Greek Adults Research Articles

Associations of Serum Total Homocysteine Levels with Various Demographic, Clinical and Genetic Characteristics in Healthy Greek Adults.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of serum total Hcy (tHcy) levels with various demographic, clinical and genetic characteristics in healthy Greek adults. Anthropometric characteristics (height, weight), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, complete blood count and biochemical assessments, were recorded and measured among 383 Greek adults (199 men). Serum folate, Cobalamin (Cbl) and tHcy levels were determined using immunoassays methods. The MTHFR C677T and A1298C gene polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and reverse hybridization. MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism, serum folate and Cbl levels were correlated with serum tHcy levels independently. The individuals with 677TT genotype had significantly higher serum tHcy levels than individuals with 677 CC or CT genotypes. Regarding the MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism, the existence of the T allele was associated with statistically significantly lower serum folate and higher serum tHcy levels than C allele. Regarding the MTHFR A1298C gene polymorphism, the existence of the C allele was associated with statistically significant lower serum tHcy levels than A allele. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between the serum tHcy levels and demographic (except age) or clinical characteristics (sex, BMI, smoking status, SBP, DBP, HGB, HCT, TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, TC/HDL-C). Serum tHcy levels are influenced by the existence of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism (mainly 677TT genotype), serum folate and Cbl levels. Individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia should be further investigated for the existence of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism, with the aim to determine the suitable treatment.

Social Media Addiction, Self-Compassion, and Psychological Well-Being: A Structural Equation Model.

Research indicates that social media addiction is associated with several psychological consequences, for example, depression. Distressed individuals tend to devote more time to social media, which leads to impairment of daily life. Interestingly, individuals feeling more compassionate toward them tend to devote less time to social media and feel less psychologically distressed. This research aimed to examine the association between social media addiction and self-compassion and whether it can be further explained through the association of psychological distress. A sample of 255 Greek adults received a personal invitation sent to various social media platforms. Invitations included a link, which redirected participants to the information sheet and the study questionnaires, namely the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. Participation was voluntary and no benefit/reward was granted. As predicted, social media addiction was found to negatively correlate with self-compassion and positively with distress. We used structural equation modeling to examine associations between variables, with psychological distress acting as a mediator. Examination of estimated parameters in the model revealed statistically significant correlations, except for the positive dimensions of the Self-Compassion Scale, which were found to be insignificantly associated. Individuals with higher levels of self-compassion tend to report less social media additive behaviors and distress. The extensive use of social media is related to negative feelings and emotions. Self-compassion is a potential protective factor, while distress is a potential risk factor for social media addiction. Intervention programs dealing with social media addiction should consider the role of self-compassion.

Real-world treatment patterns, patient-reported outcomes, and effectiveness of flexibledosing etanercept in patients with plaque psoriasis in Greece.

Etanercept is approved for continuous or intermittent use and flexible dosing in plaque psoriasis (PsO). The objectives of this study were to investigate real-world treatment patterns with etanercept in Greek adults with moderate-to-severe PsO. This non-interventional multicenter study included a retrospective-to-prospective (RP) cohort, previously treated with etanercept for ≥24 months and followed for an additional 6 months, and a biologic-naïve, prospective-only (PO) cohort, followed for 6 months after treatment initiation. Parameters assessed included Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), percentage of body surface area (BSA) affected, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and adverse events (AEs). This study enrolled 123 patients (RP, n = 56; PO, n = 67), who mostly adhered to continuous treatment (RP, 68%; PO, 95%). The two cohorts had similar mean baseline-to-endpoint decreases in PASI (-9.5 vs -10.1) and BSA (-11.9 vs -12.3). The PO-CTP population had a mean DLQI baseline-to-endpoint score decrease of -5.8, which was statistically significant and clinically meaningful. Treatment-emergent AE rates were 58.9% (RP) versus 26.9% (PO). These real-world data suggest a similar effectiveness of continuous and intermittent etanercept treatment in Greek patients with PsO.

The impact of age on the morphology of the 12th thoracic vertebral endplates.

The current article explores the aging effects on the overall morphology of the endplates of the 12th thoracic vertebra (T12), while screening for sex differences. It further evaluates the suitability of T12 for estimating age-at-death in bioarcheaological contexts. We captured the morphology of the vertebral endplates, including the formation of osteophytes, in a novel continuous quantitative manner using digital photography. 168 Greek adults from the Athens Collection were used for modeling the aging effects and another 107 individuals from two Danish archaeological assemblages for evaluation. Regression analysis is based on generalized additive models for correlating age-at-death and morphological variation. Our proposed measurement method is highly reliable (R>0.98) and the main differences observed between sexes are size related. Aging has considerable effect on the endplate morphology of the T12 with the total area of the endplate, the area of the epiphyseal rim, and the shape irregularities of the endplate's external boundary being mostly affected. Multivariate regression shows that aging effects account up to 46% of the observed variation, although with differential expression between sexes. Correct age prediction on archaeological remains reached 33% with a prominent tendency for overestimation. The morphology of the T12 endplates is influenced by age and it can provide some insight with respect to the age-at-death of unidentified individuals, especially when other skeletal age markers are unavailable. Our proposed method provides an age-estimation framework for bioarchaeological settings, especially for estimating broader age ranges, such as discriminating between young and old adults.

Young people’s situated capacity to imagine a desired post-pandemic future: A qualitative methodology for assessing futures consciousness

Futures consciousness (FC), considered to be the basis for human anticipation, is important for its role in facing uncertainties and delineating alternative courses of action. This is especially so for emerging adults, who are traversing a life stage fraught with uncertainty and complexity. The COVID-19 pandemic as a high-impact event may trigger modes of engaging with the future to become more explicit. Through critical engagement with the 5-dimensional FC model (Ahvenharju, Minkkinen, & Lalot, 2018), we develop a methodology for qualitatively assessing FC. We analyze how emerging Dutch and Greek adults narrate FC dimensions (time perspective, agency beliefs, openness to alternatives, systemic awareness, concern for others) in letters written from the perspective of a desired post-Corona future. Results show that emerging adults, although caught-up in a subjective timeframe in which the pandemic is enduring, think beyond immediate concerns. They do so in a way that conveys some attribution of agency and systemic awareness. Openness to alternatives is shown using several sophisticated linguistic devices. When further developed, the methodology will enable educators and futurists to support individual’s imagination of possible and preferred futures. This may contribute to resilient people and societies in and beyond times of economic, health, and environmental crises.

Religiosity and coronary heart disease In Greek adults

Background: In developed countries, cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of both death and functional disability. The last decades, scientific community shows an increasing interest exploring the relationship between religious and health factors.
 Aim: The aim of the present study was to explore associations between factors related to religiosity and self-reported Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).
 Material and Method: This was a descriptive observational study, conducted during a 2-year period. The final studied sample consisted of 1062 citizens of Greece. Data collection was performed by using a special designed questionnaire based on relevant literature review.
 Results: Half of the studied sample was men, (n=529, 49.9%). The majority of participants (77.1%) was living in urban areas of the country and was mean educated (67.1%). When asked about their employment status, most of them (65%) answered that they were professionally active. As far as their medical history is concerned, the majority of participants (88%) had no CHD history, no history of diabetes mellitus (90.3%), no history of dyslipidemias (71.8%) and no history of hypertension (71.8%). Moreover, 29.9% of the participants were overweight. Religious fasting follows 51.4% of the sample and the reason for fasting is because the church imposes fasting rules. The factor “fasting” was also related to CHD occurrence, as those who were following religious fasting had no history of CHD. A significant difference was found between responders with conscious belief in God and CHD occurrence.
 Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that factors related to religiosity, such as doubt in God belief and religious fasting may influence CHD incidence. Prospective cohort studies and clinical trial studies that specifically designed to assess the effect of religiosity on CHD outcome are necessary to be conducted.

Pertussis Prevalence in Adult Population in Greece: A Seroprevalence Nationwide Study.

The reported cases of pertussis vary considerably globally. In the present nationwide study, we aimed to record the Bordetella pertussis prevalence in Greece by measuring serum IgG specific antibody levels to pertussis toxin (anti-PT IgG). General practitioners and laboratories participated in this study from 12 regions of Greece. A geographically stratified sampling plan based on regional units (NUTS level 2) was applied in order to produce a representative sample, taking into consideration age group (30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79 and 80+) and sex. In total, 1169 subjects participated in the study. The percentage of participants with anti-PT IgG antibodies higher than 50 IU/mL was 3.7%. The levels of anti-PT IgG antibodies of total sample ranged between 1.46 IU/mL to 126.60 IU/mL, with mean 17.74 IU/mL and standard deviation 14.03 U/mL (p-value < 0.001). The total seroprevalence of Greek regions for pertussis disease varied significantly among prefectures. The region with the highest seroprevalence was Peloponnese 21.3%, followed by the region of Central Greece 15.3%. The proportion of adults who have pertussis specific antibodies <50 IU/mL has been >90%, suggesting that a large number of adults may be vulnerable to infection of pertussis despite well-established vaccination programs in Greece. Despite the fact that vaccination reduced the number of reported pertussis cases in the last decades in Greece, our seroprevalence study may indicate that the herd immunity level among Greek adults is suboptimal.

Perceptions, Knowledge and Attitudes among Young Adults about Prevention of HPV Infection and Immunization.

Introduction: Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and is widely known as the main causative agent for cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of young Greek adults concerning prevention of HPV infection and HPV immunization. Material and Methods: This constitutes a cross-sectional online survey. A convenience sample of young Greek adults (n = 883) residing in Greece, aged 17 to more than 35 years was surveyed from December 2020 to March 2021. Two validated questionnaires were used to collect data. Results: Participants demonstrated moderate knowledge about HPV infection and vaccination, with a mean knowledge score of 53.26 (SD ± 20.65) and 38.92 (SD ± 17.58), respectively. Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.77 and 0.80. Female participants were better informed than males. Approximately 52.3% of respondents had been vaccinated and 65.5% were willing to get vaccinated in the future. Vaccination rate was significantly associated with gender (OR = 11.99; 99% CI = 6.59–21.84), knowledge about the HPV vaccine (OR = 1.04; 99% CI = 1.03–1.04) and age (OR = 0.07; 99% CI = 0.03–0.15). Reasons for vaccine refusal were insufficient information (36.8%) and fear of side effects (19%). Correlates of positive vaccination intention were knowledge about HPV (OR = 1.02; 99% CI = 1.01–1.02). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the Greek government’s continuing HPV promotion efforts and education on the risks of HPV infection among young people are likely to increase vaccination acceptance among this group.

Adjustment of the MIND diet tool for discriminating Greek patients with dementia: A confirmatory factor analysis.

BackgroundThe MIND diet, a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, has been shown to reduce cognitive decline and dementia occurrence.AimIn the current cross-sectional study the effect of the MIND diet in elderly Greek individuals, assessed for cognitive decline, was investigated. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) evaluated the MIND diet score's factor structure in relation to the ability to distinguish the Greek elderly population diagnosed with or without dementia.MethodsOne hundred fifteen participants recently diagnosed with dementia and 52 cognitively healthy controls, after proper neuropsychological testing by neurologists, were included. To ensure the variance-covariance of matrix for the CFA, a second reference group of 36 participants who self-reported as healthy in terms of cognitive status from the general Greek population, was included. Demographic, anthropometric characteristics, emotional status, cognitive function, and dementia diagnosis were recorded. A prediction model investigated the MIND diet's components to separate the study participants according to their cognitive health. CFA was used to examine if the structure of the MIND diet tool scale was a proper model fit or if a different model more appropriately fit our sample data.Results and discussionThe CFA conducted, suggested that the 9 components MIND diet score supported our sample data better than the original 15-item MIND diet.ConclusionThe MIND diets' components must be considered in relevance to the dietary habits and cultural background of the respective population studied. Future studies should evaluate prospectively the effect of MIND-9 on preventing the onset of dementia in Greek adults.

COVID-19 Vaccination and Mental Health Outcomes among Greek Adults in 2021: Preliminary Evidence.

Existing research on the association between COVID-19 vaccination and quantitatively measured mental health outcomes is scarce. We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey on a random sample of 1039 adult Greek citizens in June 2021. Among the participants, 39.6% were vaccinated with two doses, 23.1% with one dose, 21.4% were planning to become vaccinated later, and 8.1% refused vaccination. Compared to those fully vaccinated, those against vaccination (“deniers”) and those who planned to do so later on (“not vaccinated yet”) had significantly higher scores across three stress, anxiety, and depression construct scales. Our findings suggest an association between COVID-19 vaccination status and mental health.

Longitudinal Trends, Determinants, and Cardiometabolic Impact of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Greek Adults.

Despite the well-established health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, there are signs that Mediterranean populations are deviating from this traditional pattern. We aimed to evaluate longitudinal changes in adherence to the Mediterranean diet, its determinants and health effects in a representative sample of the adult Greek population. This was a secondary analysis of the ATTICA epidemiological cohort study conducted in 2001/2002 and 2011/2012. The study sample consisted of 3042 men and women free of cardiovascular diseases living in Attica, Greece; of them, 2583 were followed-up for 10 years. Participants were evaluated in terms of sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical parameters at baseline, and incidence of cardiometabolic diseases was recorded at follow-up. Dietary habits were assessed both at baseline and 10 years through a validated food frequency questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated through the MedDietScore, based on which four trajectories were identified, i.e., low–low, low–high, high–low and high–high. During the study period, 45.6% of participants moved away from the Mediterranean diet (high–low), 9.0% moved closer (low–high), while 18.7% sustained a high adherence (high–high). Participants in the high–high trajectory were younger, mostly women, more physically active, had a higher socioeconomic status, and a more favorable body composition and cardiometabolic profile at baseline, and exhibited lower 10-year incidence rates of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease compared to other trajectories (all p-values < 0.050). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is declining among Greek adults. Staying close to the Mediterranean diet is associated with significant health benefits and should be a major target of public health strategies.

Large-scale screening for factor V Leiden (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A), and MTHFR (C677T) mutations in Greek population.

Background and aimsTo provide a fair estimate of the prevalence of factor V Leiden (FVL) (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A), and MTHFR (C677T) mutations in the Greek population.MethodsWe genotyped a representative sample of 974 apparently healthy Greek adults by the method of real‐time PCR and we calculated the allele frequencies of factor V Leiden (FVL) (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A), and MTHFR (C677T) mutations. In addition, we determined the frequency of co‐occurrence of FVL (1691A) and prothrombin (20210A), FVL (1691A) and MTHFR (677T), prothrombin (20210A) and MTHFR (677T) mutations.ResultsΤhe career frequencies of FVL (1691A), prothrombin (20210A), and MTHFR (677T) alleles were 7.5%, 4.5%, and 49.3% while the allele frequencies were 4%, 2.25%, and 39.5%, respectively. The coexistence of the allele frequencies combinations of two, FVL (1691A) and Prothrombin (20210A), FVL (1691A) and MTHFR (677T), prothrombin (20210A) and MTHFR (677T) was found in 1 (0.9%), 29 (3.5%), and 22 (3%) samples, respectively. Triple heterozygous carriers were not found.ConclusionAllele frequencies of the two (FVL and MTHFR) mutations are higher compared with published data. The large sample size of our study enhances the validity of our results and suggests a biological affinity of Greek population with Southern Italian populations.

Pneumococcal serotypes in adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia in Greece using urinary antigen detection tests: the EGNATIA study, November 2017 – April 2019

ABSTRACT Greece introduced a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) into the infant national immunization program in 2010 (3 + 1 schedule until June 2019). Since 2015, PCV13 has been recommended for adults aged 19–64 years with comorbidities and adults ≥65 years sequentially with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). We examined pneumococcal serotype distribution among Greek adults aged ≥19 years hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) during November 2017-April 2019. This was an interim analysis of EGNATIA, a prospective study of adult hospitalized CAP in the cities of Ioannina and Kavala. Pneumococcus was identified using cultures, BinaxNow®, serotype-specific urinary antigen detection assays (UAD-1/2). Our analysis included overall 482 hospitalized CAP patients (mean age: 70.5 years; 56.4% male). 53.53% of patients belonged to the highest pneumonia severity index (PSI) classes (IV-V). Pneumococcus was detected in 65 (13.5%) patients, with more than half (57%) of cases detected only by UAD. Approximately two-thirds of pneumococcal CAP occurred in those aged ≥65 years (n = 40, 8.3% of CAP). More than half of pneumococcal CAP (n = 35, 53.8%) was caused by PCV13 serotypes. Most frequently detected PCV13 serotypes were 3, 19A, 23F, collectively accounting for 83% of PCV13 vaccine-type (VT) CAP and 6% of all-cause CAP. Overall, 82.9% of PCV13 VT CAP occurred among persons with an indication (age/risk-based) for PCV13 vaccination. Even with a mature PCV13 childhood immunization program, a persistent burden of PCV13 VT CAP exists in Greek adults. Strategies to increase PCV13 (and higher-valency PCVs, when licensed) coverage in adults should be implemented to reduce the disease burden.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Quality of Life among General Population at Argolida regional unit

IntroductionThe impact of the Covid-19 on the quality of life (QOL) have been reported and highlighted by several research studies worldwide.ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life among Greek general population of Argolida, taking into consideration the socio-demographic characteristics.MethodsInformation on the socio-demographic characteristics and Covid related data of the respondents was collected by a questionnaire including age, gender, education level, marital status, health status, smoking history, sedentary lifestyle, job status. A 5-point Likert scale (MVQOLI) was used to examine the QOL. Comparisons on the variables were performed using Kruskal-Wallis H Test and x2 test, using SPSS Statistics (version 20).ResultsA total of 620 Greek adults (Females n =381) were requested to answer by filling the questionnaire or Google Form. The results showed statistically significant differences in higher level QOL depending on a number of variables that are presented in the table. Table Demographic characteristics of the study with higher level QOLSample Characteristicsp ValueGender : Female0,003Marital status: Married /cohabitation0,011Level of education : High0,000Health status: Non psychiatric disease0,022Smoking status: Never smoked &amp; ex-smoker0,043Sedentary life style0,002Non covid-19 affected0,001Confidence in the health system0,001Confidence in health workers0,001ConclusionsThe results showed that female sex, married, higher educated respondents, non smokers were significantly associated with higher QOL. The findings can certainly offer guidelines in developing programs and interventions for all domains of QOL.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

The impact of social media on dietary choices, emotions around food consumption and body image in Greek adolescents and young adults

The impact of social media on dietary choices, emotions around food consumption and body image in Greek adolescents and young adults

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity in a sample of Greek adults

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity in a sample of Greek adults

Prevalence and factors associated with smoking in a nationally representative sample of Greek adults: The Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey (HNNHS)

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess smoking prevalence among Greek adults and in sub-populations with specific sociodemographic and lifestyle determinants. Moreover, to explore the association between smoking and weight status and specific stress-related states. MethodsData from 3,820 adults (47.5% males), included in the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey, were used. Information was obtained on sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric factors, and stress-related states. Results were obtained using survey-specific analysis. ResultsSmoking prevalence was 33.5% in total and was significantly higher in males 39.1% (95%CI: 36.3%–41.8%) compared to females 29.4% (95%CI: 27.4%–31.6%; p < 0.001). Smoking prevalence was higher among those that slept <6 h, consumed daily coffee and alcohol, as well as chronic stress and depressive symptomatology. Moreover, 72.9% of Greek adults were exposed to passive smoke. The odds of having chronic stress, depressive symptomatology, sleep problems, and financial difficulties were higher for current smokers, whereas the odds for overweight/obesity increased only among ex-smokers. Chronic pain was associated with both current and ex-smoking status. ConclusionsThis study highlights important sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with smoking and underlines associations of ever-smoking with weight status and stress-related states, providing health policymakers valuable information for more effective results.

Disentangling the associations between past childhood adversity and psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of specific pandemic stressors and coping strategies

BackgroundIndividuals with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) display heightened symptoms of psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, no study has investigated what aspects of the pandemic are of particular concern for this population and ways in which strategies to coping with pandemic stressors may exacerbate their clinical symptomatology. ObjectiveThis study explores what pandemic stressors and coping strategies are associated with ACEs, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the COVID-19 pandemic, before investigating whether the identified chief stressors and coping styles mediate the effects of ACEs on depression and PTSD. Participants and setting1107 Greek adults were sampled from the general population. MethodsParticipants completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire, Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5, Pandemic Stressor Scale, and Brief Cope Scale. ResultsACEs and depression were both predominantly associated with difficult housing conditions as a stressor (b = 0.079, p < .001 and b = 0.046, p < .001, respectively), whereas PTSD was mainly related to fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus (b = 0.065, p < .001). Self-blame was the main coping strategy associated with both ACEs (b = 0.046, p = .010), depression (b = 0.071, p < .0005), and PTSD (b = 0.088, p < .0005). Difficult housing conditions and self-blame further demonstrated a significant serial mediation effect in the relationship between ACEs with both depression (b = 0.105, 95% CI [0.0607, 0.158]) and PTSD (b = 0.019, 95% CI [0.011, 0.031]). ConclusionsThe findings indicate that policy makers should identify ways of ameliorating challenging housing conditions, and that service providers should target self-blame in the psychological treatment of adults with ACEs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and prevention practice in Greece

ABSTRACT Achieving high COVID-19 vaccination rates globally is a key public health challenge. The study aims to investigate factors determining COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and adherence to prevention measures, in Greek adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Greece, from the 21st of February to the 3rd of April 2021, during the strict lockdown period of the 3rd COVID-19 wave. A total of 2029 adults (75.3% women, median age 38 years) participated in an online survey. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures and willingness to vaccinate. Health Literacy (HL), perceived stress, life satisfaction and adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) were also assessed. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were employed. The median score of COVID-19 adherence to the prevention measures tool was 23.08 (interquartile range: 3.83; range: 1 to 35). A total of 57.5% of the participants were willing to vaccinate, 12.1% were unwilling and 30.4% were undecided. Linear regression revealed that women, obese participants, those with a chronic disease and those willing to vaccinate reported higher adherence to prevention measures. Older age, higher levels of HL, life satisfaction and adherence to MD were also positively associated with higher adherence. Logistic regression revealed that being a woman decreases the odds of having the willingness to vaccinate, whereas older age, higher education and adherence to measures increase the odds of willingness to vaccinate. The results could be used by practitioners, researchers and policy makers working in the field of prevention and management of COVID -19.

Association between sleep insufficiency and dyslipidemia: a cross-sectional study among Greek adults in the primary care setting.

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential association between sleep insufficiency and dyslipidemia (DL) in the primary care setting using self-reported questionnaires.Material and Methods957 adults aged between 19 and 86 years old from the rural area of Thrace, Greece were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Multistage stratifed cluster sampling was used and the subjects were classifed into three groups according to sleep duration [short (<6h), normal (6-8h), and long (>8h) sleep duration]. DL was defined by a positive response to the question “Have you ever been told by a doctor or health professional that your blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels were high?”, or if they were currently taking antilipidemic agents. Sleep quality, utilizing Epworth sleepiness scale, Athens insomnia scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index and Berlin questionnaire, was also examined.ResultsDL prevalence was significantly associated with short sleep duration (aOR=2.18, p<0.001) and insomnia (aOR=1.43, p=0.050), while its relation with poor sleep quality (aOR=1.31, p=0.094) and risk for obstructive sleep apnea (aOR=1.32, p=0.097) were of marginal statistical significance. Concerning insomnia subtypes, DL was significantly associated with difficulties maintaining sleep (aOR=2.99, p<0.001) and early morning awakenings (aOR=1.38, p=0.050), but not difficulties initiating sleep (aOR=1.18, p=0.328).ConclusionThis study reveals an association between sleep pathology and DL. Thus, early pharmacological and cognitive or behavioral interventions that improve sleep are deemed necessary in order to decrease DL burden.