Karachaliou Fotini Eleni

Associated with Metropolitan Hospital, Pediatric Clinic

Director of the Pediatric Endocrinology Department, Metabolism and Diabetes, 3rd University Dept of Pediatrics, Attikon University Hospital of Athens

Fotini-Eleni (Feneli) Karachaliou is a Pediatrician and Pediatric Endocrinologist, holding official subspecialty certifications in Pediatric Endocrinology (2024) and Diabetes Mellitus (2021), awarded by the Greek Central Health Council (KESY).

She graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School with an “Excellent” distinction (9 10/29). She completed her residency in Pediatrics at the First Department of Pediatrics of the “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children's Hospital in Athens. She subsequently pursued advanced training in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus at the University of Bristol, UK, for two and a half years, followed by further training at King's College Hospital and St George's Hospital in London.

From 1997 to 2017, she served as a Consultant and subsequently as Director in the Department of Endocrinology, Growth and Development at the Children's Hospital. Since 2017, she has been serving as Director and Scientific Head of the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit at the University Department of Pediatrics of Attikon University Hospital, as well as the Pediatric Obesity Clinic and the Diabetes Clinic.

She is a Member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Hellenic Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology.

She holds two doctoral degrees, the first from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the second (PhD) from the University of Bristol, UK.

She has participated extensively in postgraduate educational and training programs in Greece and internationally, as well as in international multicenter research studies. She has also delivered numerous presentations and lectures at scientific conferences, professional meetings, and educational events.

Her academic and scientific work includes more than 50 publications in international scientific journals and over 350 presentations at national and international conferences.

More recently, she has joined Metropolitan Hospital, where she practices at the Pediatric Endocrinology, Obesity and Diabetes Clinic.

Medical Degree

University of Athens, Excellent mark 9 10/2. Scholar of the State Scholarship Foundation during all study periods

Specialization in Pediatrics

1st Dept of Pediatrics, «P. & A. Kyriakou» Hospital, Athens, Greece

Specialization

Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Bristol, UK

Title of Specialization in Pediatrics

Ministry of Health, 1/1997

Ph.D.

Bristol University, UK: «Avon Childhood Diabetes Project. Evolution of microvascular disease and autonomic neuropathy» (1998)

Ph.D.

Athens University, Greece: «Atopic sensitization in common allergens in relation with month of birth» (1998)

Research Associate

Pediatric Endocrinology, King’s College, St George’s and Royal Marsden Hospital, UK (2000-2001)

Lecturer in Pediatrics

West Attica University (1999-2021)

Masters Degree

Health Services Management, University of West Attica, 6/2014

Title of Specialization

Pediatric Diabetes, Ministry of Health, 12/2021

Title of Specialization

Pediatric Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, 4/2024

• Consultant in Pediatric Endocrinology in Dept of Endocrinology and Diabetes, «P. & A. Kyriakou» Pediatric Hospital (1997-2016)
• Director of Pediatric Endocrinology Department, Unit of Pediatric Diabetes and Unit of Pediatric Obesity, 3rd Dept of Pediatrics, «Attikon» University Hospital, Athens, Greece (2016-present)

1. Member (Treasurer) of Board of Directors, Hellenic Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology (ΕΕΠΕΕ)
2. Founding Member of Hellenic Pediatric Society of Thyroid and Society of Pediatric Obesity
3. Member of Scientific Committee, National Action against Childhood Obesity (National Strategic Reference Framework 301205)
4. Member of Committee of Growth Hormone, ΚΕΣΥ and ΑΥΣ
5. Member of Committee of Pediatric Diabetes
6. Member of Board of Examiners in Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Pediatrics
7. Associate Member of Hellenic Society of Endocrinology
8. Member of European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE)
9. Member of International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD)
10. Reviewer in 5 international scientific journals and reviewer of abstracts for Annual Meetings of ESPE and ΕΕΠΕΕ

1. Participation in 13 international research protocols on growth, obesity and puberty of children and adolescents, in most of them as a principal investigator
2. Participation in epidemiological studies during screening programs on childhood obesity and growth in school children in Greece
3. Member of Scientific Committee, National Action against Childhood Obesity (National Strategic Reference Framework 301205), representative sample of 26,000 schoolchildren throughout Greece

• Scholarship from the National Scholarship Foundation for my performance throughout my studies in Medicine (1979-1985)
• Scholarship from the NATO Scientific Committee (Hellenic Ministry of National Economy and Finance) (1990-1992)
• Scholarship from Bristol University «Choc Wilson Scholarship in Child Health»
• Awards for scientific presentations from Clinical Endocrinology Trust, Hellenic Society of Endocrinology, Hellenic Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology

180 publications in scientific journals (50 scientific papers and 130 published abstracts)

152 presentations in international congresses

202 presentations in Greek congresses

List of 20 most important publications

1. The FAM111A Gene: Genetic, Epigenetic, and Pharmacological Targets and Mechanistic Insights with Clinical Relevance.
   Hatziagapiou K, Karachaliou F, Thireou T, Koniari E, et al. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2026 Feb 27;19(3):375.
2. The Effect of Childhood Obesity on Growth: Interpretation of Growth Hormone Provocation Tests.
   Karachaliou F, Maltezou J, Bekiou V, Tsintzou E, Simatou A. Horm Res Paediatr. 2026;99(2):237-245.
3. Quality of life and treatment burden of children receiving daily growth hormone treatment in Greece.
   Christoforidis A, Karachaliou FE, Galli-Tsinopoulou A, et al. GHEA Study Group. Endocrine. 2025 Sep;89(3):858-868.
4. Predicting VO2max in Children and Adolescents Aged between 6 and 17 Using Physiological Characteristics and Participation in Sport Activities: A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Different Regression Models Stratified by Gender.
   Carayanni V, Bogdanis GC, Vlachopapadopoulou E, Koutsouki D, Manios Y, Karachaliou F, Psaltopoulou T, Michalacos S. Children (Basel). 2022 Dec 9;9(12):1935.
5. Association of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) with anxiety and depression: experimental data and evidence from GHD children and adolescents.
   Karachaliou FH, Karavanaki K, Simatou A, Tsintzou E, Skarakis NS, Kanaka-Gatenbein C. Hormones (Athens). 2021 Dec;20(4):679-689.
6. Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents: distinct characteristics and evidence-based management.
   Karavanaki K, Paschou SA, Tentolouris N, Karachaliou F, Soldatou A. Endocrine. 2022 Nov;78(2):280-295.
7. Effects of Nutrition, and Physical Activity Habits and Perceptions on Body Mass Index (BMI) in Children Aged 12-15 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Boys and Girls.
   Carayanni V, Vlachopapadopoulou E, Koutsouki D, Bogdanis GC, Psaltopoulou T, Manios Y, Karachaliou F, Hatzakis A, Michalacos S. Children (Basel). 2021 Apr 3;8(4):277.
8. Parietal aplasia and hypophosphatasia in a child harboring a novel mutation in RUNX2 and a likely pathogenic variant in TNSALP.
   Papadopoulou A, Bountouvi E, Sideri V, Moutsatsou P, Skarakis NS, Doulgeraki A, Karachaliou FE. Bone. 2021 May;146:115904.
9. The Molecular Basis of Calcium and Phosphorus Inherited Metabolic Disorders.
   Papadopoulou A, Bountouvi E, Karachaliou FE. Genes (Basel). 2021 May 13;12(5):734.
10. The Challenges in the Development of Diabetes Prevention and Care Models in Low-Income Settings.
    Karachaliou F, Simatos G, Simatou A. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Aug 13;11:518.
11. Evolution of Hashimoto thyroiditis in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (TIDM).
    Karachaliou F, Skarakis N, Bountouvi E, Spyropoulou T, Tsintzou E, Simatou A, Papaevangelou V. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Nov 12;33(12):1525-1531.
12. Effects of Body Mass Index (BMI), demographic and socioeconomic factors on organized physical activity (OPA) participation in children aged 6-15 years: a cross-sectional study comparing primary and secondary school children in Greece.
    Carayanni V, Vlachopapadopoulou E, Koutsouki D, Bogdanis GC, Psaltopoulou T, Yannis Manios, Karachaliou F, Hatzakis A, Michalacos S. BMC Pediatr. 2020 Oct 22;20(1):491.
13. Prevalence of asthma symptoms and association with obesity, sedentary lifestyle and sociodemographic factors: data from the Hellenic National Action Plan for the assessment, prevention and treatment of childhood obesity (MIS301205).
    Karachaliou F, Vlachopapadopoulou E, Psaltopoulou T, et al. J Asthma. 2020 Jan;57(1):55-61.
14. A cohort of children with type 1 diabetes in Greece: predictors of direct costs of care.
    Karachaliou F, Athanasakis K, Tsentidis C, Soldatou A, Simatos G, Kyriopoulos J, Michalakos S, Karavanaki K. Pediatr Diabetes. 2017 Aug;18(5):405-412.
15. Utility and applicability of the "Childhood Obesity Risk Evaluation" (CORE)-index in predicting obesity in childhood and adolescence in Greece from early life: the "National Action Plan for Public Health".
    Manios Y, Vlachopapadopoulou E, Moschonis G, Karachaliou F, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2016 Dec;175(12):1989-1996.
16. Cortisol response to adrenocorticotropin testing in non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCCAH).
    Karachaliou FH, Kafetzi M, Dracopoulou M, Vlachopapadopoulou E, Leka S, Fotinou A, Michalacos S. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Dec 1;29(12):1365-1371.
17. Associated autoimmune diseases in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).
    Kakleas K, Soldatou A, Karachaliou F, Karavanaki K. Autoimmun Rev. 2015 Sep;14(9):781-97. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2015.05.002.
18. Endocrine consequences of childhood malignancies.
    Karachaliou F, Simatos G, Batika P, Michalacos S, Kaldrymides P. J BUON. 2009 Jan-Mar;14(1):27-32.
19. Growth and growth hormone therapy in children with achondroplasia: a two-year experience.
    Stamoyannou L, Karachaliou F, Neou P, Papataxiarchou K, Pistevos G, Bartsocas CS. Am J Med Genet. 1997 Oct 3;72(1):71-6.
20. Consistency of pupillary abnormality in children and adolescents with diabetes.
    Karachaliou F, Karavanaki K, Greenwood R, Baum JD. Diabet Med. 1997 Oct;14(10):849-53.