582 results match your criteria: "University Hospital 'Attikon'[Affiliation]"

, a common cause of gastroenteritis worldwide, has also been associated with rare extraintestinal infections, including myocarditis. We report a unique case of a 24-year-old male who presented with febrile diarrhea and acute chest pain. Diagnostic investigations revealed elevated cardiac troponin levels, normal electrocardiography findings, and myocardial inflammation on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, confirming the diagnosis of acute myocarditis.

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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.

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Egg Cryopreservation for Social Reasons-A Literature Review.

Healthcare (Basel)

December 2024

Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Aretaieion" Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece.

This paper provides an overview of the social reasons that lead women to consider egg cryopreservation, as well as the attitudes and knowledge of women towards this procedure. Methods: For the creation of this article, a literature review was carried out both in the existing medical literature and in search engines. The key points are as follows: (1) The main reasons women choose to delay childbearing are the lack of a suitable male partner, education and career advancement, and financial instability.

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Prevalence of SARS-COV-2 infection and outcomes in Greek sarcoidosis patients.

Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis

December 2024

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.

Background And Aim: There is limited data on the prevalence of SARS-COV-2 in sarcoidosis patients and the underlying parameters linked to severity. We aimed to conduct a national multicenter study to explore the prevalence of SARS-COV-2 in sarcoidosis patients and investigate its impact on hospitalization and infection rates, describe the characteristics of the infected population and assess the role of these characteristics in determining the likelihood of infection or hospitalization.

Methods: We recruited all the adult sarcoidosis patients with who were examined across eight Greek Health Interstitial Lung Disease Referral Centers from the beginning of the pandemic until August 1, 2022.

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Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is rarer in children (chILD) than adults, but with increasing diagnostic awareness, more cases are being discovered. chILD prognosis is often poor, but increasing numbers are now surviving into adulthood.

Aim: To characterize chILD-survivors and identify their impact on adult-ILD centers.

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Beneficial Impact of Vaccination Against SARS-CoV-2 on the Mental Health of IPF Patients.

Adv Respir Med

November 2024

2nd Pulmonary Medicine Department, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece.

Article Synopsis
  • Depression and anxiety are common issues for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), negatively impacting their quality of life, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • A study aimed to evaluate how COVID-19 vaccination affects these mental health issues in IPF patients, using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to measure changes before and after vaccination.
  • Results showed a significant improvement in both anxiety and depression scores one month after vaccination, indicating that the vaccine may have beneficial effects on mental health for IPF patients, regardless of factors like age or previous mental health history.
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Epidemiological Trends of Mucormycosis in Europe, Comparison with Other Continents.

Mycopathologia

November 2024

Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, General University Hospital "Attikon", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece.

Article Synopsis
  • * The incidence in developed countries is relatively low (0.06 to 0.3 cases per 100,000), but in India, it spikes to about 14 cases per 100,000, making it significantly more prevalent there than in Europe, where rates range from 0.04 to 0.12.
  • * Diabetes mellitus is the most common risk factor globally for mucormycosis, with varying patterns; in Europe, hematological cancers are more prevalent, while the disease often appears in patients
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During the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was an unprecedented requirement for hospital bed availability. The present study aimed to examine the characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized in a COVID-19 unit that operated as a novel middle-step unit in Greece. The present study aimed to determine whether the middle-step unit supported the central general hospitals; thus, highlighting the potential of these models in future pandemics.

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A 60-year-old male patient with a previously unremarkable medical history presented with unilateral eyelid ptosis and binocular diplopia in the past year. Clinical and laboratory workup confirmed the diagnosis of ocular myasthenia gravis. In addition, further workup with orbital MRI performed due to exophthalmos and unilateral ophthalmoplegia demonstrated findings compatible with thyroid eye disease, which were further verified by antibody testing.

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Aims: Clinical practice guidelines are commonly written by professional societies in high-income countries (HIC) with limited anticipation of implementation obstacles in other environments. We used heart failure (HF) guidelines as a paradigm to examine this concern, by conducting a survey to understand clinicians' ability to implement HF guidelines and their perceptions of the current HF guideline applicability in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

Methods And Results: An online survey of physicians in the database of the Translational Medicine Academy who treat HF patients was offered by email from 5 October to 27 November 2023, inquiring of participants' demographic information, experience, and views of HF guidelines as related to their practice.

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Article Synopsis
  • SGLT2 inhibitors, like empagliflozin, are shown to improve outcomes for heart failure patients and reduce uric acid levels, with a focus on those having heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
  • In a study of patients receiving empagliflozin, about 49% had elevated uric acid levels, which were linked to worse heart failure severity and higher risk of severe outcomes like hospitalization.
  • Empagliflozin significantly lowered uric acid levels early on and reduced related clinical events by 38%, with its effectiveness in improving heart failure outcomes not impacted by initial uric acid levels.
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Article Synopsis
  • Autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy is a neurological disorder characterized by antibodies attacking GFAP, leading to symptoms like headaches, visual issues, and psychiatric disturbances, often manifesting as meningoencephalitis.
  • The condition may be triggered by neoplasms or viral infections, and about 20-30% of patients experience relapses after initial treatment, which responds favorably to steroids.
  • The review includes two case studies, explores the role of anti-GFAP antibodies, and discusses clinical features, imaging findings, and treatment strategies for this emerging disorder.
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Article Synopsis
  • Study investigates the use of patiromer, a potassium binder, to improve the effectiveness of RAAS inhibitors in patients with heart failure and hyperkalemia.
  • In a trial with over 1,000 patients, those with hyperkalemia were able to optimize their medication while on patiromer, showing a slight reduction in serum potassium levels compared to placebo.
  • Results suggest patiromer helps patients with current hyperkalemia maintain optimal doses of medication more effectively than those with a history of hyperkalemia, enhancing treatment outcomes for heart failure management.
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Factors Influence Breastfeeding Duration after High Risk and Low Risk Pregnancies.

Healthcare (Basel)

September 2024

Department of Midwifery, School of Health & Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.

Background: Breastfeeding provides vital nutrients and fosters maternal-infant bonding, benefiting both mother and child. However, breastfeeding duration is influenced by various factors, especially in women of high-risk pregnancy. This study aims to identify predictors of breastfeeding duration among women of high-risk and low-risk pregnancy, focusing on exclusive and mixed feeding practices.

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Effect of adequacy of empirical antibiotic therapy for hospital-acquired bloodstream infections on intensive care unit patient prognosis: a causal inference approach using data from the Eurobact2 study.

Clin Microbiol Infect

December 2024

OUTCOMEREA Research Group, Drancy, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Medicale, Infection Antimicrobial Modelisation Evolution, U1137, Team Decision Science in Infectious Diseases, Paris, France; Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Bichat hospital, Medical and infectious diseases ICU, F75018, Paris France. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Hospital-acquired bloodstream infections (HA-BSI) in ICU patients can be life-threatening, and this study aimed to see how early adequate antibiotic treatment affects 28-day mortality rates for patients who survive at least one day after infection onset.
  • Using data from a multicenter study with 2,418 patients, researchers found that those who received adequate treatment within 24 hours had a lower 28-day mortality rate (32.8%) compared to those who were inadequately treated (40%).
  • The study concluded that inadequate antibiotic therapy within 24 hours contributes significantly to 28-day mortality, indicating that quicker treatment could greatly improve patient outcomes in cases of HA-BSI.
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Article Synopsis
  • Hyperkalemia (HK) impacts the effectiveness of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
  • The study analyzed patients with HFrEF and either HK or a history of HK during a run-in phase designed to optimize their RAS inhibitor and MRA doses using patiromer.
  • Results showed significant increases in the use of RAS inhibitors and MRAs among patients meeting the optimization criteria, indicating that patiromer helped enhance treatment for those with HK or a history of HK.
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Aims: We analysed baseline characteristics and guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) use and decisions in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Heart Failure (HF) III Registry.

Methods And Results: Between 1 November 2018 and 31 December 2020, 10 162 patients with acute HF (AHF, 39%, age 70 [62-79], 36% women) or outpatient visit for HF (61%, age 66 [58-75], 33% women), with HF with reduced (HFrEF, 57%), mildly reduced (HFmrEF, 17%) or preserved (HFpEF, 26%) ejection fraction were enrolled from 220 centres in 41 European or ESC-affiliated countries. With AHF, 97% were hospitalized, 2.

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Impact of age on clinical outcomes and response to serelaxin in patients with acute heart failure: An analysis from the RELAX-AHF-2 trial.

Eur J Heart Fail

November 2024

Cardiology, ASST Spedali Civili, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.

Aims: Acute heart failure (AHF) is a major cause of hospitalizations and death in the elderly. However, elderly patients are often underrepresented in randomized clinical trials. We analysed the impact of age on clinical outcomes and response to treatment in patients enrolled in Relaxin in Acute Heart Failure (RELAX-AHF-2), a study that included older patients than in previous AHF trials.

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Reaffirmation of Mechanistic Proteomic Signatures Accompanying SGLT2 Inhibition in Patients With Heart Failure: A Validation Cohort of the EMPEROR Program.

J Am Coll Cardiol

November 2024

Centre d'Investigations Cliniques Plurithématique 1433, INSERM, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France; F-CRIN INI-CRCT (Cardiovascular and Renal Clinical Trialists), INSERM U1116, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy, Nancy, France.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors exert a distinctive pattern of direct biological effects on the heart and kidney under experimental conditions, but the meaningfulness of these signatures for patients with heart failure has not been fully defined.

Objectives: We performed the first mechanistic validation study of large-scale proteomics in a double-blind randomized trial of any treatment in patients with heart failure.

Methods: In a discovery cohort from the EMPEROR (Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction) program, we studied the effect of randomized treatment with placebo or empagliflozin on 1,283 circulating proteins in 1,134 patients with heart failure with a reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Out of 130 patients with definite ST, 45 underwent ICI, and the analysis found that ICI-guided management improved survival rates free of cardiac death or target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) at 2 years to 93% compared to 73% for those not guided by ICI.
  • * The results suggest that ICI can significantly influence treatment decisions, leading to better outcomes in patients with ST, particularly by identifying the main mechanisms causing thrombosis.
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"Bubbly lung", a honeycombing variant with more favorable outcome.

Respir Investig

November 2024

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St. SW Rochester, MN 55905, Rochester, MN, USA.

Background: Although radiologic honeycombing is generally associated with progressive fibrosis and a dismal prognosis, some patients display an unexpectedly indolent clinical course. We aimed to assess for variants of honeycombing associated with a more favorable prognosis.

Methods: A computer-assisted search was conducted to identify patients encountered at Mayo Clinic from 1998 to 2022 who had undergone chest CT that manifested exuberant honeycombing.

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