Effectiveness of intramuscular ergocalciferol treatment in a patient with osteomalacia and insufficiency fractures due to severe vitamin D deficiency after bariatric surgery.

Vitamin D (vitD) deficiency and bone loss may occur after bariatric surgery and hence, supplementation with high oral doses of vitD may be required. Alternatively, intramuscular depot ergocalciferol, which slowly releases vitD and bypasses the gastrointestinal tract, could be administrated. We present a case of severe vitD deficiency-osteomalacia after gastric bypass operation for morbid obesity, treated with ergocalciferol intramuscularly.

In vitro activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam alone and in combination with amikacin against MDR/XDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from Greece.

Objectives: We evaluated the in vitro activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam and comparator agents against MDR non-MBL Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from nine Greek hospitals and we assessed the potential synergistic interaction between ceftolozane/tazobactam and amikacin.

Methods: A total of 160 non-MBL P. aeruginosa isolates collected in 2016 were tested for susceptibility to ceftolozane/tazobactam and seven comparator agents including ceftazidime/avibactam.

Somatostatin receptor profile in pituitary thyrotroph adenomas.

Objectives: Thyrotroph adenomas are the most infrequent adenohypophysial tumors. Somatostatin (SST) inhibits hormone secretion and suppresses cell proliferation. SST receptors (sstr) belong to a family of 5 types of G-coupled membrane proteins, which show high binding affinity to SST.

Lambda sign on a gallium scan: not always sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown origin. We describe a case of sputum smear-and culture-negative tuberculosis that was diagnosed with histological examination of a surgical lung biopsy, as other entities such as sarcoidosis could not be excluded after extended investigation. Even a typical lambda sign on gallium scintigraphy proved to be misleading.

Antithrombotics in intracerebral hemorrhage in the era of novel agents and antidotes: A review.

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)1 is characterized by the pathological accumulation of blood within the brain parenchyma, most commonly associated with hypertension, arteriovenous malformations, or trauma. However, it can also present in patients receiving antithrombotic drugs, either anticoagulants such as acenocoumarol/warfarin-novel oral anticoagulants or antiplatelets, for the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disease.

Objective: The purpose of this review is to present current bibliographic data regarding ICH irrespective of the cause, as well as post-hemorrhage use of antithrombotic agents.

Silicone tubes with thyroid hormone (Τ3) and BDNF as an alternative to autografts for bridging neural defects.

The way thyroid hormone works in peripheral nerve regeneration has not been fully elucidated, although studies have shown that it has a strong positive effect on nerve regeneration. It is argued that its action is probably stronger than the neurotrophic factors that have been used for some time. It is hypothesized that the use of thyroid hormone in the nerve tubes has a beneficial effect on nerve regeneration to the extent that the results of its use are comparable to those of the autograft technique in bridging small nerve deficits.

The Greek study in the effects of colchicine in COvid-19 complications prevention (GRECCO-19 study): Rationale and study design.

Objective: Colchicine has been utilized safely in a variety of cardiovascular clinical conditions. Among its potential mechanisms of action is the non-selective inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome which is thought to be a major pathophysiologic component in the clinical course of patients with COVID-19. GRECCO-19 will be a prospective, randomized, open-labeled, controlled study to assess the effects of colchicine in COVID-19 complications prevention.

Muscle responses to radicular stimulation during lumbo-sacral dorsal rhizotomy for spastic diplegia: Insights to myotome innervation.

Objective: Most of knowledge on muscle radicular innervation was from explorations in root/spinal cord pathologies. Direct and individual access to each of the lumbar-sacral -ventral and dorsal- nerve roots during dorsal rhizotomy for spastic diplegia allows precise study of the corresponding muscle innervation. Authors report the lumbo-sacral segmental myotomal organization obtained from recordings of muscle responses to root stimulation in a 20-children prospective series.

Expression of clock-related genes in benign and malignant adrenal tumors.

Although the effect of the central clock system on adrenal function has been extensively studied, the role of the peripheral clock system in adrenal tumorigenesis remains largely unexplored. In this study we investigated the expression of clock-related genes in normal adrenocortical tissue and adrenocortical tumors. Twenty-seven fresh frozen human adrenal tissues including 13 cortisol secreting adenomas (CSA), seven aldosterone producing adenomas (APA), and seven adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) were collected.

Antigen-presenting cells in ocular surface diseases.

Purpose: To review the role of antigen-presenting cells (APC) in the pathogenesis of ocular surface diseases (OSD).

Methods: A thorough literature search was performed in PubMed database. An additional search was made in Google Scholar to complete the collected items.

Cardiovascular Effects of Metabolic Surgery on Type 2 Diabetes.

Introduction: Cardiovascular, together with renal disease, claims a significant proportion of morbidity and mortality in association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. To improve the long-term renal and cardiovascular outcome, there is the incorporation of bariatric surgery (BS), which seems to be a pivotal intervention. Areas Explored: Cohort studies and randomized controlled trial (RCT) research of BS among patients with T2DM, were conducted by screening, and then information on renal effects and the cardiovascular outcome was gathered.

Salt intake in mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist-treated primary aldosteronism: foe or ally?

Mild hyperkalemia is a common side effect of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) treatment of patients with primary aldosteronism (PA), which can be worsened by instructions to minimize salt intake. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of salt consumption on serum potassium levels and mean, mean minimal, and mean maximal systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) in MRA-treated hyperkalemic PA patients under relative salt restriction. Seventeen consecutive mildly hyperkalemic MRA-treated PA patients aged 66.

"TAVI: Valve in valve. A new field for structuralists? Literature review".

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) led to the foundation of the subspecialty of structural heart interventions and created an emerging area of clinical and technical issues. Soon after TAVI introduction into clinical practice, boundaries were expanded with utilization of valve-in-valve (V-i-V) techniques. V-i-V comprised a diverse subset of patients including TAVI within TAVI, TAVI within a degenerated surgically implanted bioprosthesis, or even TAVI-in-TAVI-in-surgical bioprosthesis.

Assessing Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Diabetes: An Update.

The globalization of the Western lifestyle has resulted in increase of diabetes mellitus, a complex, multifactorial disease. Diabetes mellitus is a condition often related to the disorders of the cardiovascular system. It is well established that three quarters of diabetics, aged over 40, will die from cardiovascular disease and are more likely than non-diabetics to die from their first cardiovascular event.

Robotic resection of a giant retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma: A case report.

The management of abdominal leiomyosarcoma is challenging. Surgical excision is considered the only effective treatment; however, this is associated with considerable morbidity. Robotic surgery has emerged during the past decades and has enhanced the general surgery armamentarium, allowing surgeons to carry out demanding operations in a safe manner.

Trapped Pre-Macular Bubble of Octafluoropropane Gas Masquerading as Retained Submacular Perfluorocarbon Liquid.

Introduction: To demonstrate, with the aid of retinal imaging, an abnormal post-operative macular appearance caused by the presence of a "fragmented" pre-retinal bubble of octafluoropropane (CF) masquerading as retained subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL).

Methods: This is an interventional case presentation.

Results: Colour fundus photography high-resolution spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and clinical progress demonstrate that the abnormal reflex was caused by the presence of a small fragment of CF becoming lodged at the pre-foveal area.

Clinical Analysis of Statistical Data on the Characteristics of Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Greek ICU.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a potentially life-threatening condition for a many patients. The associated mortality rate may exceed 50% in some cases. The etiopathogenesis of the syndrome remains unclear, and in Greece the exact number of people suffering or dying of ARDS each year is unknown.

The Management of Uveitic Glaucoma in Children.

Children comprise a unique population of patients in regard to the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of uveitic glaucoma. The management of glaucoma secondary to uveitis in children is extremely challenging and presents various difficulties, which are associated both with the underlying uveitis and the young age of the patients. The treatment of uveitic glaucoma calls for a thorough and individualized approach, involving both pharmacotherapeutic and surgical modalities.

Clinical characteristics and long-term clinical course of patients with Brugada syndrome without previous cardiac arrest: a multiparametric risk stratification approach.

Aims: Risk stratification in Brugada syndrome (BrS) still represents an unsettled issue. In this multicentre study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and the long-term clinical course of patients with BrS.

Methods And Results: A total of 111 consecutive patients (86 males; aged 45.