Eirini Papageorgiou, Ioanna Kotsioni, Athena Linos
This issue hosts an article that discusses the application of Data mining techniques to the treatment of infertile men with azoospermia, and compares this procedure of categorisation into groups with the corresponding clinical categorisation…
Athina Markou, Theodora Duka, Gordana M. Prelevic
Cognitive decline is well recognized during ageing but is often accelerated in women after menopause. Studies have shown that there are significant gender differences in brain ageing with significantly greater changes in brain structure, function and metabolism between females and males. Estrogens exert protective effects on neuronal cells in culture but the exact underlying …
Antje Körner, Susann Blüher, Thomas Kapellen, Ante Garten, Jürgen Klammt, Jürgen Kratzsch, Wieland Kiess
Body weight is regulated by a feedback loop in which peripheral signals report nutritional information to an integratory center in the brain. The cloning of the ob gene is consistent with this concept and suggests that body fat content in adult rodents is regulated by a negative feedback loop centered in the hypothalamus…
George Mastorakos, Maria Pavlatou, Evanthia Diamanti-Kandarakis, George P. Chrousos
Exercise represents a physical stress that challenges homeostasis. In response to this stressor, autonomic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are known to react and to participate in the maintenance of homeostasis. This includes elevation of cortisol and cathecholamines in plasma. However, sustained physical conditioning in highly trained athletes is associated…
Eleni Kousta, George Tolis, Stephen Franks
The diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have recently been revised. The polycystic ovarian morphology has been introduced as part of the criteria and an international consensus has been achieved providing the basis for future research and collaboration. It is now accepted that polycystic ovary syndrome has important long-term health implications …
Konstantinos Ziambaras, Roberto Civitelli, Stathis S. Papavasiliou
As human beings venture into space in the 21st century, they will be confronted with a “hypodynamic” and thus hostile environment for the bone homeostasis, that could potentially compromise their mobility in general and skeletal strength in particular after landing. From this point of view, space flight studies are especially interesting and intriguing models for scientists…
Sofia Kitsiou-Tzeli, Aggeliki Kolialexi, Ariadni Mavrou
Microdeletions, translocations or other rearrangements of chromosomal region 22q11.2 have been reported in association with >80 different birth defects and malformations occurring in many combinations and with widely differing severity…
Marinella Tzanela, Marieta Christoforaki, Lida Papastathopoulou, Dimitra Vassiliadi, Effie Botoula, Panagiotis Trivizas, Nikos C. Thalassinos
Objective: Post-treatment monitoring of acromegalic patients is a matter of controversy, as discrepancies between GH and IGF-I levels have been reported. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of acid-labile subunit (ALS), a component of the 150 kD IGF-I/IGFBP-3/ALS complex, and the growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) in the follow-up of patients with acromegaly after therapeutic intervention…
Dafni-Kalliopi Papafragkaki, George Tolis
Obesity is one of the most frequently encountered medical problems of our time. Among the complications of this pathologic entity, renal disease is an important issue and its pathophysiologic mechanisms are a challenge for the physician, since a variety of etiologic factors are implicated in its genesis. For example, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance …
Salvatore Alesci, Ioannis Ilias, Emmanuil Souvatzoglou, Alan G. Harris, Philip W. Gold, Alejandro R. Ayala, George P. Chrousos
The standard intravenous short Synacthen® test (SSST) has long been accepted as one of the most reliable diagnostic tests of adrenocortical insufficiency. Intramuscular (i.m.) administration of ACTH obviates the need of venous cannulation and can be used as an alternative to the intravenous test …
Melpomeni Peppa, Helen Vlassara
Diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 diabetes, is increasing at an alarming rate and is considered as one of the main threats to human health in the 21st century, in both developed and developing nations.1
More than 150 million people currently have diabetes, and twice that number is at high risk of developing diabetes in the next 5-10 years …
Erasmia Kiapekou, Dimitris Loutradis, Peter Drakakis, Evangelia Zapanti, George Mastorakos, Aristidis Antsaklis
Objective: A number of hormones and growth factors have been reported to affect the in vitro maturation of oocytes. Their exact effects on follicular growth and oocyte maturation and the mechanisms involved are still unclear. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) …
Valentin V. Fadeyev, Tatiana B. Morgunova, Julia P. Sytch, Galina A. Melnichenko
The aim of this study was to evaluate parameters of thyroid function in patients with primary hypothyroidism receiving either monotherapy with L-T4 or combination L-T4+L-T3. Fifty-eight women with primary hypothyroidism receiving L-T4 were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomised into two groups: Group 1 (n=42) patients continued monotherapy with L-T4, and Group 2 …
Constantine A. Stratakis
In the mid 1980’s, two advances revolutionized Medicine in a way that is comparable only to some of the most important events in the approximately 3,000 years of its history. The first was the introduction of the concept of “positional cloning”, i.e. the idea that one can identify genes for human disease though knowing nothing or very little about their function…
Kalliopi Pazaitou-Panayiotou, Athina Kaprara, Maria Boudina, Eleni Georgiou, Apostolos Drimonitis, Ekaterini Raptou, Grammati Galaktidou, Iraklis Vainas
OBJECTIVE: To define clinical presentation, surgical complications, follow-up characteristics, and survival of 23 children and adolescents with thyroid carcinoma. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data of 23 children and adolescents with thyroid carcinoma cared for in the Theagenion Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki…
Vassiliki Syriou, Asimina Kolitsa, Lamprini Pantazi, Dimitrios Pikazis
A 47-year old man with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (IHP), presented as severe myopathy and skin rash is described. The serum muscle enzymes were increased. After treatment with calcium and vitamin D, the clinical condition improved, the skin rash gradually disappeared, and the muscle enzymes decreased and remained within the normal range thereafter.
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 …
Teresa Zak, Anna Noczýnska, Renata Wasikowa, Urszula Zaleska-Dorobisz, Anna Golenko
The aim of the study was to analyze data related to chronic autoimmune thyroid disease at diagnosis and at follow-up of children and adolescents in Lower Silesia in the years 1999-2004. Age, gender, incidence of thyroid disease in the family, clinical presentation, hormonal findings, levels of thyroid antibodies, results of ultrasonography, and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) were recorded …
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 …
Irene Vourliotaki, Ingrid Elizabeth Bonapart, Catherine Stamataki, Eva-Maria Tsapakis, Catherine Saridaki
Dopamine agonists are the drugs of choice in the treatment of prolactinomas, the most common type of pituitary adenomas. However, up to 25% of prolactinomas do not respond to these drugs and alternative treatments have to be considered. We describe a 37-year old female with a microprolactinoma who, although having received all available formulations of dopamine agonists …
George N. Zografos, Alexandra Stathopoulou, George Mitropapas, John Karoubalis, George Kontogeorgos, Gregory Kaltsas, George Piaditis, George I. Papastratis
We report a case of an insulinoma that was not identified on either Computerized Tomography (CT) scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) revealed a small insulinoma located at the body of the pancreas, which was histologically confirmed. The patient underwent a laparotomy but no tumour was identified either on palpation or with intra-operative ultrasound …
Harilaos S. Vontetsianos, Spiros E. Davris, George D. Christopoulos, Catherine Dacou-Voutetakis
The effect of Adenotonsillectomy on somatic growth was studied prospectively in 57, randomly selected children (31 boys, 26 girls), aged 5.03±1.32 (mean±1SD) years. The indication for surgery was adenotonsillar hypertrophy with or without recurrent infections. Weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, and Body Mass Index …
Athina Markou, Kaity Tsigou, Dimitrios Papadogias, Kostas Kossyvakis, Kyriakos Vamvakidis, Theodora Kounadi, George Piaditis
We present a 39-year old female with a benign adrenal tumor characterized by autonomous secretion of cortisol, androgens, and aldosterone. The patient presented with a 4-year history of hypertension and severe hirsutism. Baseline investigations revealed elevated testosterone, androstendione, and 17OH progesterone with normal levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate…
Tasoula Tsilchorozidou, John G Yovos
Osteomalacia associated with adult onset Fanconi syndrome is thought to result from hypophosphataemia due to renal phosphate loss and relative 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 deficiency. In this disorder, the impaired renal phosphate uptake occurs as part of a generalized tubular defect in association with other features such as bicarbonuria, glycosuria and aminoaciduria…
Athanasios Diamandopoulos, Pavlos Goudas, Demetra Patsy
Physicians and scholars of antiquity were well aware that the function of the testicles of humans and animals was not restricted to the production of sperm alone but that it was directly related to sexuality and secondary sexual characteristics. This concept was the natural conclusion of their observations on the macroscopical results of the removal of testicular tissue …