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Biomedical subjects

I B Fezoulidis

Publications and source records attributed to I B Fezoulidis.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Increased soluble E-selectin levels in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease.

AIM: Abnormal endothelial function is well known in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and thought to induce macroangiopathy. Increased levels of adhesion molecules have been found in type 2 diabetic patients and it has been suggested that they play an important role in the initiation of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between objectively proven peripheral arterial disease (pAVD) and serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Levels of soluble E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were evaluated in 18 type 2 diabetic patients with pAVD assessed by Doppler ultrasound, in 19 type 2 diabetic patients and 22 non-diabetic subjects without pAVD. RESULTS: Soluble E-selectin levels were significantly increased in pAVD-diabetic patients compared to diabetics and non-diabetics without pAVD (78.7+/-29 vs 49.7+/-20.4 and 36+/-17 ng/ml respectively, p<0.001), while sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels were comparable between the groups. No significant correlation was found between pAVD and adhesion molecule levels. Peripheral AVD was correlated with smoking (p=0.024), duration of diabetes (p=0.048) and microalbuminuria (p=0.041). Regression analysis revealed that only smoking (R=0.536, p=0.012) and glycosylated hemoglobin (R=0.435, p=0.036) were independent factors related to pAVD. Soluble ICAM-1 levels were significantly higher (p=0.041) in diabetic smokers with pAVD and sVCAM-1 (p=0.011) in patients with longer duration of diabetes. CONCLUSION: Type 2 diabetic patients with pAVD showed increased serum sE-selectin levels. No significant relationship was found between the presence or extent of pAVD and measured adhesion molecules. Our results suggest that sE-selectin reflects endothelial activation and is possibly involved in the atherogenesis process with the contribution of other factors that characterize the metabolic syndrome of diabetes.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗
PubMed2003

Paraplegia-related alterations of bone density in forearm and hip in Greek patients after spinal cord injury.

PURPOSE: Paraplegia due to spinal cord injury is related with sublesional bone demineralization with an increased incidence of pathologic fractures in lower extremities. This study was carried out in order to evaluate bone density alterations in forearm and hip in Greek paraplegic patients after spinal cord injury and to correlate the findings with the level of injury, the neurological status, the time interval from injury and the performing of physiotherapy and therapeutic standing. METHOD: Fifty-seven paraplegic patients (33 men and 24 women, with injuries sustained from 6 months to 27 years) and 36 able-bodied age-matched controls (25 men, 16 women) participated in the study. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in the proximal and distal forearm, the femoral neck, the greater trochanter and Ward's triangle. RESULTS: The measurements revealed a significant reduction of BMD of femoral neck (p<0.001 in male, p<0.001 in female paraplegics), greater trochanter (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively) and Ward's triangle (p=0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). Proximal forearm depicted non-significantly decreased BMD values and distal forearm depicted a slight increase in BMD values. The degree of demineralization was independent of factors such as complete or incomplete spinal cord injury, level of the lesion, physiotherapy and performing of standing. In addition to that, BMD values in both hip and forearm showed no statistically significant correlation with time after injury. CONCLUSIONS: BMD measurements in Greek paraplegic patients reveal bone loss, which most dramatically occurs in the region of hip with a consequent increase of fracture risk. Forearm measurements depict a non-homogeneous response with limited proximal bone loss and slight distal increase of BMD, the latter being possibly attributed to daily activities.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Correlation of leucocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate with the day of illness in presumed bacterial pneumonia of childhood.

We investigated the effect of the duration of illness on the white blood cell (WBC) and total neutrophil counts and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in untreated children with clinical and roentgenographic findings compatible with bacterial pneumonia. According to the duration of illness before admission, the patients were divided into: Group I, 48 patients ill for < 24 h; Group II, 39 patients ill for 24-48 h; Group III, 21 patients ill for 48-72 h; and Group IV, eight patients ill for 72-96 h. In children with presumably bacterial pneumonia the number of the WBC was greater during the first 2 days of illness. Thereafter, the leucocyte count declined, reaching the lowest levels on the fourth day. A similar course was followed by the absolute number of total neutrophils. During the second day of illness, 92% and 72% of the patients had leucocyte counts > 10,000 and > 15,000/mm3, respectively, whereas on the fourth day of illness only half of the patients had > 10,000 and one-quarter > 15,000 WBC/mm3. The ESR followed an opposite course to that of the WBC. During the first day of illness it was normal or mildly elevated, increasing steadily thereafter. The validity of the WBC and total neutrophil counts in conjunction with the ESR in the evaluation of bacterial pneumonia is augmented when the day of illness is taken into consideration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Electrocardiographic changes in elderly patients during small bowel enema.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Enteroclysis (small-bowel enema) involves the introduction of a large amount of fluid into the small bowel, through a tube, producing small bowel distention. A study was done to determine the incidence of any electrocardiographic changes during enteroclysis with Holter monitoring. METHODS: Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring and 12-lead electrocardiograms were performed in 30 elderly patients undergoing enteroclysis and in 30 control subjects undergoing routine chest, bone, and upper gastrointestinal small bowel follow-up studies. Two channel qualitative and quantitative electrocardiographic analysis was performed by a computerized nontriggered template system. Arrhythmias, change in cardiac axis, conduction defects, pauses, ST segment changes, and ectopics were sought. RESULTS: Increased sympathetic tone resulting in increased heart rate and transient atrial and ventricular ectopics was frequent during enteroclysis compared with the control group. In one patient ventricular tachycardia developed, and two patients had diminished heart rate, but this was attributed to preexisting heart disease and concurrent medication. CONCLUSION: Transient, nonhazardous cardiac arrhythmias are encountered during enteroclysis in elderly patients. These arrhythmias may be attributed to the preexisting heart disease, fear, and anxiety during intubation, or increased sympathetic tone from the enteric loop distention.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

A modified per os double contrast examination of the colon in the elderly.

A modified per os double contrast examination of the colon was used in 62 elderly patients in whom conventional barium enema had been unsuccessful. We created endogenous gas generation instead of air insufflation by per os administration of a special mixture containing barium sulfate, lactulose and gastrografin. Good quality double contrast images of the colon were obtained after 12 hours in 59 of the 62 patients. The sensitivity of the method was 100% in 6 patients suffering from carcinoma and in 15 patients suffering from diverticular disease. However, the method failed to demonstrate small solitary polyps in 5 patients and it was also negative in another 27 patients. 7 of these had negative endoscopy and in the remaining a definite diagnosis was not established by any other method. It seems that this method may become an alternative for investigation of suspected colonic pathology in the elderly patients with difficulty in retaining the barium enema.

Administration, Oral↗