Eleni Karetsi

Chronic kidney disease significantly impairs patients’ daily lives and worsens their quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the physical activity and quality of sleep, during three days (previous day of dialysis, on the day of dialysis and after day of dialysis), in patients with end-stage renal on hemodialysis. 12 hemodialysis patients were included in our study, answered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, and for each patient were used a smart bracelet for three days (day-pre- and posthemodialysis and day at hemodialysis) to record daily physical activity (steps, distance) and estimate the quality of sleep. Results showed differences between three days average of steps and distance and PSQI parameters “…engaging in social activity?” (steps, p=0.006, distance, p=0.006) and “…enthusiasm to get things done?” (steps, p=0.029, distance, p=0.030). Our study suggests interrelationship between sleep quality and physical activity.

Background: The purpose of our study was to investigate early differences in the adolescent female finswimmers’ echocardiography parameters, possibly associated with different swimming-style training and different training equipment (monofin (MF) versus bifin (BF)). Method: Forty-three female finswimmers participated in our study (age: 15.6 ± 2.1 years, body mass index: 20.4 ± 2.2 kg/m2, body surface area: 1.56 ± 0.04 m2, body fat: 11.2 ± 0.6%) and were divided into two groups, according to the swimming style practiced (MF vs BF). Anthropometric characteristics, echocardiography and arterial pressure were measured. The independent t-test was used for statistical comparisons between groups. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis was applied to investigate associations between various variables. Results: The two groups used training equipment with different weights (p < 0.001). Female adolescent finswimmers presented signs of myocardial hypertrophy depicted by the increased left...

This brief review summarizes the available literature on the intersection of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and ergospirometry. Ergospirometry provides an assessment of integrative exercise responses involving pulmonary, cardiovascular, neuropsychological, and skeletal muscle systems, which are not adequately reflected through the measurement of individual organ system functions. Sleep disorders, including OSAS, often exacerbate problems in the operation of the autonomic nervous system, heart function, lung mechanics, anxiety, and muscle metabolism. Patients with OSAS have low aerobic capacity due to dysfunction of these systems, which often affect quality of sleep. Further research is necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms through which ergospirometry can be useful in the assessment and early identification of patients with OSAS.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of training with intermittent breath holding (IBH) on respiratory parameters, arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and performance. Twenty-eight fin-swimming athletes were randomly divided into two groups and followed the same training for 16 weeks. About 40% of the distance of each session was performed with self-selected breathing frequency (SBF group) or IBH (IBH group). Performance time of 50 and 400 m at maximum intensity was recorded and forced expired volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and SpO2 were measured before and after the 50 m test at baseline and post-training. Post-training, the respiratory parameters were increased in the IBH but remained unchanged in the SBF group (FEV1: 17 ±15% vs. -1 ±11%; FVC: 22 ±13% vs. 1 ±10%; PEF: 9 ±14% vs. -4 ±15%; p<0.05). Pre compared to post-training SpO2 was unchanged at baseline and decreased post-training following the 50 m test in both gr...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and metabolic syndrome represent common causes of morbidity and mortality in ageing populations. The effect of the co-existence of COPD and metabolic syndrome on adipose tissue hormones and insulin resistance as well as the differences between COPD patients with and without metabolic syndrome have not been adequately studied. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome, based on Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria, was evaluated in 114 male patients with COPD without significant co-morbidities. Pulmonary functions tests (PFTs), arterial blood gases, quality of life and BODE index were assessed. Blood samples were obtained for the assessment of adipose tissue hormones and insulin resistance. The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 21%, being more prevalent in earlier stages of COPD. Patients with COPD and metabolic syndrome were younger with higher body-mass index (BMI), had better pulmonary function, less static hyperinflation and air-trapping, better diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and BODE index. These patients had higher levels of leptin, lower levels of adiponectin and increased insulin resistance, as expressed by HOMA index, compared with patients without metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent in younger patients with less severe COPD. These patients may constitute a specific COPD phenotype with greater leptin to adiponectin imbalance and insulin resistance, despite smaller impairment in PFTs. The prognosis and differences of these patients compared with other COPD phenotypes needs to be determined in prospective studies.

Background The aim of the present study was to investigate epidemiological data about cigarette smoking in relation with risk and preventive factors among Greek adolescents. Methods We randomly selected 10% of the whole number of schools in Northern Greece (133 schools, 18,904 participants were included). Two anonymous questionnaires (smoker's and non-smoker's) were both distributed to all students so they selected and filled in only one. A parental signed informed consent was obtained using an informative leaflet about adolescent smoking. Results The main findings of the study were: a) 14.2% of the adolescents (mean age+/−SD: 15.3+/−1.7 years) reported regular smoking (24.1% in the age group 16–18 years), b) 84.2% of the current smokers reported daily use, c) students who live in urban and semirural areas smoke more frequently than those in rural areas, d) students in technically oriented schools smoke twice as frequent compared to those in general education, e) risk factor...

Oxidative stress has been associated with various respiratory disorders. We tested the hypothesis that exudates would present higher levels of oxidative stress compared to transudates, expressing the increased local oxidative burst in the former. Prospective, cross-sectional study. One hundred six consecutive patients who had undergone thoracentesis were studied. Ninety patients with a final diagnosis of pleural effusion were further analyzed. The respiratory department and a clinical laboratory of a tertiary hospital. Subjects underwent diagnostic thoracentesis, and standard biochemical parameters (ie, total protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and albumin levels) were measured in pleural fluid and serum. Oxidative stress levels were assessed with a commercially available method (d-ROMs test; Diacron; Grosseto, Italy) that uses conventional Carratelli units (UCarr). In 14 patients, duplicate measurements of oxidative stress and a second thoracentesis were performed on the following day for the assessment of the repeatability of measurements. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed in order to determine the optimal cutoff level for the differentiation between exudates and transudates. Oxidative stress levels were higher in exudates compared to transudates (mean [+/- SD] stress level, 274 +/- 72 vs 126 +/- 34 UCarr, respectively; p < 0.0001). No significant differences were found among the levels of oxidative stress in exudative effusions of different etiologies. The area under the ROC curve was 0.992 (95% confidence interval, 0.945 to 0.997), and the method provided high sensitivity (96.8%), high specificity (96.3%), and high accuracy (96.7%) for the diagnosis of exudates at a cutoff level for oxidative stress of 186 UCarr. Consecutive measurements of oxidative stress in the same samples and on fluid from two different thoracenteses performed on 2 consecutive days presented excellent repeatability. Oxidative stress levels are higher in exudative pleural effusions compared to transudative effusions, probably due to reactive oxygen species produced in the former.