EFTYCHIA ANDREOU

Ms. EFTYCHIA ANDREOU

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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2 October 2026 in Healthcare
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SVSotiria Dimitrios Vrouva
Sotiria Dimitrios Vrouva
KCKonstantinos Panagiotis Chanopoulos
Konstantinos Panagiotis Chanopoulos
EFTYCHIA ANDREOUEFTYCHIA ANDREOU
EFTYCHIA ANDREOU
MAGDALINI STAMOUMAGDALINI STAMOU
MAGDALINI STAMOU
George A. KoumantakisGeorge A. Koumantakis
George A. Koumantakis
Background/Objective: Partial-thickness rotator cuff tears represent a distinct, highly prevalent clinical entity governed by a multifactorial continuum of intrinsic senescence and extrinsic biomechanical overload, rather than an oversimplified acute traumatic versus degenerative dichotomy. While conservative management centered on kinesiotherapy is primary, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation (MENS) are widely utilized as adjunctive electrophysical modalities. However, empirical trials directly comparing their long-term therapeutic longevity and structural stability remain scarce. This prospective, randomized, participant- and outcome assessor-blinded clinical trial evaluated the 12-month effectiveness of combining structured kinesiotherapy with either TENS or MENS in patients with partial-thickness rotator cuff tears. Methods: Of 47 candidates screened via standardized physical provocation tests and musculoskeletal ultrasound, 5 were excluded prior to treatment allocation. Exactly 42 eligible patients (n = 42; 22 males, 20 females; mean age: 46.71 ± 12.24 years) were formally enrolled and randomized (1:1) to receive 15 supervised sessions of either conventional sensory TENS (n = 21; 100 Hz, 10–15 mA) or subsensory MENS (n = 21; 50 Hz, 100 μA) alongside an identical kinesiotherapy program. Longitudinal evaluations were conducted at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment, achieving a 100% participant retention rate (n = 42). Clinical outcomes comprised the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, and the EuroQoL 5-Dimension Questionnaire (EQ-5D). Structural tear dimensions were monitored via serial ultrasonography. Longitudinal data were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (RM-ANOVA)with Bonferroni adjustment applied for post hoc pairwise comparisons for normally distributed metrics and the Friedman and Mann–Whitney U tests for non-parametric variables, assessing both within-group trajectories and between-group interaction effects across time. Results: Baseline demographic, occupational, and clinical characteristics showed no significant differences between cohorts (p > 0.05). At the 3-month post-treatment mark, both groups exhibited equivalent, statistically significant within-group improvements across all clinical scores (p < 0.01). However, longitudinal trajectories diverged significantly thereafter. Between-group comparative analyses established that the MENS cohort achieved statistically and clinically superior outcomes over the TENS cohort at both 6 and 12 months. Specifically, at the 12-month primary endpoint, between-group comparisons favored MENS for SPADI Pain (mean difference: 14.39 ± 3.51, 95% CI: 7.28 to 21.50, p < 0.001), SPADI Disability (mean difference: 13.56 ± 2.89, 95% CI: 7.71 to 19.42, p < 0.001), NRS pain (mean difference: 2.33 ± 0.32, p < 0.001), and EQ-5D health status (p < 0.001), substantially exceeding established Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) benchmarks. Musculoskeletal ultrasound demonstrated post-intervention stabilization of tear progression in the MENS cohort (0.02 mm secondary depth increase between months 3 and 12), whereas the TENS arm exhibited progressive expansion (0.45 mm increase), presenting a classic clinicoradiological paradox against functional recovery. Conclusions: Both TENS and MENS serve as effective adjunctive modalities for acute symptom alleviation when paired with kinesiotherapy. However, based on robust between-group comparisons, subsensory MENS provides significantly superior long-term clinical durability, tear containment, and functional stability over a 12-month timeline, making it the preferred adjunctive electrophysical intervention for sustained conservative management.

1 May 2026 in Healthcare
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SVSotiria Dimitrios Vrouva
Sotiria Dimitrios Vrouva
EFTYCHIA ANDREOUEFTYCHIA ANDREOU
EFTYCHIA ANDREOU
Georgios KrekoukiasGeorgios Krekoukias
Georgios Krekoukias
Eleftherios ParaskevopoulosEleftherios Paraskevopoulos
Eleftherios Paraskevopoulos
KCKonstantinos Panagiotis Chanopoulos
Konstantinos Panagiotis Chanopoulos
George A. KoumantakisGeorge A. Koumantakis
George A. Koumantakis
Background: Shoulder injury is common among athletes who engage in sports where the upper limb is actively involved. These injuries can affect an athlete’s performance and ability to return to sports at the preinjury level. This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the Subjective Patient Outcome for Return to Sports score in Greek (SPORTS-GR) and evaluate its reliability and construct validity. Methods: Sixty-five Greek athletes (18–40 years) diagnosed with shoulder pathology were included. The SPORTS-GR was adapted according to standard procedures, and its construct validity was examined via associations with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI-GR) questionnaire, which assesses pain and disability related to shoulder pathologies. Test–retest reliability was tested by repeating the SPORTS score questionnaire administration after 6–8 days. Eligible athletes were selected from the Hellenic Supreme Council of Military Sports. Results: Face validity was excellent with a ceiling effect of 35.4%. The construct validity was high, with strong negative correlations between the SPORTS-GR score and the SPADI-GR total score (r = −0.91, p < 0.001), pain subscale score (r = −0.84, p < 0.001), disability subscale score (r = −0.90, p < 0.001), and age (r = 0.26, p = 0.04). Test–retest reliability was also excellent (ICC = 0.98) with no significant systematic error (SEM = 0.09). Conclusions: The SPORTS-GR is valid and reliable for evaluating athletes’ return to sports with shoulder pathologies.