Validation of NoSAS score for the screening of obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder (SBD) characterized by the repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. The aim of the present study was to validate the Neck circumference, Obesity, Snoring, Age, Sex (NoSAS) score in a sample population and to compare its validity for OSA screening, with that of the Berlin questionnaire, STOP-BANG questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). A retrospective analysis was conducted on individuals, aged 18 to 80 years, who reported symptoms indicating SBD and were examined with full-night polysomnography (PSG) at a sleep center.

mediastinitis following a skin infection in a non-immunocompromised patient: A case report.

Mediastinitis is a severe inflammation of the structures located in the mid-chest cavity. Three main causes of infective mediastinitis are traditionally recognized: Deep infection of a sternal wound following cardiothoracic surgery, perforation of the esophagus, and the descending necrotizing mediastinitis as a result of odontogenic, pharyngeal or cervical infections. Mediastinitis, as a complication of skin infection with hematogenous spread is infrequent.

Pulmonary adverse events due to immune checkpoint inhibitors: A literature review.

Cancer immunotherapy aims to stimulate the immune system to fight against tumors, utilizing the presentation of molecules on the surface of the malignant cells that can be recognized by the antibodies of the immune system. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of cancer immunotherapy, are broadly used in different types of cancer, improving patients' survival and quality of life. However, treatment with these agents causes immune-related toxicities affecting many organs.

Atypical Fibroxanthoma: An unexpected cause of hemoptysis.

Atypical fibroxanthoma is an infrequent, low-grade superficial cutaneous neoplasm, usually presenting as a nodule or plaque of red color. It is considered as a superficial variant of pleomorphic dermal sarcoma. Although atypical fibroxanthoma has similar histologic features to pleomorphic dermal sarcoma, it has less aggressive behavior.

Firstcase of pneumonia-parapneumonic effusion due to .

is a fungus belonging to the genus Trichoderma. is not thought as a pathogenic for healthy individuals. However, it has the ability to produce toxic peptides and extracellular proteases and has been described to cause invasive infections in immunocompromised hosts.

Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Pleura as a Cause of Type II Respiratory Failure.

Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura is a rare type of tumor originating from the mesenchyma of the pleura. It is traditionally a benign lesion. However, in some cases malignant features have been observed.

Cytomegalovirus pneumonia in an immunocompetent host with primary ciliary dyskinesia: A case report.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal-recessive inherited disease caused by mutations in genes involved in ciliary structure and function leading to impaired mucociliary clearance and repeated or chronic, usually bacterial, infections of the upper and lower airways and decreased lung function and bronchiectasis. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a DNA virus that usually causes subclinical infection and in 10% of the patients causes a mononucleosis-like syndrome. CMV is a causative agent of serious illness in vulnerable immunocompromised groups such as transplant recipients, patients with immunodeficiency or malignancy and neonates.

Depression, Anxiety and Quality of Life in Staff of a Hospital in Athens: A Study in the Aftermath of the Debt Crisis Era.

Background: Several studies investigated the mental health needs of hospital staff in Greece during the debt crisis era. Yet, no relevant data are available regarding the mental health of hospital staff after this period. The aims of this study are: 1) To investigate the prevalence of clinically significant depression and anxiety in healthcare workers in a general hospital in Athens, Greece; 2) to search for the association of quality of life with anxiety and depression in those workers; 3) to investigate the association of sociodemographic characteristics with those parameters.

Ganglion cell layer thickening in patients suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea syndrome with long Mean Apnea-Hypopnea Duration during sleep.

Purpose: To study the effects of mean apnea-hypopnea duration (MAD), a useful indicator of blood oxygenation, on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), macular ganglion cell to inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) and macular retinal thickness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Methods: Sixty-five patients recently diagnosed with OSAHS and 35 healthy individuals were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. OSAHS patients were divided according to their MAD values into group 1 with 16 participants (MAD:10-15.

Bronchial Fibroepithelial Polyp With Severe Hemoptysis as First Manifestation: A Case Report.

Fibroepithelial polyps are uncommon benign tumors that mostly occur in skin, oral cavity and genitourinary tract. These lesions have common morphological features with other mesenchymal tumors such as angiomyofibroblastoma, aggressive angiomyxoma, and cellular angiofibroma and present with numerous histological appearances. Benign endobronchial tumors are rare.

Neutrophils to Lymphocyte Ratio as a Biomarker in Bronchiectasis Exacerbation: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Bronchiectasis is a disorder resulting mainly from bronchial inflammation caused by recurrent or chronic infections. It is characterized by permanently dilated airways due to bronchial wall destruction. Exacerbations have a key role in bronchiectasis as they are associated with a negative impact on patient prognosis.

Evaluation of Immature Platelet Fraction in Lower Respiratory Tract Infections: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Immature platelet fraction (IPF) is a parameter of an automated hematologic analyzer and is related to platelet size and cytoplasmic RNA content. It reflects thrombopoiesis and is often used as the marker of platelet activity. IPF has been evaluated mostly in hematologic disorders and has also been evaluated in patients with gestational hypertension, sepsis, autoimmune diseases and in hospitalised patients with neutrophilia.

Correlation Between Serum Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Severity of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Patients Assessed by Pneumonia Severity Index: An Observational Descriptive Study.

Introduction Pneumonia severity index (PSI) is a prognostic index used for estimating the possibility of death due to community-acquired pneumonia. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, essential for calcium and phosphate homeostasis. Vitamin D also has antimicrobial properties and according to recent studies, its deficiency may be correlated to an increased frequency of respiratory infections.

Docetaxel plus gemcitabine versus gemcitabine in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and use of a geriatric assessment: Lessons from a prematurely closed Hellenic Oncology Research Group randomized phase III study.

Objectives: To compare first-line treatment with docetaxel plus gemcitabine (DG) versus gemcitabine (G) in elderly patients with advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Chemotherapy-naïve patients with inoperable stage IIIB/IV NSCLC, ≥70years, with an ECOG performance status (PS) of 0-2 were enrolled. Patients were stratified by PS and disease stage and randomized to either DG (docetaxel 30mg/m plus gemcitabine 900mg/m i.

Metastasis to the breast from an adenocarcinoma of the lung with extensive micropapillary component: a case report and review of the literature.

Breast metastasis from extra-mammary malignancy is rare. Based on the literature an incidence of 0.4-1.

Non-platinum-based first-line followed by platinum-based second-line chemotherapy or the reverse sequence in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective analysis by the lung cancer group of the Hellenic Oncology Research Group.

Background: Non-platinum-containing regimens have been proposed as alternatives to platinum-based doublets in the first-line treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, conflicting results about their equivalence have been reported.

Methods: We reviewed the records of patients enrolled in randomized controlled first-line trials conducted by the Hellenic Oncology Research Group from February 1997 to September 2006.

Pooled analysis of elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with front line docetaxel/gemcitabine regimen: the Hellenic Oncology Research Group experience.

Introduction: Thirty to 40% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are older than 70 years and rarely are enrolled in clinical trials. Moreover, in clinical practice, > 75% of patients older than 65 years with metastatic NSCLC never receive any kind of chemotherapy.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the impact of age on efficacy and toxicity of chemotherapy regimens in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with the docetaxel-gemcitabine combination.

Vinorelbine plus cisplatin versus docetaxel plus gemcitabine in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase III randomized trial.

PURPOSE To compare the activity and tolerability of docetaxel/gemcitabine (DG) and vinorelbine/cisplatin (VC) combinations in chemotherapy-naive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with advanced NSCLC were randomly assigned to receive either DG (gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) [days 1 and 8] plus docetaxel 100 mg/m(2) [day 8]) or VC (vinorelbine 30 mg/m(2) [days 1 and 8] plus cisplatin 80 mg/m(2) [day 8]) and prophylactic recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (150 microg/m(2) subcutaneously [day 9 through 15]) every 3 weeks. Results A total of 413 randomly assigned patients were analyzed for response and toxicity (DG, n = 197; VC, n = 192).