Marital status, depressive episodes, and short-term prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome: Greek study of acute coronary syndrome (GREECS).

The association between marital status and short-term prognosis of patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was evaluated. From October 2003 to September 2004, a sample of 6 hospitals located in Greek regions was selected, and almost all survivors after an ACS were enrolled into the study (2172 patients were included in the study; 76% were men). The in-hospital mortality rate was 3.

Dietary patterns and 5-year incidence of cardiovascular disease: a multivariate analysis of the ATTICA study.

Background And Aims: The 5-year incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in relation to dietary habits, among men and women from Greece, was evaluated.

Methods And Results: From May 2001 to December 2002, 1514 men and 1528 women (>18 years) without any clinical evidence of CVD, living in the Attica area, Greece, were enrolled in the ATTICA study. In 2006, a group of experts performed the 5-year follow-up (941 of the 3042 participants were lost).

Long-term fish consumption is associated with lower risk of 30-day cardiovascular disease events in survivors from an acute coronary syndrome.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between long-term fish consumption and short-term prognosis of patients who had an acute coronary syndrome. The multi-adjusted data analysis from a total of 214 men and 79 women patients showed that intake of fish, n-3 and n-6 fatty acids above 7 portions, 8.8 g and 13.

Dietary habits mediate the relationship between socio-economic status and CVD factors among healthy adults: the ATTICA study.

Background: The aims of the present work were to investigate whether dietary habits are associated with socio-economic status (SES), and if they modify the relationship between SES and CVD risk factors, in a sample of men and women free from known CVD.

Methods: This population-based study was carried out in the province of Attica, where Athens is a major metropolis. During 2001-2002, information from 1,528 men (18-87 years old) and 1,514 women (18-89 years old) was collected (75 % participation rate).

The effect of clinical characteristics and dietary habits on the relationship between education status and 5-year incidence of cardiovascular disease: the ATTICA study.

Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate whether clinical characteristics and dietary habits influence the association between education status and 5-year incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: From 2001 to 2002, 1,514 men and 1,528 women (>18 year) without known CVD were enrolled. In 2006, the 5-year follow-up was performed (31% participants were lost to follow-up).

Five-year incidence of cardiovascular disease and its predictors in Greece: the ATTICA study.

The 5-year incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its determinants, in a sample of men and women from Greece, was evaluated. From May 2001 to December 2002, 1514 men and 1528 women (>18 years old) without any clinical evidence of CVD, living in the Attica area, Greece, were enrolled in the ATTICA study. In 2006, a group of experts performed the 5-year follow-up (941 of the 3042 (31%) participants were lost to follow-up).

Physical activity status and acute coronary syndromes survival The GREECS (Greek Study of Acute Coronary Syndromes) study.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the association between physical activity levels and the clinical outcome at presentation, as well as the 30-day prognosis of hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Background: Regular physical activity has been associated with decreased risk of coronary heart disease. However, less is known about the effects of life-long physical activity on ACS prognosis.

Eating habits in relations to anxiety symptoms among apparently healthy adults. A pattern analysis from the ATTICA Study.

The effect of anxiety on dietary intake of humans has been investigated through a number of laboratory, clinical and cross-sectional studies; no prior study, however, has examined potential associations between anxiety and overall dietary patterns. Aim of the present work was to describe dietary patterns in relation to anxiety trait in a nationally representative sample of Greek adults from the ATTICA Study. A sample of 453 men and 400 women were randomly selected from various areas of Attica region, Greece.

Safety of myocardial flash-contrast echocardiography in combination with dobutamine stress testing for the detection of ischaemia in 5250 studies.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to provide evidence regarding the safety of real-time flash-contrast echocardiography combined with dobutamine-atropine stress echo (DASE).

Background: The combination of perfusion assessment using myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) with DASE has shown very promising results for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Concerns have, however, been expressed regarding the safety of the use of echo-contrast agents in echocardiography.

Systolic blood pressure on admission predicts in-hospital mortality among patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes: the Greek study of acute coronary syndromes.

The authors sought to evaluate whether the level of systolic blood pressure (SBP) on hospital admission is an independent prognostic factor for in-hospital mortality of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). From October 2003 to September 2004, 2172 consecutive patients with ACS were included in the study (76% men). The in-hospital mortality rate was 3.

Abdominal obesity and inflammation predicts hypertension among prehypertensive men and women: the ATTICA Study.

The aim of this work was to assess the 5-year incidence of hypertension and its predictors among prehypertensive adults. Under the context of the ATTICA Study, data from 1188 individuals, free of cardiovascular disease, but with defined high blood pressure levels (prehypertension) at baseline examination (during 2001-2002) were retrieved. In 2006, the 5-year follow-up of the study was performed, and 798 of the prehypertensive participants were allocated.

Risk stratification of apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein A1, and apolipoprotein B/AI ratio on the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome: the ATTICA study.

We investigated the association of apolipoproteins AI and B in relation to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a random sample of cardiovascular disease- free adults from the ATTICA study (1,514 men, aged 18-87 y; 1,528 women, aged 18-89 y). Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 25% in men and 15% in women (P < .

Hierarchical analysis of cardiovascular risk factors in relation to the development of acute coronary syndromes, in different parts of Greece: the CARDIO2000 study.

During 2000 to 2002, 700 men (59 +/- 10 years) and 148 women (65 +/- 9 years) patients with first event of an ACS were randomly selected from cardiology clinics of Greek regions. Afterwards, 1078 population-based, age-matched and sex-matched controls were randomly selected from the same hospitals. The frequency ratio between men and women in the case series of patients was about 4:1, in both south and north Greek areas.

Abdominal obesity, blood glucose and apolipoprotein B levels are the best predictors of the incidence of hypercholesterolemia (2001-2006) among healthy adults: the ATTICA study.

Objective: In this work we evaluated the 5-year incidence of hypercholesterolemia, in a sample of cardiovascular disease free adult men and women from Greece. We also evaluated the association of several socio-demographic, dietary and lifestyle habits on the incidence of this disorder.

Methods: 1514 men and 1528 women (>18 y) without any clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, living in Attica area, Greece, were enrolled in the ATTICA study from May 2001 to December 2002.

The role of exercise in cardiovascular rehabilitation: a review.

The epidemiological literature supports an inverse association and a dose-response gradient between exercise training and both cardiovascular disease in general and coronary artery disease in particular. An overwhelming number of studies has supported similar findings for hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obesity, diabetes, inflammatory and coagulation markers related to cardiovascular disease and cardiac heart failure. Findings are highly suggestive that endurance type exercise training, of moderate intensity most days of the week can lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension, can decrease triglyceride levels and increase HDL cholesterol levels in patients with dyslipidaemia, reduces body weight when combined with diet, improves insulin sensitivity, modifies the inflammatory process and finally can improve stroke volume and reduce cardiomegaly in patients with cardiac heart failure.

The impact of ezetimibe and high-dose of statin treatment on LDL levels in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

We evaluated the efficacy and the safety of combining high doses of statins and ezetimibe in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (hFH) patients. Seventy patients with hFH, received 10 mg of ezetimibe, in addition to their current statin therapy and were followed up for twelve months. The co-administration of statins and ezetimibe improved total cholesterol (p<0.

Short-term depressive symptoms and 30-day prognosis of hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndromes; the Greek study of acute coronary syndromes (GREECS).

Aims: We evaluated whether short-term depressive symptoms are associated with the 30-day prognosis of hospitalized patients presented with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Methods: A sample of 6 hospitals located in Greek urban and rural regions was selected. From October 2003 to September 2004, we recorded the non-fatal admissions of ACS.

Eating patterns may mediate the association between marital status, body mass index, and blood cholesterol levels in apparently healthy men and women from the ATTICA study.

Marital status has been recognized as a significant health-influencing factor, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate whether eating habits mediate the relationship between marital status and levels of CVD risk factors among apparently healthy men and women from the ATTICA Study. During 2001-2002, we randomly enrolled 1514 men (18-87 years old) and 1528 women (18-89 years old) from the Attica area, Greece; the sampling was stratified by the age-gender distribution of the region.

Five-year incidence of obesity and its determinants: the ATTICA study.

Objectives: To evaluate the 5-year incidence of obesity in a sample of CVD-free adults and investigate the potential effect of several sociodemographic and lifestyle habits on weight change and obesity incidence in these individuals.

Methods: Men (n 1514) and women (n 1528) (>18 years) without any clinical evidence of CVD, living in the Attica area of Greece, were enrolled in the ATTICA study from May 2001 to December 2002. The sampling was random, multistage and included information about various sociodemographic, lifestyle (diet, exercise and smoking), biochemical and clinical characteristics.

Age-dependent dichotomous effect of superoxide dismutase Ala16Val polymorphism on oxidized LDL levels.

We investigated the association between superoxide dismutase (SOD) Ala16Val polymorphism and the levels of oxidized LDL lipoprotein-C (ox-LDL-C) in two age-different Greek cohorts. Four hundred fifteen middle-aged (n=147 females: 43.2+/-13 years, n=268 males: 43.

Dietary choline and betaine intakes in relation to concentrations of inflammatory markers in healthy adults: the ATTICA study.

Background: Choline and betaine are found in a variety of plant and animal foods and were recently shown to be associated with decreased homocysteine concentrations.

Objective: The scope of this work was to investigate the associations between dietary choline and betaine consumption and various markers of low-grade systemic inflammation.

Design: Under the context of a cross-sectional survey that enrolled 1514 men (18-87 y of age) and 1528 women (18-89 y of age) with no history of cardiovascular disease (the ATTICA Study), fasting blood samples were collected and inflammatory markers were measured.

Lifestyle intervention in the management of metabolic syndrome: could we improve adherence issues?

Current guidelines for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) propose lifestyle changes (diet and physical activity) as a first-line intervention. However, few studies have been conducted thus far in this field. Weight loss has been recognized as an important issue in the management of MetSyn, in addition to exercise training.

Prevalence and determinants of coronary artery disease in males and females with familial combined hyperlipidaemia.

Background: Familial combined hyperlipidaemia (FCH) is an inherited dyslipidaemia that is related to a high risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). We evaluated the prevalence of CAD in a large FCH population and the association of risk factors with CAD according to gender.

Methods: In this single-center, observational study, lipid and lipoprotein variables were measured in untreated patients with FCH (565 males and 302 females).

Determinants of physical inactivity among men and women from Greece: a 5-year follow-up of the ATTICA study.

Objective: We sought to evaluate factors that are associated with physical activity changes among adults within a 5-year period.

Methods: From May 2001 to December 2002 we randomly enrolled 1514 men and 1528 women without any evidence of cardiovascular or any other chronic disease. The sampling was stratified by the age-gender distribution of the greater area of Athens.