Ultra-Processed Foods and Childhood Obesity: Current evidence and perspectives.

Purpose Of The Review: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) represent foods that have undergone substantial industrial processing, such as the addition of preservatives and various other ingredients, thereby making them more tasty, appealing and easy to consume. UPFs are often rich in sugars, saturated fats and salt, while they are low in essential nutrients.The aim of this review is to examine the relationship between the widespread consumption of UPFs and the development of obesity among children and adolescents.

Similar Hepatitis B virus reactivation risk for patients with inflammatory arthritis or connective tissue diseases: a multicenter retrospective study.

Introduction: Hepatitis B reactivation and administration of prophylactic antiviral treatment are considered in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) undergoing immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory treatment. Data are more robust for rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving bDMARDs but are limited for other AIIRD and drug categories.

Methods: Adult patients with AIIRD (inflammatory arthritis [IA] or connective tissue diseases [CTD]) and documented chronic or resolved HBV infection (defined as serum HBsAg positivity or anti-HBcAb positivity in the case of HBsAg non-detection respectively), followed-up in six rheumatology centers in Greece and Italy, were included.

Cerebrospinal Drain Infection by : A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

is notorious for its ability to spread within healthcare environments, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs), posing significant challenges for clinicians as treatment options become limited. This is especially concerning in the context of central nervous system (CNS)-invasive infections. While rare, its involvement in nosocomial brain ventriculitis presents substantial diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, with no established guidelines for managing CNS infections caused by .

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in 7704 Individuals: An Analysis from the Greek Registry for the Prevalence of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (GRegistry-FH).

The intention of this study was to profile the cohort from the Greek Registry for the prevalence of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (GRegistry-FH) by estimating the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), pre-DM, smoking, abnormal thyroid function (ATF), and lipid values. The GRegistry-FH is a prospective study involving door-to-door interviews conducted by trained interviewers. Overall, 7704 individuals aged ≥18 years, randomly selected from all the regions of Greece, participated.

Spotlight on the Mechanism of Action of Semaglutide.

Initially intended to control blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, semaglutide, a potent glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue, has been established as an effective weight loss treatment by controlling appetite. Integrating the latest clinical trials, semaglutide in patients with or without diabetes presents significant therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating cardiometabolic risk factors and physical functioning, independent of body weight reduction. Semaglutide may modulate adipose tissue browning, which enhances human metabolism and exhibits possible benefits in skeletal muscle degeneration, accelerated by obesity and ageing.

Long-COVID - pathophysiology, current concepts and future directions.

Long-COVID, an umbrella term referring to a variety of symptoms and clinical presentations, which emerge in a subset of patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection, has a significant impact on an individual's quality of life and places a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide, straining financial and human resources. The pathophysiology of long-COVID remains incompletely understood, though several hypotheses have been proposed to explain different aspects of this complex condition. SARS-CoV-2 persistence, direct organ damage, innate and adaptive immune system pertubation, autoimmunity, latent viruses reactivation, endothelial dysfunction, and microbiome disturbances are among the most relevant avenues for elucidating the evolution, complexity, and mechanisms of long-COVID.

Assessing Disability in Thalassaemia: A Position Statement by the Thalassaemia International Federation.

Thalassemia is not currently conceived per se as a disability, but it can be a disability-inducing condition if poorly treated or as complications increase with age. People living with thalassemia do not wish, on the one hand, to be considered disabled persons to avoid stigma and loss of opportunities to achieve social inclusion in all paths of life while, on the other, they are in need of lifelong appropriate, disease-specific health and social care, including disability allowances and schemes, in order to be able to smoothly integrate into society and achieve professional, educational, personal, and social goals. The ongoing debate on whether thalassemia is a disability or not is thus complex and inconclusive and has created a vast heterogeneity of policies and approaches across the globe.

Renal survival and treatment of adult patients with Primary Focal Segmental glomerulosclerosis: A historical cohort study of the National Greek Registry.

Background/objective: Primary Focal and Segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is one of the most common causes of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Our aim was to describe a large cohort of patients with primary FSGS, identify risk factors associated with worse renal survival and assess the impact of different immunosuppressive regiments on renal survival.

Methods: This was a historical cohort study of adults who were diagnosed with primary FSGS from March 26, 1982, to September 16, 2020.

Fish Oil Consumption: Its Effects on Bone and Blood Parameters of the Ovariectomized Rat Model of Osteopenia.

: The beneficial effects of ω-3 fatty acids on the cardiovascular system have been observed in many epidemiological studies; however, their effects on the skeleton and in particular on postmenopausal bone loss appear to vary. The present study's purpose was to investigate the effects of oral fish oil (rich in ω-3 fatty acids) consumption on bone, plasma, and inflammation parameters in the ovariectomized (Ovx) rat model of osteopenia. : Four Groups of ten rats each were separated into Non-Ovx receiving fish oil (2.

Survival prospects of pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease: Insights from the HOPE registry.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe complication among adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD). This study presents real-world data on risk stratification, pharmacotherapy and survival rates in PAH-ACHD.

Methods: Data from PAH-ACHD patients were analyzed using The Hellenic Pulmonary Hypertension Registry (HOPE), spanning eight specialized centers between 2015 and 2023.

Clarithromycin For Improved Clinical Outcomes in Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Subgroup Analysis of the ACCESS Study.

Background: In the ACCESS trial the addition of clarithromycin to standard-of-care (SoC) antibiotics enhanced early clinical response and attenuated the inflammatory burden in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring hospitalization. A post-hoc analysis was performed to investigate the benefit in specific subgroups.

Methods: The primary endpoint comprised two conditions to be met during the first 72 hours: ≥50% decrease of respiratory symptom severity score; and any of ≥30% decrease of SOFA score and favourable change of kinetics of procalcitonin (defined as ≥80% PCT decrease or PCT <0.

The dead space fraction as a prognostic death indicator in patients with ARDS: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective:   Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a systemic disease with high morbidity and mortality. Dead space fraction (Vd/Vt) represents the volume of air that does not participate in gas exchange and accurately depicts the pathophysiology of ARDS due to ventilation and perfusion mismatch. In this study, we aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding its usefulness for predicting mortality.

Respiratory Muscle Strength Correlation with Functional Capacity, Quality of Life, Demographics and Co-morbidities in Stroke and Spinal Cord Injury.

Objectives: To record Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) and Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP) in neuro-rehabilitation patients and establish correlation with functional status, quality of life, demographics and co-morbidities.

Methods: Respiratory muscle strength was measured in 50 stroke patients and 50 spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Both groups were evaluated with the Modified Barthel Index (MBI-Shah version) and the 36-Item Short Form Survey.

Comparative finite element analysis between three surgical techniques for the treatment of type VI schatzker tibial plateau fractures.

. Open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) and external fixation are traditional surgical techniques for treating type VI Schatzker tibial plateau fractures. A newly developed technique integrates the intramedullary tibial nail with condylar bolts.

Missed opportunities for early HIV diagnosis in Greece: The MORFEAS study, 2019 to 2021.

BackgroundLate HIV diagnosis (CD4+ T-cell count < 350 cells/μL, or with an AIDS-defining event) remains a persistent challenge in Greece, indicating potential missed opportunities (MOs) for earlier testing.AimTo determine the frequency of HIV indicator conditions (ICs) preceding diagnosis and to quantify MOs for earlier testing at a nationwide level in Greece.MethodsThis multicentre retrospective study analysed data on 823 antiretroviral therapy-naive adults (≥ 18 years) diagnosed with HIV during 2019-21.

Thrombosis in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH): From Pathogenesis to Treatment.

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) constitutes a rare bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by hemolytic anemia, thrombotic events (TEs), and bone marrow aplasia of variable degrees. Thrombosis is one of the major clinical manifestations of the disease, affecting up to 40% of individuals with PNH. Venous thrombosis is more prevalent, affecting mainly unusual sites, such as intrabdominal and hepatic veins.

An Overview for Clinicians on Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms (IPMNs) of the Pancreas.

Currently, there is no reliable method of discerning between low-risk and high-risk intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). Operative resection is utilized in an effort to resect those lesions with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) prior to the development of invasive disease. The current guidelines recommend resection for IPMN that involve the main pancreatic duct.

The role of Cabazitaxel in Patients With Castration-Resistant and Osseous Metastases Prostate Cancer. A Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group Phase II Study: Cabazitaxel in mCRPC patients with osseous metastases.

Background: Cabazitaxel is an effective treatment in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients previously exposed to docetaxel and novel hormonal treatments. Understanding the molecular biology of mCRPC disease and taking into account the several approved treatment options, biomarkers are needed to guide decision making including cabazitaxel treatment.

Methods: Cababone was a phase II translational study that attempted to identify predictors of cabazitaxel efficacy.

Sepsis pathogenesis and outcome are shaped by the balance between the transcriptional states of systemic inflammation and antimicrobial response.

Patients with sepsis differ in their clinical presentations and immune dysregulation in response to infection, but the fundamental processes that determine this heterogeneity remain elusive. Here, we aim to understand which types of immune dysregulation characterize patients with sepsis. To that end, we investigate sepsis pathogenesis in the context of two transcriptional states: one represents the immune response to eliminate pathogens (resistance, R) and the other is associated with systemic inflammation (SI).

Implementing the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria in Crohn's disease: Prevalence of malnutrition and association with clinical outcomes.

Background & Aims: Limited data exist regarding the implementation of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria for diagnosing malnutrition in Crohn's disease (CD), and its association with CD prognosis. In the present study eighteen GLIM combinations and a combined one were implemented to identify differences in the prevalence of malnutrition and to investigate potential associations with clinical outcomes at 6 months.

Methods: Different methodologies to diagnose malnutrition were used at baseline, namely the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), eighteen different combinations of phenotypic and etiologic GLIM criteria and a combined version based on all GLIM combinations (GLIMcv) to test differences in the estimated prevalence and outcomes' prognosis.

The evaluation of myocarditis in patients with Still's disease; clinical findings from the multicentre international AIDA Network Still's Disease Registry.

Objective: To evaluate the cardiac involvement in patients with Still's disease with a focus on myocarditis included in the multicenter AIDA (AutoInflammatory Disease Alliance) network Still's disease registry. To exploit the predictive factors for myocarditis in deriving a clinical risk patient profile for this severe manifestation.

Methods: A multicenter observational study was built up assessing consecutive patients with Still's disease characterized by the cardiac involvement among those included in the AIDA Network Still's Disease Registry.