Purpose To examine the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with ty... more Purpose To examine the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and multimorbidity (MM) (at least one co-occurring condition besides T2D) among socio-demographic, disease-related and MM variables and the association of MM with therapeutic targets. Methods A total of 179 people with T2D attending primary care (PC) in Greece answered the 15 Dimension (15D) questionnaire between August 2019 and October 2020. Socio-demographic, disease-related and MM characteristics were recorded. MM was categorized as concordant or discordant whether or not was related to the pathophysiology of T2D. Independent predictors of the 15D score were examined in stepwise regression models among socio-demographic, disease-related and MM variables and the association of MM with glycated haemoglobin (A1C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was assessed. Results The mean 15D score was 0.85 ± 0.11 and the mean MM count was 4.3 ± 1.8. Significant pre...
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, Apr 1, 2013
The study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that in high-functioning individuals the left-hande... more The study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that in high-functioning individuals the left-handedness phenotype facilitates the performance of executive-related tasks that engage the right hemisphere. The Trail-Making Test and Letter-Number Sequencing, previously indicated to engage the right hemisphere, were applied on 47 right-handers and 50 left-handers. There was a significant effect of handedness on both measures and an interaction effect of gender and handedness on the Trail-Making Test. The findings are considered to support the view that greater engagement of right-hemispheric resources facilitates the performance of higher order functions that orchestrate cognition, such as mental flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory operations.
The present study describes the development, application and validation of the Α' TEST, a screeni... more The present study describes the development, application and validation of the Α' TEST, a screening tool administered individually to kindergarten children to determine their school preparedness. The A' TEST evaluates six cognitive domains (abstract thinking, critical reasoning, language skills, visual perception, visual motor skills and organizational skills). It was administered to 2002 preschool children, and validated through comparison with well-established classification systems. Also, in order to examine the predictive value of the A' TEST, 201 of the examined children were reevaluated by their teachers two years after initial assessment. Analysis provided evidence of structure, convergent, concurrent and discriminant validity and reliability, as well as predictive validity. Overall, the Α' TEST predicted that 9.1% of the children were not school-ready, giving a 98.5% correct prediction when compared with the teachers' evaluations two years later. In conclusion, the Α' TEST is a valid and appropriate screening tool for school readiness.
Depression may essentially influence cognitive function contributing to poor school performance. ... more Depression may essentially influence cognitive function contributing to poor school performance. The present study undertakes to determine the existence and strength of correlation between depressive symptomatology and other mental conditions with the acquired level of understanding of Newtonian physics taught in schools. The current study recruited 490 students (262 girls, 228 boys) attending the first semester of the Greek Second Grade of General Lyceum School. Force Concept Inventory (FCI) tested the depth of the students' understanding of Newtonian Physics. Symptom Checklist-90-R assessed general mental status. The tests took place in the classroom during a 1 h session. Low FCI scores significantly correlated with mental conditions, with depression ranking first. Girls had higher scores in all nine symptoms scales of SCL-90 and lower FCI scores. Stepwise regression models proved that the gender effect on FCI could be effectively explained through the significant effect of depression. An understanding of Newtonian physics among high school students may be restricted by common problematic mental conditions, with depression being the greatest among all. Further research, using a more systematic approach to measure depression among adolescents with poor understanding of physics, would help to elucidate the nature of the effect.
Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a heterogeneous disease most frequently causing respirator... more Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a heterogeneous disease most frequently causing respiratory tract infection, which can induce respiratory failure and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in its severe forms. The prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019–related sepsis is still unclear; we aimed to describe this in a systematic review. Data Sources: MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were searched based on a prespecified protocol (International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews: CRD42020202018). Study Selection: Studies reporting on patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 diagnosed with sepsis according to sepsis-3 or according to the presence of infection-related organ dysfunctions necessitating organ support/replacement were included in the analysis. The primary end point was prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019–related sepsis among adults hospitalized in the ICU and the general ward. Among secondary end points were the need for ICU admission among patients initially hospitalized in the general ward and the prevalence of new onset of organ dysfunction in the ICU. Outcomes were expressed as proportions with respective 95% CI. Data Extraction: Two reviewers independently screened and reviewed existing literature and assessed study quality with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Methodological index for nonrandomized studies. Data Synthesis: Of 3,825 articles, 151 were analyzed, only five of which directly reported sepsis prevalence. Noting the high heterogeneity observed, coronavirus disease 2019–related sepsis prevalence was 77.9% (95% CI, 75.9–79.8; I 2 = 91%; 57 studies) in the ICU, and 33.3% (95% CI, 30.3–36.4; I 2 = 99%; 86 studies) in the general ward. ICU admission was required for 17.7% (95% CI, 12.9–23.6; I 2 = 100%) of ward patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was the most common organ dysfunction in the ICU (87.5%; 95% CI, 83.3–90.7; I 2 = 98%). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of coronavirus disease 2019 patients hospitalized in the ICU meet Sepsis-3 criteria and present infection-associated organ dysfunction. The medical and scientific community should be aware and systematically report viral sepsis for prognostic and treatment implications.
European Journal of Clinical Investigation, Mar 20, 2017
Polymorphisms of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene have been studied i... more Polymorphisms of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene have been studied in various autoimmune disorders, but not in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Also, increased oxidative stress has been described in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of two common RAGE polymorphisms (-429T>C, -374T>A) in Hashimoto's thyroiditis; in parallel, we studied oxidative stress levels. A total of 300 consecutive euthyroid women were examined and classified into three groups: Hashimoto's thyroiditis with treatment (n = 96), Hashimoto's thyroiditis without treatment (n = 109) and controls (n = 95). For a rough evaluation of oxidative stress, total lipid peroxide levels in serum were measured. The -429T>C AluI and -374T>A MfeI polymorphisms of RAGE were studied in genomic DNA. Significant association of the RAGE system with Hashimoto's thyroiditis was found only with regard to the prevalence of the -429T>C, but not with -374T>A polymorphism. The levels of oxidative stress were significantly elevated in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients under treatment. Further analysis demonstrated that an oxidative stress cut-off value of 590 μmol/L is associated with an increased risk of progression of Hashimoto's thyroiditis from euthyroidism to hypothyroidism; this risk is further increased in carriers of the RAGE -429T>C polymorphism. Our findings indicate that both examined risk factors may be implicated in the occurrence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, but this covers only a fraction of the pathophysiology of the disease.
Purpose To examine the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with ty... more Purpose To examine the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and multimorbidity (MM) (at least one co-occurring condition besides T2D) among socio-demographic, disease-related and MM variables and the association of MM with therapeutic targets. Methods A total of 179 people with T2D attending primary care (PC) in Greece answered the 15 Dimension (15D) questionnaire between August 2019 and October 2020. Socio-demographic, disease-related and MM characteristics were recorded. MM was categorized as concordant or discordant whether or not was related to the pathophysiology of T2D. Independent predictors of the 15D score were examined in stepwise regression models among socio-demographic, disease-related and MM variables and the association of MM with glycated haemoglobin (A1C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was assessed. Results The mean 15D score was 0.85 ± 0.11 and the mean MM count was 4.3 ± 1.8. Significant pre...
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, Apr 1, 2013
The study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that in high-functioning individuals the left-hande... more The study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that in high-functioning individuals the left-handedness phenotype facilitates the performance of executive-related tasks that engage the right hemisphere. The Trail-Making Test and Letter-Number Sequencing, previously indicated to engage the right hemisphere, were applied on 47 right-handers and 50 left-handers. There was a significant effect of handedness on both measures and an interaction effect of gender and handedness on the Trail-Making Test. The findings are considered to support the view that greater engagement of right-hemispheric resources facilitates the performance of higher order functions that orchestrate cognition, such as mental flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory operations.
The present study describes the development, application and validation of the Α' TEST, a screeni... more The present study describes the development, application and validation of the Α' TEST, a screening tool administered individually to kindergarten children to determine their school preparedness. The A' TEST evaluates six cognitive domains (abstract thinking, critical reasoning, language skills, visual perception, visual motor skills and organizational skills). It was administered to 2002 preschool children, and validated through comparison with well-established classification systems. Also, in order to examine the predictive value of the A' TEST, 201 of the examined children were reevaluated by their teachers two years after initial assessment. Analysis provided evidence of structure, convergent, concurrent and discriminant validity and reliability, as well as predictive validity. Overall, the Α' TEST predicted that 9.1% of the children were not school-ready, giving a 98.5% correct prediction when compared with the teachers' evaluations two years later. In conclusion, the Α' TEST is a valid and appropriate screening tool for school readiness.
Depression may essentially influence cognitive function contributing to poor school performance. ... more Depression may essentially influence cognitive function contributing to poor school performance. The present study undertakes to determine the existence and strength of correlation between depressive symptomatology and other mental conditions with the acquired level of understanding of Newtonian physics taught in schools. The current study recruited 490 students (262 girls, 228 boys) attending the first semester of the Greek Second Grade of General Lyceum School. Force Concept Inventory (FCI) tested the depth of the students' understanding of Newtonian Physics. Symptom Checklist-90-R assessed general mental status. The tests took place in the classroom during a 1 h session. Low FCI scores significantly correlated with mental conditions, with depression ranking first. Girls had higher scores in all nine symptoms scales of SCL-90 and lower FCI scores. Stepwise regression models proved that the gender effect on FCI could be effectively explained through the significant effect of depression. An understanding of Newtonian physics among high school students may be restricted by common problematic mental conditions, with depression being the greatest among all. Further research, using a more systematic approach to measure depression among adolescents with poor understanding of physics, would help to elucidate the nature of the effect.
Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a heterogeneous disease most frequently causing respirator... more Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a heterogeneous disease most frequently causing respiratory tract infection, which can induce respiratory failure and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in its severe forms. The prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019–related sepsis is still unclear; we aimed to describe this in a systematic review. Data Sources: MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were searched based on a prespecified protocol (International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews: CRD42020202018). Study Selection: Studies reporting on patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 diagnosed with sepsis according to sepsis-3 or according to the presence of infection-related organ dysfunctions necessitating organ support/replacement were included in the analysis. The primary end point was prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019–related sepsis among adults hospitalized in the ICU and the general ward. Among secondary end points were the need for ICU admission among patients initially hospitalized in the general ward and the prevalence of new onset of organ dysfunction in the ICU. Outcomes were expressed as proportions with respective 95% CI. Data Extraction: Two reviewers independently screened and reviewed existing literature and assessed study quality with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Methodological index for nonrandomized studies. Data Synthesis: Of 3,825 articles, 151 were analyzed, only five of which directly reported sepsis prevalence. Noting the high heterogeneity observed, coronavirus disease 2019–related sepsis prevalence was 77.9% (95% CI, 75.9–79.8; I 2 = 91%; 57 studies) in the ICU, and 33.3% (95% CI, 30.3–36.4; I 2 = 99%; 86 studies) in the general ward. ICU admission was required for 17.7% (95% CI, 12.9–23.6; I 2 = 100%) of ward patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was the most common organ dysfunction in the ICU (87.5%; 95% CI, 83.3–90.7; I 2 = 98%). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of coronavirus disease 2019 patients hospitalized in the ICU meet Sepsis-3 criteria and present infection-associated organ dysfunction. The medical and scientific community should be aware and systematically report viral sepsis for prognostic and treatment implications.
European Journal of Clinical Investigation, Mar 20, 2017
Polymorphisms of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene have been studied i... more Polymorphisms of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene have been studied in various autoimmune disorders, but not in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Also, increased oxidative stress has been described in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of two common RAGE polymorphisms (-429T>C, -374T>A) in Hashimoto's thyroiditis; in parallel, we studied oxidative stress levels. A total of 300 consecutive euthyroid women were examined and classified into three groups: Hashimoto's thyroiditis with treatment (n = 96), Hashimoto's thyroiditis without treatment (n = 109) and controls (n = 95). For a rough evaluation of oxidative stress, total lipid peroxide levels in serum were measured. The -429T>C AluI and -374T>A MfeI polymorphisms of RAGE were studied in genomic DNA. Significant association of the RAGE system with Hashimoto's thyroiditis was found only with regard to the prevalence of the -429T>C, but not with -374T>A polymorphism. The levels of oxidative stress were significantly elevated in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients under treatment. Further analysis demonstrated that an oxidative stress cut-off value of 590 μmol/L is associated with an increased risk of progression of Hashimoto's thyroiditis from euthyroidism to hypothyroidism; this risk is further increased in carriers of the RAGE -429T>C polymorphism. Our findings indicate that both examined risk factors may be implicated in the occurrence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, but this covers only a fraction of the pathophysiology of the disease.
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Papers by Miltiades Kyprianou