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Objective: To investigate sleep habits and their potential relationship with several sociodemographic, lifestyle and health related characteristics among indigenous and minority populations in Northeastern Greece. Materials and methods: Nine hundred fifty seven adults aged 19 to 86 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Self-reported structured questionnaires were utilized. Results:The reported mean sleep duration on a weekly basis was 6:26±1:10 hours (range, 04:00 to 10:00 hours); sleep duration was 26 min longer on weekends (p < 0.001). In multivariate linear regression analysis, older age (β=-26.7 min, p=0.010), being divorced or widowed (β=-29.0 min, p < 0.001), high alcohol (β=-39.7 min, p < 0.001) or coffee (β=-36.9 min, p=0.006) consumption, screen exposure before bedtime for 1-2 hours (β=-18.9 min, p=0.004) or > one hour (β=-34.4 min, p < 0.001), having a child aged under six years (β=-62.3 min, p < 0.001), napping for > 30 min during the day (β=-35.2 min, p < 0.001) and morbidity (β=-21.5 min, p < 0.001) were independently associated with short sleep duration and lower sleep efficiency. Moreover, a tendency towards short sleep duration was associated with anxiety (β=-8.8 min, p=0.078) and depression (β=-12.8 min, p=0.029). Obesity (β=10.7 min, p=0.047), being a university student (β=41.0 min, p=0.002), high financial status (β=16.6 min, p=0.037) and high adherence to Mediterranean diet (β=15.4 min, p=0.002) were associated with long sleep duration. Conclusion:This study illustrates the association of sleep disturbances with several sociodemographic and health-related factors and dictates conduction of larger scale prospective studies to evaluate causality on the relationship between sleep patterns and lifestyle factors.

Additional file 1: Neurophysiological findings. Table S1. Patient 1: Initial neurophysiological findings. Table S2. Patient 1: Follow-up neurophysiological findings (1 month afterwards). Table S3. Patient 2: Initial neurophysiological findings. Table S4. Patient 2: Follow-up neurophysiological findings (1 month afterwards).

Additional file 1. Supplementary Checklist 1; Supplementary Table 1: Quality assessment for quantitative studies based on the AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) checklist ; Supplementary Table 2: Quality assessment for qualitative studies based on the CASP (Qualitative Research Checklist, adapted from Horntvedt et al. [15]); Supplementary Box 1: Search strategies ; Supplementary Box 2: Excluded studies with reasons; Supplementary Table 3: Factors and correlations with conspiracy theories and beliefs per study

As one year is approaching since the beginning of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is important to acknowledge the detrimental effect that it is having on mental health at the individual, societal and public health levels. The current review presents the direct and indirect psychological impact of COVID-19 on the general public, as well as on vulnerable groups, including the elderly, the young, healthcare professionals, people with pre-existing mental health issues, those infected by COVID-19, homeless people and refugees. Important findings are discussed in the present review, including the social stigma in older people associated with portraying COVID-19 as the disease of the elderly, and the limited psychological impact of COVID-19 in the severely mentally ill, alongside the response of the mental healthcare systems globally to this unparalleled public health crisis. The important lessons to be learnt so far can help formulate individual mental health recommendations, as well as improved intervention and prevention public health strategies.

The current study aimed to assess the possibility of an association between first and second generation antipsychotic medication and raised eosinophil count. A total of 22 in-patients at the psychiatric unit of the University General Hospital `Attikon', a tertiary hospital, were included in the present study. Patients had received antipsychotic monotherapy and did not have any co-morbidities or require additional treatments. Patients were monitored weekly and their eosinophil count was assessed. One-way ANOVA and summary measures analysis were applied to study the effect of time and medication type on the absolute eosinophil concentration (or relative percentage) for each patient. The differences in mean eosinophil concentrations or relative percentage by patient and time were also assessed. An increase in the absolute concentration and the relative percentage of eosinophils over time was observed in patients receiving Olanzapine, Haloperidol and Aripiprazole. However, there was no difference between individual medications. In conclusion, antipsychotics may be associated with increased eosinophil count over time; however, larger studies involving more patients and a longer follow-up are required to reach a definitive conclusion.

Objective: To investigate the potential association between sleep insufficiency and dyslipidemia (DL) in the primary care setting using self-reported questionnaires. Material and Methods: 957 adults aged between 19 and 86 years old from the rural area of Thrace, Greece were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Multistage stratified cluster sampling was used and the subjects were classified into three groups according to sleep duration [short ( 6h), normal (6-8h), and long ( 8h) sleep duration]. DL was defined by a positive response to the question "Have you ever been told by a doctor or health professional that your blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels were high?", or if they were currently taking antilipidemic agents. Sleep quality, utilizing Epworth sleepiness scale, Athens insomnia scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index and Berlin questionnaire, was also examined. Results: DL prevalence was significantly associated with short sleep duration (aOR=2.18, p

Stress induced (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy (TC) represents an acute heart failure syndrome triggered by physical or emotional stressors. COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis resulting in fear, distress and anxiety, with emerging cardiovascular implications. COVID-19 related stress can act as potential trigger for TC. We present a case of an elderly female who developed TC due to stress surrounding COVID-19.

Stress induced (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy (TC) represents an acute heart failure syndrome triggered by physical or emotional stressors. COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis resulting in fear, distress and anxiety, with emerging cardiovascular implications. COVID-19 related stress can act as potential trigger for TC. We present a case of an elderly female who developed TC due to stress surrounding COVID-19.

As the focus of the COVID-19 crisis is gradually taken away from emergency healthcare needs, increased attention is warranted on the psychological impact of the pandemic on a global level. Existing guidance on managing the COVID-19 related distress needs to be better informed by upcoming larger-scale research. Applying e-Health can be useful in dealing with the immediate psychological needs, while developing strategies to identify vulnerable populations and shifting the provision of mental health and social care to community services need to be prioritised when looking at the future. Focusing on global mental health during this universal crisis is an opportunity for promoting a more compassionate and less discriminating society.

In light of the unprecedented public health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is highly important to acknowledge the psychological impact of this mounting threat on healthcare professionals. Previous experience from smaller scale epidemics and emerging literature around COVID-19 show that the unparalleled amount of stress that healthcare workers are dealing with, is associated with increased psychological morbidities. We have depicted the psychological burden that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed on healthcare professionals in Greece and have reviewed the literature around the effect of previous epidemics on frontline healthcare staff. Moreover, we discuss potential triggers and the need for measures to minimise the psychological pressure on those at the frontline against this biothreat.

COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global public health emergency resulting in unprecedented individual and societal fear and anxiety. The stress surrounding this biothreat appears to have clinical implications in all aspects of medicine, both in mental and physical health spheres. The impact of COVID-19 related anxiety in Cardiology, Paediatrics, Oncology, Dermatology, Neurology and Mental Health and how it affects treatments is discussed. Moreover, the need for introducing novel communication and therapeutic approaches is highlighted in the new landscape of the COVID-19 era.

Objective: Even though modern medicine has significantly contributed to the extension of human lifespan, it has failed to delay the upsurge of chronic diseases. Health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well established. Thus, adherence to this diet pattern may be the key to healthy aging. Ôhe aim of this review is to investigate the potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet on healthy aging. Methods: A literature search of three databases (ScienceDirect, MEDLINE and The Cochrane Library) was conducted in order to trace all relevant studies published between January 1st 2010 and June 6th 2020 that focused on the impact of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on the physical and mental well-being of individuals aged 60 or older. Results:Twenty-two studies fulfilled the selection criteria and were classified into six groups, according to the main outcome of each study: mental health (eight studies), frailty (6), cardiovascular risk factors (3), plasma levels of uric acid (1), length of hospital stay (1), and aging mechanisms (3). Based on these studies, the protective role of Mediterranean diet on depression, cardiovascular and frailty risk was established. Moreover, adherence to the Mediterranean diet resulted in reduced plasma uric acid levels as well as decreased length of hospital stay and mortality risk among patients who were urgently admitted for any cause in a tertiary hospital. In contrast, results on the effect of Mediterranean diet on cognition were controversial, as studies presented positive or neutral correlations. Conclusions: This review provides evidence on the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and healthy aging and highlights the importance of conducting more studies among seniors in order to provide further insight into this matter.

There is increasing evidence to suggest an association between depression and inflammation, with patients suffering from immune mediated-disorders exhibiting higher levels of depression. Inflammation in depression is a potential target for the development of novel treatment strategies. The present study presents a clinical case in which a patient with an underlying inflammatory condition acutely developed a severe depressive episode resulting in a sudden, dramatic change in their clinical picture. This case, with no similar case reports being in the literature thus far, at least to the best of our knowledge, highlights the increasing consideration that there may be a causative role between neuro-inflammation and depression. This study reports the case of a 40-year-old male with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and no previous psychiatric history, who developed an acute onset of a severe depressive episode in the context of the immune-mediated graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD is a complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, which the patient had undergone, for the treatment of his ALL. The rapid onset of depression could be explained by the neuroinflammatory processes occurring in GVHD. This provides a clinical example for the possible role of the immune system in depression, and clinicians should be aware of this association.

A 15-year-old female former gymnast with a history of pectus excavatum was reviewed due to unexplained paraparesis and urinary incontinence since age 10. Symptoms were commenced with intolerable upper back pain and development of a soft mass at the sacrum that remitted spontaneously. Brain and whole spine MRI imaging and blood and CSF testing were normal. The combination of skeletal, neurological, and bladder symptoms with normal lumbar MRI and abnormal urodynamic and neurophysiological studies led to the clinical suspicion of occult tethered cord syndrome (oTCS). Surgical cord “untethering” was performed leading to remarkable postoperative clinical improvement. oTCS is a recently defined functional disorder of the spinal cord due to fixation (tethering) of the conus medullaris by inelastic elements that may lead to severe neurological impairment. High clinical suspicion is required as oTCS is a treatable spinal cord disorder.