Hospital In Athens Research Articles

Investigating the Structural and Functional Changes in the Optic Nerve in Patients with Early Glaucoma Using the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and RETeval System.

The present manuscript introduces an investigation of the structural and functional changes in the optic nerve in patients undergoing glaucoma treatment by comparing optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements and RETeval system parameters. For such a purpose, 140 eyes were examined at the Ophthalmology Clinic of the "Elpis" General Hospital of Athens between October 2022 and April 2023. A total of 59 out of 140 eyes were from patients with early glaucoma under treatment (case group), 63 were healthy eyes (control group) and 18 were excluded. The experimental measurements were statistically analyzed using the SPSS software package. The main outcomes are summarized below: (i) there was no statistical difference between the right and left eye for both groups, (ii) statistical differences were found between age interval subgroups (30-54 and 55-80 years old) for the control group, mainly for the time response part of the RETeval parameters. Such difference was not indicated by the OCT system, and (iii) a statistical difference occurred between the control and case group for both OCT (through the retinal nerve fiber layer-RNFL thickness) and the RETeval parameters (through the photopic negative response-PhNR). RNFL was found to be correlated to b-wave (ms) and W-ratio parameters. In conclusion, the PhNR obtained by the RETeval system could be a valuable supplementary tool for the objective examination of patients with early glaucoma.

Long Term Effectiveness of the Latest Categories of Antidiabetic Medication for Type 2 Diabetes. Outcomes of the Outpatient Diabetic Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital of Athens

Long Term Effectiveness of the Latest Categories of Antidiabetic Medication for Type 2 Diabetes. Outcomes of the Outpatient Diabetic Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital of Athens

GLP1-RA AND SGLT2-I. Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Newer Antidiabetic Medication in Everyday Practice. The Experience of a Diaberic Outpatient Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital of Athens

GLP1-RA AND SGLT2-I. Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Newer Antidiabetic Medication in Everyday Practice. The Experience of a Diaberic Outpatient Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital of Athens

Estimation of the optimal time needed for weaning of Intensive Care Unit tracheostomized patients on mechanical ventilation. A prospective observational study.

Determining the time that is required for weaning, as well as the factors that influence it can be used for the appropriate planning of patient's medical and nursing care. The aim of this study is to estimate the optimal time an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patient with tracheostomy needs to wean from mechanical ventilation. This prospective observational study was conducted on 162 patients from two general hospitals in Athens, Greece. A specially designed recording form was created to conduct the study. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) v.25 for Windows was used to record and analyze the data. The level of statistical significance was set at α=5%. Results were found after comparing and associating the demographic and clinical characteristics and medical history of patients with the duration of weaning, the length of post-tracheostomy ICU stay and the time from intubation to tracheostomy. According to the results of our study, there are various factors that affect success and duration of weaning. More specifically, there seems to be an association between duration of weaning and age, number of closure attempts, success of closure, time from intubation to tracheostomy, length of the patient's post-tracheostomy ICU stay and diagnosis upon admission. The shorter the duration of weaning, the greater the benefits for the patients themselves, such us avoiding respiratory damage, reduction of mortality and morbidity and preventing of length of patient's ICU stay.

Τhe Impact of Pre-Transplant Kidney Biopsy on the Evaluation of Prospective Living Kidney Donors

Living kidney donation contributes to increasing the donor pool. Since safety and excellent outcomes of living kidney donors (LKD) are essential, renal biopsy must be part of the pre-transplant evaluation in donors with isolated urine abnormalities or other risk factors. We retrospectively collected data on potential living donors evaluated in the pre-transplant outpatient clinic of Laiko General Hospital of Athens between 2007 and 2022, who underwent a pre-transplant biopsy. Biopsy indications included microscopic hematuria, borderline proteinuria and comorbidities suggestive of chronicity. Those with glomerular diseases or chronic lesions were excluded from donation. We identified 59 potential living donors who underwent renal biopsy. Of these, 10 (16.9%) were male. Median age was 58 (IQR 51-63) years, while 23 (39%) were older than 60 years. 49 out of 59 (83%) had glomerular hematuria, 10 (16.7%) had proteinuria (150-300 mg/d). Out of the 59 donors, 21 (35.6%) were hypertensive, three (5.1%) had impaired glucose tolerance and seven (11.9%) had a BMI > 30 kg/m2. A total of 32 (54.2%) potential donors were accepted for donation. Eight (13.6%) had IgA nephropathy, 10 (16.9%) TBMD and nine (15.3%) had increased chronicity including secondary FSGS. When compared with a control group of donors who did not need a pre-transplant biopsy, those 32 who donated were more frequently hypertensive (p = 0.003), but had similar eGFR [61.3 (±10.4) vs. 61.9 (±13.8), p = 0.866] after a follow-up of 79 (36-114) months. Renal biopsy is a useful tool in the evaluation of prospective LKD. Thorough assessment of donors with isolated urine abnormalities and marginal donors is critical to ensure good post-donation outcomes.

Experimental Mindfulness Intervention in an Emergency Department for Stress Management and Development of Positive Working Environment

Mindfulness-based interventions have increasingly gained the interest of health professionals in the last decade, especially practices that are short, economical, easily accessible, and physically, cognitively, and psychologically compelling. Nurses of Emergency Departments are a special, dynamic, but at the same time vulnerable group of health professionals who work in shifts and face multiple challenges. Considering the recent literature and the fact that stress and a hostile work environment are the top ranked health professionals' challenges, there is a need for a further study of the use of mindfulness. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the application of mindfulness on nurses in the Emergency Department on several factors related to daily nursing practice and that directly affect these specific health professionals. This experimental study was performed on 14 participating nurses in the Emergency Department of a Public General Hospital in Athens, randomized into two groups: a control and an intervention group. The data collection tools were two digital smart devices, participatory observation, and semi-structured interviews. By practicing mindfulness meditation, the participating nurses in the intervention group showed improvement in their cognitive functions (attention, thinking, memory, concentration), professional interpersonal relationships, personal satisfaction and communication with patients and caregivers, sleep rate, negative emotions, and behaviors. The findings suggest that the application of mindfulness practices should be considered an easy, affordable, economical, accessible, and effective method that nurses can use to strengthen and empower themselves, enjoying its multiple benefits. The effectiveness of the application of mindfulness remains an important issue for future research in other health professionals as well.

Addition of Baricitinib to Usual Therapeutic Regimen in Hospitalized Patients with Severe Covid-19: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background-Purpose: The ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has affected our everyday lives for the last three years, leading to in numerous patient hospitalizations all over the world and a plethora of therapeutic interventions being implemented in an effort to combat the disease. Baricitinib is an oral selective Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for the treatment of rheumatic disease that was hypothesized to bear positive effect on the more severe forms of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on its antiviral and anti-cytokine properties. The purpose of the current prospective cohort study was to study the effect of adding baricitinib to the usual drug regimen of patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 in the infectious disease unit of a third-level hospital. Patients-Methods: The current prospective cohort study was conducted at the Infectious Disease Unit of the 401 General Military Hospital of Athens, recruiting a total of 74 patients who were hospitalized with severe COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 severity index. Relevant demographic data, personal and family medical history and turnout of the cases was documented. Laboratory examinations as well as arterial blood gases (ABGs) were recorded and analysed both upon admission and discharge of the patients. An oral dose of 4 mg baricitinib daily (or an adjusted dose of 2 mg daily in cases of renal disease) was added to the usual therapeutic regimen of the patients. Results: For the purpose of the current study, we recruited 74 patients (male sex 81.1%, mean age 52,8±17,2 years old). Six patients (8.1%) were fully vaccinated and 32 patients (43.2%) presented at least one comorbidity (chronic cardiovascular disease, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus or obesity). Mean hospitalization time reached 10.9 ± 5.8 days while mean time of baricitinib administration was 9.2 ± 2.9 days. Regarding outcomes of hospitalizations, 12 patients (16.2%) needed to be transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU), with 6 of them finally succumbing to the disease. Administration of the drug led to a statistically significant drop of inflammatory markers as well as a statistically significant improvement of respiratory function as evaluated by ABGs. No serious adverse events were recorded. Conclusion: The addition of oral baricitinib to the standard drug regimen of hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 proved safe and efficacious in managing symptoms of the disease, leading to swift clinical complaint and laboratory profile improvements.

The Mediating Role of Depression and of State Anxiety οn the Relationship between Trait Anxiety and Fatigue in Nurses during the Pandemic Crisis.

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is a global health crisis with a particular emotional and physical impact on health professionals, especially nurses. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and fatigue and their possible relationships among nurses during the pandemic. The study population consisted of nurses from five tertiary-level public hospitals in Athens who completed the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires. Gender, age and years of work experience were recorded. The study was conducted from mid-November to mid-December 2021. The sample included 404 nurses (69 males and 335 females) with a mean age of 42.88 years (SD = 10.90) and 17.96 (SD = 12.00) years of work experience. Symptoms of fatigue were noted in 60.4% of participants, while 39.7% had symptoms of depression, 60.1% had abnormal scores on state anxiety and 46.8% on trait anxiety, with females showing higher scores on all scales (p < 0.05). High positive correlations (p < 0.01) were found between the FAS, BDI, State Anxiety and Trait Anxiety scales. Regression analysis showed that 51.7% of the variance in FAS scores can be explained by trait anxiety, an additional 6.2% by the BDI and 1.2% by state anxiety. Mediation analysis showed that state anxiety and BDI mediate the relationship between trait anxiety and FAS. Finally, BDI was found to exert a moderating role in the relationship between trait anxiety and fatigue. In conclusion, our study showed that nurses continue to experience high rates of anxiety, depression and fatigue. The variation in fatigue appears to be significantly dependent on trait anxiety. Depressive symptomatology and state anxiety exert a parallel positive mediation on the relationship between trait anxiety and fatigue, with depression exhibiting a moderating role in this relationship.

Factors Associated with Risk of Diabulimia in Greek Adult Population with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Diabulimia is associated with “resistance to treatment”, impaired glycemic control, and increased risk of diabetic complications. The aim of this study was to explore the possible lifestyle and diet factors associated with diabulimia using the “Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised” (DEPS-R), a questionnaire assessing the risk of diabulimia in patients with T1DM. Methods: 100 outpatients with a diagnosis of T1DM for over a year, from two hospitals in Athens, Greece were asked to complete a questionnaire about their medical history and lifestyle behaviors along with the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Beck Depression Scale (BDI-II) and the DEPS-R. Results: Multivariate linear regression analysis showed statistically significant associations between DEPS-R score and HbA1c% levels (b = 4.447, 95% CI 3.220–5.675), sex (male) (b = −4.413, 95% CI −8.778–−0.047, weight perception higher than normal (b = 9.896, 95% CI 5.266–14.526), time spent walking minutes per week (b= −0.019, 95% CI −0.031–−0.006), having received diabetes nutritional education (b = −5.128, 95%CI −10.141–−0.115), eating breakfast (b = −6.441, 95% CI −11.047–−1.835) and having a first relative diagnosed with an eating disorder (b = 6.164, 95%CI 0.030–12.298). The presence of these factors could help highlight the profile of potential individuals at risk of diabulimia and enhance preventive interventions.

Anxiety, insomnia and family support in nurses, two years after the onset of the pandemic crisis.

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause serious physical and mental problems for health professionals, particularly nurses. To estimate the prevalence of anxiety and insomnia and to evaluate their possible association with family support received by nurses two years after the onset of the pandemic. In total, the study participants were 404 nurses (335 females and 69 males) with a mean age of 42.88 (SD = 10.9) years and a mean of 17.96 (SD = 12) years working as nurses. Nurses from five tertiary hospitals in Athens constituted the study population who completed the questionnaires State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and Family Support Scale (FSS), in the months of November and December 2021. Regarding demographic and occupational characteristics, gender, age and years of experience as nurses were recorded. 60.1% of the nurses showed abnormal scores in state anxiety, with 46.8% in trait anxiety, and 61.4% showed insomnia. Women showed higher scores on the two subscales of anxiety and the insomnia scale compared to men (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively), while they showed a lower score on the FSS without statistical significance (p > 0.05). Positive correlations (p < 0.01) were found between the State Anxiety Inventory, Trait Anxiety Inventory and AIS, while all of them showed a high negative correlation with FSS (p < 0.01). Age showed a negative correlation with Trait Anxiety Inventory (p < 0.05). As shown by the mediation analysis, the relationship between state anxiety and insomnia was mediated by trait anxiety, whereas state anxiety appeared to be dependent on family support. Nurses continue to experience high levels of anxiety and insomnia and feel less supported by their families than in the first year of the pandemic. Insomnia appears to be dependent on state anxiety, with a significant indirect effect of trait anxiety, while family support seems to affect state anxiety.

The Validation of the COmprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST) Scale in Greek Language.

The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Greek version of FACIT-COST, as well as to assess the levels of financial distress of patients suffering from lung cancer in relation to their quality of life and lung cancer symptom burden. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study. A self-assessment instrument was used to gather the data. The study involved 120 lung cancer patients who were treated using chemotherapy in a day clinic of a General Hospital in Athens. Data were collected with the COST-FACIT-v2 (used to assess the patients' financial toxicity), The 12-item Health Survey (SF-12), and functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung Symptom Index Questionnaire-7 items-version 4 (FACIT-FACT-LCS). Descriptive statistics as well as exploratory factor analysis performed all the statistical analyses, which were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and had p-values with a significance level of 0.05. The majority of the participants were male (68.3%), married or cohabitated (81.3%), and had been diagnosed with microcell cancer (90%). The factor analysis resulted in one factor that interpreted 35% of the total variance. FACT-L (r=0.365, p<0.001), physical component SF-12 (r=0.184, p=0.045), and mental health component SF-12 (r=0.268, p=0.003) were positively correlated to FACIT-OST, as expected. The Greek validated COST-FACIT-v2 is a reliable tool in providing rapid assessment of cancer patients' level of financial distress.

Coping Strategies in Greek Parents of Children with Cancer.

Childhood cancer is a life-threatening, chronic condition and treatment may extent for several years. The diagnosis of cancer in children could stress intensely their parents. To explore coping strategies utilized by Greek parents who have children with cancer. Eighty-five parents of children with cancer, admitted for treatment at the in-patient unit of a Paediatric Hospital in Athens completed a questionnaire with demographic and their children's disease related characteristics and the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale. Sixty mothers (70.6%) and 25 fathers (29.4%) completed the questionnaire. A percentage of 29.4% of the parents included in this study considered themselves anxious. Elementary or secondary school graduates scored higher in Seeking Spiritual Support (p=0.013). Stay-at-home or unemployed parents scored lower in the subscale of Passive Appraisal (p=0.012). Parents who were very well informed tended to exhibit more frequently passive appraisal behavior (p=0.004). Parents whose child had Hodgkin's lymphoma scored higher in the subscale of Acquiring Social Support (p=0.034). Statistical significance was found between parent's strategies of Seeking Spiritual Support and the gender (girls) (p=0.036), as well as the treatment problems (p=0.008) of hospitalized children. This study may help health professionals understand Greek families' coping strategies when they have a child with cancer. Appropriate knowledge could significantly help them in the field of planning and implementation of personalized care in order to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.

Investigating Mobbing Syndrome's Incidence in the Working Environment of a Public and a Private Greek Hospital.

To investigate the phenomenon of moral harassment (mobbing) as well as the effect of demographic and occupational characteristics of healthcare professionals working in a public provincial general hospital and a private hospital in Athens a cross-sectional survey was designed. The study was conducted from November to December 2021 through the application of the Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror (LIPT) a widely recognized research tool for the quantitative investigation of ethical harassment in the workplace. 264 fully completed questionnaires were collected out of the 300 that were distributed in both hospitals (response rates: 92% for the public hospital and 83.3% for the private). It was observed that private hospital's employees were morally harassed to a greater extent and for a longer time than the employees of a public hospital. The levels of moral harassment were quite high, indicating the necessity of thorough audit by the management in both hospitals.

Alexandra General Hospital in Athens: Historical Connections to the Greek Royal Family.

Princess Alexandra of Greece (1870-1891), the eldest daughter of King George I of Greece (1845-1913), was known as the "beloved daughter of the Athenians". Her death at the age of 21 in 1891 due to a pregnancy complication caused nationwide grief. To honour her, the Alexandra Maternity Hospital in Athens was named in her memory. Affiliated with the University of Athens, Alexandra Maternity Hospital researches pregnancy and newborn care, including complications and maternal mortality. Today, the hospital contains various clinical and laboratory departments providing patients with exceptional health care.

1153. Safety and Potential Efficacy of Exosomes Overexpressing CD24 (EXO-CD24) for the Prevention of Clinical Deterioration in Patients with Moderate or Severe COVID-19: A Phase II, Randomized, Single-blinded Study.

Abstract Background EXO-CD24 is a novel inhaled drug of exosomes displaying CD24, a protein with anti-inflammatory properties. We evaluated the safety and potential efficacy of EXO-CD24, in a phase II, randomized, single-blinded clinical trial of EXO-CD24 in hospitalized patients with moderate or severe COVID-19, following the preliminary safety and efficacy results of a phase 1 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04747574). Methods Two tertiary care hospitals in Athens, Greece participated. Patients received either 109 or 1010 exosome particles per dose, once per day for 5 days and were followed for 28 days. Safety and efficacy measures (including respiratory rate &amp;lt; 23 b/min and pulse oximetry SpO2≥ 94% on room air, oxygen need and levels of inflammatory biomarkers i.e. CRP, LDH, ferritin, fibrinogen and d-dimers) were compared between groups at days 3, 5 and 7. A separate analysis was conducted comparing the clinical course of treated patients with that of a control cohort (n=70 patients) matched by propensity scoring out of a similar period hospitalized cohort (n=202) that did not participate in the study. Results Between June 9th and August 3rd 2021, 91 patients underwent randomization: 45 in group A and 46 in group B (109vs. 1010 exosome particles per dose). Mean age was 49.4 (± 13.2) years and 74.4% were male. Mean time from symptom onset to randomization was 8 days. Improvement in respiratory rate and pulse oximetry was noted in 72 out of 86 (83.7%) and 55 out of 86 (64%) analyzed patients. Day 7 inflammatory indices levels dropped at least 50% from baseline admission values in 72 out of 86 (82.8%) analyzed patients (p&amp;lt; 0.001). No treatment-related adverse events were reported. Comparison with the propensity score matched group showed statistically significant differences in the same parameters (p≤ 0.01 for all comparisons). Conclusion Our results suggest safety and potential efficacy of EXO-CD24 on clinical and laboratory parameters of moderate or severe COVID-19, that deserve further investigation in a phase 3 study. (Funded by Athens Medical Society. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04902183, EU Clinical Trials Register EudraCT Number 2021-002184-22). Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Becoming Respectable: Material, Symbolic and Emotional Aspects of Hospital Cleaning Work

Abstract This essay explores the working experiences of twenty-four women cleaners in two public hospitals in Athens, Greece. The participants are Albanian and ethnic Greek Albanian. It focuses on the intersectionalities of gender, ethnicity and class, drawing from ethnographic research during the period 2017–2018 in two hospital sites, which included interviews and observations with women migrant workers. The essay is structured around two key research questions: how both groups of migrant women cleaners experienced material, emotional and symbolic aspects of cleaning at the hospital, mobilising their gendered and ethnicised bodies at work; and how both groups narrated their experiences of their embodied gendered, ethnicised and classed selves, on individual as well as collective levels, to give meaning, to create a process of valuation and to construct formations of respectability. I reveal how the process of cleaning is caught between material, symbolic, emotional and embodied aspects, with migrant women cleaners forming ways of feeling respectable.

Estimation of the adherence to Mediterranean diet by Greek glaucomatous patients

AbstractPurpose: An estimation of the nutritional profile of patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). We focused on the evaluation of the adherence to Mediterranean diet in Greek population.Methods: An observational study was conducted to assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients who attended the General Hospital of Athens G. Gennimatas. An experienced dietitian interviewed both healthy and glaucomatous patients and filled the Med Diet Score (range 0–55). The scoring includes food groups close to Mediterranean dietary pattern like non‐refined cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish and potatoes.Results: A total of 132 questionnaires were completed successfully by 64 healthy and 68 patients. Both groups were equally distributed for sex (50/50 males/females) and age (71.9 years ± 10). The overall adhesion to the Mediterranean diet was similar in both groups with the majority of them (around 80%) having moderate adherence. There is no difference between 2 groups for Body Mass Index (BMI), dietary supplements and salt consumption, smoking habits or comorbidities like diabetes type II and hypertension.Conclusions: There is no data concerning adherence to Mediterranean diet in Greek glaucomatous patients. This study indicated that both healthy and glaucomatous patients have moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet.Reference1. Demosthenes B Panagiotakos et al. Adherence to the Mediterranean food pattern predicts the prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and obesity, among healthy adults; the accuracy of the MedDietScore. Prev Med. 2007;44(4):335–40. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.12.009.

A severe COVID-19 Case Study: Psychological Intervention as a Part of Rehabilitation Programme in a Greek Teaching Hospital in Athens

We report a case study of an adult man with severe COVID-19 who attended Psychological Intervention after prolonged hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit, intubation and finally, participation in Rehabilitation Programme of a Greek Teaching Hospital in Athens. To export results, a qualitative data analysis were collected from Focused Interview, Psychological Intervention based on Short/ Systemic Psychotherapy and a quantitative data analysis from the Beck Depression Inventory and further triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data took place. The study focuses on the psychology of COVID-19 survivor patient, in line with complex needs, psychological effects and specific stressors, following a life-threatening disease. In the light of a therapeutic ‘flexibility’ and finally of a combination of multi-factorial nature of the disease that requires integration and simultaneous exploring of not only the physical, but also of the psychological needs of the patient

The Role of Exercise on Cardiometabolic Profile and Body Composition in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes.

Exercise has a direct positive effect on glycemic control by promoting insulin secretion from β-pancreatic islet-cells and by increasing skeletal muscle glucose uptake. The reduction in daily insulin needs and the optimization of glycemic control improves the patient's quality of life, self-esteem, mental wellness, as well as diabetes-related mobility and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity in children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes (T1D) on diabetic control, cardiovascular, and biochemical profiles; hs-CRP; IL6; leptin; and adiponectin levels of the population under study. This is a prospective cross-sectional study that involved 80 participants (36 boys and 44 girls) with T1D, who were aged 6-21 years and who attended the Diabetes and Metabolism Clinic of the 2nd Pediatric Department, University of Athens, "P & A Kyriakou" Children's Hospital of Athens. Twenty (25%) children were above the 75th percentile regarding total levels of physical activity, while 40 (50%) and 20 (25%) were between the 25th and 75th percentile, as well as below the 25th percentile, respectively. In the group with an intermediate level of exercise, physical activity was negatively associated with the participant's family situation (traditional, single parent, grandparent, with others, or by himself/herself) (p = 0.013), ferritin (p = 0.031), lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] (p = 0.016), and squared leptin levels (p = 0.040). Whereas in the groups with extreme vs. no exercise there was a negative association with the number of daily glucose measurements (p = 0.047). However, in the group with non-vigorous exercise, physical activity was positively associated with high density lipoprotein-c (HDL-c) levels (p = 0.048). The findings of this study are indicative of the beneficial role of exercise on children and adolescents with T1D, which is achieved by primarily improving their cardiometabolic profile through the amelioration of lipid profile [HDL-c, Lp(a)] and leptin levels, as well as by reducing chronic systemic inflammatory response (ferritin) and ultimately decreasing the overall diabetes morbidity.

Determinants of Mortality in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Athens, Greece: A Case-Control Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between death and sociodemographic and clinical determinants in a neonatal ICU (NICU) in Athens, Greece, by means of a case-control study. The study was conducted between January 2013 and October 2017 at the NICU of "Panayiotis & Aglaia Kyriakou" Children's Hospital in Athens, Greece. The NICU subjects that died (case group) during this period (n=49) were compared with a control group of 451 NICU-admitted subjects who survived, during the same period. Potential determinants of mortality were assessed; univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed; odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated. Gestational age less than 32 weeks (adjusted OR=4.59, 95%CI: 2.09-10.10), low birth weight (adjusted OR=3.14, 95%CI: 1.43-6.91), emergency transfer (adjusted OR=11.92, 95%CI: 1.57-90.60), cyanosis (adjusted OR=5.20, 95%CI: 2.25-12.01), perinatal asphyxia (adjusted OR=6.96, 95%CI: 3.07-15.75), necrotizing enterocolitis (adjusted OR=3.21, 95%CI: 1.03-9.99), need for oxygen supply, and incubator use emerged as independent predictors of mortality. Extreme prematurity, low birth weight, necrotizing enterocolitis, and emergency conditions are associated with mortality, despite progress made in the field of neonatal intensive care.