Emergence of NDM-1-Producing Nosocomial Isolates in Attica Region of Greece.

Here, we report on the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant NDM-1-producing isolates from patients hospitalized in the Attica region, Greece, in 2022 to provide data on their resistome, their virulome, the genetic environment of , and their molecular epidemiology. A total of 17 carbapenem-resistant isolates identified as NDM-producers by immunochromatography at the hospital level were sent to the Central Public Health Laboratory, in the frame of the laboratory surveillance of carbapenem-resistant pathogens, for further characterization. The initial screening for genetic AMR determinants was carried out by PCR and the MDR Direct Flow Chip assay.

Pregnancy outcomes in Greek women with inflammatory bowel disease: a longitudinal national retrospective study.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly affects patients of reproductive age. The effect of disease activity on the outcome of pregnancy and its impact on neonatal health are areas of intense research.

Methods: Α national retrospective study of pregnancies in women with IBD between 2010 and 2020 was carried out in 22 IBD reference centers in Greece.

HCV Cascade of Care in HIV/HCV Co-Infected Individuals: Missed Opportunities for Micro-Elimination.

People living with HIV-HCV co-infection comprise a target group for HCV-micro-elimination. We conducted an HCV cascade of care (CoC) for HIV-HCV co-infected individuals living in Greece and investigated factors associated with different HCV-CoC stages. We analyzed data from 1213 participants from the Athens Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

Incidence of primary hepatitis C infection among people who inject drugs during 2012-2020 in Athens, Greece.

One of the World Health Organization's targets for the 2030 viral hepatitis elimination strategy is to reduce new hepatitis C (HCV) infections. In Athens, Greece, people who inject drugs (PWID) have a high HCV prevalence, with increasing trends since the 2000s. This analysis aims to assess primary HCV incidence among PWID during 2012-2020.

Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma of the Ascending Colon Successfully Removed With Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with characteristic histopathological features and can occur in various extranodal sites, including the gastrointestinal tract. While gastric MALT lymphoma has been extensively researched, primary lymphoma presentation in the colorectal mucosa is rare and lacks any association with infection. Furthermore, there are currently no standardized treatment guidelines for this condition.

The Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Disk Tool for Assessing Disability in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: Validation of the Greek Version.

Background: The Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Disk (IBD-Disk) is a physician-administered tool that evaluates the functional status of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The aim of our study was to validate the content of the IBD-Disk in a Greek cohort of IBD patients.

Methods: Two questionnaires [the IBD Disk and the IBD-Disability Index (IBD-DI)] were translated into Greek and administered to IBD patients at baseline visit, after 4 weeks and 6 months.

Low pre-ART CD4 count is associated with increased risk of clinical progression or death even after reaching 500 CD4 cells/μL on ART.

Introduction: Clinical disadvantages of initiating ART at low CD4 counts have been clearly demonstrated but whether any excess risk remains even after reaching relatively high/safe CD4 levels remains unclear. We explore whether individuals starting ART with <500 CD4 cells/μL who increased their CD4 count above this level, have, from this point onwards, similar risk of clinical progression to serious AIDS/non-AIDS events or death with individuals starting ART with ≥500 CD4 cells/μL.

Methods: Data were derived from a multicenter cohort (AMACS).

Post-inflammatory Polyp Burden as a Prognostic Marker of Disease-outcome in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Post-inflammatory polyps [PIPs] are considered as indicators of previous episodes of severe inflammation and mucosal ulceration. Inflammatory bowel disease [IBD], namely Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC], exhibit a perpetuating, relapsing and remitting pattern, and PIPs are a frequent sequela of chronicity. The aim of this study was to determine whether a high PIP burden is associated with a more severe disease course in patients with IBD.

Changes in Body Mass Index after Initiation of Antiretroviral Treatment: Differences by Class of Core Drug.

Recent research on antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV suggests that integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) cause faster weight gain compared to other drug classes. Here, we investigated changes in body mass index (BMI) and obesity prevalence after treatment initiation and corresponding differences between drug classes. Data were derived from a large collaborative cohort in Greece.

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma presenting as a duodenal mass.

We report a case of renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the duodenum.

High Frequency of Post-Transfusion Microchimerism Among Multi-Transfused Beta-Thalassemic Patients.

Background: Transfusion-associated microchimerism implies the presence of allogeneic hematopoietic cells in an individual, following the transfusion of a blood product. It is a transfusion-related adverse effect/long-term consequence, which has not been well-investigated among regularly transfused patients with thalassemia.

Patients And Methods: We investigated 64 regularly transfused, homozygous β-thalassemic patients and 21 never-transfused healthy volunteer blood donors (controls) for the presence of microchimerism in their sera, using real-time PCR targeting circulating allogeneic, both, Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR isotype (HLA-DR) and non-HLA alleles.

Implementation and Short-term Adverse Events of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: An International Web-based Survey.

Introduction: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine clinical trials did not include patients with immune-mediated conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. We aimed to describe the implementation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among IBD patients, patients' concerns, and the side effect profile of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, using real-world data.

Methods: An anonymous web-based self-completed survey was distributed in 36 European countries between June and July 2021.

WSES/GAIS/WSIS/SIS-E/AAST global clinical pathways for patients with skin and soft tissue infections.

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) encompass a variety of pathological conditions that involve the skin and underlying subcutaneous tissue, fascia, or muscle, ranging from simple superficial infections to severe necrotizing infections.Together, the World Society of Emergency Surgery, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery, the Surgical Infection Society-Europe, The World Surgical Infection Society, and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma have jointly completed an international multi-society document to promote global standards of care in SSTIs guiding clinicians by describing reasonable approaches to the management of SSTIs.An extensive non-systematic review was conducted using the PubMed and MEDLINE databases, limited to the English language.

When disease extent is not always a key parameter: Management of refractory ulcerative proctitis.

Background: Patients with ulcerative proctitis represent a sub-group of ulcerative colitis patients with specific characteristics. Disease-related symptoms, endoscopic findings and patient's personality perspectives create a difficult-to-assess condition in certain cases.

Objectives: To summarize available evidence on the management of refractory ulcerative proctitis and provide insights in treatment options.

HIV continuum of care: bridging cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.

Objective: The aim of this study was to propose a unified continuum-of-care (CoC) analysis combining cross-sectional and longitudinal elements, incorporating time spent between stages.

Design: The established 90-90-90 target follows a cross-sectional four-stage CoC analysis, lacking information on timing of diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, and viral suppression durability.

Methods: Data were derived from the Athens Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (AMACS).

Rib Hump Deformity Correction in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Comparison of Three Spinal Fusion Systems.

The aim of the present study is to control the hypothesis that the rib hump deformity can be adequately corrected when applying vertebral derotation. We retrospectively studied patients treated with full pedicle screw systems (group A), hybrid constructs (group B), and Harrington rod instrumentation (group C). No costoplasties were performed in the patients included in our study.

An unusual case of colonic mass.

Colonic metastasis due to pancreatic adenocarcinoma is extremely rare. Although it is rare, colonic metastasis should be included in the differential diagnosis of colonic mass.

WSES/GAIS/SIS-E/WSIS/AAST global clinical pathways for patients with intra-abdominal infections.

Intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) are common surgical emergencies and have been reported as major contributors to non-trauma deaths in hospitals worldwide. The cornerstones of effective treatment of IAIs include early recognition, adequate source control, appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and prompt physiologic stabilization using a critical care environment, combined with an optimal surgical approach. Together, the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES), the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery (GAIS), the Surgical Infection Society-Europe (SIS-E), the World Surgical Infection Society (WSIS), and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) have jointly completed an international multi-society document in order to facilitate clinical management of patients with IAIs worldwide building evidence-based clinical pathways for the most common IAIs.

The natural history of COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a nationwide study by the Hellenic Society for the study of IBD.

Objectives: COVID-19 has evolved into a global health crisis, variably affecting the management of patients with chronic illnesses. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may represent a vulnerable population due to frequent administration of immune-modifying treatments. We aimed to depict the natural history of COVID-19 infection in Greek patients with IBD at a nationwide level via unbiased reporting of all cases that were registered during the sequential waves of the pandemic.

Early Start of Oral Clarithromycin Is Associated with Better Outcome in COVID-19 of Moderate Severity: The ACHIEVE Open-Label Single-Arm Trial.

Introduction: The anti-inflammatory effect of macrolides prompted the study of oral clarithromycin in moderate COVID-19.

Methods: An open-label non-randomized trial in 90 patients with COVID-19 of moderate severity was conducted between May and October 2020. The primary endpoint was defined at the end of treatment (EOT) as no need for hospital re-admission and no progression into lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) for patients with upper respiratory tract infection and as at least 50% decrease of the respiratory symptoms score without progression into severe respiratory failure (SRF) for patients with LRTI.

Response to Anti-α4β7 Blockade in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis Is Associated With Distinct Mucosal Gene Expression Profiles at Baseline.

Background: Improving treatment outcomes with biological therapy is a demanding current need for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Discovery of pretreatment prognostic indicators of response may facilitate patient selection and increase long-term remission rates. We aimed to identify baseline mucosal gene expression profiles with predictive value for subsequent response to or failure of treatment with the monoclonal antibody against integrin α4β7, vedolizumab, in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

Vedolizumab and Anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor α Real-World Outcomes in Biologic-Naïve Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: Results from the EVOLVE Study.

Background And Aims: This study aimed to compare real-world clinical effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab, an α4β7-integrin inhibitor, and anti-tumour necrosis factor-α [anti-TNFα] agents in biologic-naïve ulcerative colitis [UC] and Crohn's disease [CD] patients.

Methods: This was a 24-month retrospective medical chart study in adult UC and CD patients treated with vedolizumab or anti-TNFα in Canada, Greece and the USA. Inverse probability weighting was used to account for differences between groups.

Predictors of Response to Vedolizumab in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Results from the Greek VEDO-IBD Cohort.

Background: Optimization of treatment with biologics is currently an unmet need for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Real-world studies provide neutral estimates of drug efficacy and safety within unselected patient populations and allow for the recognition of specific characteristics that affect response to therapy.

Aims: We aimed to depict the efficacy of vedolizumab in patients with UC in a real-world setting and identify prognosticators of improved outcomes.