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Over the last few decades, metabolic syndrome coexisting with cardiovascular disease has evolved into a pandemic, making the need for more food-oriented therapeutic approaches and a redefinition of lifestyle imperative, with the Mediterranean diet being the linchpin of this effort. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), the key pillar of the Mediterranean diet and one of the most notorious edible oils worldwide, owes its popularity not only to its characteristic aromas and taste but mainly to a series of beneficial health attributes including anti-diabetic, hypolipidemic, anti-hypertensive and anti-obesity actions. In this narrative review, we aimed to illustrate and enlighten EVOO's metabolic properties through a pathogenetic approach, investigating its potential role in metabolic and cardiovascular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an infrequent, aseptic neutrophilic dermatosis that can be observed in patients with systemic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatic disorders. Due to its rare entity, PG often constitutes a diagnostic enigma, as it simulates other skin disorders. Typically, it is displayed as painful, ulcerative lesions localized to the lower extremities. In our study, we present a case of a 67-year-old woman with recently diagnosed ulcerative colitis who presented with two painful ulcers, one on the left anterior tibia and the other one on the left subclavian area. Initially, their clinical image overlapped with skin abscess. However, taking into account patient's medical history, skin examination, sterile wound cultures and skin biopsy, the diagnosis of PG was established. The patient was completely recovered with high doses of corticosteroids, daily wound changes and surgical intervention involving loose wound edge approximation. In this study, we highlight that clinicians should always be aware of patient's medical history in such cases, in order to early diagnose PG and avoid inaccurate medical approaches which might have an impact on patients' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is considered one of the leading causes of poor bone quality. It may also be related to severe muscular weakness, especially in the elderly, which leads to frequent falls. Thus, VDD might be associated with fragility fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine in this age category. In this cross-sectional study, our goal was to present vitamin D levels in an elderly Mediterranean population with hip fractures and to assess whether its levels are related to the incidence or prevention of such injuries. Methods Between January and December 2021, 140 patients aged 65 years or older were hospitalized in our department with a fracture involving the hip joint. Serum calcium and vitamin D level control was performed upon admission, as well as recording whether anti-osteoporosis medication had been prescribed. Only patients with low-energy fractures were included, whereas oncologic patients and those with high-energy trauma were excluded. Results Thirty-eight men and 102 women, with a mean age of 83.12 and 84.88 years, respectively, participated in our study. Intertrochanteric fractures were the most common injuries (50.72%). Low vitamin D levels (<30 ng/mL) were observed in 132 patients (94.28%). A bone density scan during the last year had been conducted by only seven patients (5%), whereas in 136 patients (97.14%), no anti-osteoporotic medication was given. Conclusion There is an excessive percentage of aged patients with hip fractures in Greece, demonstrating a significant vitamin D insufficiency despite the high annual frequency of sunny days in this Mediterranean region. Presumably, most of these patients neither perform the routine bone density scan nor do they take any kind of preventive pharmaceutical treatment, which might reveal devaluation of osteoporosis from this age group due to contingent comorbidities., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Konstantinidis et al.)