Charikleia Stefanaki

Impact of a mindfulness stress management program on stress, anxiety, depression and quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder with a significant psychological burden throughout the life course of affected women. Thus, use of mindful awareness may be beneficial as an adjunct to conventional medical management of women with PCOS. A randomized, controlled trial was conducted at the Evgenideion Hospital of the Athens University Medical School to explore the impact of an 8-week mindfulness stress management program on measures of depression, anxiety and stress as well as on the quality of life in reproductive age women with PCOS. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Twenty-three and 15 women with PCOS were randomly allocated to the intervention or control group, respectively. All participants were administered DASS21, PSS-14, PCOSQ, Daily Life and General Life Satisfaction Questionnaires and provided three-timed daily samples of salivary cortisol, before and after the intervention. Intervention group participants were provided with the Credibility/Expectancy Questionnaire at the day of enrolment, to check for possible placebo effect on the outcome. Post-intervention, between-group results revealed statistically significant reductions in stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as in salivary cortisol concentrations, along with an increase in Life Satisfaction and Quality of Life scores in the intervention group only. There was no significant “placebo” effect on the outcome measures. Mindfulness techniques seem promising in ameliorating stress, anxiety, depression and the quality of life in women with PCOS and could be used as an adjunct method to the conventional management of these women.

Gastrocolic fistulae; From Haller till nowadays

Gastrocolic Fistula is, in the majority of cases the pathological communication between stomach and transverse colon, because cases involved with the small intestine, pancreas and skin have been also documented, even though are rare. It occurs mostly in adults, but they can be present to infants, as well, as a result of congenital abnormalities or iatrogenic procedures (i.e. migration of PEG tube that placed before). In the Western Countries, the most common cause is the adenocarcinoma of the colon, while in Japan, adenocarcinoma of the stomach is the most frequent cause. It seldom appears, as a complication of a benign peptic ulcer, in Crohns disease and as a result of significant intake of steroids or NSAIDs. The typical symptoms of a gastrocolic fistula are abdominal pain, nausea-vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss. Radiology has been used for the detection of the fistulae all these years but the golden standard remained the barium enema. Barium meal and CT findings play a smaller role in the diagnosis. Although the management of gastrocolic fistulae has historically been surgical, medical treatment has recently been recommended as the first line when a malignancy can be excluded.

Intracystic Papillary Carcinoma of the Breast in Males. In Search of the Optimal Treatment for this Rare Disease

Intracystic papillary carcinoma (IPC) of the breast in men is an extremely infrequent disease, and it appears to have a good prognosis. Because of this, histological findings are of great importance in the decision-making process regarding treatment. Clinical examination, radiological and histological assessments are required for early detection. Adequate surgical excision with negative margins is mandatory. However, the role of sentinel node biopsy has not been evaluated in male IPC. It appears that sentinel node biopsy may be an excellent alternative to radical axillary dissection in patients with IPC and associated ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma. Nevertheless, due to the rarity of IPC and its confusing histopathological classification and staging, there are still no clear guidelines as far as IPC treatment is concerned.