Publications by authors named "Savopoulos C"
Article Synopsis
- Acute decompensation in cirrhosis indicates severe issues caused by portal hypertension and can lead to multiorgan dysfunction.
- Management is usually done in outpatient settings, stressing the importance of regular follow-ups, medication adjustments, and patient education.
- The primary goals are to enhance quality of life, prevent disease progression, and consider liver transplantation when necessary.
Background And Aims: Tissue factor-expressing microvesicles (MV-TF) have been found to correlate with thrombotic complications in various diseases. Simultaneously, there is expanding research regarding the effect of the coagulation cascade on liver fibrosis progression. The aim of our manuscript was to evaluate MV-TF activity in patients with cirrhosis and its correlation with disease severity.
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- Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, particularly affecting older adults, and there are few reliable biomarkers for predicting its onset and type.
- This review focuses on S100B and GFAP proteins, which may enhance the diagnosis and prognosis for stroke patients by indicating stroke severity and differentiating between stroke types.
- Ongoing research aims to make these blood biomarkers integral to clinical practice, improving early diagnosis and patient management to reduce stroke-related complications and deaths.
Article Synopsis
- Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a growing chronic condition that requires insulin for management to avoid complications, and diabetes-related technology helps improve patients' daily living.
- A study evaluated the Greek version of the Diabetes Impact and Device Satisfaction (DIDS) Scale, which measures how satisfied individuals are with their insulin delivery device and how diabetes affects their lives.
- Results showed that the scale is reliable and valid, identifying three key factors: Device Satisfaction, Diabetes Management Impact, and Device Usability, with positive correlations to diabetes quality of life metrics.
Efficacy and Safety of the Combination of Palmitoylethanolamide, Superoxide Dismutase, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B12, B1, B6, E, Mg, Zn and Nicotinamide for 6 Months in People with Diabetic Neuropathy.
Nutrients
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- - The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a combination of ten supplements, including PEA, SOD, ALA, and various vitamins and minerals, on individuals with Diabetic Neuropathy (DN) over six months.
- - Out of 73 participants, those receiving the active supplement showed significant improvements in pain levels, vitamin B12, and several nerve function indicators, while the placebo group did not experience any significant changes.
- - Results from the active group indicated a notable reduction in pain scores and improvements in various assessments (like the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument), while the placebo group showed a decline in certain metrics, underscoring the supplements' potential benefits.
Article Synopsis
- Pulse wave velocity (PWV) serves as a strong indicator of arterial stiffness and is a better predictor of cardiovascular events compared to traditional risk factors, especially in the context of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).
- The meta-analysis reviewed studies on AIS patients, showing a higher PWV is linked to poorer functional outcomes and higher long-term risks such as mortality and stroke recurrence.
- Findings suggest that monitoring PWV can enhance risk assessment and management in patients with vascular aging, indicating the importance of incorporating this measure into clinical practice.
Article Synopsis
- - Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a rare type of cancer that features specific cells called Hodgkin or Reed-Sternberg cells.
- - Cardiac issues related to HL are not well-studied, with limited reports on conditions like cardiac tamponade in these patients.
- - A case is presented of a 21-year-old woman whose initial HL symptoms included cardiac tamponade, underscoring the need for quick diagnosis and treatment of related heart complications.
Unlabelled: Introduction-Background: Data from experimental trials show that L. (saffron) is considered to improve glycemia, lipid profile, and blood pressure and reduce oxidative stress. So far, clinical trials have been conducted in individuals with metabolic syndrome and Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DMT-2).
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- Hyperglycemia following a stroke can worsen the condition, so effective glucose management is crucial for reducing complications and improving patient outcomes.
- The study monitored 105 acute stroke patients’ glucose levels continuously over 72 hours, identifying various hyperglycemic patterns primarily occurring during night and morning hours.
- Findings suggest that traditional glucose tests may miss these patterns, highlighting the need for more frequent nighttime measurements and suggesting that admission glucose levels could help predict future hyperglycemic tendencies.
Article Synopsis
- The Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project categorizes ischemic strokes into four types and links hyperglycemia to larger infarct sizes and poorer patient outcomes.
- The study aimed to explore the relationship between glucose fluctuations and stroke types/outcomes using continuous glucose monitoring over 72 hours among recent stroke patients.
- Results indicated that while stroke subtype did not significantly affect mean glucose levels, improving glucose regulation could reduce the odds of poor outcomes, suggesting that strict glucose management might be more effective than focusing on stroke types.
Background: The tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/pulmonary artery systolic pressure (TAPSE/PASP) ratio is a non-invasive surrogate for right ventricular-pulmonary arterial (RV-PA) coupling, studied in chronic RV pressure overload syndromes. However, its prognostic utility in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which may cause acute RV pressure overload, remains unexplored.
Objective: This study aimed to determine predictors of RV-PA uncoupling in patients with first AMI and examine whether it could improve risk stratification for cardiovascular in-hospital mortality after revascularization.
Article Synopsis
- Pancreatic cancer is a serious health concern, being the fourth deadliest cancer, but not all pancreatic masses are malignant, highlighting the need for accurate diagnosis through biopsy.
- This meta-analysis compares two minimally invasive biopsy methods for pancreatic tissue: percutaneous biopsies guided by imaging versus transduodenal biopsies using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).
- Results show that the percutaneous approach is statistically superior in sensitivity and specificity, but biases in tumor selection may affect these findings, making the choice of biopsy method dependent on various clinical factors.
Early vascular aging in acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis
August 2024
Background: While arterial stiffening is a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, it remains unclear whether there is an early vascular aging (EVA) in patients who have experienced acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate whether patients with AIS exhibit EVA through pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements shortly after the stroke onset, shedding light on the relationship between arterial stiffness, hypertension, and stroke.
Methods: Thirteen case-control studies were included, comparing PWV measurements between AIS patients and non-AIS individuals.
Objectives: This study aims to detect the prevalence and specific characteristics of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: In this retrospective observational study, conducted in a tertiary hospital in Greece between May 2021 and October 2022, patients with CDI from COVID-19 and Internal Medicine wards were enrolled and compared based on epidemiological and disease-associated data.
Results: In total, 4322 patients were admitted, and 435 samples for CDI were analyzed, with 104/435 (23.
Article Synopsis
- The study explores how the use of antihypertensive medications before and during an acute ischemic stroke affects blood pressure levels and variability in stroke patients.
- A post-hoc analysis of 228 stroke patients indicated that most were on antihypertensive treatments, with specific medications linked to different blood pressure outcomes and variability patterns.
- Patients on these medications showed lower mortality rates, suggesting that personalizing blood pressure management based on individual medication history could improve care for acute ischemic stroke patients.
Background: Healthcare costs are rising worldwide. At the same time, a considerable proportion of care does not benefit or may even be harmful to patients. We aimed to explore attitudes towards low-value care and identify the most important barriers to the de-implementation of low-value care use in primary care in high-income countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) represents cholecystitis without gallstones, occurring in approximately 5-10% of all cases of acute cholecystitis in adults. Several risk factors have been recognized, while infectious diseases can be a cause of cholecystitis in otherwise healthy people. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has spread worldwide, leading to an unprecedented pandemic.
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- - The SUN4P project investigates stroke healthcare quality in Greece by analyzing patient data from nine hospitals for first-ever strokes between 2019-2021.
- - Out of 892 patients studied, the majority had ischemic strokes, with only a small percentage receiving treatment in specialized acute stroke units; yet, a high percentage received follow-up medications upon discharge.
- - This study marks the first comprehensive data collection on stroke care quality in Greece, aiming to enhance treatment standards and outcomes for stroke patients nationwide.
Article Synopsis
- The rise in mitral regurgitation (MR) cases highlights the urgent need for timely surgical or transcatheter interventions to prevent serious health complications.
- While left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is typically used to assess heart damage, its accuracy in MR situations is questionable, prompting a look into alternative methods like deformation imaging.
- The review calls for a combination of traditional and new assessment techniques for better patient management and emphasizes the importance of future large-scale studies to confirm the effectiveness of deformation imaging in clinical settings.
Introduction: Hemoptysis is one of the most common symptoms of respiratory system diseases. Common causes include bronchiectasis, tumors, tuberculosis, aspergilloma, and cystic fibrosis. The severity of hemoptysis varies from mild to moderate to massive hemoptysis and can easily lead to hemodynamic instability and death from suffocation or shock.
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- * It explores the relationship between PCS and the development of post-infection IBS (PI-IBS), highlighting factors like enteric infections and psychosocial conditions that may contribute to GI dysfunction following COVID-19.
- * The review underscores the need for more research on PI-IBS, as current treatment options primarily focus on non-COVID-19-related gut disorders, emphasizing the importance of understanding the long-term effects of COVID-19 on gastrointestinal health.
Article Synopsis
- Thyroid diseases are linked to autoimmune disorders, prompting research into the connection between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune thyroid disease.
- A study of 45 SLE patients revealed a higher incidence of thyroid disorders compared to a matched control group, with specific cases of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism identified.
- The findings indicate that many SLE patients show detectable antithyroid antibodies, suggesting a predisposition to thyroid disease that should be monitored during SLE evaluations.
Article Synopsis
- * The study introduces the Greek translation of the Parent Diabetes Distress Scale (PDDS), which evaluates the emotional burden on parents of T1D children, highlighting key distress factors such as relationships and healthcare management.
- * Findings indicate that the PDDS-Gr is a valid and reliable measure, with parents of children with poor blood sugar control reporting higher distress levels, confirming its usefulness for assessing diabetes-related stress in families.
Article Synopsis
- The study assessed the one-year total cost of strokes in Greece, focusing on patients with first-ever acute strokes admitted to hospitals within 48 hours of symptom onset.
- It found that the total annual cost of stroke care was EUR 343.1 million in 2021, averaging EUR 10,722 per patient, with an estimated cost-effectiveness of EUR 23,308 per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY).
- Key costs included 53.3% direct healthcare expenses and significant productivity losses, totaling EUR 160.2 million from work absences, premature retirement, and caregiving, emphasizing the need for improved stroke care and effective interventions.
Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a major cause of death worldwide. Survivors of AMI are particularly at high risk for additional cardiovascular events. Consequently, a comprehensive approach to secondary prevention is necessary to mitigate the occurrence of downstream complications.
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