The Economic Crisis in Greece and Its Impact on the Seasonality of Suicides in the Athens Greater Area

Christos Christodoulou,Vasiliki Efstathiou,Ioannis Michopoulos,Maria Gkerekou,Antonios Paraschakis,Filippos Koutsaftis,Athanassios Douzenis 대한신경정신의학회 2017 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.14 No.1

Objective: The economic crisis and the implementation of austerity measures in Greece lead to significant socioeconomic changes. The effects of the crisis were mainly felt by the Greek population during the years 2011 and 2012. This study aimed to investigate the impact of Greece’s economic crisis on the seasonality of suicides in the Athens Greater Area. Methods: Data were collected for all recorded cases of suicides committed over a 5-year period (from 2008 to 2012) from the Athens Department of Forensic Medicine. Two sub-periods were studied in relation to the economic crisis: 2008–2010 and 2011–2012. Seasonality was estimated with the Poison regression variant of the circular normal distribution. Results: Suicide seasonality appeared significant during 2008–2010 (relative risk, RR=1.36) and strengthened in the years 2011–2012 (RR=1.69), when the impact of the austerity measures was increasingly being felt by the Greek society. Regarding the latter sub-period, seasonality was established for males (RR=1.75), individuals aged 45 years or more (RR=1.75) and suicide by hanging (RR=1.96). Conclusion: The economic crisis in Greece, especially in the period during its effects had a significant impact on the population’s economic condition, seems to have strengthened the seasonality of suicides, while a noteworthy suicide risk of 96% was revealed for suicides by hanging (peak in early June).

A 2-Year Psychological Autopsy Study of Completed Suicides in the Athens Greater Area, Greece

Antonios Paraschakis,Ioannis Michopoulos,Christos Christodoulou,Filippos Koutsaftis,Lefteris Lykouras,Athanassios Douzenis 대한신경정신의학회 2015 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.12 No.2

ObjectiveaaTo study the characteristics of a sample of suicide victims from the Athens Greater Area using the psychological autopsy method for the first time in Greece. MethodsaaWe studied all recorded cases of completed suicide for the 2-year time period November 2007–October 2009 collecting data from the victims’ forensic records as well as from the completion of a psychological autopsy questionnaire. Resultsaa335 persons were recorded as suicide victims. We contacted relatives of 256 victims interviewing those of 248 of them (96.9%). The differences regarding sex, marital and employment status between our sample and the general population were statistically significant (p<0.001). The male/female ratio was 3:1. Comparatively more victims were divorced, separated or single and a greater proportion were pensioners or unemployed. 26.0% of the victims had history of prior attempts (64.4% once, 20.3% twice and 15.3% more times). 42.6% were taking psychiatric medication-significantly more women than men according to blood tests; 14.2% had been hospitalized in a psychiatric clinic the year prior to their death. 84.8% have deceased at the place of suicide and 15.2% died in the hospital; 80.3% died indoors and 19.7% outdoors. Men died primarily by hanging or shooting by a firearm while women preferred jumping from height instead (p<0.001). As many as 48.8% had expressed their intention to die to their relatives; 26.6% left a suicide note. ConclusionaaOur study has shown that the psychological autopsy method is applicable and widely accepted yielding results comparable to the international literature. Specific parameters associated with suicide have been studied for the first time in Greece.

Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis E virus: An overview

Fotios S. Fousekis,Ioannis V. Mitselos,Dimitrios K. Christodoulou 대한간학회 2020 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.26 No.1

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a significant health problem with approximately 20 million individuals infected annually. HEV infection has been associated with a wide spectrum of extrahepatic manifestations, including neurological, hematological and renal disorders. Guillain-Barré syndrome and neuralgic amyotrophy are the most frequent neurological manifestations. In addition, HEV infection has been observed with other neurological diseases, such as encephalitis, myelitis and Bell’s palsy. Hematologic manifestations include anemia due to glucose-6-phospate dehydrogonase deficiency, autoimmune hemolytic anemia and severe thrombocytopenia. Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and relapse IgA nephropathy with or without coexisting cryoglobulinemia appear to be the most common renal injuries related with HEV infection. Also, HEV infection has been associated with acute pancreatitis and other immune-mediated manifestations, such as arthritis and myocarditis. However, the pathophysiologic mechanisms of HEV-related extrahepatic manifestations are still largely unclear.

Viral Agents Involved in Wheezing and Asthma in Children

( Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos ),( Kalliopi M. Kouloufakou Gratsia ),( Ioannis Christodoulou ) 대한천식알레르기학회 2008 천식 및 알레르기 Vol.28 No.1

The role of respiratory viral infections in the development of childhood asthma remains under intense investigation. There is a plethora of viral agents (rhinoviruses [RV], enteroviruses, respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], metapneumovirus [MPV], adenoviruses, influenza and parainfluenza [PIV] viruses, bocavirus [hBoV], coronaviruses etc) which are associated with asthma exacerbation. Viral infections are also closely linked to infantile wheezing. Severe wheezing infections, such as bronchiolitis, in early infancy may predispose to chronic childhood asthma. The current review focuses on the latest epidemiological reports of asthma exacerbation and wheezing and tries to delineate the associations with viral agents detected during the course of the disease. According to these studies, RV infection is likely the major trigger, initially affecting asthma in school-age children while RSV is associated with severe bronchiolitis. Both agents may contribute to later asthma. Newly discovered agents such as MPV and hBoV have also been suggested as viruses with a propensity to induce wheeze and asthma exacerbations, but more studies are required to evaluate their importance. The prevention or early treatment of respiratory viral infections in children may be an important strategy to improve quality of life for patients who suffered from asthma exacerbations. (Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;28:1-9)

Effect of Lymphocyte Phenotypic Alterations on the Humoral Response to Vaccination Against SARS-COV-2 in Dialysis Patients

Lioulios Georgios,Fylaktou Asimina,Asouchidou Despina,Xochelli Aliki,Nikolaidou Vasiliki,Stai Stamatia,Christodoulou Michalis,Giamalis Panagiotis,Tsouchnikas Ioannis,Papagianni Aikaterini,Stangou Mari 대한진단검사의학회 2023 Annals of Laboratory Medicine Vol.43 No.5

Background: The response to vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) varies depending on comorbidities. This study evaluated the clinical and immunological factors affecting the humoral response of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) to the BNT162b2 vaccine. Methods: Humoral immunity was evaluated in 54 ESRD patients using serum levels of anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), measured by a chemiluminescent immunoassay 30 (T1), 60 (T2), and 120 (T3) days after the second vaccine dose. The results were correlated to baseline patient T- and B-lymphocyte subpopulations determined by flow cytometry. Results: The proportion of seroconverted patients based on the NAb titer decreased from 83.3% at Τ1 to 53.7% at Τ3. Age was negatively correlated to the NAb titer at T1 and Τ2. Patients receiving hemodiafiltration had higher NAb titers at T3. Diabetes was associated with a lower response rate at T3. Univariate analysis revealed a positive correlation between the naïve CD4 T-lymphocyte population and RBD titer at T1 and the NAb titer at T3, with no association observed with naïve CD8 T lymphocytes. NAb titers at T3 were significantly correlated with late-differentiated CD4 T lymphocytes and terminally differentiated effector memory cells re-expressing CD45RA (TEMRA) CD8 T lymphocytes. RBD levels were positively correlated with naïve and memory B-lymphocyte counts at T3. Conclusions: Age, diabetes, and hemodialysis prescription had significant impacts on the response to vaccination. T- and B-lymphocyte phenotypes are major determinants of the humoral response potency to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with BNT162b2 in patients with ESRD.