Cushing's syndrome in pregnancy: a review of reported cases

Cushing’s syndrome (CS) causes hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anovulatory infertility due to hypercortisolism, and it is very rare in pregnancy. CS in pregnancy is associated with important maternal-foetal morbidity and mortality, such as preeclampsia and premature delivery. A systematic search was conducted in the MEDLINE library to retrieve articles reporting cases of CS in pregnant women, during the period between 2010 and 2020.Thirty-five reported cases are presented focusing on the ability of diagnosis, treatment therapies, and foetal outcomes. Diagnosis of CS during pregnancy can be challenging and is often delayed, adrenal adenoma being the predominant cause. Both medical treatment and surgery aiming at restoring the cortisol balance reduce maternal and foetal complications

Cushing's syndrome in pregnancy: a review of reported cases

Cushing's syndrome (CS) causes hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anovulatory infertility due to hypercortisolism, and it is very rare in pregnancy. CS in pregnancy is associated with important maternal-foetal morbidity and mortality, such as preeclampsia and premature delivery. A systematic search was conducted in the MEDLINE library to retrieve articles reporting cases of CS in pregnant women, during the period between 2010 and 2020. Thirty-five reported cases are presented focusing on the ability of diagnosis, treatment therapies, and foetal outcomes. Diagnosis of CS during pregnancy can be challenging and is often delayed, adrenal adenoma being the predominant cause. Both medical treatment and surgery aiming at restoring the cortisol balance reduce maternal and foetal complications

Concomitant Existence of Bilateral Adrenal Adenomas. To Operate or Not?

Nowadays, through the wide use of both magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, the diagnosis of adrenal incidentaloma is becoming increasingly frequent. Pheochromocytomas are neuroendocrine tumors which produce catecholamine, and they are characterized by headaches, palpitations, sweating and hypertension. Aldosterone-secreting adrenal cortical adenomas can cause various metabolic and cardiovascular diseases due to aldosterone excess. Our aim is to present a rare case of a concomitant existence of pheochromocytoma in the right adrenal and a functioning adrenal cortical adenoma in the left, worthwhile mentioning since the appearance of these two entities in different location in the same patient is unprecedented. The treatment remains challenging

Government Debt Crisis and the Impact on National Health Systems: A Retrospective Study and Policy Recommendations to Greece

This article aims to explore the impact of the government debt crisis on the national health system (NHS) using a representative sample of respondents in Greek hospitals and provides certain suggestions regarding health policies that could be implemented at the national or local level. This study was conducted at the Evangelismos & Eye Polyclinic of Athens General Hospital in Athens, Greece. The study period was January and February of 2016, and the study included 600 outpatients who frequently submitted to follow-ups and consented to participate. Based on the results of this study, the participants had an average health status, while 94.2% of them had medical insurance. The predominant reason (88%) for choosing public hospitals instead of private practices was insufficient income. Further investigation revealed a significant positive correlation between the participant’s age and the number of hospital visits, the number of medical tests performed, and their satisfaction from the health services provided. Finally, a probit-model was used in order to study factors that could potentially influence their level of satisfaction from the services they used

Clinical Significance of the Histone Deacetylase 2 (HDAC-2) Expression in Human Breast Cancer

Background/Aim: There is a strong association between malignancy and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) are now being tested as antitumor agents in various clinical trials. We aimed to assess the clinical importance of HDAC-2 in breast cancer (BC). Materials and Methods: A total of 118 BC specimens were examined immunohistochemically. A statistical analysis was conducted in order to examine the relation between HDAC-2 and the clinicopathological features and survival of the patients. Results: Higher HDAC-2 expression was related to lobular histological type of cancer, grade III, and stage III BC. In addition, the disease-free period and overall survival were curtailed and negatively related to the over-expression of HDAC-2. Other factors correlating with worse survival were histological types other than ductal or lobular, and the stage of the disease. Conclusions: This study showed a relationship between HDAC-2 and BC. Further studies are required in order to eventually potentiate the role of HDACIs as anticancer agents in BC

Medical Flossing and the Pilates Method: Their Effectiveness on the Strength, Endurance, and Functionality of Healthy Individuals

The flossing method is an emerging therapeutic intervention based on the use of a floss-band that is circumnavigated at the various points of the body being treated. It is optimally combined with an appropriate exercise program to induce ischemia and release the fascia by applying pressure and movement to functional models. The Pilates method teaches the person to focus on the muscles, especially those responsible for the correct posture. It also helps the individual to become aware of the way he/she breathes. Both methods have positive effects on exercise and rehabilitation. However, medical flossing has not been as well researched as the Pilates method. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of both methods on the strength, endurance, and functionality of healthy individuals. A review of the literature on medical flossing and Pilates was conducted. A systematic research took place from 2014 to 2019. Publications in non-English or non-Greek language were excluded. The articles were retrieved from not only PubMed, Scielo, and Elsevier databases, but also Google Scholar. Both methods are understudied in relation to their effectiveness on the strength, endurance, and functionality of healthy individuals. More studies are required to estimate the effects of both methods on healthy individuals

Histone Deacetylases and their Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer Therapy: Current Evidence and Future Considerations.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) comprises a heterogeneous group of gastrointestinal tract tumors. It is a multifactorial disease, and a plethora of distinct factors are involved in its pathogenesis and pathophysiology. The development of CRC is not limited to genetic changes, but epigenetic and environmental factors are also involved. Among the epigenetic factors, histone deacetylases (HDACs), a group of epigenetic enzymes that regulate gene expression, have been reported to be over-expressed in CRC. HDACs and their inhibitors seem to play an important role in the molecular pathophysiology of CRC. The aim of this review was to define the role of HDAC inhibitors as potential anticancer agents against CRC

The Role of TPOAb in Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) is one of the most common autoimmune inflammatory disorders of the orbit. The presence of anti-thyroid antibodies is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis and clinical status of the TAO patients. Herein, we review the usefulness of TPOAb as a biomarker for TAO. Methods: A systematic search in MEDLINE library was conducted. Results: Twenty studies were included. TPO is expressed in orbital tissues, and the polymorphism rs11675434 SNP has proven to be associated with clinically evident TAO. Studies in pediatric patients have shown a positive correlation between high TPOAb levels and TAO. In contrast, results in adults are inconsistent. Some studies imply a protective role of TPOAb, yet the majority did not find any association. Some authors have suggested an implication of TPOAb in the pathophysiology of TAO in TRAb-negative patients. Conclusions: The role of TPOAb in TAO remains unclear and controversial

The Role of SNHG15 in the Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts of more than 200 nucleotides which cannot be translated into proteins. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 15 (SNHG15) is a lncRNA whose dysregulation has been found to have an important impact on carcinogenesis and affect the prognosis of cancer patients in various cancer types. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers with a poor long-term prognosis, while the best prognostic factor of the disease is its early diagnosis and surgery. Consequently, the investigation of the mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis, as well as the discovery of efficient molecular markers and therapeutic targets are of great significance. An extensive literature search was performed in MEDLINE in order to identify clinical studies that tried to reveal the role of SNHG15 in HCC. We used keywords such as ‘HCC’, ‘hepatocellular carcinoma’, ‘SNHG15’ and ‘clinical study’. Finally, we included four studies written in English, published during the period 2016–2021. It was revealed that SNHG15 is related to the appearance of HCC via different routes and its over-expression affects the overall survival of the patients. More assays are required in order to clarify the potential role of SNHG15 as a prognostic tool and therapeutic target in HCC