Association of statins, gliptins, and antipsychotics with bullous pemphigoid: A case-control study in the Cretan population.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disorder predominantly affecting the elderly. Recently, many studies have shed light on the effect of specific drug intake and comorbidities on the development of BP. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of specific drug class intake and comorbidities with the development of BP in the Cretan population.

Hypercoagulable Rotational Thromboelastometry During Hospital Stay Is Associated with Post-Discharge DLco Impairment in Patients with COVID-19-Related Pneumonia.

Hypercoagulation is central to the pathogenesis of acute and post-acute COVID-19. This prospective observational study explored whether rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), a method that unveils coagulation status, predicts outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. We investigated 62 patients using ROTEM that was conducted at enrollment, clinical deterioration, discharge and follow-up visits 1 and 3 months post-discharge.

Vaccination as a Promising Approach in Cardiovascular Risk Mitigation: Are We Ready to Embrace a Vaccine Strategy?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading global health concern, with atherosclerosis being its principal cause. Standard CVD treatments primarily focus on mitigating cardiovascular (CV) risk factors through lifestyle changes and cholesterol-lowering therapies. As atherosclerosis is marked by chronic arterial inflammation, the innate and adaptive immune systems play vital roles in its progression, either exacerbating or alleviating disease development.

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 that emerges in a subset of patients after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, has a significant effect on quality of life and places a substantial burden on health care 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 perturbation, autoimmunity, latent virus reactivation, endothelial dysfunction, and microbiome disturbances are among the most relevant avenues for elucidating the evolution, complexity, and mechanisms of long COVID.

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.

Clarithromycin for improved clinical outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia: A subgroup analysis of the ACCESS trial.

Background: In the ACCESS trial, the addition of clarithromycin to standard-of-care antibiotics (SoC) enhanced early clinical response and attenuated the inflammatory burden in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring hospitalisation. 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 h: ≥50% decrease in respiratory symptom severity score; and any of ≥30% decrease in sequential organ failure assessment score and favourable change in the kinetics of procalcitonin (PCT, defined as ≥80% PCT decrease or PCT <0.

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.

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.

Clinical features, treatment options and outcomes in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas: a real-world, multicenter, retrospective study.

Background: Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (PCBCLs) are rare cutaneous neoplasms with limited literature regarding treatment options and associated treatment outcomes. This study aimed to investigate and present real-world treatment outcomes in patients with PCBCLs.

Methods: All patients with PCBCL who were treated in five major referral centers for cutaneous lymphoma in Greece over 10 years were retrospectively included with their baseline characteristics and treatment-associated outcomes collected and analyzed.

Assessing Postoperative Quality of Life and Psychological Impact of Free Flap Reconstruction in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

Introduction Head and neck cancer (HNC) significantly affects patients worldwide, often resulting in physical disfigurement, functional impairment, and diminished quality of life (QoL). Advanced HNC may necessitate reconstructive surgeries using free tissue transfer, which, despite improving survival, can exacerbate emotional and social challenges such as anxiety, depression, and social isolation. This study aims to evaluate the well-being of patients undergoing free flap surgery for advanced HNC using validated tools.