Journal Articles
The predictive role of 24h RAIU with respect to the outcome of low fixed dose radioiodine therapy in patients with diffuse toxic goiter
Nishikant Damle, Chandrasekhar Bal, Praveen Kumar, Ramamohan Reddy, Deepali Virkar
Radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) is a test used to differentiate hyperthyroidism from thyroiditis and to calculate the radioiodine dose for treatment of Graves’ disease. We aimed to evaluate the predictive role of 24h RAIU with respect to the outcome of radioiodine therapy in patients with diffuse toxic goiter …
Severe osteoporosis with multiple spontaneous vertebral fractures in a young male carrying triple polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor, collagen type 1, and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related peptide 5 genes
Maria P. Yavropoulou, Panagoulia Kollia, Dimitris Chatzidimitriou, Stavroula Samara, Lemonia Skoura, John G. Yovos
Osteoporosis is a common disease with a strong genetic component. Several studies have reported the vitamin D receptor (VDR), collagen type I (COL1A1), and LDL receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) genes as the most likely candidates. However, most of the studies have been carried out in postmenopausal women and older men and show inconsistent results …
Reassessment of combined LT4 and LT3 treatment for hypothyroidism: the prospects for slow-release T3 preparations
Leonidas H. Duntas
The introduction of synthetic levothyroxine (LT4) in the late 60’s for treatment of hypothyroidism radically changed the therapeutic approach for patients with thyroid failure, enabling a more physiologic, dose-related treatment. Subsequently, the availability of LT4 preparations at a variety of doses led to an even more precise and individualized treatment schedule. Concomitantly, the acquired knowledge that …
Serum inhibin-B and follicle stimulating hormone as predictors of the presence of sperm in testicular fine needle aspirate in men with azoospermia
Dimitrios G. Goulis, Paris Polychronou, Themistokis Mikos, Grigorios Grimbizis, Sriridon Gerou, Vassiliki Pavlidou, Athanasios Papanikolaou, Basil C. Tarlatzis, Ioannis N. Bontis, Ioannis Papadimas
Objective: Inhibin-B (Inh-B) is produced by Sertoli cells and controls Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) secretion through a negative feedback mechanism. The primary aim of this study was to compare Ιnh-B with FSH as predictors of the recovery of sperm in testicular fine needle aspirate in men with azoospermia …
Increased goiter prevalence in schoolchildren of Isfahan despite long-term iodine sufficiency
Mansour Siavash, Ammar Hassanzadeh Keshteli, Mahin Hashemipour, Masoud Amini
OBJECTIVE: Iodine Deficiency (ID) was for years considered a contributing factor for endemic goiter in Iran. The present study was conducted to assess the goiter prevalence and iodine status in schoolchildren of Isfahan 16 years after the initiation of salt iodization in Iran …
The estrogen receptor: two or more molecules, multiple variants, diverse localizations, signaling and functions. Are we undergoing a paradigm-shift as regards their significance in breast cancer?
Marilena Kampa, Vassiliki Pelekanou, George Notas, Efstathios N. Stathopoulos, Elias Castanas
Vitamin D and aspects of female fertility
Nick Voulgaris, Labrini Papanastasiou, George Piaditis, Anna Angelousi, Gregory Kaltsas, George Mastorakos, Eva Kassi
The role of vitamin D in female reproduction has been intensively examined over the last few decades. A large body of evidence suggests that vitamin D might have beneficial effects on metabolic/hormonal parameters of PCOS and endometriosis, while it appears to be associated with IVF outcomes. However, due to the heterogeneity among observational and interventional studies, no cause-effect relationship has yet been established. The aim of this review is to analyze recent in vitro animal and human studies …
Clinical aspects of hyperthyroidism in hospitalised patients in Albania
Feçor Agaçi
The purpose of this study was to evaluate certain clinical aspects of hyperthyroidism in Albania, which is an iodine deficient country, as it is known that iodine intake may influence the type of thyroid hyperfunction. The files of sixty-six patients with thyrotoxicosis who were hospitalised for their disease were retrospectively analysed. 59.1% of these patients suffered from toxic multinodular goiter …
Pituitary-adrenal responses following major abdominal surgery
Ioanna Dimopoulou, Marinella Tzanela, Dimitra Vassiliadi, Irini Mavrou, Petros Kopterides, Stylianos Orfanos, Anastasia Kotanidou, Styliani Kontogiannopoulou, Spyridon Vasdekis, Iraklis Tsangaris, Apostolos Armaganidis, Anastasios Macheras, Ioannis Ilias, Georgia Kostopanagiotou, Stylianos Tsagarakis
OBJECTIVE: Perioperative pituitary-adrenal responses after major abdominal surgery have not been well characterized. The aim of the present study was to further clarify perioperative pituitary-adrenal responses. DESIGN: Thirty-six patients (20 men), aged 68±10 years (mean±SD), undergoing major abdominal operations were studied …
Physical training in patients on hemodialysis has a beneficial effect on the levels of eicosanoid hormone-like substances
Ioannis Karamouzis, Dimitrios Grekas, Michael Karamouzis, Konstantinos Kallaras, Vassiliki Stergiou-Michailidou, Evangelia Kouidi, Asterios Deligiannis, Norma Vavatsi-Christaki
OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the levels of vasoactive eicosanoid hormone-like substances PGE2, PGI2 and TXA2 in hemodialysis (HD)patients who were following a long-term physical training program …
Eating habits and factors affecting food choice of adolescents living in rural areas
Alexandra Bargiota, Maria Delizona, Andreas Tsitouras, Georgios N. Koukoulis
OBJECTIVE: To establish factors that affect food choices among adolescents living in rural areas and to identify their food choices. DESIGN: A random sample of adolescents living in a Greek rural area (n=382) aged 12-18 years were individually interviewed …
Obituary in Memory of Professor Francis S. Greenspan 1920-2016
Fotios Pavlatos
The extremely sad news of the passing away of Professor Francis Greenspan, one of my very best and most faithful old friends, was a great blow to me and, needless to say, to all of us who had the good fortune and the great privilege to know him …
Self-reported prevalence of obesity among 20,329 adults from large territories of Greece, Serbia and Turkey
Gerasimos E Krassas, Fahrettin Kelestimur, Dragan Micic,Themistoklis Tzotzas, Theodoros Konstandinidis, MariaBougoulia, Christos Tsametis, Ramiz Colak, Jagoda Jorga, Zivka Kostic, Mirjana Pavlovic. The Balkan Group for the Study of Obesity
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of overweight, obesity and body mass index (BMI) distribution in people living in large territories of Greece, Serbia and Turkey. A cross-sectional multi-national epidemiological survey was designed on the basis of self-reported information on height and weight …
Ghrelin and leptin levels in relation to puberty and reproductive function in patients with beta-thalassemia
Ghollam-Reza Moshtaghi-Kashanian, Fakhrolmulok Razavi
OBJECTIVE: Recently published animal studies indicate that leptin and ghrelin play a role in puberty initiation and progress as well as in reproduction. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relation of these two hormones to the pubertal maturity and fertility status in patients with β-thalassemia …
Sex steroids and sex hormone-binding globulin in postmenopausal women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Stergios A. Polyzos, Jannis Kountouras, Agathocles Tsatsoulis, Efthimia Zafeiriadou, Evangelia Katsiki, Kalliopi Patsiaoura, Christos Zavos, Vasiliki V. Anastasiadou, Aristidis Slavakis
OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of serum sex steroids and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels in postmenopausal women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and their association to the disease severity. DESIGN: Twenty-two postmenopausal women with biopsy-proven NAFLD …
Gut microbiota and obesity: implications for fecal microbiota transplantation therapy
Yongbo Kang, Yue Cai
Obesity is a major public health issue as it is causally associated with several chronic disorders, including type-2 diabetes, cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. In the United States and other countries worldwide, the obesity epidemic has drastically impacted the status of health of millions as well as healthcare costs. Aside from poor diet, hygiene, and genetics, there are many other factors thought to play an important role in the emergence of obesity …
The use of Data Mining in the categorization of patients with Azoospermia
Themistoklis Mikos, Konstantinos Pantazis, Dimitrios G. Goulis, Nikolaos Maglaveras, John N. Bontis, John Papadimas
OBJECTIVE: Data Mining is a relatively new field of Medical Informatics. The aim of this study was to compare Data Mining diagnosis with clinical diagnosis by applying a Data Miner (DM) to a clinical dataset of infertile men with azoospermia. DESIGN: One hundred and forty-seven azoospermic men were clinically classified into four groups …
Extensive personal experience. Validation of prolactin levels in menstrual disorders and in prolactinomas
Menelaos L. Batrinos
It is now well established that hyperprolactinaemia is not rare and in the majority of cases is caused by a pituitary tumor, a prolactinoma. However, despite a plethora of relevant publications there are still certain questions that have not been adequately addressed: 1. What is the upper normal level of serum prolactin beyond which the condition should be characterized as hyperprolactinaemia …
Disparate effects of pharmacotherapy on plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome
Ekaterini Koiou, Konstantinos Tziomalos, Ilias Katsikis, Dimitrios Delkos, Elena A. Tsourdi, Dimitrios Panidis
OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by obesity and insulin resistance (IR), which result in elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels. We aimed to assess the changes in PAI-1 levels in PCOS during treatment with metformin and during weight loss …
Detection rate of somatostatin receptor PET in patients with recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma: a systematic review and a meta-analysis
Giorgio Treglia, Adriana Tamburello, Luca Giovanella
PURPOSE: Several articles have demonstrated the high diagnostic performance of somatostatin receptor positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). On the other hand, only a few studies have evaluated the detection rate (DR) of this imaging method in recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). We aimed to perform a systematic review and a meta-analysis of the DR of somatostatin receptor PET or PET/CT in patients with recurrent MTC to add evidence-based data …
The concurrence of Microalbuminuria and Retinopathy with Cardiovascular Risk Factors; reliable predictors of Asymptomatic Coronary Artery Disease in Type 2 Diabetes
George Ioannidis, Melpomeni Peppa, Phivi Rontogianni, Michael Callifronas, Christos Papadimitriou, Georgia Chrysanthopoulou, Lambros Anthopoulos, Matina Kesse, Nicolaos Thalassinos
People with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) have a greater risk for premature morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease than the general population: cardiovascular disease accounts for 75% of deaths in this population group. We examined whether or not the association of clinical cardiovascular risk factors (RF) with both …