Safety profile of repeated rituximab cycles in unselected rheumatoid arthritis patients: a long-term, prospective real-life study.

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term safety of rituximab (RTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in daily clinical practice.

Methods: This was a multicentre (17 Greek Rheumatology sites), prospective, long-term, pharmacovigilance study of patients with moderate to severe RA and an inadequate response or intolerance to ≥1 anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded and collected prospectively every 2-6 months.

Assessment of the redox status in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes reveals great variations.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a new redox status marker, the static oxidation reduction potential (sORP), for assessing oxidative stress in 75 patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). A total of 35 normal subjects were used as the controls. Moreover, conventional markers of oxidative stress were assessed, such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls, the total antioxidant capacity in plasma, glutathione (GSH) levels and catalase (CAT) activity in erythrocytes.

According to which factors in severe traumatic brain injury craniectomy could be beneficial.

Background: To investigate the clinical outcome at 101 patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy (DC) after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods: Age, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) at the time of intubation, and the intraoperative intracranial pressure (ICP) were recorded. Formal DC was performed in all cases and the square surface of bone flap was calculated in cm(2) based on the length and the width from computed tomography scan.

Outcomes in meningitis/ventriculitis treated with intravenous or intraventricular plus intravenous colistin.

Background: The aim of this work is to evaluate the outcome of patients treated with intrathecal colistin for meningitis/ventriculitis.

Methods: This retrospective case series study included patients presenting with nosocomial meningitis/ventriculitis following neurosurgical interventions and having intravenous (IVC group) or intravenous and intrathecal/intraventricular colistin (ITC group) treatment between 2006 and 2014.

Results: Thirty-four patients presented nosocomial meningitis/ventriculitis; 11 (32.

Spinal cord ependymomas and the appearance of other de novo tumors: a systematic review.

Introduction: Ependymomas are rare glial tumors of the brain representing less than 5% of brain tumors. However, spinal cord ependymomas in adults account for over 60% of all ependymomas including those arising from the filum terminale and only 40% are intracranial. Reports of the appearance of another neoplasia at a different location in patients with spinal ependymoma are scarce.

Eosinophilic granuloma of the sternum in a child treated with closed biopsy.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare neoplastic proliferative disorder of the Langerhans cells. The clinical course is variable, ranging from a low symptomatic single bone lesion to fatal multiple organ involvement. Rarely, the sternum can be the first and single location of the disease.

A prospective comparative study of blended and pure coagulation current in endoscopic mucosal resection of large sessile colorectal polyps.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare pure coagulation and blended current in the resection of large colorectal sessile polyps (SPs).

Patients And Methods: Between January 2009 and June 2012, 84 patients (45 men, 39 women; median age 66 y; range, 42 to 88 y) with large colorectal SPs (diameter ≥2 cm) were randomized in 1:1 ratio to undergo treatment by the "lift and cut" piecemeal resection technique. A total of 43 blended current subjects (group A) were well matched to 41 pure coagulation current subjects (group B), with a median lesion size of 3.

Oxidative status in ICU patients with septic shock.

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate variability of oxidative stress during sepsis evolution. ICU patients with the diagnosis of septic shock were included. Thiobarbituric-acid reactive substances, total antioxidant capacity, protein carbonyls in plasma, reduced, oxidized glutathione and catalase activity in erythrocyte lysate were assessed in the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 8th day after sepsis appearance.

Oxidative stress in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether systemic oxidative stress is increased in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Methods: A total of 18 patients with severe OSAS and 13 controls were included in the study. Inclusion criteria for OSAS patients were: snoring and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of >30 in full polysomnography, no previous treatment for OSAS, non-smoking status, and a medical history of being free of comorbidities known to increase oxidative stress.

Classic and non-classic forms of mitral valve prolapse.

Objective: To investigate the significance of the established distinction between classic and non-classic forms of mitral valve prolapsed (MVP).

Methods: We included in this prospective study all patients examined in our preventive cardiology outpatient clinics during the biannual period October 2004-October 2006. We examined in total 10.

Double auricles of the right atrium: a unique anatomic deformity.

Background: Anatomic deviations, especially those detected during the course of an operation, are medically intriguing, as they raise concerns about their clinical significance and putative complications.

Case Presentation: We present, to our knowledge, for the first time a case of an anatomic deviation in the form of a second right atrial auricle in a 70 year-old, coronary bypass-operated male Caucasian patient of Greek origin. No complications were noted intra-or postoperatively.

Pacemaker lead thrombosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation following warfarin therapy: case report and review of the literature.

A 54-year-old male with a permanent pacemaker was admitted to the intensive care unit due to a stroke. This occurred six days following the initiation of warfarin therapy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The patient presented with profuse bleeding through the sites of venipuncture and laboratory evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Spontaneous left side pneumothorax and myocardial infarction: rare but potentially lethal coexistence that can frustrate clinicians.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common surgical disease that is a surgical emergency. It can be divided into primary (caused by microscopic blebs <1 cm in diameter) and secondary (asthmatic, catamenial, neonatal, caused by emphysematic bullae or chronic respiratory obstruction) varieties. This surgical entity has been closely associated to a variety of electrocardiographic (ECG) changes, which are pathophysiologically explained by spatial changes in the anatomical structure of the mediastinum caused by increased hemithoracic pressure.

Thoracic injuries resulting from intimate partner violence.

Intimate partner violence affects individuals in every part of the world regardless of financial status, age, race, religion, nationality and educational background. Women are often the victims of assault by their partners and their presence in emergency departments is well documented. This report highlights the relatively infrequent occurrence of a traumatic pneumothorax as a result of intimate partner physical abuse and aims to emphasize the crucial role all health care professionals need to play if domestic violence is to be recognized early.

Poland's syndrome and recurrent pneumothorax: is there a connection?

Aim: To investigate the possible connection of Poland's syndrome with the presence of lung bullae and, thus, with an increased risk for recurrent pneumothorax.

Patients-methods: Two male patients, aged 19 and 21 years respectively were submitted to our department after their second incident of pneumothorax. Both had Poland's syndrome (unilaterally hypoplastic chest wall with pectoralis major muscle atrophy) and both had multiple bullae to the ipsilateral lung based on CT findings.

Blood flow measurements within optic nerve head during on-pump cardiovascular operations. A window to the brain?

This observational study is conducted to demonstrate optic nerve head (ONH) blood flow alterations during extracorporeal circulation (ECC) in routine on-pump cardiovascular operations in order to evaluate the perfusion status of important autoregulatory tissue vascular beds during moderate hypothermia. Twenty-one patients free from eye disease were prospectively enrolled in our database. Perioperative ONH blood flow measurements were performed using a hand-held portable ocular laser Doppler flowmeter just after administration of general anesthesia and during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) upon the lowest temperature point of moderate hypothermia.

Pulmonary hypertension in COPD: pathophysiology and therapeutic targets.

The incidence of mild to moderate pulmonary hypertension (PH) is highly prevalent, reaching to 50% in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a subpopulation (1-4% in most studies) with grim prognosis despite moderate airflow limitation, present with "out-of-proportion" severe PH, is arbitrarily defined by a mean PH ≥ 40 mmHg, at rest. The sequence of changes that lead to PH in COPD begins at early disease stages by the impairment of endothelial function, which is associated with impaired release of endothelium-derived vasodilating (nitric oxide, prostacyclin) and vasoconstrictive agents (endothelin-1) and imbalance among them.

Coronary artery surgery in a man with achondroplasia: a case report.

Introduction: Achondroplasia is a musculoskeletal disorder associated with short stature. Despite an estimated prevalence of 1:25,000 in the general population, there is little literature concerning the diagnostic and treatment challenges faced by doctors dealing with a heart operation on a patient with this condition.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 41-year-old Caucasian man of Greek ethnicity with achondroplasia, who underwent bypass heart surgery.

Intrapleural instillation of autologous blood for persistent air leak in spontaneous pneumothorax- is it as effective as it is safe?

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of autologous blood pleurodesis in the management of persistent air leak in spontaneous pneumothorax.

Patients And Methods: A number of 15 patients (10 male and 5 female) were included in this prospective study between March 2005 and December 2009. The duration of the air leak exceeded 7 days in all patients.

Visual disorders or "eye stroke"after heart surgery: can we prevent it?

The aim of the study was to elucidate the problem of visual disorders after heart surgery, focusing on aetiology, modes of prevention and treatment. Information from a literature search and the authors' personal experience are provide clues as to the modes of development and the means of avoidance and therapy of this category of postoperative, neurosensory complications. Multiple morbid situations, such as preoperative augmented ocular pressure, perioperative bleeding and hypotension, are shown to be predisposing and precipitating factors.

Septic shock due to visceral leishmaniasis, probably transmitted from blood transfusion.

A case of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in a 77-year-old woman, with renal failure on haemodialysis, admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) with vascular instability requiring vassopressor treatment, is presented. Initially, no co-infection could be detected. The patient initially responded well when liposomal amphotericin B was administered, after bone marrow demonstrated multiple intra-cellular Leishmania amastigotes and extra-cellular promastigotes.

Inflammatory biomarkers in coronary artery disease.

Current evidence supports that inflammation is a major driving force underlying the initiation of coronary plaques, their unstable progression, and eventual disruption; patients with a more pronounced vascular inflammatory response have a poorer outcome. Biomarkers are generally considered to be proteins or enzymes - measured in serum, plasma, or blood - that provide independent diagnostic and prognostic value by reflecting an underlying disease state. In the case of coronary artery disease (CAD), inflammatory biomarkers, have been extensively investigated; more evidence exists for C-reactive protein (CRP).