Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Papanikolaou

Publications and source records attributed to M Papanikolaou.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Body composition changes in protease inhibitor-naive HIV-infected patients treated with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

OBJECTIVES: In the era of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART), there are insufficient data regarding lipodystrophy syndromes in HIV-1-infected patients treated with regimens that do not include protease inhibitors (PIs). We studied changes in body composition in HIV-1-infected patients before and 2 years after starting a non-PI-containing antiretroviral treatment regimen. METHODS: We studied retrospectively the whole body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans of 23 PI-naive HIV-1-infected patients (17 males, six females), aged 37.4 +/- 9.3 years with mean CD4 count 401 +/- 130 cells/microL. Thirteen patients were on zidovudine (ZDV) + lamivudine (3TC) and 10 on ZDV + didanosine (ddI). Subjects were evaluated before the beginning of antiretroviral treatment and approximately 24 months later. For each patient body weight, CD4 T-cell counts, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD) and whole body as well as regional fat and lean body mass were evaluated. RESULTS: A significant decrease in BMC was observed, although the T scores remained within the normal limits. Our patients also exhibited a significant decrease in body weight due almost exclusively to fat loss, while lean mass was minimally affected. Fat loss was statistically significant in the arms and legs, but not in the trunk. The above changes were most prominent in the ZDV + 3TC treatment group; in this group of patients, fat loss was also evident in the trunk. Patients on ZDV + ddI, on the other hand, only showed a significant increase in their legs' lean mass; they preserved their total fat mass and exhibited no other significant changes between the two assessments. CONCLUSIONS: Dual NRTI therapy contributes to fat loss and reduction of bone mineral content in otherwise healthy, clinically stable, PI-naive HIV-infected adults. Compared with patients on ZDV + ddI, patients on ZDV + 3TC had a more prominent fat loss in all body regions.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Bacterial sepsis-induced rhabdomyolysis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the syndrome of rhabdomyolysis during bacterial sepsis with regard to incidence, blood bacteriology and complications and to examine the association between hyperosmolal state and rhabdomyolysis, evaluating the relationship between plasma osmolality (Posm) and serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels. DESIGN: Prospective study including all patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for sepsis with positive blood culture and rhabdomyolysis over a 3-year period. SETTING: Seven-bed medical/surgical ICU of a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: 35 patients (group 1) with bacterial sepsis-induced rhabdomyolysis (15 males, 20 females; mean age 71+/-13 years) and 122 (group 2) bacteraemic septic patients without rhabdomyolysis (49 males, 73 females; mean age 68+/-15) were studied. Patients with rhabdomyolysis were divided into gram(+) and gram(-) subgroups according to the blood culture growth. RESULTS: From 491 patients recorded, 35 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for bacterial sepsis-induced rhabdomyolysis (7.1%). Gram-positive bacteria predominated in group 1 (69%), while gram-negative predominated (60%) in group 2. There was a correlation between CPK and Posm levels in the rhabdomyolysis Group (r = 0.52, R2 = 0.27, p = 0.003). There was a stronger correlation between these two variables (r = 0.67, R2 = 0.45, p = 0.001) in the gram(+).subgroup. Acute renal failure (68.5%) and electrolyte disorders such as hyperkalaemia (34%) and hypocalcaemia (48.5%) were the major complications in the rhabdomyolysis group. Sixteen (45.7%) patients in group 1 and 49 (40%) in group 2 died during their stay in the ICU from sepsis and multiple organ failure. Rhabdomyolysis was not considered a contributing factor to their death, as none of our patients died during or immediately after the syndrome. CONCLUSION: Bacterial sepsis-induced rhabdomyolysis results from certain types of microorganisms, mainly gram-positive and to a lesser extent gram-negative. Hyperosmolality is a predisposing mechanism for rhabdomyolysis during bacteraemic sepsis from any type of bacterial microorganism.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Influence of psychological and clinical factors on postoperative pain and narcotic consumption.

Demographic, psychological and clinical factors influencing postoperative pain and narcotic analgesic requirements in 162 patients undergoing elective operations under general anesthesia were studied. Eysencks Personality Questionnaire, Foulds Hostility Questionnaire, Zung's Anxiety-Depression (self-rating) Scales and the 43 Item Life Events Inventory by Holmes and Rahe were used. Clinical correlates such as surgical department, outcome of the operation, patient's knowledge of the diagnosis, were studied. Using multiple regression analysis the following results were obtained: postoperative pain levels increase with higher score of extroverted hostility (p = 0.038), abdominal surgery (p = 0.004), longer stay at hospital postoperatively (p = 0.15) and higher educational status (p = 0.13). Postoperative narcotic requirements increase with increased postoperative pain levels (p = 0.039) and preoccupation with pain postoperatively (p = 0.025), preoperative analgesic drug use (p = 0.017), abdominal surgery (p = 0.009) and longer stay at hospital preoperatively (p = 0.016). Also the department in which the patients were hospitalized influenced narcotic consumption.

Abdomen↗