Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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Effective strategies are urgently needed to decrease the risk of untoward outcomes of pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) infection. Pregnant women are a vulnerable population to infectious disease pandemics with dramatically increased infectious diseases-related serious complications, such as the need of hospitalizations, the need of admission to intensive care unit, and the final disease-related death compared with those nonpregnant counterparts or those pregnant women without infection. Several studies have shown that vaccinations in pregnancy are a safe and highly effective strategy, not only for pregnant women but also for fetus and/or newborn because of the passive transplacental transfer of antibodies to the offspring. ⋯ The knowledge and awareness of pregnant women who are at risk, and full information on the knowledge of vaccines and related preventable diseases in pregnant women may avoid hesitancy and increase vaccine acceptance. The current review is a part two addressing the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women. We focus on the up-to-date information about the application of vaccination on pregnant women, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.
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Hypertension has traditionally been the most common cardiovascular disease, and epidemiological studies suggest that the incidence continues to rise. Despite a plethora of antihypertensive agents, the management of blood pressure (BP) remains suboptimal. Addressing this issue is paramount to minimize hypertensive complications, including hypertensive nephropathy, a clinical entity whose definition has been challenged recently. ⋯ Nevertheless, current recommendations are not only discordant from one another but also offer inadequate evidence for the optimal BP control targets for renal protection, as since the cutoff values were primarily established on the premise of minimizing cardiovascular sequelae rather than kidney dysfunction. Although intense BP management was traditionally considered to compromise perfusion toward renal parenchyma, literature has gradually established that renal prognosis is more favorable as compared with the standard threshold. This review aims to elucidate the renal impact of poorly controlled hypertension, elaborate on contemporary clinical references for BP control, and propose future directions to improve the holistic care of hypertensive individuals.
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The aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the functional outcomes and reoperation rates of cemented and cementless hip arthroplasty for treating displaced femoral neck fractures in elderly patients. ⋯ In treating displaced femoral neck fracture in elderly patients with hip arthroplasty with current-generation stems, cemented stems were found to have fewer implant-related complications and reoperations than those of cementless stems. Functional outcomes and mortality rates were similar between the groups.