without peripheral neuropathy. The study included 30 patients (group A: 16 men, mean age 63.