Hippokratia
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Although cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) test is an essential tool for the assessment of functional capacity in athletes, limited information exists regarding the cardiorespiratory efficiency in young elite volleyball players. The main objective of the present study was to determine the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VT) during the CPX test in young male and female volleyball players. Moreover, to describe the behavior of the novel cardiorespiratory optimal point (COP) index and to assess its association with VO2max and VT. ⋯ The novel submaximal cardiorespiratory index of COP does not seem to be associated with the traditional aerobic capacity indices in athletes such as VO2max and VT. Thus, it probably constitutes a separate parameter that needs to be further evaluated regarding its significance both in clinical evaluation and sports performance assessment of athletes. HIPPOKRATIA 2019, 23(2): 70-74.
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Arthroscopic meniscus surgery can lead to pain at various levels. In this study, we aimed to compare, in patients undergoing arthroscopic meniscectomy under spinal anesthesia, the efficacy of the combination of magnesium sulfate and dexmedetomidine with local anesthetics administered intraarticularly for postoperative pain management Methods: This prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study comprised of 52 patients who were randomly assigned into two groups depending on the combination injected intraarticularly at the end of the procedure: bupivacaine and dexmedetomidine (group D) or bupivacaine and magnesium sulfate (group M). Perioperative data, postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and total analgesic consumption were recorded. ⋯ Both intraarticular dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulfate, in combination with bupivacaine, have similar effects on reducing postoperative pain in arthroscopic knee surgery. HIPPOKRATIA 2019, 23(2): 51-57.
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In recent years, interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) and selective supraclavicular nerve block (SNB) have been associated with successful outcomes in the treatment of fractures of the clavicle while avoiding complications. Description of the case: A 67-year-old male sustained a fracture of his right clavicle following a fall. Regional anesthesia was favored for his treatment after obtaining informed consent as he would have been exposed to high risk if treated under general anesthesia due to his medical history of coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ultrasound-guided combined application of ISB and selective SNB were utilized with a low-dose local anesthetic without the occurrence of any intraoperative or postoperative complication. ⋯ Low-dose ISB and selective SNB can be effectively and safely used for clavicular fracture treatment procedures, especially in patients who have a low pulmonary reserve. HIPPOKRATIA 2019, 23(1): 25-27.
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The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased in Greece as well as worldwide. Mediterranean diet is considered the world's most popular healthy eating pattern. C-reactive protein (CRP) has been shown to play an important pathophysiological role between inflammation and cardiovascular diseases and has been linked to obesity. Our study aimed to investigate the adolescents' diet, their high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) serum levels, and whether low-grade inflammation, present in obesity, is related to adolescents' diet. ⋯ Comparing the three groups (obese, overweight, and controls), we found statistically significant differences for food constituents but not for hs-CRP serum levels. In our study, inflammation was not found to be correlated with any of the dietary constituents. Further studies in a larger sample are required to consolidate these findings. HIPPOKRATIA 2019, 23(1): 3-8.