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  1. Article ; Online: Oral Antibiotics for Bacteremia and Infective Endocarditis

    Gerasimos Eleftheriotis / Markos Marangos / Maria Lagadinou / Sanjay Bhagani / Stelios F. Assimakopoulos

    Microorganisms, Vol 11, Iss 12, p

    Current Evidence and Future Perspectives

    2023  Volume 3004

    Abstract: Bacteremia and endocarditis are two clinical syndromes that, for decades, were managed exclusively with parenteral antimicrobials, irrespective of a given patient’s clinical condition, causative pathogen, or its antibiotic susceptibility profile. This ... ...

    Abstract Bacteremia and endocarditis are two clinical syndromes that, for decades, were managed exclusively with parenteral antimicrobials, irrespective of a given patient’s clinical condition, causative pathogen, or its antibiotic susceptibility profile. This clinical approach, however, was based on low-quality data and outdated expert opinions. When a patient’s condition has improved, gastrointestinal absorption is not compromised, and an oral antibiotic regimen reaching adequate serum concentrations is available, a switch to oral antibacterials can be applied. Although available evidence has reduced the timing of the oral switch in bacteremia to three days/until clinical improvement, there are only scarce data regarding less than 10-day intravenous antibiotic therapy in endocarditis. Many standard or studied oral antimicrobial dosages are smaller than the approved doses for parenteral administration, which is a risk factor for treatment failure; in addition, the gastrointestinal barrier may affect drug bioavailability, especially when the causative pathogen has a minimum inhibitory concentration that is close to the susceptibility breakpoint. A considerable number of patients infected by such near-breakpoint strains may not be potential candidates for oral step-down therapy to non-highly bioavailable antibiotics like beta-lactams; different breakpoints should be determined for this setting. This review will focus on summarizing findings about pathogen-specific tailoring of oral step-down therapy for bacteremia and endocarditis, but will also present laboratory and clinical data about antibiotics such as beta-lactams, linezolid, and fosfomycin that should be studied more in order to elucidate their role and optimal dosage in this context.
    Keywords bacteremia ; endocarditis ; oral treatment ; Enterobacterales ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  2. Article ; Online: SARS CoV-2-Induced Viral Sepsis

    Stelios F. Assimakopoulos / Gerasimos Eleftheriotis / Maria Lagadinou / Vassilios Karamouzos / Periklis Dousdampanis / Georgios Siakallis / Markos Marangos

    Microorganisms, Vol 10, Iss 1050, p

    The Role of Gut Barrier Dysfunction

    2022  Volume 1050

    Abstract: A considerable proportion of patients with severe COVID-19 meet Sepsis-3 criteria and share common pathophysiological mechanisms of multiorgan injury with bacterial sepsis, in absence of secondary bacterial infections, a process characterized as “viral ... ...

    Abstract A considerable proportion of patients with severe COVID-19 meet Sepsis-3 criteria and share common pathophysiological mechanisms of multiorgan injury with bacterial sepsis, in absence of secondary bacterial infections, a process characterized as “viral sepsis”. The intestinal barrier exerts a central role in the pathophysiological sequence of events that lead from SARS-CoV-2 infection to severe systemic complications. Accumulating evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 disrupts the integrity of the biological, mechanical and immunological gut barrier. Specifically, microbiota diversity and beneficial bacteria population are reduced, concurrently with overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria (dysbiosis). Enterocytes’ tight junctions (TJs) are disrupted, and the apoptotic death of intestinal epithelial cells is increased leading to increased gut permeability. In addition, mucosal CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, Th17 cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells and macrophages are activated, and T-regulatory cells are decreased, thus promoting an overactivated immune response, which further injures the intestinal epithelium. This dysfunctional gut barrier in SARS-CoV-2 infection permits the escape of luminal bacteria, fungi and endotoxin to normally sterile extraintestinal sites and the systemic circulation. Pre-existing gut barrier dysfunction and endotoxemia in patients with comorbidities including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and immunosuppression predisposes to aggravated endotoxemia. Bacterial and endotoxin translocation promote the systemic inflammation and immune activation, which characterize the SARS-CoV-2 induced “viral sepsis” syndrome associated with multisystemic complications of severe COVID-19.
    Keywords SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19 ; intestinal barrier ; microbiota ; tight junctions ; microbial translocation ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-05-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  3. Article ; Online: Factors associated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titres 3 months post-vaccination with the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine

    Markos Marangos / Anastasia Parthymou / Evagelia E Habeos / George I Habeos / Apostolos Deligakis / Ektoras Livieratos / Dionysios V Chartoumpekis

    BMJ Open, Vol 12, Iss

    a longitudinal observational cohort study in western Greece

    2022  Volume 5

    Keywords Medicine ; R
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-05-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  4. Article ; Online: Optimization of hydroxychloroquine dosing scheme based on COVID-19 patients’ characteristics

    Eleni Karatza (9446042) / George Ismailos (9446045) / Markos Marangos (9446048) / Vangelis Karalis (9446051)

    a review of the literature and simulations

    2020  

    Abstract: During the recent COVID-19 outbreak hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been proposed as a safe and effective therapeutic option. However, a wide variety of dosing schemes has been applied in the clinical practice and tested in clinical studies. An extended ... ...

    Abstract During the recent COVID-19 outbreak hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been proposed as a safe and effective therapeutic option. However, a wide variety of dosing schemes has been applied in the clinical practice and tested in clinical studies. An extended literature survey was performed investigating the pharmacokinetics, the efficacy and safety of HCQ in COVID-19 treatment. Population pharmacokinetic models were retrieved from the literature and after evaluation and assessment one was selected in order to perform simulations. The most commonly applied dosing schemes were explored for patients with different weights and different levels of HCQ clearance impairment. Model-based simulations of HCQ concentrations revealed that high initial doses followed by low and sparse doses may offer significant benefits to patients by decreasing the viral load without reaching levels considered to produce adverse effects. For instance, the dosing scheme proposed for a 70 kg adult with moderate COVID-19 symptoms would be 600 mg upon diagnosis, 400 mg after 12 h, 300 mg after 24 h, 200 mg after 36 h, followed by 200 mg BID for 4 d, followed by 200 mg OD for 5 d. Based on the results from simulations performed and the currently published knowledge regarding HCQ in COVID-19 treatment, this study provides evidence that a high loading dose followed by sparse doses could offer significant benefits to the patients. During the recent COVID-19 outbreak hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been proposed as a safe and effective therapeutic option. However, a wide variety of dosing schemes has been applied in the clinical practice and tested in clinical studies. An extended literature survey was performed investigating the pharmacokinetics, the efficacy and safety of HCQ in COVID-19 treatment. Population pharmacokinetic models were retrieved from the literature and after evaluation and assessment one was selected in order to perform simulations. The most commonly applied dosing schemes were explored for patients with different weights and different levels of HCQ clearance impairment. Model-based simulations of HCQ concentrations revealed that high initial doses followed by low and sparse doses may offer significant benefits to patients by decreasing the viral load without reaching levels considered to produce adverse effects. For instance, the dosing scheme proposed for a 70 kg adult with moderate COVID-19 symptoms would be 600 mg upon diagnosis, 400 mg after 12 h, 300 mg after 24 h, 200 mg after 36 h, followed by 200 mg BID for 4 d, followed by 200 mg OD for 5 d. Based on the results from simulations performed and the currently published knowledge regarding HCQ in COVID-19 treatment, this study provides evidence that a high loading dose followed by sparse doses could offer significant benefits to the patients.
    Keywords Pharmacology ; Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified ; Mathematical Sciences not elsewhere classified ; Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified ; COVID-19 ; hydroxychloroquine ; efficacy and safety ; modeling and simulation ; precision dosing ; covid19
    Publishing date 2020-10-01T05:20:01Z
    Publishing country us
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  5. Article ; Online: Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in a patient with chronic brucellosis

    Simella Provatopoulou / Marios Papasotiriou / Evangelos Papachristou / Hariklia Gakiopoulou / Markos Marangos / Dimitrios S. Goumenos

    Kidney Research and Clinical Practice, Vol 37, Iss 3, Pp 298-

    2018  Volume 303

    Abstract: Brucellosis is the most common zoonotic disease in Greece, with an endemic distribution and can affect any organ. Infiltration of the renal parenchyma causes acute and chronic interstitial nephritis with granulomas, whereas renal glomeruli are rarely ... ...

    Abstract Brucellosis is the most common zoonotic disease in Greece, with an endemic distribution and can affect any organ. Infiltration of the renal parenchyma causes acute and chronic interstitial nephritis with granulomas, whereas renal glomeruli are rarely affected. The disease has been sporadically reported, and it causes various histopathologic patterns. Herein, we describe the case of a 39-year-old stock breeder with a history of recurrent episodes of bacteremia caused by Brucella melitensis over a period of 3 years. Two months after the last episode of bacteremia, he presented with mild renal insufficiency, nephrotic range proteinuria, and microscopic hematuria. A renal biopsy revealed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with a pattern of focal-segmental nodular sclerosis and moderate tubulointerstitial fibrosis. The patient received antimicrobial and corticosteroid therapy with partial remission of the nephrotic syndrome.
    Keywords Brucellosis ; Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis ; Nephrotic syndrome ; Internal medicine ; RC31-1245 ; Specialties of internal medicine ; RC581-951
    Subject code 616
    Language English
    Publishing date 2018-09-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher The Korean Society of Nephrology
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  6. Article ; Online: A mysterious cause of stool ova

    Stelios F Assimakopoulos / Konstantinos Thomopoulos / Markos Marangos

    Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology, Vol 18, Iss 6, Pp 392-

    2012  Volume 393

    Keywords Diseases of the digestive system. Gastroenterology ; RC799-869 ; Specialties of internal medicine ; RC581-951 ; Internal medicine ; RC31-1245 ; Medicine ; R
    Language English
    Publishing date 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Medknow Publications
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  7. Article ; Online: Accurate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveys require robust multi-antigen assays

    Christos Fotis / Nikolaos Meimetis / Nikos Tsolakos / Marianna Politou / Karolina Akinosoglou / Vaia Pliaka / Angeliki Minia / Evangelos Terpos / Ioannis P. Trougakos / Andreas Mentis / Markos Marangos / George Panayiotakopoulos / Meletios A. Dimopoulos / Charalampos Gogos / Alexandros Spyridonidis / Leonidas G. Alexopoulos

    Scientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    2021  Volume 11

    Abstract: Abstract There is a plethora of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) serological tests based either on nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N), S1-subunit of spike glycoprotein (S1) or receptor binding domain (RBD). Although these single- ... ...

    Abstract Abstract There is a plethora of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) serological tests based either on nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N), S1-subunit of spike glycoprotein (S1) or receptor binding domain (RBD). Although these single-antigen based tests demonstrate high clinical performance, there is growing evidence regarding their limitations in epidemiological serosurveys. To address this, we developed a Luminex-based multiplex immunoassay that detects total antibodies (IgG/IgM/IgA) against the N, S1 and RBD antigens and used it to compare antibody responses in 1225 blood donors across Greece. Seroprevalence based on single-antigen readouts was strongly influenced by both the antigen type and cut-off value and ranged widely [0.8% (95% CI 0.4–1.5%)–7.5% (95% CI 6.0–8.9%)]. A multi-antigen approach requiring partial agreement between RBD and N or S1 readouts (RBD&N|S1 rule) was less affected by cut-off selection, resulting in robust seroprevalence estimation [0.6% (95% CI 0.3–1.1%)–1.2% (95% CI 0.7–2.0%)] and accurate identification of seroconverted individuals.
    Keywords Medicine ; R ; Science ; Q
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Nature Portfolio
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  8. Article ; Online: The Role of Obesity in Sepsis Outcome among Critically Ill Patients

    Matthaios Papadimitriou-Olivgeris / Diamanto Aretha / Anastasia Zotou / Kyriaki Koutsileou / Aikaterini Zbouki / Aikaterini Lefkaditi / Christina Sklavou / Markos Marangos / Fotini Fligou

    BioMed Research International, Vol

    A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

    2016  Volume 2016

    Abstract: Background. The objective of this study was to assess the correlation between sepsis, obesity, and mortality of patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Subjects and Methods. Data of all patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital ... ...

    Abstract Background. The objective of this study was to assess the correlation between sepsis, obesity, and mortality of patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Subjects and Methods. Data of all patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital during a 28-month period were retrospectively analyzed and included in the study. Results. Of 834 patients included, 163 (19.5%) were obese, while 25 (3.0%) were morbidly obese. Number of comorbidities (P<0.001), bloodstream infection (P 0.033), and carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae colonization during ICU stay (P 0.005) were significantly associated with obesity, while nonobese patients suffered more frequently from spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (P 0.038). Total ICU mortality was 22.5%. Increased mortality among obese ICU patients was observed. Sepsis was the main condition of admission for which obese patients had statistically lower survival than normal weight subjects (76.3% versus 43.7%; P 0.001). Mortality of septic patients upon admission was independently associated with SOFA score upon ICU admission (P 0.003), obesity (P 0.014), pneumonia (P 0.038), and development of septic shock (P 0.015). Conclusions. Our study revealed that sepsis upon ICU admission is adversely influenced by obesity but further studies are needed in order to assess the role of obesity in sepsis outcome.
    Keywords Medicine ; R
    Subject code 616
    Language English
    Publishing date 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Hindawi Limited
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  9. Article: Combination of commercially available molecular assays and culture based methods in diagnosis of tuberculosis and drug resistant tuberculosis

    Gkaravela, Lamprini / Anastasia Spiliopoulou / Antigoni Foka / Apostolos Voulgaridis / Evangelos D. Anastassiou / Fevronia Kolonitsiou / Iris Spiliopoulou / Maria Tsiamita / Markos Marangos / Matthaios Papadimitriou-Olivgeris / Nikolaos Charokopos

    Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia Brazilian journal of microbiology. 2017 Oct., Dec., v. 48, no. 4

    2017  

    Abstract: Early diagnosis of tuberculosis is of major clinical importance. Among 4733 clinical specimens collected from 3363 patients and subjected to Ziehl–Neelsen microscopy, 4109 were inoculated onto Löwenstein–Jensen slants and 3139 in Bactec/9000MB. ... ...

    Abstract Early diagnosis of tuberculosis is of major clinical importance. Among 4733 clinical specimens collected from 3363 patients and subjected to Ziehl–Neelsen microscopy, 4109 were inoculated onto Löwenstein–Jensen slants and 3139 in Bactec/9000MB. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed in 3139 specimens, whereas, a genotypic assay was directly applied in 93 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex PCR-positive for isoniazid and rifampicin resistance detection specimens (GenoType MTBDRplus). Recovered M. tuberculosis isolates (64) as well as, 21 more sent from Regional Hospitals were tested for antimycobacterial resistance with a phenotypic (manual MGIT-SIRE) and a genotypic assay (GenoType MTBDRplus). PCR in the clinical specimens showed excellent specificity (97.4%) and accuracy (96.8%), good sensitivity (70.4%), but low positive predictive value (40.3%). MGIT-SIRE performed to M. tuberculosis did not confer a reliable result in 16 isolates. Of the remaining 69 isolates, 15 were resistant to streptomycin, seven to isoniazid, seven to ethambutol and five to rifampicin. GenoType MTBDRplus correctly detected isoniazid (seven) and rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis strains (five), showing an excellent performance overall (100%). Susceptibility results by the molecular assay applied directly to clinical specimens were identical to those obtained from recovered isolates of the corresponding patients. Combining molecular and conventional methods greatly contribute to early diagnosis and accurate susceptibility testing of tuberculosis.
    Keywords drug resistance ; early diagnosis ; genotype ; hospitals ; isoniazid ; microbiology ; microscopy ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; patients ; phenotype ; polymerase chain reaction ; rifampicin ; streptomycin ; tuberculosis
    Language English
    Dates of publication 2017-10
    Size p. 785-790.
    Publishing place Elsevier Editora Ltda.
    Document type Article
    ZDB-ID 2042078-X
    ISSN 1517-8382
    ISSN 1517-8382
    DOI 10.1016/j.bjm.2017.04.001
    Database NAL-Catalogue (AGRICOLA)

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  10. Article ; Online: Commonly Used Severity Scores Are Not Good Predictors of Mortality in Sepsis from Severe Leptospirosis

    Menelaos Karanikolas / Dimitrios Velissaris / Nikolaos Flaris / Fotini Fligou / Markos Marangos / Kriton S. Filos

    Critical Care Research and Practice, Vol

    A Series of Ten Patients

    2012  Volume 2012

    Keywords Internal medicine ; RC31-1245 ; Medicine ; R ; DOAJ:Internal medicine ; DOAJ:Medicine (General) ; DOAJ:Health Sciences
    Language English
    Publishing date 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Hindawi Publishing Corporation
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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