Evidence has emerged regarding the role of seasonality and several meteorological parameters on bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression. We investigated the relationship between ambient and ...apparent temperature and hospital admissions of major psychiatric diseases in a psychiatric clinic of a General Hospital situated in Northern Greece during 2013–19. Temperature data was provided by the National Observatory of Athens and diagnosis for psychotic, schizophrenic, manic and bipolar and unipolar depression were retrieved from medical records. A total of 783 admissions were recorded. Poisson regression models adjusted for time trends were applied to analyze the impact of temperature on monthly admissions. A summer peak was observed for the bipolar disorder, irrespectively of substance/alcohol use status. Seasonality emerged also for psychotic and schizophrenic patients with a through in winter. An increase of 1 °C in either ambient or apparent temperature was associated with an increase 1–2% in the monthly admissions in most outcomes under investigation. Alcohol and drug abuse did not modify this effect. Although our results indicate effects of temperature on psychiatric admissions, they are not consistent across subgroups populations and need to be replicated by other methodologically superior studies.
•An increase in temperature exacerbated psychiatric diseases hospitalizations.•Alcohol or/and drug abuse did not affect seasonality or temperature effect estimates for psychiatric hospitalizations.•Seasonality was evident in psychotic (especially in voluntary and females), schizophrenic, bipolar and manic admissions.
To measure the prevalence of food insecurity and explore related characteristics and behaviours among people who inject drugs (PWID).
Cross-sectional analysis of a community-based programme for HIV ...infection among PWID (ARISTOTLE programme). Food insecurity was measured by the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Computer-assisted interviews and blood samples were also collected.
A fixed location in Athens Metropolitan Area, Greece, during 2012-2013.
In total, 2834 unique participants with history of injecting drug use in the past 12 months were recruited over four respondent-driven sampling rounds (approximately 1400/round).
More than 50 % of PWID were severely or moderately food insecure across all rounds. PWID were more likely to be severely food insecure if they were older than 40 years adjusted OR (aOR): 1·71, 95 % CI: 1·33-2·19, were women (aOR: 1·49, 95 % CI: 1·17-1·89), from Middle East countries (aOR v. from Greece: 1·80, 95 % CI: 1·04-3·11), had a lower educational level (primary or secondary school v. higher education; aOR: 1·54, 95 % CI: 1·29-1·84), had no current health insurance (aOR: 1·45, 95 % CI: 1·21-1·73), were homeless (aOR: 17·1, 95 % CI: 12·3-23·8) or were living with another drug user (aOR: 1·55, 95 % CI: 1·26-1·91) as compared with those living alone or with family/friends. HIV-infected PWID were more likely to be severely food insecure compared with uninfected (59·0 % v. 51·0 %, respectively, P = 0·002); however, this difference was attributed to the confounding effect of homelessness.
Moderate/severe food insecurity was a significant problem, reaching > 50 % in this sample of PWID and closely related to socio-demographic characteristics and especially homelessness.
Vedolizumab is a mAb used for the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. There is evidence that administration of vedolizumab has been associated with either new ...onset or reactivation of extra-intestinal manifestations, among which arthralgia is the most prominent. We aimed to study the incidence, characteristics and predictors for the occurrence of arthralgias in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who receive vedolizumab.
A retrospective cohort study was implemented in patients with IBD. The occurrence of new-onset and recurrent arthralgias were recorded. Multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models were used to identify factors associated with the endpoints of interest.
A total of 115 vedolizumab-treated IBD patients (male = 50.4%; ulcerative colitis = 70.4%; median follow-up = 12.7 months) participated. New-onset arthralgia occurred in 20.9%, and recurrent in 46.7% (45 patients at risk). Among patients with ulcerative colitis, multivariate Cox's proportional-hazards models showed, that new onset arthralgia was significantly associated with extensive colitis (hazard ratio = 2.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-8.12). Of 15 patients with concomitant treatment of azathioprine, no one manifested new-onset arthralgia (X2P = 0.03; Fisher's exact test P = 0.038). No predictors were identified for recurrent arthralgia.
Arthralgias is a common manifestation of vedolizumab treatment. Patients with extensive ulcerative colitis demonstrate a higher risk for new-onset arthralgia, whereas, concomitant treatment with azathioprine appears to be protective. These associations may be mediated by re-directed lymphocyte trafficking and may support concomitant immunomodulator administration in specific patient subpopulations who commence treatment with vedolizumab.
The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and position of lateral and central incisor root resorption owing to the impaction of maxillary canines by means of cone-beam computed ...tomography and to investigate parameters associated with the respective resorption.
Sixty-one patients presenting with unilateral or bilateral impacted maxillary canines were evaluated in a university clinic in Athens, Greece, using cone-beam computed tomography scan. No patient had undergone any type of orthodontic treatment in the past. Eleven different parameters related to the existence, grade, and localization of resorption were examined. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate potential associations.
In our study, canine impaction caused lateral root resorption in 18.5% of the cases examined. Age was associated with localization of the impacted maxillary left canine in a palatal-buccal direction. More specifically, in younger patients, the impacted left canine was more likely to be located in the middle of the maxillary bone, whereas in older patients, it was more likely to be located in the palatal or buccal side of the bone. Lateral root resorption in the apical or middle third was more common in the younger ages, whereas lateral root resorption in the incisal third more common in the older ages. Lateral root resorption increased as the angle between the longitudinal axis of the impacted canine and the adjacent lateral incisor also increased.
Incidence of lateral root resorption was 18.5% in this study population. In younger patients, the impacted canines appear more often in the middle of the maxillary bone, whereas in older patients, the canines are located more often in the palatal or buccal side of the maxilla.
•Lateral incisor root resorption because of canine impaction was found in 18.5% of cases.•Younger subjects had resorption in the apical or middle third of the lateral's root.•Older subjects had resorption at the incisal third of the lateral incisor root.•The angle between canine and lateral incisor is positively correlated with resorption.
Background and Purpose:
We systematically evaluated the impact of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on stroke care across the world.
Methods:
Observational studies comparing characteristics, ...acute treatment delivery, or hospitalization outcomes between patients with stroke admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic and those admitted before the pandemic were identified by Medline, Scopus, and Embase databases search. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted for all outcomes.
Results:
We identified 46 studies including 129 491 patients. Patients admitted with stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic were found to be younger (mean difference, −1.19 95% CI, −2.05 to −0.32;
I
2
=70%) and more frequently male (odds ratio, 1.11 95% CI, 1.01–1.22;
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2
=54%) compared with patients admitted with stroke in the prepandemic era. Patients admitted with stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic, also, had higher baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores (mean difference, 0.55 95% CI, 0.12–0.98;
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2
=90%), higher probability for large vessel occlusion presence (odds ratio, 1.63 95% CI, 1.07–2.48;
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2
=49%) and higher risk for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.26 95% CI, 1.05–1.52;
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2
=55%). Patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic had higher probability of receiving endovascular thrombectomy treatment (odds ratio, 1.24 95% CI, 1.05–1.47;
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2
=40%). No difference in the rates of intravenous thrombolysis administration or difference in time metrics regarding onset to treatment time for intravenous thrombolysis and onset to groin puncture time for endovascular thrombectomy were detected.
Conclusions:
The present systematic review and meta-analysis indicates an increased prevalence of younger patients, more severe strokes attributed to large vessel occlusion, and higher endovascular treatment rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients admitted with stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic had higher in-hospital mortality. These findings need to be interpreted with caution in view of discrepant reports and heterogeneity being present across studies.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the radiographic images of the main conventional x-ray techniques compared with the information from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
...Twenty patients with unilateral or bilateral impaction of the maxillary canines had radiographic examinations by means of periapical x-rays, occlusal x-rays, panoramic x-rays, and CBCT scans. Three experienced orthodontists examined all x-rays from each patient and evaluated the radiographic images of the impacted canines. The examiners were asked to detect resorption in adjacent teeth and the buccal-palatal position of the impacted canines. Agreement between examiners was statistically tested.
Different diagnoses were produced by the 3 examiners regarding localization of the impacted canines and the presence or absence of root resorption of the adjacent teeth in conventional radiographic images. It appears that whereas panoramic x-ray is more sensitive in detecting resorption and tooth position, occlusal and periapical imaging have higher specificity and positive predictive value. The examiners were in good or excellent agreement when occlusal and periapicals were used for the definite diagnosis of resorption and tooth position. There was no disagreement of the examiners in CBCT images, which were used as the gold standard.
Conventional radiographic methods demonstrated a more subjective diagnostic procedure compared with CBCT images. CBCT is a more accurate and precise examination method compared with conventional radiography for the localization of impacted teeth and root resorption of the adjacent teeth.
•Panoramic x-rays were more sensitive for detecting resorption and tooth position.•Occlusal and periapical images had higher specificity and positive predictive value.•Diagnostic procedures were more subjective for conventional radiographs than CBCT.•For localizing impacted teeth, CBCT images were more accurate and precise.•CBCT images were also more accurate for identifying root resorption of adjacent teeth.
We evaluated the associations of anthropometric indicators of general obesity (body mass index, BMI), an established risk factor of various cancer, and body fat distribution (waist circumference, WC; ...hip circumference, HC; and waist-to-hip ratio, WHR), which may better reflect metabolic complications of obesity, with total obesity-related and site-specific (colorectal and postmenopausal breast) cancer incidence.
This is a meta-analysis of seven prospective cohort studies participating in the CHANCES consortium including 18 668 men and 24 751 women with a mean age of 62 and 63 years, respectively. Harmonised individual participant data from all seven cohorts were analysed separately and alternatively for each anthropometric indicator using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.
After a median follow-up period of 12 years, 1656 first-incident obesity-related cancers (defined as postmenopausal female breast, colorectum, lower oesophagus, cardia stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, endometrium, ovary, and kidney) had occurred in men and women. In the meta-analysis of all studies, associations between indicators of adiposity, per s.d. increment, and risk for all obesity-related cancers combined yielded the following summary hazard ratios: 1.11 (95% CI 1.02-1.21) for BMI, 1.13 (95% CI 1.04-1.23) for WC, 1.09 (95% CI 0.98-1.21) for HC, and 1.15 (95% CI 1.00-1.32) for WHR. Increases in risk for colorectal cancer were 16%, 21%, 15%, and 20%, respectively per s.d. of BMI, WC, HC, and WHR. Effect modification by hormone therapy (HT) use was observed for postmenopausal breast cancer (P
<0.001), where never HT users showed an ∼20% increased risk per s.d. of BMI, WC, and HC compared to ever users.
BMI, WC, HC, and WHR show comparable positive associations with obesity-related cancers combined and with colorectal cancer in older adults. For postmenopausal breast cancer we report evidence for effect modification by HT use.
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