A Case of Human Infection by Rickettsia slovaca in Greece.

Although tick-borne rickettsiosis is endemic in Greece, until recently, human samples arriving at the National Reference Centre under suspicion of rickettsial infection were routinely tested only for Rickettsia typhi and R. conorii. However, identification of additional rickettsia species in ticks prompted revision of the protocol in 2010.

Patients with duodenal ulcer have lower levels of serum cholesterol compared to other dyspeptic patients independently of Helicobacter pylori status.

Objective: The association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and serum lipid profile is still controversial. The aim of this study was to determine any possible relationship between H.

The association of coronary flow changes and inflammatory indices to ischaemia-reperfusion microvascular damage and left ventricular remodelling.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of coronary flow (CF) changes and inflammatory indices on myocardial microcirculation--assessed by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE)--and on left ventricular remodelling, in an experimental ischaemia-reperfusion model.

Methods: In 15 pigs, weighing 30 +/- 5 kg, ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was performed, followed by reperfusion for 120 min. Peak, mean, duration and volume of systolic and diastolic components of CF distal to the LAD ligation were measured using a butterfly flowmeter and their ratio was calculated.

Endovascular stenting for the management of port-a-cath associated superior vena cava syndrome.

Port-a-cath systems are often essential for the administration of long-term chemotherapy in the treatment of malignancies because they improve venous access, but they are associated with complications, mainly thrombosis of central veins. In the present report, we describe a case of right subclavian and superior vena cava port-a-cath-related thrombosis causing superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) in a patient affected by Hodgkin's disease. The patient underwent percutaneous revascularization with stent positioning, experiencing immediate relief of symptoms.

Oxaliplatin and irinotecan plus granulocyte-colony stimulating factor as third-line treatment in relapsed or cisplatin-refractory germ-cell tumor patients: a phase II study.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of the combination of oxaliplatin and irinotecan in patients with relapsed or cisplatin-refractory germ cell tumors (GCT).

Patients And Methods: Eighteen patients with relapsed or cisplatin-refractory GCT were treated with oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 15, followed by irinotecan 80 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8 and 15, every four weeks for a maximum of six cycles.

Results: All patients were assessable for response and toxicity.