Biomedical subjects

A Konstantinidis

Publications and source records attributed to A Konstantinidis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Quetiapine in combination with citalopram in patients with unipolar psychotic depression.

This 6-week, open-label, multicenter study evaluated the efficacy and safety of quetiapine in combination with citalopram in adult patients (n=25) with ICD-10/DSM-IV unipolar psychotic depression. The primary endpoint was change from baseline to Week 6 in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-21) score. Secondary endpoints were change from baseline to Week 6 in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale scores. Spontaneously reported adverse events (AEs), the Simpson Angus Scale (SAS), and the Udvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser (UKU) side effects rating scale scores were recorded. Patients' average age was 51.4 years and baseline weight was 72.6 kg. Quetiapine (50-750 mg/day, mean dose+/-SD: 303+/-118 mg/day), in combination with citalopram (20-60 mg/day, mean dose+/-SD: 34+/-12 mg/day), provided significant improvements in depression. Mean (+/- SD) HAM-D-21 was reduced to 13.25+/-10.87 at Week 6 from a baseline value of 31.21+/-5.18. Significant improvement of psychotic symptoms (mean+/-SD) was indicated by the decrease from baseline (59.25+/-6.60) to Week 6 (35.25+/-15.60) in BPRS scores. No serious AEs occurred. The mean change in weight was +2.1 kg. Mean (+/- SD) weight at visit 1 was 72.72 (+/-16.34) kg and mean (SD) weight at visit 4 was 74.79 (+/-18.69) kg. Quetiapine in combination with citalopram appears to be effective and is well tolerated in the treatment of unipolar psychotic depression. Further studies of larger, double-blind, parallel-group design are warranted to confirm these findings.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

No correlation of five gene polymorphisms with periodontal conditions in a Greek population.

BACKGROUND: Various studies have examined possible correlations between a number of cytokine gene polymorphisms and periodontal disease in populations of different origins. The present study sought the correlation between four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (IL1A+3954, IL1B+4845, TNFA-308, COL1A1 Sp1), a variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism (IL1RN intron 2) and periodontal conditions in subjects of Greek origin. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-two healthy subjects, stratified as non-periodontitis and periodontitis (chronic and aggressive) cases, participated in the present study. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-based techniques using the primers and conditions described in the literature. The frequencies of genotypes between study groups were compared using Genepop v3.3 genetic software and Instat statistical package. RESULTS: No differences were observed among the groups concerning the distributions of genotypes under investigation. CONCLUSIONS: Carriage rates of the polymorphisms under investigation in systemically healthy subjects of Greek origin are well within the range reported for Caucasians but these polymorphisms cannot discriminate between non-periodontitis and periodontitis (chronic or aggressive) cases.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of standardized scored inspections for Legionnaires' disease prevention, during the Athens 2004 Olympics.

The study was designed to determine the contribution of standardized scored inspections implemented during the Athens 2004 Pre-Olympic and Olympic period, in assessing the presence of Legionella spp. in water sites. Inspection grading scores of 477 water supply systems, 127 cooling towers and 134 decorative fountains were associated with the corresponding microbiological test results of 2514 samples for Legionella spp. Nine violations of water supply systems and nine of cooling towers significantly associated with positive microbiological test results, and four violations of water supply systems and one of cooling towers were among those designated as 'critical' water safety hazards in the inspection reports. The study documents a strong correlation [water supply systems (RR 1.92), cooling towers (RR 1.94)] between unsatisfactory inspection scoring results and Legionella-positive microbiological test results (in excess of 10,000 c.f.u./l) and suggests the utility of inspection scoring systems in predicting Legionella proliferation of water systems and in preventing Legionnaires' disease.

Air Conditioning↗

PubMed2006

Intravenous mirtazapine is safe and effective in the treatment of depressed inpatients.

Mirtazapine is a third-generation antidepressant with a dual mode of action. The oral administration has been shown to be effective and safe in the treatment of depressed patients. In this multicenter naturalistic study, we assessed the safety, tolerability, and therapeutic efficacy of intravenously administered mirtazapine in 80 moderately to severely depressed inpatients during a treatment period of 14 days. We found a significant decrease of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale total score compared to baseline. Side effects were mild and transient. Our data indicate that intravenous mirtazapine is an effective, safe and well-tolerated treatment for depressed inpatients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Epidemiological study of Q fever in humans, ruminant animals, and ticks in Cyprus using a geographical information system.

A cross-sectional study of Q fever was conducted in a representative sample of the human and animal population in Cyprus in order to assess the seroprevalence of Q fever and the prevalence of related risk factors. A total of 583 human and 974 ruminant animal serum samples were collected and tested for the detection of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii phase II antigen using an indirect immunofluorescent assay. One hundred forty-one ticks were collected from the infested animals examined; the polymerase chain reaction and the shell-vial technique were used to detect and isolate C. burnetii. Standardized questionnaires were used to obtain information concerning inhabitants and their animals. A geographical information system was used to identify high-risk regions. The prevalence of IgG antibodies against C. burnetii phase II antigen was estimated at 52.7% for humans, 48.2% for goats, 18.9% for sheep, and 24% for bovines. C. burnetii was detected in 11 (7.8%) ticks. Using the geographical information system, two villages were identified as high-risk regions on the basis of high seroprevalence rates of IgG antibodies in humans and animals. Risk factors related to Q fever seropositivity were identified by logistic regression analysis and included age, residence, occupation, use of manure in the garden, ownership of animals (especially goats), and the presence of tick-infested or aborting animals. Q fever poses an occupational hazard to humans living in close contact with sheep and/or goats. In parallel, ticks should be considered an important aspect in the epidemiology of Q fever and should be further studied to better elucidate their role.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

No association of clock gene T3111C polymorphism and affective disorders.

CLOCK was hypothesised to be related to susceptibility of affective disorders. To test subsamples of affectively disordered patients, we examined age of onset (AoO), numbers of episodes and melancholic type of clinical manifestation. Using PCR and RFLP, we investigated in patients with unipolar depression and bipolar disorder (BP) whether the CLOCK T3111C SNP is associated with affective disorders (n=102) compared to healthy controls (n=103). No differences were found either in genotype or allele frequency distributions of T3111C polymorphism between patients compared to healthy controls (p>0.2). No deviations from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) were detected either in patients, or healthy controls. Results suggest that there is no association between the T3111C SNP and affective disorders in general. Data of our sample replicate prior findings of Desan et al. [Am. J. Med. Genet. 12 (2000) 418]. Subsamples of patients with high numbers of affective episodes did show some deviations in genotypes (p=0.0585).

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Periodontal conditions and subgingival microflora in Down syndrome patients. A case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: The periodontal conditions and the subgingival microflora of children, adolescents and young adults (8-28 years old) with Down syndrome were investigated in the present cross-sectional study and compared with those of healthy individuals and subjects with cerebral palsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy Down syndrome patients, 121 age-matched healthy individuals and 76 patients with cerebral palsy participated in the present study. Full-mouth recordings of clinical parameters (probing depth, probing attachment level, bleeding on probing, hygiene index) and the community periodontal index of treatment needs were assessed and subgingival plaque samples were taken from the Ramfjord teeth and analysed for 14 species using "checkerboard" DNA-DNA hybridization. RESULTS: Clinical indices of periodontal inflammation and treatment needs were statistically significant higher among Down syndrome patients compared with the other two groups (ANOVA, p=0.000). Important periodontal pathogens colonize these subjects earlier and at higher levels (chi-squared test, p=0.000). DISCUSSION: Down syndrome patients display more severe periodontal destruction earlier, and heavier colonization with periodontal pathogens compared with age-matched healthy individuals and patients with cerebral palsy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

A polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the serotonin transporter promoter gene is associated with DSM-IV depression subtypes in seasonal affective disorder.

Serotonergic mechanisms are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The expression of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) is regulated in part by an insertion/deletion polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene promoter region (5-HTTLPR). The 5-HTTLPR short allele (s) has been associated with anxiety-related personality traits and depression, and one study observed an association between the 5-HTTLPR s-allele and SAD and the trait of seasonality. We genotyped 138 SAD patients and 146 healthy volunteers with low seasonality for 5-HTTLPR. No difference between patients and controls was found for genotype distribution and s-allele frequency. However, genotype distribution and allele frequencies were strongly associated with DSM-IV depression subtypes. Melancholic depression was associated with the 5-HTTLPR long (l) allele and atypical depression with the 5-HTTLPR s-allele (two-sided Fisher's exact test: genotype distribution: P=0.0038; allele frequencies: P=0.007). Our data are compatible with the hypothesis of a disease process that is not causally related to 5-HTTLPR, but involves 5-HT neurotransmission and 5-HTTLPR somewhere on its way to phenotypic disease expression.

Bipolar Disorder↗

PubMed2003

The use of tetracycline fibres in the treatment of generalised aggressive periodontitis: clinical and microbiological findings.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of tetracycline fibres (TCF) as an adjunct to scaling in the treatment of generalised aggressive periodontitis and to compare the effects with mechanical treatment only. Ten patients, 24-39 years old referred for treatment to the Department of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Implant Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki took part in the study. A split-mouth experimental design was used. Measurements referring to bleeding on probing (BOP), pocket depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were performed at 12 sites randomly selected. Clinical recordings were made at baseline, 2 and 6 months, after treatment. Subgingival plaque samples were taken for microbiological analysis using the 'checkerboard' DNA-DNA hybridisation technique at baseline, immediately after treatment and at 2 and 6 months. Full-mouth scaling and root planing were performed, with the exception of 2 pre-selected sites, which served as controls. Tetracycline fibres were applied in 5 pockets located in the same half mouth. Analysis of clinical findings showed that mechanical instrumentation in combination with TCF application led to a greater improvement in clinical parameters than scaling and root planing only. Microbial analysis showed a statistically significant greater reduction in the percentages of detection for B. forsythus, P. nigrescens and A. naeslundii genospecies II in pockets where tetracycline fibres were applied. In conclusion, the clinical and microbiological data of the present study suggest that the adjunctive use of TCF improves the clinical response of scaling and root planing in aggressive periodontitis patients.

Actinomyces↗

PubMed2002

[Seasonal affective depression in 2 German speaking university centers: Bonn, Vienna. Clinical and demographic characteristics].

Six hundred ten patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) were diagnosed and treated at the university hospitals for psychiatry in Bonn, Germany (1989-1992) and Vienna, Austria (1993-2001). The aim of this study was to compare our sample with other SAD populations in the literature and to investigate differences between the two study locations. We found female:male sex ratios of 5.0:1.0 in unipolar depressives and 1.5:1.0 in patients with bipolar affective disorder. Of our patients, 21.7% suffered from bipolar II disorder, and 1.3% were diagnosed as having bipolar I. Our patients obtained a mean global seasonality score (GSS) of 15.4. Women had a higher GSS than men (t = 2.127, P = 0.035), and Viennese patients had higher scores than patients in Bonn (t = 3.104, P = 0.002). Totals of 66.3% of all patients suffered from atypical depression and 17.8% from melancholic depression. Patients with atypical depression were more frequent in Vienna, whereas patients with melancholic depression predominated in Bonn (chi 2 = 54.952, df = 2, P < 0.001). The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients described in this article confirm the findings of other epidemiological investigations obtained in non-German-speaking samples.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Changes of clinical pattern in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) over time in a German-speaking sample.

OBJECTIVE: The goals of this study are to provide estimates of clinical and demographic variables of patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in Germany and Austria, to compare our results with those of previously published SAD studies, and to find out whether the clinical pattern of SAD remained stable over several years. METHOD: We investigated 610 SAD patients from the outpatient clinics in Bonn (n = 190) and Vienna (n = 420). Patients in Bonn were recruited in the fall-winter season of the years 1989-1992, those in Vienna in the years 1993-2001. RESULTS: We observed a change in the clinical pattern in our patients: patients from Bonn, who were diagnosed and treated about 5 years earlier, were more likely to suffer from melancholic depression, whereas Viennese patients rather suffered from atypical depression (chi(2) = 54.952, df = 2, p < 0.001). The symptoms of hypersomnia, daytime fatigue, increased eating and carbohydrate-craving were more frequent in the Viennese sample, anxiety and deterioration of patients' capacity to perform at work predominated in Bonn. In addition, patients from Vienna obtained a higher GSS (global seasonality score, measured by the SPAQ - Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire) than those from Bonn (15.7 +/- 3.3 and 14.6 +/- 4.1 respectively; t = 3.104, p = 0.002). Taken together, our results were in good accordance to other published SAD materials, but we were able to demonstrate that our patients reported "feeling worst" (measured by item 13H of the SPAQ) in November and December, whereas SAD patients in the USA clearly had their worst months in January and February. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that an increase in awareness of fall-winter depression in the last decade by both doctors, who referred patients, as well as patients or the entire population must have caused patients to sign up for light therapy at the Viennese SAD clinic because of having heard about the atypical symptom profile. This increased awareness of SAD can also be measured by a statistically significant reduction in the diagnostic latency (from the age of onset to the diagnosis of SAD) when comparing the two study locations.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Intravenous mirtazapine in the treatment of depressed inpatients.

Mirtazapine is a novel antidepressant with a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic mode of action. So far, mirtazapine has been administered orally. This naturalistic study evaluates the antidepressant efficacy, safety, and tolerability of mirtazapine 15 mg/day administered intravenously to 27 inpatients with moderate to severe major depression. Compared with baseline, we found a significant decrease of the Hamilton Depressive Rating Scale (HDRS) total score (P<0.001). Side effects were mild and transient. Altogether, the results of this preliminary study show that intravenous mirtazapine is an effective, safe and well tolerated treatment for depressed inpatients.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

PubMed2001

Dopamine transporter availability in symptomatic depressed patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND: During recent years hypotheses about the pathophysiology of seasonal affective disorder/winter type (SAD) have focused monoaminergic mechanisms. There is substantial evidence that serotonergic systems play an important role. The potential role of catecholaminergic pathways has not been fully explored. METHODS: Eleven drug-free, symptomatic depressed patients with SAD and 11 healthy age- and gender-matched healthy controls were invited to participate in a 123Ibeta-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) study to assess striatal density of dopamine transporters (DATs). The cerebellum was used as reference region. Ratios were calculated between mean counts in left and right striatum and cerebellum. These ratios minus I represent specific/non-displaceable binding and are assumed to be directly related to DAT availability at the time of binding equilibrium. RESULTS: Displaceable 153Ibeta-CIT binding in the area corresponding to the left striatum was significantly reduced in SAD patients compared to healthy controls (10.49+/-0.91 v. 1195+/-1.54, respectively; 2-tailed P = 0.017, Mann-Whitney U test). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest reductions in the availability of striatal DAT binding sites in untreated symptomatic depressed SAD patients. It remains unclear whether these reductions represent a primary defect or an attempt to overcome a state of possible lowered dopamine availability in the synaptic cleft during a depressive episode of SAD. However, these findings provide evidence that brain dopaminergic systems may be involved in the pathophysiology of SAD.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Monoaminergic function in the pathogenesis of seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder/winter type (SAD) is characterized by recurrent depressive episodes during autumn and winter alternating with non-depressive episodes during spring and summer. Light therapy with full-spectrum, bright white light has been shown to be effective for this condition. Several hypotheses have been discussed in the literature about the pathogenesis of SAD. The most prominent includes disturbances in central monoaminergic transmission. Evidence can be inferred from studies showing a seasonal rhythm of central and peripheral serotonergic functioning which may be a predisposing factor for SAD. Some of the symptoms of SAD are believed to represent an attempt to overcome a putative deficit in brain serotonergic transmission. Moreover, 5-HT receptor challenge studies suggest altered activity at or downstream to central 5-HT receptors. Monoamine depletion studies support hypotheses about serotonergic and catecholaminergic dysfunctions in SAD and suggest that light therapy may well compensate for this underlying deficit. Further, albeit indirect, support for the importance of monoaminergic mechanisms in SAD and its involvement in the mechanism of the action of light therapy comes from studies showing antidepressant efficacy of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants in the treatment of SAD. Altogether, disturbances in brain monoaminergic transmission seem to play a key role in the pathogenesis of SAD; monoaminergic systems may also play an important role in the mechanisms of the action of light therapy.

Biogenic Monoamines↗

PubMed2001

Supragingival and subgingival microbiota of adult patients with Down's syndrome. Changes after periodontal treatment.

In this longitudinal study, five adult Down's syndrome patients with periodontitis were placed on a frequent recall visit schedule (every 6 weeks) after treatment, in order to investigate: 1) the microbiological status, both supragingivally and subgingivally, and the changes that occurred after treatment and 2) the effect of frequent professional supragingival plaque control on the subgingival microbiota and clinical variables in these patients. The clinical variables recorded were probing pocket depth, probing attachment level, bleeding on probing and presence of plaque (full mouth, six surfaces per tooth). Microbiological examination was performed separately for supragingival and subgingival samples from the same site for 14 species, using whole genomic DNA probes and the "checkerboard" DNA-DNA hybridization technique. The findings indicate that, although a reduction of periodontal indices was noticed, plaque levels remained high (60%) even at the end of the experimental period. Periodontal pathogens including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Bacteroides forsythus and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were frequently detected both supragingivally and subgingivally (>30%). The presence of a species supragingivally and the presence at the same time points subgingivally were correlated. This finding suggested that supragingival plaque acts as a reservoir for reinfection of treated sites. A reduction of the percentages of detection of these species was noticed 1 month after an oral hygiene period as well as at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Inadequate oral hygiene as performed by these patients probably affected supragingival, and consequently subgingival, plaque composition.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Aspartate aminotransferase levels in gingival crevicular fluid before and after initial periodontal treatment.

The present study investigates the presence of the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of untreated periodontal patients and determines the alterations in enzyme activity after the initial phase of periodontal treatment. From 12 patients suffering from advanced periodontitis, 54 pockets exhibiting severe attachment loss and depth > 4 mm were selected. Measurements of pocket depth (PD), attachment level (AL) and bleeding upon probing (BOP) were undertaken. For the GCF collection, sterile strips were gently placed at the previously isolated gingival crevice for 30 seconds and afterwards the GCF volume was determined with a Periotron 6000. The AST measurements were based on the establishment absorbency coefficient of NADH. The rate of decrease in the concentration of NADH is directly proportional to the AST activity in the sample. Four weeks after completion of the initial treatment, the patients were re-examined and the same clinical and laboratory measurements were performed. The parameters obtained were statistically analysed. The clinical parameters showed a statistically significant improvement, while the laboratory data expressed a statistically significant decrease of GCF volume as expected. Further, the sites were divided in two groups--pathological (pi) and physiological (phi)--according to Persson and Page (1991). After treatment a marked improvement concerning these values was noticed and it was noteworthy that these alterations occured regardless of initial AST presence.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Concentration of 3 tetracyclines in plasma, gingival crevice fluid and saliva.

BACKGROUND: Systemically-administered tetracyclines have been used widely for treatment of periodontal diseases with little understanding of their delivery characteristics to periodontal tissues. This study was designed to measure concentrations of 3 tetracyclines in gingival crevice fluid (GCF), plasma and saliva of following systemic administration. METHOD: The concentration of tetracycline (TC), minocycline (MN) and doxycycline (DX) was measured in gingival crevice fluid (GCF), plasma and saliva of 20 subjects following single sequential standard oral systemic doses. Gingival crevice fluid concentration was measured at 4 sites (2 shallow and 2 deep) before administration, and at 1 h and 2 h following administration. Plasma and saliva concentrations were measured from in samples at the same time points. No antibacterial activity was detected before administration. The highest concentrations were measured 2 h after administration. RESULTS: The average concentrations at 2 h were highest in plasma (TC = 1.02, MN=2.18, DX=2.35 microg/ml). Intermediate concentrations were measured in GCF (TC=0.61, MN= 1.49, DX= 1.65 microg/ml). Saliva concentrations (TC=0.09 MN=0.31, DX=0.47 microg/ml) were the lowest of the 3 fluids monitored. Data are presented indicating that the average GCF concentration of systemically administered tetracyclines is less than the that of plasma concentration. The concentration of tetracyclines in GCF was strongly associated with plasma concentration, indicating a primary role of drug absorption in the delivery of these systemically administered antibiotics to the site of action in periodontal therapy. The average GCF concentration in individuals varied widely (between 0 and 8 microg/ml) with approximately 50% of samples not achieving levels of 1 microg/ml. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that poor absorption of orally-administered tetracyclines in many individuals may account for much of the variability in clinical response to antibiotics observed in practice.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2000

Chronic renal failure and periodontal disease.

In order to define the effects of chronic renal failure (CRF) in the progress of gingival inflammation, we studied 6 patients (4 male, 2 female) with CRF who were on chronic hemodialysis for 4.25 (range 1-15) years. Six healthy individuals, age and sex matched were used as controls. The protocol which we used comprised of two periods (a) a 40-day duration period of preparation and (b) a 28-day duration experimental period. During the (a) period, all subjects went through: (1) therapy of the chronic gingivitis and (2) complete control of dental plaque by oral hygiene. During the experimental period, all subjects were advised to avoid, for at least 21 days, any mechanical or chemical media of oral hygiene and went through photographing, recording of gingival index (GI), recording of plaque index (PII), and the collection and quantification of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). On the 21st day, root planning and polishing were performed and subjects were advised to carry out oral hygiene. On the 28th day, all previous examinations (GI, PII, GCF) were repeated. In both patients and controls, GI, PII and GCF were increased on 7th, 14th and 21st day, without significant differences between the groups and returned to normal (close to zero point) on the 28th day. There are no significant differences between patients with CRF and normal controls in the evolution of experimental gingivitis. Therefore, chronic uremia has no effect on the defense of periodontal tissue against microbial plaque.

Adult↗