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Athanasios J Archimandritis

Publications and source records attributed to Athanasios J Archimandritis.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Campylobacter fetus bacteraemia in a healthy individual: clinical and therapeutical implications.

Campylobacter species are well-recognized common causes of gastrointestinal infections. While Campylobacter jejuni is probably the most common Campylobacter isolated in humans, Campylobacter fetus is rather infrequent and mostly related with bacteraemia. Even on such occasions, it seems that immunocompetent individuals are spared. We report a case of C. fetus bacteraemia in a healthy-except for impaired fasting glucose (IFG) levels-farmer, presenting as an acute febrile syndrome and treated successfully as brucellosis.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
PubMed2005

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma-associated arthritis: case report and literature review.

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with systemic manifestations, including fever, lymphadenopathy, rash, and rarely arthritis. We report the case of a patient who presented with symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis and skin nodules resembling rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patient responded initially to low-dose prednisolone, but 12 months later, he developed typical features of AITL. The characteristics of AITL-associated arthritis from 16 additional cases from the English literature are also reviewed. AITL-associated arthritis is an uncommon manifestation of angioimmunoblastic lymphoma that can mimic RA, especially when the typical systemic features of lymphoma are absent. This type of arthritis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with an inflammatory polyarthritis.

Arthritis↗
PubMed2005

Increasing frequency of Gram-positive bacteria in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

AIM: To evaluate the characteristics and possible recent changes of the microbial causes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 42 cirrhotic patients with positive ascitic fluid culture and without evidence of secondary peritonitis who were admitted consecutively to our Department between 1998 and 2002. RESULTS: Twenty (48%) of 42 patients with positive ascitic fluid culture were diagnosed during 1998-1999 (period A) and the remaining 22 (52%) patients during 2000-2002 (period B). Gram-negative bacteria were the cause of SBP in 15 (75%) of the 20 patients during period A and in only nine (41%) of the 22 patients during period B (P=0.026). SBP patients with Gram-positive bacteria compared with those with Gram-negative bacteria were less frequently in Child class C (P=0.058) and had significantly higher ascitic fluid protein (P=0.014) and albumin concentrations (P=0.009) and lower ascitic fluid neutrophil count (P=0.008). Resistance to quinolones was detected significantly more frequently in the isolated Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Culture-positive SBP in cirrhotic patients are caused more frequently by Gram-positive bacteria during the recent years, which are, in their vast majority, resistant to quinolones.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Effects of rabeprazole on early symptom relief in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: the Hellenic Rabeprazole Study Group surveillance study.

BACKGROUND: In controlled clinical trials, rabeprazole effectively improves symptoms and heals oesophageal erosions in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). AIM: To examine symptom relief during week 1 of rabeprazole therapy, in addition to GORD healing, in a clinical practice setting. METHODS: In this 8-week, prospective, multicentre, postauthorisation surveillance study conducted in Greece, patients with GORD (intent-to-treat: efficacy, 272; safety, 273) were treated with rabeprazole 20 mg once daily. The primary efficacy end point was the change from baseline in GORD symptom severity on day 1, 2, 3 and 7 using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = no symptoms; 5 = severe symptoms). Oesophageal healing was also evaluated by comparing the results of endoscopic findings at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: On day 1 of treatment, rabeprazole relieved GORD symptoms across all grades of oesophagitis, with statistically significant (p = 0.0001) improvement in heartburn, regurgitation, epigastric pain and dysphagia. Oesophageal healing was achieved in 77% of patients at week 4 and in 90% at week 8 and treatment was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: In a clinical practice setting, rabeprazole provided rapid relief of GORD symptoms, confirming results seen in controlled clinical trials.

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗
PubMed2005

Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis with thoracic spine involvement in an adult.

It is controversial whether poststreptococcal reactive arthritis (PSReA) is an entity separate from acute rheumatic fever (ARF) or is a forme fruste of ARF. Although there are many case series of PSReA in children, this entity is not common in adults. We describe an adult patient with polyarthritis and thoracic spine involvement attributed to PSReA.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2003

Gross chylous ascites in cirrhosis with massive portal vein thrombosis: diagnostic value of lymphoscintigraphy. A case report and review of the literature.

Chylous ascites is an uncommon condition, which could be due to various causes. We report a case of gross chylous ascites in a patient with cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis. It is confirmed that gross chylous ascites in a patient with cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis heralds an ominous prognosis for the patient. Results also demonstrate that common therapeutic interventions confer minimal benefit to the patient, whose survival may be limited to a few months. The use of lymphoscintigraphy as a convenient method for diagnostic exploration of the chylous ascites is emphasized, as it does not lead to complications or adverse effects, and can be readily repeated as needed.

Chylous Ascites↗
PubMed2003

Alterations in the proliferating compartment of gastric mucosa during Helicobacter pylori infection: the putative role of epithelial cells expressing p27(kip1).

The proliferating zone contains stem cells that give rise to all epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa. In the present study, we investigated the turnover of gastric epithelial cells in the proliferating zone of Helicobacter pylori-infected mucosa, with or without intestinal metaplasia, before and after eradication of the microorganism. In addition, we studied the topographical distribution of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1), which plays a critical role in cell cycle progression and differentiation programs. Twenty-eight patients (22 male), aged 32-78 years and with dyspeptic symptoms, were endoscoped, and gastric biopsies were obtained from antrum and corpus for histopathological examination and the Campylobacter-like organisms test; eradication therapy was given to infected patients, and all patients were re-endoscoped after 105 +/- 33 days (mean +/- SD). The kinetics of gastric epithelial cells and p27(Kip1) status was assessed by means of immunohistochemistry and TUNEL (Tdt-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling) assay. Twenty-one (21) of 28 patients were H. pylori positive, and 7 were found H. pylori negative and served as controls. In antrum, intestinal metaplasia was detected in 7/21 (33.3%). In H. pylori gastritis, Ki67 expression was found increased in the proliferating zone, compared with normal (P =.03); analogous results were obtained with the other proliferation markers, namely retinoblastoma protein and topoisomerase IIalpha. An inverse relationship between proliferation index and atrophy was disclosed (P =.02). A reduction in the proliferation index was observed after eradication, albeit not significant. Apoptotic epithelial cells were found significantly increased (P <.01) in H. pylori gastritis, and a significant reduction was observed after eradication (P <.01). In addition, apoptotic index was found to correlate with H. pylori density. The topographical study of p27(Kip1) revealed a p27(kip1)-positive epithelial cell population that resided deep in the proliferating zone; these cells were considered to be stem cells and were found significantly increased in areas with intestinal metaplasia (P <.05); in H. pylori gastritis, there was also an increase that did not reach statistical significance. H. pylori infection induces apoptosis and increases proliferation in the proliferating zone. The increased cellular turnover, together with the increased number of putative p27(Kip1)-positive stem cells in the context of intestinal metaplasia, provides further evidence for the role of H. pylori infection in gastric carcinogenesis.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Inflammatory bowel disease in Greece-- a hospital-based clinical study of 172 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a milder course in Greece than in other Western countries. The purpose of our study was to assess the clinical picture of IBD in a hospital-based sample of IBD patients, followed from January 1986 to May 2001. MATERIAL/METHODS: Retrospective study of 172 patients: 130 with UC followed up for 1-360 months (mean 66+/-57 months) and 42 with CD for 1-240 months (mean: 51.85+/-63.68 months). RESULTS: 63 UC patients (48%) required hospitalization, 30 (23%) on the first attack; 72 (55%) had left sided colitis and 23 (18%) pancolitis; in 6 cases, (5%), surgical intervention was indicated at onset, 4 (3%) were operated. During FU, 15 patients (11.5%) were operated, 4 (3%) as medical emergencies, 3 (2%) due to colon cancer, the others for intractable colitis or long-standing disease; 5 patients (4%) developed toxic dilation of the colon, 3 (2%) developed colon cancer and 4 (4%) extraintestinal malignancies. 7 patients (5%) died; 2 (1.5%) due to the disease and the remainder for other causes. 19 CD patients (45%) had ileocolitis and 14 (33%) colitis; 22 (52%) needed hospitalization on the first attack. In 12 patients (29%) surgical intervention was required on initial onset or during FU. One patient developed colon cancer (2%). Two men died (5%) from myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: IBD does not have a milder course in Greece than in other European populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A case of liver sarcoidosis mimicking cirrhosis.

Although autopsy series report liver granulomas in up to 70% of patients, computed tomography detection of hepatic and splenic lesions is described in 5% and 15% of sarcoidosis cases, respectively. A rather rare case of liver sarcoidosis mimicking macronodular cirrhosis is presented by this current article. Imaging findings in our patient were in compliance with the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis, although liver biopsy findings eventually revealed sarcoid granulomas located in the portal and lobular areas without fibrotic lesions. Histological and imaging modalities in liver sarcoidosis are discussed.

Contrast Media↗