Publications by Year: 2021

2021
Soldatou A, Pantzios SI, Panagiotou M-R, Panagiotopoulos T, Nicoletos T, Michala L. {Child sexual abuse among medical school students: experiences and perceptions}. International Journal of Impotence Research [Internet]. 2021;33:364–368. Website
Soldatou A, Pantzios SI, Panagiotou M-R, Panagiotopoulos T, Nicoletos T, Michala L. {Correction: Child sexual abuse among medical school students: experiences and perceptions.}. International journal of impotence research. 2021;33:386.
Tsitoura A, Michala L. {The Sexuality of Adolescents and Young Women With MRKH Syndrome: A Qualitative Study.}. The journal of sexual medicine. 2021;18:2012–2019.Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vaginal agenesis, most commonly referred as Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome, is mostly diagnosed as primary amenorrhea in teenage girls; although there is plenty of literature concerning the formation of a neovagina, limited research has focused on the psychological burden of this diagnosis to the girls. AIM: To enlighten health providers into the finer aspects of sexuality through the own words and experiences of girls with MRKH under our care. METHODS: Women currently undergoing vaginal dilation or who had completed vaginal dilation within the past year were recruited from February 2019 to January 2020. A gynecologist with training in Sexual Medicine conducted a semistructured interview, which was recorded and then transcribed to identify common themes among interviewees. OUTCOMES: The main outcome explored was the narrative experiences of women with MRKH. RESULTS: 7 women participated, with a mean age of 19.7 (range 17-22 years). None of the girls felt stigmatized, however one reported significant distress at diagnosis, stemming from the attitude of health care professionals and exacerbated by an earlier age at disclosure. All girls accepted that VDT was successful, when it was initiated after they had felt sexual interest and arousal. Exact quantification of the vaginal length at onset, worried 4 as they felt pressurized to achieve a specific length. A few girls reported anxiety over sharing the diagnosis with an intimate partner. All of them pretended at some point to have menses. Childbearing was an important issue for most of the interviewees, but it did not concern them for the time being. All girls had supporting families. However, 5 did not want to share information about VDT with them. One girl reported that openness in discussing genital anatomy, VDT and sexuality, helped her both in completing treatment and adapting in a sexual relationship. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A multidisciplinary team should aim for age-appropriate disclosure and consultation and guide women through VDT and their sexual relations. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This is a thorough account of women's perceptions regarding VDT and sexuality in MRKH. However, our conclusions may be limited by the small number of participants. CONCLUSION: Gradual provision of information at disclosure and adjusted timing at VDT may reduce stress in girls with MRKH. Tsitoura A, Michala L. The Sexuality of Adolescents and Young Women With MRKH Syndrome: A Qualitative Study. J Sex Med 2021;18:2012-2019.
Zacharakis D, Athanasiou S, Kathopoulis N, Michala L, Pontikaki A, Angelou K, Grigoriadis T. {Large pedunculated submucosal leiomyoma mimicking uterine prolapse}. Clinical Case Reports [Internet]. 2021;9. Website
Lardou I, Chatzipapas I, Chouzouris M, Xenos P, Petrogiannis N, Tryfos D, Chandakas S, Grigoriadis T, Michala L. {Fertility awareness and intentions among young adults in Greece.}. Upsala journal of medical sciences. 2021;126.Abstract
BACKGROUND: Greece has a mean age of first motherhood at 31.5 years, higher than the European average age of 29.4. Delaying conception, however, may be an important non-reversible cause of infertility. The aim of this study was to identify possible knowledge deficits regarding fertility in young adults. METHODS: This was an online survey of young adults, regarding information on intention to parenthood and knowledge on issues affecting fertility. This study was conducted from February to December 2020, aiming for a representative sample of Greek men and women aged 18 and 26 years. The questionnaire was designed by a multidisciplinary group based on the Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale, which contained 22 multiple-choice or Likert-scale questions. RESULTS: We obtained responses from 1875 young adults, whose mean age was 22.1 years. About 91.8{%} of men and 94.0{%} of women declared an intention to have children, out of which 44.0{%} wanted to have two and 29.0{%} three children. About 52.0 and 50.8{%} men and women, respectively, aimed to start a family between 31 and 35 years. Residents of rural areas and those with a lower education level more likely aimed to have children before the age of 30. The most prevalent answers for age of ideal parenthood were between 26 and 30 years for a woman and 31-35 years for a man. Smoking, alcohol consumption and sexually transmitted infections were identified as factors affecting both female and male fertility. Half of men and women, respectively, overestimated general success rates of reproductive techniques. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of fertility, particularly with regards to assisted reproductive techniques' success rates, may be overestimated as more young adults plan for having children after the age of 30.
Ntali G, Charisis S, Kylafi CF, Vogiatzi E, Michala L. {The way toward adulthood for females with nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia}. Endocrine [Internet]. 2021;73:16–30. Website
Charamanta M, Soldatou A, Michala L. {Vulvar Ulcers in Children: Dramatic but Self-Limited}. Pediatric Emergency Care [Internet]. 2021;37:70–72. Website
{Faure Walker} N, Gill B, Olsburgh J, Gillatt D, Yap T, Michala L, Taylor C, Wood H, Wood D. {Age-related urologic problems in the complex urologic patient}. World Journal of Urology [Internet]. 2021;39:1037–1044. Website
Garoufi A, Pagoni A, Papadaki M, Marmarinos A, Karapostolakis G, Michala L, Soldatou A. {Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Greek Adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Its Relationship with Body Mass Index.}. Children (Basel, Switzerland). 2021;9.Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine condition affecting 6-18{%} of adolescents and is strongly associated with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors, enhancing the risk of atherosclerosis. Thirty-two adolescents with newly diagnosed PCOS were evaluated for lipid profile disorders, insulin resistance, inflammation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and subclinical atherosclerosis through measurements of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). The relationships of the above markers with increased body mass index and abdominal obesity were investigated. Twenty-three adolescents (72{%}) were overweight (OW) or obese (OB). The OW/OB group had significantly higher insulin, HOMA-IR, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and lipid accumulation product (LAP) levels; and lower glucose-per-insulin ratios and HDL-C levels compared to the healthy weight group. The cIMT and small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) levels did not differ between the two groups. Similarly, cIMT and sdLDL-C levels did not differ between PCOS-adolescents and healthy controls. CIMT was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and waist circumference per height ratio. In conclusion, OW/OB PCOS-adolescents have a cluster of adverse factors predisposing them to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Therefore, early cardiovascular risk assessment, as well as timely and targeted interventions, are necessary for prevention.
Kalampalikis A, Ivanidou S, Michala L. {Labial fusion in adolescence secondary to lichen sclerosus}. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology [Internet]. 2021;41:647–650. Website