1
|
Kantreva K, Paschou SA, Stefanaki K, Pappa K, Kazakou P, Vrachnis D, Kavoura E, Pavlakis K, Giovannopoulou E, Lathouras K, Alevizaki M, Saltiki K. Two rare cases of benign struma ovarii with malignant recurrence. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep 2024; 2024:23-0122. [PMID: 38614119 PMCID: PMC11046340 DOI: 10.1530/edm-23-0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Summary Struma ovarii is an ovarian teratoma that comprises 2-5% of all ovarian teratomas. Malignant transformation of struma ovarii occurs in less than 5% of all cases, and metastatic disease is even rarer. We report two cases initially diagnosed with benign struma ovarii that presented malignant transformation, specifically highly differentiated follicular carcinoma of the ovary (HDFCO), some years after the first diagnosis. Case 1 concerns a 37-year-old female featuring HDFCO of the right ovary with multiple metastatic foci, who was diagnosed with benign struma ovarii 14 years ago. Case 2 concerns a 26-year-old female diagnosed with HDFCO of the left ovary. This patient was initially diagnosed with benign struma ovarii 6 years ago that recurred 4 years after the diagnosis. Both patients were treated with surgery, adjunctive total thyroidectomy, and radioactive iodine (131I) therapy. Learning points Malignant transformation of struma ovarii is very rare (<5%). Diagnosis of HDFCO without extra ovarian dissemination is difficult due to the resemblance of its histological appearance with normal thyroid tissue. There is no consensus on the postoperative treatment of malignant struma ovarii (MSO). Clinical and histological features of MSO should be assessed for the postoperative treatment decisions. TSH suppression and thyroglobulin level measurements are necessary for patient follow-up.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kanella Kantreva
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Stavroula A Paschou
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Stefanaki
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Kanella Pappa
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Kazakou
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Alevizaki
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Saltiki
- Endocrine Unit and Diabetes Center, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Maroudias G, Vrachnis D, Fotiou A, Loukas N, Mantzou A, Pergialiotis V, Valsamakis G, Machairiotis N, Stavros S, Panagopoulos P, Vakas P, Kanaka-Gantenbein C, Drakakis P, Vrachnis N. Measurement of Calprotectin and PTH in the Amniotic Fluid of Early Second Trimester Pregnancies and Their Impact on Fetuses with Growth Disorders: Are Their Levels Related to Oxidative Stress? J Clin Med 2024; 13:855. [PMID: 38337548 PMCID: PMC10856459 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13030855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: During the early stages of human fetal development, the fetal skeleton system is chiefly made up of cartilage, which is gradually replaced by bone. Fetal bone development is mainly regulated by the parathyroid hormone parathormone (PTH) and PTH-related protein, with specific calprotectin playing a substantial role in cell adhesion and chemotaxis while exhibiting antimicrobial activity during the inflammatory osteogenesis process. The aim of our study was to measure the levels of PTH and calprotectin in early second trimester amniotic fluid and to carry out a comparison between the levels observed among normal full-term pregnancies (control group) and those of the groups of embryos exhibiting impaired or enhanced growth. Methods: For the present prospective study, we collected amniotic fluid samples from pregnancies that underwent amniocentesis at 15 to 22 weeks of gestational age during the period 2021-2023. Subsequently, we followed up on all pregnancies closely until delivery. Having recorded fetal birthweights, we then divided the neonates into three groups: small for gestational age (SGA), appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and large for gestational age (LGA). Results: In total, 64 pregnancies, including 14 SGA, 10 LGA, and 40 AGA fetuses, were included in our study. Both substances were detected in early second trimester amniotic fluid in both groups. Concentrations of calprotectin differed significantly among the three groups (p = 0.033). AGA fetuses had a lower mean value of 4.195 (2.415-6.425) IU/mL, whereas LGA fetuses had a higher mean value of 6.055 (4.887-13.950) IU/mL, while SGA fetuses had a mean value of 5.475 (3.400-9.177) IU/mL. Further analysis revealed that only LGA fetuses had significantly higher calprotectin concentrations compared to AGA fetuses (p = 0.018). PTH concentration was similar between the groups, with LGA fetuses having a mean value of 13.18 (9.51-15.52) IU/mL, while SGA fetuses had a mean value of 14.18 (9.02-16.00) IU/mL, and AGA fetuses had similar concentrations of 13.35 (9.05-15.81) IU/mL. The differences in PTH concentration among the three groups were not statistically significant (p = 0.513). Conclusions: Calprotectin values in the amniotic fluid in the early second trimester were higher in LGA fetuses compared to those in the SGA and AGA categories. LGA fetuses can possibly be in a state of low-grade chronic inflammation due to excessive fat deposition, causing oxidative stress in LGA fetuses and, eventually, the release of calprotectin. Moreover, PTH concentrations in the amniotic fluid of early second trimester pregnancies were not found to be statistically correlated with fetal growth abnormalities in either LGA or SGA fetuses. However, the early time of collection and the small number of patients in our study should be taken into account.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George Maroudias
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio General Hospital, 18536 Athens, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.V.); (A.F.)
| | - Alexandros Fotiou
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.V.); (A.F.)
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio General Hospital, 18536 Athens, Greece
| | - Aimilia Mantzou
- First Department of Paediatrics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece (C.K.-G.)
| | - Vasileiοs Pergialiotis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - George Valsamakis
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (G.V.)
| | - Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, Rimini 1, 12462 Athens, Greece (P.P.)
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, Rimini 1, 12462 Athens, Greece (P.P.)
| | - Periklis Panagopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, Rimini 1, 12462 Athens, Greece (P.P.)
| | - Panagiotis Vakas
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (G.V.)
| | - Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
- First Department of Paediatrics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece (C.K.-G.)
| | - Petros Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, Rimini 1, 12462 Athens, Greece (P.P.)
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, Rimini 1, 12462 Athens, Greece (P.P.)
- Vascular Biology, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George’s University of London, London SW17, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vlachadis N, Stavros S, Machairiotis N, Vrachnis D, Loukas N, Antonakopoulos N, Fotiou A, Maroudias G, Drakakis P, Vrachnis N. The Contribution of Multiple Pregnancies in Stillbirths in Greece: A Time-Trend Analysis. Cureus 2024; 16:e54628. [PMID: 38523936 PMCID: PMC10959416 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Multiple pregnancy is an established risk factor for fetal death. This study aimed to examine the impact of multifetal pregnancies on stillbirth rates (SBRs) in the Greek population. Methods Data on live births and stillbirths by multiplicity were derived from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, covering a 65-year period from 1957 to 2021. The SBR for multiple and single gestations, and the population attributable risk (%) (PAR (%)) stillbirth attributable to multifetal gestations were calculated, and temporal trends were assessed using joinpoint regression analysis, with annual percentage changes (APC) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results In the period 1957-2021, multiple pregnancies accounted for 9.4% of total stillbirths in Greece and the overall relative risk of fetal death among multifetal gestations was 3.34, in comparison with singletons. The SBR in multiple births remained unchanged from 1957 to 1976 and showed downward trends from 1976 to 2021 (APC = -3.0, 95% CI: -3.4 to -2.7, p < 0.001). PAR (%), after two decades of stability, showed an increasing trend over the period 1975-2011 (APC = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.8 to 4.0, p < 0.001), which was reversed in the more recent decade 2011-2021 (APC = -6.1, 95% CI: -9.6 to -2.5, p = 0.001), with PAR (%) decreasing from a historical high of 19.3% in 2012 to 8.6% in 2021. Conclusion The high incidence of multiple births has a considerable impact on stillbirth rates in the Greek population. The recent downward trends of SBR and PAR (%) of multiple gestations are encouraging, however more measures and targeted interventions are needed to improve perinatal outcomes in multifetal gestation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vlachadis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of Messinia, Kalamata, GRC
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | | | - Alexandros Fotiou
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Georgios Maroudias
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Petros Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vrachnis D, Fotiou A, Mantzou A, Pergialiotis V, Antsaklis P, Valsamakis G, Stavros S, Machairiotis N, Iavazzo C, Kanaka-Gantenbein C, Mastorakos G, Drakakis P, Vrachnis N, Antonakopoulos N. Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid Angiotensinogen Levels Linked to Increased Fetal Birth Weight and Shorter Gestational Age in Term Pregnancies. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:206. [PMID: 38398716 PMCID: PMC10890398 DOI: 10.3390/life14020206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the considerable progress made in recent years in fetal assessment, the etiology of fetal growth disturbances is not as yet well understood. In an effort to enhance our knowledge in this area, we investigated the associations of the amniotic fluid angiotensinogen of the renin-angiotensin system with fetal growth abnormalities. METHODS We collected amniotic fluid samples from 70 pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis during their early second trimester. Birth weight was documented upon delivery, after which the embryos corresponding to the respective amniotic fluid samples were categorized into three groups as follows: small for gestational age (SGA), appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and large for gestational age (LGA). Amniotic fluid angiotensinogen levels were determined by using ELISA kits. RESULTS Mean angiotensinogen values were 3885 ng/mL (range: 1625-5375 ng/mL), 4885 ng/mL (range: 1580-8460 ng/mL), and 4670 ng/mL (range: 1995-7250 ng/mL) in the SGA, LGA, and AGA fetuses, respectively. The concentrations in the three groups were not statistically significantly different. Although there were wide discrepancies between the mean values of the subgroups, the large confidence intervals in the three groups negatively affected the statistical analysis. However, multiple regression analysis revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between the angiotensinogen levels and gestational age and a statistically significant positive correlation between the birth weight and angiotensinogen levels. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that fetal growth abnormalities did not correlate with differences in the amniotic fluid levels of angiotensinogen in early second trimester pregnancies. However, increased angiotensinogen levels were found to be consistent with a smaller gestational age at birth and increased BMI of neonates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dionysios Vrachnis
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.V.); (A.F.)
| | - Alexandros Fotiou
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.V.); (A.F.)
| | - Aimilia Mantzou
- Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.M.); (C.K.-G.)
| | - Vasilios Pergialiotis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece; (V.P.); (P.A.)
| | - Panagiotis Antsaklis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece; (V.P.); (P.A.)
| | - George Valsamakis
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (N.M.); (P.D.)
| | - Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (N.M.); (P.D.)
| | - Christos Iavazzo
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Metaxa Memorial Cancer Hospital of Piraeus, 18537 Piraeus, Greece;
| | - Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
- Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.M.); (C.K.-G.)
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Petros Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (N.M.); (P.D.)
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (N.M.); (P.D.)
- Vascular Biology, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George’s University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Patras, Medical School, University of Patras, 26504 Patra, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Potiris A, Perros P, Drakaki E, Mavrogianni D, Machairiotis N, Sfakianakis A, Karampitsakos T, Vrachnis D, Antonakopoulos N, Panagopoulos P, Drakakis P, Stavros S. Investigating the Association of Assisted Reproduction Techniques and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes. J Clin Med 2024; 13:328. [PMID: 38256462 PMCID: PMC10816234 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infertility affects about 80 million individuals worldwide and 10-15% of couples at reproductive age will seek medical assistance. There is increasing evidence that pregnancies after Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) are associated with pre-term birth, low birthweight, congenital defects, and increased mortality rates. The aim of this review is to assess all the published literature and provide an updated review on the effect of assisted conception and perinatal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS Comprehensive research on Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, and Google scholar electronic databases was conducted from July 2023 up to September 2023, using the terms assisted reproductive techniques, ART, in vitro fertilization, IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, ICSI, preterm birth, PTB, low birth weight, LBW, chromosomal defects, congenital defects, and hypospadias. In total, 87 full text articles were retrieved and after a careful evaluation, 31 studies were selected for data extraction. RESULTS Our review demonstrated a higher risk of congenital and chromosomal defects, and a higher incidence of male genital tract defects and heart defects in ART pregnancies. Regarding pre-term birth, our results were contradictory. CONCLUSIONS Although assisted reproduction techniques are associated with increased risks, they are safe regarding perinatal outcomes and couples should not be discouraged from utilizing them. Our results aim to alert clinicians to these specific outcomes and offer more personalized care and counseling to infertile couples and their children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Potiris
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Paraskevas Perros
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (P.P.); (E.D.); (D.M.)
| | - Eirini Drakaki
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (P.P.); (E.D.); (D.M.)
| | - Despoina Mavrogianni
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (P.P.); (E.D.); (D.M.)
| | - Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.D.); (S.S.)
| | | | - Theodoros Karampitsakos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece;
| | | | - Periklis Panagopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Peter Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.D.); (S.S.)
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (P.P.); (E.D.); (D.M.)
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.D.); (S.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chrysanthopoulos I, Potiris A, Drakaki E, Mavrogianni D, Machairiotis N, Zarogoulidis P, Karampitsakos T, Machairoudias P, Vrachnis D, Panagopoulos P, Drakakis P, Stavros S. Association between COVID-19 Infection and Miscarriages, What We Really Know? Diseases 2023; 11:173. [PMID: 38131979 PMCID: PMC10742925 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11040173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is a modern worldwide pandemic that affected and continues to affect millions of people around the world. Since the discovery that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the binding site for COVID-19 to achieve cell entry, there has been a continuous debate about the effect of COVID-19 infection in first and second trimester abortions. The aim of this review is to investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on the incidence of miscarriage. Furthermore, we seek to identify potential pathophysiological mechanisms of early pregnancy loss present in infected women. METHODS A literature review was conducted on different databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Ovid, Science Direct, Scopus, and Cochrane library, between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2023. A total of 364 articles were identified and 32 articles were ultimately included in the review. RESULTS There are several case studies that provide evidence that early pregnancy loss is associated with COVID-19 infection. These findings are not further confirmed by the majority of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which demonstrate that the total number of miscarriages do not differ significantly between infected and non-infected groups. Furthermore, there are also case reports that associate COVID-19 infection with late second trimester abortions. CONCLUSIONS Given that the virus persists globally, it is important to gain a better understanding of its associated risks in the reproductive process, and larger, more homogeneous, and controlled studies are required to obtain more robust data that can be meta-analyzed to obtain an overview of this potential relationship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Chrysanthopoulos
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (I.C.); (E.D.); (D.M.); (P.D.)
| | - Anastasios Potiris
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Eirini Drakaki
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (I.C.); (E.D.); (D.M.); (P.D.)
| | - Despoina Mavrogianni
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (I.C.); (E.D.); (D.M.); (P.D.)
| | - Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Paul Zarogoulidis
- Pulmonary Department, General Clinic Euromedica, 544 54 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Theodoros Karampitsakos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Pavlos Machairoudias
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece;
| | - Periklis Panagopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Peter Drakakis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece; (I.C.); (E.D.); (D.M.); (P.D.)
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (T.K.); (P.M.); (S.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vrachnis N, Loukas N, Antonakopoulos N, Maragou N, Kostakis M, Tsakni A, Vrachnis D, Vougiouklaki D, Machairiotis N, Chatzilazarou A, Houhoula D, Sokou R, Stavros S, Drakakis P, Mastorakos G, Iliodromiti Z. Detection and Quantification of Acrylamide in Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid Using a Novel LC-MS/MS Technique to Determine Whether High Acrylamide Content during Pregnancy Is Associated with Fetal Growth. Biology (Basel) 2023; 12:1425. [PMID: 37998024 PMCID: PMC10669641 DOI: 10.3390/biology12111425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acrylamide, an organic compound, is, chemically speaking, a vinyl-substituted primary amide. It is produced industrially, principally as a precursor to polyacrylamides, for use in such products as plastics and cosmetics. This same compound, however, forms naturally in certain foods, both home-cooked and packaged, especially when prepared at high temperatures. We developed and validated a novel reliable technique for the determination of acrylamide in amniotic fluid. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) is a targeted mass spectrometry (MS) technique which enables the detection and quantification of particular molecules in a complex mixture. Thanks to its throughput, selectivity, and sensitivity, MRM-MS has been identified as offering an alternative to antibody-based studies for the purpose of biomarker verification. Our aim was to investigate the presence of acrylamide in amniotic fluid and, via the MRM-MS technique, to determine whether there is any correlation between maternal exposure to acrylamide, through a woman's diet, and fetal growth. METHODS Our amniotic fluid bank included 40 samples from various fetal growth rates, as objectively denoted by the neonatal weight centile at delivery, while our analytical detection method was based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Acrylamide was determined with reversed phase chromatography and monitoring of two multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions. Quantification was performed using the matrix-matched calibration curve. RESULTS Acrylamide was detected at concentrations between 7.1 and 1468 ng/mL in six out of the total of 40 amniotic fluid samples that were used. Our method limit of detection and quantification was 1.4 ng/mL and 4.6 ng/mL, respectively. The repeatability of our method ranged between 11 and 14%, expressed as relative standard deviation levels between 5 and 100 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS Detection of acrylamide in early second trimester amniotic fluid, for the first time in the literature to our knowledge, raises concerns about fetal health, given that published data on animal studies have attributed a number of birth defects to acrylamide. Our novel LC-MS/MS method for the determination of acrylamide in amniotic fluid proved to be effective and its performance in practice was very accurate, simple, and fast. Validation of the method revealed that the use of a matrix-matched curve is necessary for the quantification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital “Attikon”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece (N.A.); (N.M.); (S.S.); (P.D.)
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio General Hospital, 18536 Piraeus, Greece;
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital “Attikon”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece (N.A.); (N.M.); (S.S.); (P.D.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Patras, Medical School, University of Patras, 26500 Patra, Greece
| | - Niki Maragou
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zographou, 15771 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (M.K.)
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece; (A.T.); (D.V.); (D.H.)
| | - Marios Kostakis
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zographou, 15771 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (M.K.)
| | - Aliki Tsakni
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece; (A.T.); (D.V.); (D.H.)
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Despina Vougiouklaki
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece; (A.T.); (D.V.); (D.H.)
| | - Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital “Attikon”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece (N.A.); (N.M.); (S.S.); (P.D.)
| | - Arhodoula Chatzilazarou
- Department of Wine, Vine and Beverage Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece;
| | - Dimitra Houhoula
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece; (A.T.); (D.V.); (D.H.)
| | - Rozeta Sokou
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, “Agios Panteleimon” General Hospital of Nikea, 18454 Nikea, Greece;
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital “Attikon”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece (N.A.); (N.M.); (S.S.); (P.D.)
| | - Peter Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital “Attikon”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece (N.A.); (N.M.); (S.S.); (P.D.)
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Neonatal Department, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11526 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Moustakli E, Zikopoulos A, Skentou C, Bouba I, Tsirka G, Stavros S, Vrachnis D, Vrachnis N, Potiris A, Georgiou I, Zachariou A. Sperm Mitochondrial Content and Mitochondrial DNA to Nuclear DNA Ratio Are Associated with Body Mass Index and Progressive Motility. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3014. [PMID: 38002013 PMCID: PMC10669626 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11113014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mitochondrial dysfunction is a risk factor in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders. According to the energy requirements, oxidative phosphorylation and the electron transport chain work together to produce ATP in sufficient quantities in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. Abnormal mitochondrial activity causes fat accumulation and insulin resistance as cells require a balance between the production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in the mitochondria and the dissipation of the proton gradient to reduce damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study aims to explore the relationship between the mitochondrial content of sperm and the ratio of mitochondrial DNA to nuclear DNA in relation to body mass index (BMI) and how it may affect the progressive motility of sperm cell. Understanding the relationships between these important variables will help us better understand the possible mechanisms that could connect sperm motility and quality to BMI, as well as further our understanding of male fertility and reproductive health. METHODS Data were collected from 100 men who underwent IVF/ICSI at the University Hospital of Ioannina's IVF Unit in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. The body mass index (BMI) of the males tested was used to classify them as normal weight; overweight; and obese. Evaluations included sperm morphology; sperm count; sperm motility; and participant history. RESULTS In the group of men with normal BMI, both BMI and progressive motility displayed a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) with mitochondrial DNA content, relative mitochondrial DNA copy number, and the mtDNA/nDNA ratio. Similar to this, there was a positive association between BMI and motility in the groups of men who were overweight and obese, as well as between the expression of mitochondrial DNA and the mtDNA/nDNA ratio, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). There was not a statistically significant difference observed in the association between the relative mtDNA copy number and BMI or motility for the overweight group. Finally, the relative mtDNA copy number in the obese group was only associated with motility (p = 0.034) and not with BMI (p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS We found that in all three groups, BMI and progressive motility exhibited comparable relationships with mitochondrial DNA expression and the mtDNA/nDNA ratio. However, only in the normal group and in the obese group, the relative mitochondrial DNA copy number showed a positive association with BMI and progressive motility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Efthalia Moustakli
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (I.B.); (G.T.); (I.G.)
| | | | - Charikleia Skentou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School of Ioannina, University General Hospital, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
| | - Ioanna Bouba
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (I.B.); (G.T.); (I.G.)
| | - Georgia Tsirka
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (I.B.); (G.T.); (I.G.)
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (N.V.); (A.P.)
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (N.V.); (A.P.)
- Vascular Biology, Molecular, and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George’s University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Anastasios Potiris
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (N.V.); (A.P.)
| | - Ioannis Georgiou
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (I.B.); (G.T.); (I.G.)
| | - Athanasios Zachariou
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Ioannina University, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sapouna V, Thanopoulou S, Papriakas D, Papakosta S, Sakopoulou M, Zachariou D, Zikopoulos A, Kaltsas A, Vrachnis N, Vrachnis D, Sofikitis N, Zachariou A. Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Its Benefits for Multiple Sclerosis Patients Suffering From Urinary Incontinence and Sexual Dysfunction. Cureus 2023; 15:e47086. [PMID: 37854478 PMCID: PMC10579838 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.47086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Several reports have been published during the last decade studying the effect of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in treating urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The aim of the current study is to bring up-to-date findings of earlier systematic reviews, taking into account data published up till June 2023. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCOhost were screened for randomized controlled studies, clinical trials, and systematic reviews. The keywords for the current review were MS, urinary incontinence, sexual function, and PFMT. The implementation of predetermined eligibility criteria permitted an appropriate and convenient study selection. English language publications alone were considered. After removing duplicates and screening the initially recovered articles, an initial search within the present review identified 19 studies. Finally, 10 randomized control trials and two systematic reviews were eligible for evaluation and included in the current review. The outcome measures were the severity of incontinence or overactive bladder, leakage episodes, sexual dysfunction, health-related quality of life, and adherence to PFMT. PFMT is a convenient and effective treatment tool that can significantly improve health-related quality of life and reduce the severity of urinary incontinence and overactive bladder symptoms in people with MS. The present review confirms the effectiveness of specific exercises on leakage episodes, pad usage, sexual dysfunction, compliance to treatment, and treatment satisfaction. Further research is needed to strengthen the reported results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vaia Sapouna
- Physical Therapy Department, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre Kentavros, Volos, GRC
- Physiotherapy Department, University of Thessaly, Lamia, GRC
| | - Sofia Thanopoulou
- Physical Therapy Department, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre Kentavros, Volos, GRC
| | - Dimitrios Papriakas
- Physical Therapy Department, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre Kentavros, Volos, GRC
| | - Styliani Papakosta
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre Kentavros, Volos, GRC
| | - Maria Sakopoulou
- Neurology Department, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre Kentavros, Volos, GRC
| | - Dimitrios Zachariou
- Orthopedic Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | | | - Aris Kaltsas
- Urology Department, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Clinical Therapeutics Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Stavros S, Potiris A, Machairiotis N, Fotiou A, Zarogoulidis P, Drakaki E, Karampitsakos T, Koratzanis C, Michalopoulos S, Vrachnis D, Oikonomou P, Christina N, Charalampidis C, Petousis S, Ioannidis A, Matthaios D, Domali E, Drakakis P. Inguinal Lymph Node Metastasis as Sole Manifestation of Ovarian / Fallopian Tube Cancer: a Review of the Literature. J Cancer 2023; 14:3176-3181. [PMID: 37928416 PMCID: PMC10622991 DOI: 10.7150/jca.88863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Ovarian/fallopian tube cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy. Most cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, typically after the cancer has spread to the peritoneal cavity, or via lymphatic drainage. The presence of distant lymph node metastasis in the inguinal region is a rare manifestation of lymphatic metastasis. Since the 2014 FIGO staging revision, ovarian cancer patients with inguinal metastasis are classified as stage IVB. However, the clinical significance of such an upstaging remains under investigation. Materials and Methods: Both Scopus and PubMed / MEDLINE databases were utilized, by inputting the following combination of keywords: (Ovarian cancer OR Fallopian tube cancer) AND (Inguinal lymph node AND Metastasis) on June 31st, 2023. The time of publication and text availability were not considered when searching the databases and all relevant articles in English were initially accepted. Results: Twelve patients from equal number of case reports were included in our review. Mean age of diagnosis was 56,5 years old, with 3 out of 12 women to be premenopausal at the time of diagnosis. Regarding the histologic type, 67% (8 out of 12) of the cases were serous adenocarcinoma and 4 patients (33%) were diagnosed with fallopian tube malignancy. All patients, except one, were treated with primary cytoreductive surgery. In all patients optimal cytoreductive surgery was achieved. All patients, except one, received adjuvant chemotherapy. Regarding the disease-free survival, mean DFS is calculated approximately at 2 years (23,1 months). Conclusion: Inguinal lymph node metastases from ovarian / fallopian tube malignancy as initial site of metastasis is extremely rare. However, patients with inguinal masses should be investigated for ovarian / fallopian malignancy. Further investigation ought to be conducted to enlighten the pathway and the oncological significance of inguinal lymph node metastasis in ovarian cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasios Potiris
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandros Fotiou
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Eirini Drakaki
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Theodoros Karampitsakos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Christos Koratzanis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Spyridon Michalopoulos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School of Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagoula Oikonomou
- Surgery Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Nikolaou Christina
- Surgery Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | | | - Stamatios Petousis
- 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aris Ioannidis
- Surgery Department, Genesis Private Clinic, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Ekaterini Domali
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Peter Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sokou R, Parastatidou S, Iliodromiti Z, Lampropoulou K, Vrachnis D, Boutsikou T, Konstantinidi A, Iacovidou N. Knowledge Gaps and Current Evidence Regarding Breastfeeding Issues in Mothers with Chronic Diseases. Nutrients 2023; 15:2822. [PMID: 37447149 DOI: 10.3390/nu15132822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of chronic maternal disease is rising in the last decades in the developed world. Recent evidence indicated that the incidence of chronic maternal disease ranges from 10 to 30% of pregnancies worldwide. Several epidemiological studies in mothers with chronic diseases have mainly focused on the risk for adverse obstetric outcomes. Evidence from these studies supports a correlation between maternal chronic conditions and adverse perinatal outcomes, including increased risk for preeclampsia, cesarean section, preterm birth, and admission in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). However, there is a knowledge gap pertaining to the management of these women during lactation. This review aimed at summarizing the available research literature regarding breastfeeding in mothers with chronic diseases. Adjusted and evidence-based support may be required to promote breastfeeding in women with chronic diseases; however, our comprehension of breastfeeding in this subpopulation is still unclear. The literature related to breastfeeding extends in various scientific areas and multidisciplinary effort is necessary to compile an overview of current evidence and knowledge regarding breastfeeding issues in mothers with chronic diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rozeta Sokou
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, "Agios Panteleimon" General Hospital of Nikea, 3 D.Mantouvalou Str., Nikea, 18454 Piraeus, Greece
- Neonatal Department, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Stavroula Parastatidou
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, "Elena Venizelou" Maternity Hospital, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Neonatal Department, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Lampropoulou
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Endocrinology Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Theodora Boutsikou
- Neonatal Department, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Konstantinidi
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, "Agios Panteleimon" General Hospital of Nikea, 3 D.Mantouvalou Str., Nikea, 18454 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Nicoletta Iacovidou
- Neonatal Department, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Machairiotis N, Vrachnis D, Antonakopoulos N, Loukas N, Fotiou A, Pergialiotis V, Stavros S, Mantzou A, Maroudias G, Iavazzo C, Kanaka-Gantenbein C, Drakakis P, Troupis T, Vlasis K, Vrachnis N. Detection and Quantification of Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) Levels in Early Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid: Investigation into a Possible Correlation with Abnormal Fetal Growth Velocity Patterns. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4131. [PMID: 37373824 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12124131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal fetal growth is associated with adverse perinatal and long-term outcomes. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these conditions are still to be clarified. Nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) are two neurotrophins that are mainly involved in the neuroprotection process, namely promotion of growth and differentiation, maintenance, and survival of neurons. During pregnancy, they have been correlated with placental development and fetal growth. In this study, we aimed to determine the early 2nd trimester amniotic fluid levels of NGF and NT-3 and to investigate their association with fetal growth. METHODS This is a prospective observational study. A total of 51 amniotic fluid samples were collected from women undergoing amniocentesis early in the second trimester and were stored at -80 °C. Pregnancies were followed up until delivery and birth weight was recorded. Based on birth weight, the amniotic fluid samples were divided into three groups: appropriate for gestational age (AGA), small for gestational age (SGA), and large for gestational age (LGA). NGF and NT-3 levels were determined by using Elisa kits. RESULTS NGF concentrations were similar between the studied groups; median values were 10.15 pg/mL, 10.15 pg/mL, and 9.14 pg/mL in SGA, LGA, and AGA fetuses, respectively. Regarding NT-3, a trend was observed towards increased NT-3 levels as fetal growth velocity decreased; median concentrations were 11.87 pg/mL, 15.9 pg/mL, and 23.5 pg/mL in SGA, AGA, and LGA fetuses, respectively, although the differences among the three groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that fetal growth disturbances do not induce increased or decreased production of NGF and NT-3 in early second trimester amniotic fluid. The trend observed towards increased NT-3 levels as fetal growth velocity decreased shows that there may be a compensatory mechanism in place that operates in conjunction with the brain-sparing effect. Further associations between these two neurotrophins and fetal growth disturbances are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Machairiotis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Patras, Medical School, University of Patras, 26500 Patra, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio General Hospital, 18536 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Alexandros Fotiou
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasilios Pergialiotis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Aimilia Mantzou
- First Department of Pediatrics, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Maroudias
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio General Hospital, 18536 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Christos Iavazzo
- Gynecologic Oncology Department, Metaxa Memorial Cancer Hospital, 18537 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
- First Department of Pediatrics, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Theodore Troupis
- Gynecologic Oncology Department, Metaxa Memorial Cancer Hospital, 18537 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Vlasis
- Department of Anatomy, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Loukas N, Vrachnis D, Antonakopoulos N, Pergialiotis V, Mina A, Papoutsis I, Iavazzo C, Fotiou A, Stavros S, Valsamakis G, Vlachadis N, Maroudias G, Mastorakos G, Iliodromiti Z, Drakakis P, Vrachnis N. Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A: Is There an Association between Bisphenol A in Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid and Fetal Growth? Medicina (Kaunas) 2023; 59:medicina59050882. [PMID: 37241114 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59050882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Fetal growth abnormalities increase the risk of negative perinatal and long-term outcomes. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting chemical to which humans may be exposed in a number of ways, such as from the environment, via various consumer products, and through the individual's diet. Since the compound possesses estrogen-mimicking properties and exerts epigenetic and genotoxic effects, it has been associated with harmful effects impacting the entire spectrum of human life, including, vitally, the intrauterine period. We investigated the role of maternal exposure to BPA in abnormal fetal growth velocity, both impaired and excessive. Materials and Methods: Amniotic fluid samples were collected from 35 women who underwent amniocentesis early in the second trimester due to medical reasons. Pregnancies were followed until delivery, and birth weights were recorded. The amniotic fluid samples were subsequently divided into three groups based on fetal birth weight, as follows: AGA (appropriate for gestational age), SGA (small for gestational age), and LGA (large for gestational age). Amniotic fluid BPA levels were determined by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Results: BPA was detected in 80% (28/35) of our amniotic fluid samples. Median concentration was 281.495 pg/mL and ranged from 108.82 pg/mL to 1605.36 pg/mL. No significant association was observed between the study groups regarding BPA concentration. A significant positive correlation between amniotic fluid BPA concentration and birth weight centile (r = 0.351, p-value = 0.039) was identified. BPA levels were also inversely associated with gestational age in pregnancies at term (between 37 and 41 weeks) (r = -0.365, p-value = 0.031). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that maternal exposure to BPA during the early second trimester of pregnancy can potentially contribute to increased birthweight percentiles and to decreased gestational age in pregnancies at term.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio General Hospital, 185 36 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasilios Pergialiotis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Areti Mina
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Papoutsis
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Christos Iavazzo
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Metaxa Memorial Cancer Hospital, 185 37 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Alexandros Fotiou
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Valsamakis
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Endocrine Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Vlachadis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kalamata General Hospital, 241 00 Kalamata, Greece
| | - Georgios Maroudias
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio General Hospital, 185 36 Piraeus, Greece
| | - George Mastorakos
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Endocrine Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Department of Neonatology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Vrachnis D, Antonakopoulos N, Fotiou A, Pergialiotis V, Loukas N, Valsamakis G, Iavazzo C, Stavros S, Maroudias G, Panagopoulos P, Vlahos N, Peppa M, Stefos T, Mastorakos G. Is There a Correlation between Apelin and Insulin Concentrations in Early Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid with Fetal Growth Disorders? J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12093166. [PMID: 37176607 PMCID: PMC10179298 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12093166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal growth disturbances place fetuses at increased risk for perinatal morbidity and mortality. As yet, little is known about the basic pathogenetic mechanisms underlying deranged fetal growth. Apelin is an adipokine with several biological activities. Over the past decade, it has been investigated for its possible role in fetal growth restriction. Most studies have examined apelin concentrations in maternal serum and amniotic fluid in the third trimester or during neonatal life. In this study, apelin concentrations were examined for the first time in early second-trimester fetuses. Another major regulator of tissue growth and metabolism is insulin. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a prospective observational cohort study. We measured apelin and insulin concentrations in the amniotic fluid of 80 pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis in the early second trimester. Amniotic fluid samples were stored in appropriate conditions until delivery. The study groups were then defined, i.e., gestations with different fetal growth patterns (SGA, AGA, and LGA). Measurements were made using ELISA kits. RESULTS Apelin and insulin levels were measured in all 80 samples. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in apelin concentrations among groups (p = 0.007). Apelin concentrations in large for gestational age (LGA) fetuses were significantly lower compared to those in AGA and SGA fetuses. Insulin concentrations did not differ significantly among groups. CONCLUSIONS A clear trend towards decreasing apelin concentrations as birthweight progressively increased was identified. Amniotic fluid apelin concentrations in the early second trimester may be useful as a predictive factor for determining the risk of a fetus being born LGA. Future studies are expected/needed to corroborate the present findings and should ideally focus on the potential interplay of apelin with other known intrauterine metabolic factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandros Fotiou
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasilios Pergialiotis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio Hospital, 185 36 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Georgios Valsamakis
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Christos Iavazzo
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Metaxa Memorial Cancer Hospital, 185 37 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Maroudias
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio Hospital, 185 36 Piraeus, Greece
| | - Periklis Panagopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Vlahos
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| | - Melpomeni Peppa
- Εndocrine Unit, 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute & Diabetes Center, General University Hospital "Attikon", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Theodoros Stefos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vlachadis N, Vrachnis D, Antonakopoulos N, Tigka M, Loukas N, Parthenis C, Metallinou D, Nanou C, Stavros S, Vrachnis N. Temporal Trends in Stillbirth in Greece: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study. Cureus 2023; 15:e37154. [PMID: 37034145 PMCID: PMC10081855 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.37154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stillbirths are a major public health issue and a key population health indicator. The aim of this study was to comprehensively investigate and present time trends in stillbirth in Greece. METHODS Data on all live births and stillbirths were derived from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, covering a 65-year period from 1957 to 2021 and the annual stillbirth rate (SBR) was calculated, defined as the number of stillbirths per 1,000 live births and stillbirths (total births). Trends in the SBR were assessed using joinpoint regression analysis with calculation of the annual percent change (APC) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and level of statistical significance p<0.05. RESULTS The SBR in Greece, after an initial increasing trend (1957-1965: APC=2.6, 95% CI: 0.5 to 4.7, p=0.016), and an all-time high of 15.8 per 1,000 births in 1966, recorded a four decades period of continuous improvement (1965-2003: APC=3.0, 95% CI: -3.2 to -2.8, p<0.001) and reached a historic low in 2008 (3.3 per 1,000 births) (a decrease by 79%). However, the SBR stagnated at an elevated level during the decade 2006-2016 and showed a steeply upward trend during the most recent period 2016-2021 (APC=7.4, 95% CI: 3.0 to 12.1, p=0.001). In 2021, the SBR was 5.3 per 1,000 births, 60% up from 2008. It was estimated that the SBR improvement for the 1967-2021 period resulted in 50,914 stillbirths averted (7.9 per 1,000 births), but the recent increase in the SBR has led to 1,200 additional fetal deaths (1.0 per 1,000 births) during 2009-2021. CONCLUSION After an impressive decline for almost four decades the SBR gradually deteriorated during the economic crisis and finally showed an alarming rising trend after 2015, resulting in an increasing burden of fetal deaths in Greece. Further public health interventions are needed to address preventable risk factors and ensure access to optimized antenatal monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Patras, Rio University Hospital, Patras, GRC
| | - Maria Tigka
- Department of Midwifery, University of West Attica, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio Hospital, Piraeus, GRC
| | - Christos Parthenis
- Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | | | - Christina Nanou
- Department of Midwifery, University of West Attica, Athens, GRC
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Vlachadis N, Papadopoulou T, Vrachnis D, Manolakos E, Loukas N, Christopoulos P, Pappa K, Vrachnis N. Incidence and Types of Chromosomal Abnormalities in First Trimester Spontaneous Miscarriages: a Greek Single-Center Prospective Study. Maedica (Bucur) 2023; 18:35-41. [PMID: 37266460 PMCID: PMC10231156 DOI: 10.26574/maedica.2023.18.1.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Background:Chromosomal abnormalities are the main cause of early miscarriages. Objective: The aim of this cross-sectional cohort study was to investigate the chromosomal abnormalities in first trimester spontaneous miscarriages in a Greek population. Methods:Spontaneous abortion samples from a single genetic center in Greece were analyzed via conventional karyotype analysis and quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR). All samples were accompanied by maternal blood samples to exclude contamination. Results:The results of the present study showed that 83 out of the 198 available samples (41.9%) had an abnormal karyotype. The majority of embryos suffered from numerical chromosomal abnormalities (90.4%). Autosomal trisomy (54.2%) was the most frequent chromosomal abnormality, while trisomies 16 and 22 (seven cases) were the commonest karyotype anomalies. Nine fetuses (10.8%) suffered numerical abnormalities of sex chromosomes (all cases with 45, X), while 12 of fetuses (14.5%) were diagnosed with triploidy (five males with 69, XXY and seven females with 69, XXX). All miscarriages following IVF and presenting with abnormal karyotype were diagnosed with numerical abnormalities. Finally, a fetus with double trisomy (14 and 21) and a rare case of coexistence of Klinefelter (XXY) and Edwards (trisomy 18) syndromes were observed. Conclusions:Cytogenetic analysis of products of conception is an important step involved in investigating the causes of miscarriages. In this study of spontaneous miscarriages, the incidence and types of chromosome aberrations are presented for the first time in a Greek population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Theti Papadopoulou
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Attiko Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Christopoulos
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Kalliopi Pappa
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Attiko Hospital, Athens, Greece
- Vascular Biology, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Vlachadis N, Vrachnis D, Loukas N, Fotiou A, Maroudias G, Antonakopoulos N, Stavros S, Vrachnis N. Temporal Trends in Multiple Births in Greece: The Evolution of an Epidemic. Cureus 2023; 15:e35414. [PMID: 36987481 PMCID: PMC10040221 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.35414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Multiple births constitute the dominant adverse effect of fertility treatments and are associated with increased perinatal risks. The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine and present time trends in multiple births in Greece. Methods Data on live births by multiplicity were derived from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, covering a 65-year period from 1957 to 2021. Temporal trends in multiple birth rates (MBR), twin birth rates (TwBR), as well as in triplet and higher-order birth rates (Tr+BR) were assessed using joinpoint regression analysis, and the annual percentage changes (APC) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and level of statistical significance (p < 0.05). Results The MBR in Greece showed a downward trend from 1957 to 1979 (APC = -1.7, 95% CI: -2.0 to -1.4, p < 0.001). However, the rate started to climb in the 1980s, accelerated during the 1990s, and continued to rise in the two most recent decades, reaching a historic high and a world record of 57.2 per 1,000 births in 2021, i.e., a 3.4-fold increase since 1985. The TwBR increased from an all-time low of 16.5 per 1,000 births in 1978 with APC = 1.4 (95% CI: 0.2 to 2.5, p = 0.021) during 1979-1989, APC = 6.3 (95% CI: 5.5 to 7.2, p < 0.001) during 1989-2001, and APC = 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8 to 1.5, p < 0.001) during the last two decades (2001-2021). The Tr+BR, after an all-time low of 17.5 per 100,000 births in 1966, increased dramatically from 1982 to 2000 (APC = 12.4, 95% CI: 9.6 to 15.2, p < 0.001), leveled off during 2000-2011, and after reaching a historic maximum of 351.1 per 100,000 births in 2010, there was a sharp decreasing trend during the last decade (2011-2021: APC = -12.1, 95% CI: -16.8 to -7.2, p < 0.001). Conclusion The dramatic increases in maternal age as well as in medically assisted conceptions have resulted in an epidemic increase in MBR in Greece reaching world record levels. During the last decade, there was an encouraging decline in the Tr+BR; however, the TwBR has continued to trend upwards.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vlachadis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of Messinia, Kalamata, GRC
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tzaneio Hospital, Piraeus, GRC
| | - Alexandros Fotiou
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | | | | | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, GRC
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Vrachnis N, Argyridis S, Vrachnis D, Antonakopoulos N, Valsamakis G, Iavazzo C, Zygouris D, Salakos N, Rodolakis A, Vlahos N, Mastorakos G, Drakakis P, Iliodromiti Z. Increased Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) Concentration in Early Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid and Its Association with Fetal Growth. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11090581. [PMID: 34564397 PMCID: PMC8470231 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11090581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered fetal growth, either reduced or exacerbated, is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. The underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of altered growth remain unclear. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and insulin are both considered to be major regulators of tissue growth and metabolism. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of second trimester amniotic fluid FGF21 and insulin concentrations with fetal growth. The amniotic fluid concentrations of FGF21 and insulin were determined in 80 cases of different fetal growth patterns (SGA—small for gestational age, LGA—large for gestational age, and AGA—appropriate for gestational age fetuses). Both peptides were found to be increased in cases of abnormal fetal growth, reduced growth velocity (SGA), or macrosomia (LGA). Specifically, FGF21 was significantly increased, as higher FGF21 levels were observed in the amniotic fluid of SGA and LGA fetuses compared with AGA fetuses (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the more severe the fetal smallness, the higher the FGF21 levels (p < 0.05). Similarly, higher insulin levels were noted in the amniotic fluid of SGA and LGA fetuses compared with those in AGA fetuses, though this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Again, the more severe the reduced fetal growth, the higher the insulin levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece; (N.A.); (D.Z.); (P.D.)
- Vascular Biology, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George’s University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-697-4441-144
| | - Savvas Argyridis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Archbishop Makarios III Hospital, Nicosia 2029, Cyprus;
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece; (N.A.); (D.Z.); (P.D.)
| | - Georgios Valsamakis
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece; (G.V.); (N.S.); (N.V.)
| | - Christos Iavazzo
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Metaxa Cancer Hospital, 18537 Piraeus, Greece;
| | - Dimitrios Zygouris
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece; (N.A.); (D.Z.); (P.D.)
| | - Nikolaos Salakos
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece; (G.V.); (N.S.); (N.V.)
| | - Alexandros Rodolakis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nikolaos Vlahos
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece; (G.V.); (N.S.); (N.V.)
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Peter Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece; (N.A.); (D.Z.); (P.D.)
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Vrachnis N, Papoulidis I, Vrachnis D, Siomou E, Antonakopoulos N, Oikonomou S, Zygouris D, Loukas N, Iliodromiti Z, Pavlidou E, Thomaidis L, Manolakos E. Partial deletion of chromosome 6p causing developmental delay and mild dysmorphisms in a child: molecular and developmental investigation and literature search. Mol Cytogenet 2021; 14:39. [PMID: 34303382 PMCID: PMC8310580 DOI: 10.1186/s13039-021-00557-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The interstitial 6p22.3 deletions concern rare chromosomal events affecting numerous aspects of both physical and mental development. The syndrome is characterized by partial deletion of chromosome 6, which may arise in a number of ways. Case presentation We report a 2.8-year old boy presenting with developmental delay and mild dysmorphisms. High-resolution oligonucleotide microarray analysis revealed with high precision a 2.5 Mb interstitial 6p deletion in the 6p22.3 region which encompasses 13 genes. Conclusions Identification and in-depth analysis of cases presenting with mild features of the syndrome will sharpen our understanding of the genetic spectrum of the 6p22.3 deletion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Attikon Hospital, Athens, GR, Greece. .,Research Centre in Obstetrics and Gynecology, HSOGE, Athens, Greece. .,Vascular Biology, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, UK.
| | - Ioannis Papoulidis
- Access To Genome P.C., Clinical Laboratory Genetics, Athens-Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Elisavet Siomou
- Access To Genome P.C., Clinical Laboratory Genetics, Athens-Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Attikon Hospital, Athens, GR, Greece.,Research Centre in Obstetrics and Gynecology, HSOGE, Athens, Greece
| | - Stavroula Oikonomou
- Second Department of Pediatrics, Aglaia Kyriakou Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Gynecology, General Hospital of Athens "G. Gennimatas", Athens, Greece
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Efterpi Pavlidou
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University General Hospital AHEPA, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Loretta Thomaidis
- Second Department of Pediatrics, Aglaia Kyriakou Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Emmanouil Manolakos
- Access To Genome P.C., Clinical Laboratory Genetics, Athens-Thessaloniki, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Vrachnis N, Zygouris D, Vrachnis D, Roussos N, Loukas N, Antonakopoulos N, Paltoglou G, Barbounaki S, Valsamakis G, Iliodromiti Z. Perinatal Inflammation: Could Partial Blocking of Cell Adhesion Molecule Function Be a Solution? Children (Basel) 2021; 8:children8050380. [PMID: 34065912 PMCID: PMC8150343 DOI: 10.3390/children8050380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In spite of the great advances made in recent years in prenatal and perinatal medicine, inflammation can still frequently result in injury to vital organs and often constitutes a major cause of morbidity. It is today well established that in neonates—though vulnerability to infection among neonates is triggered by functional impairments in leukocyte adhesion—the decreased expression of cell adhesion molecules also decreases the inflammatory response. It is also clear that the cell adhesion molecules, namely, the integrins, selectins, and the immunoglobulin (Ig) gene super family, all play a crucial role in the inflammatory cascade. Thus, by consolidating our knowledge concerning the actions of these vital cell adhesion molecules during the prenatal period as well as regarding the genetic deficiencies of these molecules, notably leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) I, II, and III, which can provoke severe clinical symptoms throughout the first year of life, it is anticipated that intervention involving blocking the function of cell adhesion molecules in neonatal leukocytes has the potential to constitute an effective therapeutic approach for inflammation. A promising perspective is the potential use of antibody therapy in preterm and term infants with perinatal inflammation and infection focusing on cases in which LAD is involved, while a further important scientific advance related to this issue could be the combination of small peptides aimed at the inhibition of cellular adhesion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
- Vascular Biology, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George’s University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
- Research Centre in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hellenic Society of Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergency, 11526 Athens, Greece; (D.Z.); (N.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-2107777442
| | - Dimitrios Zygouris
- Research Centre in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hellenic Society of Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergency, 11526 Athens, Greece; (D.Z.); (N.R.)
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nikolaos Roussos
- Research Centre in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hellenic Society of Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergency, 11526 Athens, Greece; (D.Z.); (N.R.)
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- Department of Gynecology, General Hospital of Athens “G. Gennimatas”, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Georgios Paltoglou
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece; (G.P.); (G.V.)
| | | | - Georgios Valsamakis
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece; (G.P.); (G.V.)
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Department of Neonatology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Vrachnis N, Loukas N, Vrachnis D, Antonakopoulos N, Christodoulaki C, Tsonis O, George M, Iliodromiti Z. Phthalates and fetal growth velocity: tracking down the suspected links. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2021; 35:4985-4993. [PMID: 33467971 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1873943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fetuses that have not achieved their full growth potential are associated with adverse perinatal and long-term outcomes; thus, it is essential to identify environmental factors that can potentially impair normal intrauterine development. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), substances capable of altering the homeostasis of the endocrine system, are thought to play a role in restriction of growth velocity, with phthalates being among the most common EDCs to which pregnant women are exposed. Such exposure can potentially lead to changes to the epigenome, placental structure, and hormone function and trigger oxidative stress. Given that these pathways have been linked to fetal growth restriction, we reviewed the literature on the relationship between phthalates and fetal growth. The majority of the studies, which used birth weight as an indicator of intrauterine development, showed contradictory results, the main reason being the EDCs' rapid metabolism. However, we can draw more consistent conclusions when phthalates are quantified at more than one time point during pregnancy. In this narrative review, we present current data indicating the role of phthalates, and especially di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), in abnormal fetal growth velocity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Vrachnis
- 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, Athens, Greece.,Vascular Biology, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Nikolaos Loukas
- 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Endocrinology Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Antonakopoulos
- 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Chryssi Christodoulaki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chania General Hospital "St. George", Crete, Greece
| | - Orestis Tsonis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Mastorakos George
- Endocrinology Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Department of Neonatology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Iliodromiti Z, Christou E, Vrachnis N, Sokou R, Vrachnis D, Mihopoulou G, Boutsikou T, Iacovidou N. Serum and Urinary N-Terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptides as Biomarkers for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia of Preterm Neonates. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:588738. [PMID: 33194922 PMCID: PMC7655774 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.588738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common cause of respiratory illness in preterm newborns with high morbidity and mortality rates. At present, there are no early prognostic biomarkers that can be used in clinical practice to predict the development of BPD. In this review, we critically appraise evidence regarding the use of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels as a biomarker for BPD in neonates. Furthermore, we summarize studies assessing the feasibility of urinary NTproBNP levels as a non-invasive method to predict BPD in preterm infants. Multiple studies reported a strong association between NTproBNP serum levels and the onset of BPD. For urinary NTproBNP there is scarce evidence showing an association with BPD. Given the promising data obtained by preliminary studies, further assessment of this biomarker in both serum and urine is needed. Standardized reference values should be defined before conducting any further clinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zoi Iliodromiti
- Neonatal Department, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Christou
- Neonatal Department, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Vrachnis
- Third Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Attikon Hospital, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rozeta Sokou
- NICU, "Agios Panteleimon" General Hospital of Nikaia, Piraeus, Greece
| | - Dionysios Vrachnis
- Endocrinology Unit, Second Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Mihopoulou
- Second Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Theodora Boutsikou
- Neonatal Department, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nicoletta Iacovidou
- Neonatal Department, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|