Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Konstantinos Karmaniolas.
A case of spontaneous peritonitis caused by Leminorella grimontii in a 63-year-old man with cirrhosis is reported. To our knowledge, L. grimontii has never been reported as a cause of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The patient responded to antimicrobial therapy. Clinical and therapeutic implications are discussed.
The present study aimed to determine the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 19-9, CA 50 and alpha-fetoprotein (alpha-FP) levels between patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) at diagnosis and controls to clarify their potential clinical significance. A case-control investigation was conducted over a three year period, covering 95 MDS cases and 95 age- and gender-matched controls. Mean serum CEA levels were significantly higher (P = 0.0002) in MDS patients at diagnosis than in hospital controls. Adjusting for age, gender, tobacco consumption, serum CA 19-9, CA 50 and alpha-FP levels, there is statistically significant evidence that serum CEA values are associated with increased risk of MDS (odds ratio = 2.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.56 - 3.49). Six patients with MDS developed malignancies 4-9 months after the diagnosis of myelodysplasia. Serum CEA could be used as marker together with other important diagnostic tools for evaluating an underlying or developing malignancy in patients suffering from MDS.
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Pseudomonas luteola is uncommonly implicated in clinical infections, but it constitutes a significant nosocomial pathogen causing mainly infections associated with foreign material. This report describes an unusual case of a Pseudomonas luteola strain that infected and caused cutaneous abscess and bacteraemia in a previously healthy man.
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We report herein a case of a 20-year-old previously healthy man who presented, 25 days after the onset of clinically and serologically confirmed Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infectious mononucleosis, Fusobacterium necrophorum septicemia. The diagnosis of postanginal septicemia was confirmed by repeated demonstration of fusiform, obligate anaerobic, Gram-negative bacilli in anaerobic blood cultures, identified as F. necrophorum 15 days after admission. This case report aims at underlining the need of taking into consideration the possibility of severe Fusobacterium septicemia in previously healthy patients following EBV infectious mononucleosis in order to prevent increased mortality and morbidity.
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is rarely implicated in clinical infections but it constitutes a significant nosocomial pathogen, especially in immunocompromised patients. This report describes the first case of a generalised infection caused by S. maltophilia that included bacteremia, wound and respiratory tract infection in a patient suffering from burns. Given the emergence of S. maltophilia nosocomial infections, especially in patients with burns, isolation of the bacterium from blood cultures should prompt the commencement of adequate antibiotic treatment.
The aim of the present study was to assess the main determinants of arterial stiffness in Greek and French middle-aged, hypertensive men, by using pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements, which is an established method of quantification of arterial stiffness. The study was performed in 83 consecutive Greek and 79 consecutive French untreated male hypertensive outpatients aged 45-65 years. French subjects were examined in Paris at the "Centre d'Investigations Préventives et Cliniques" (the IPC Center). Greek patients were examined in Athens at the hypertension outpatient clinic in Sotiria Hospital (University of Athens). In both Greek and French hypertensive subjects, aortic stiffness was determined by the same parameters: age, blood pressure and heart rate (HR) explained approximately 40% of the aortic PWV variations, whereas lipids, triglycerides and tobacco smoking were not significant associated with aortic stiffness. After multivariate adjustments, Greek hypertensives had higher aortic stiffness as compared to the French patients by 1.2 m/s (approximately 10%); p < 0.001. Greek hypertensive subjects had also a higher body weight, waist, HR and prevalence of smoking. However, among all these factors only HR had a significant effect on PWV. Also after adjustment for HR, the difference in PWV between the two populations persisted. In conclusion, in two different populations, stiffness seems to be regulated by the same major factors. The higher aortic stiffness found in Greek hypertensives may be explained by the presence of other non-evaluated risk factors and/or patient selection differences.
The case is described of a 36 year-old man who presented with progressive proximal muscle weakness and weight loss. His serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels were markedly elevated. The muscle biopsy showed lipid storage myopathy. The muscle carnitine concentration was extremely low (5.6% of normal levels), establishing the diagnosis of myopathic carnitine deficiency. The disorder was considered as primary because there were no indications of any other identifiable condition which could result in a secondary carnitine deficiency. The patient was treated with oral L-carnitine (2 g per day) and showed rapid improvement. Primary myopathic carnitine deficiency is a curable disorder and therefore it should always be considered as a potential diagnosis in cases of myopathy in young adults.