Medicine
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Observational Study
Effect of folic acid combined with pravastatin on arteriosclerosis in elderly hypertensive patients with lacunar infarction.
This study aimed to assess the effect of folic acid combined with pravastatin on atherosclerosis-related indexes in elderly patients with hypertension complicated with lacunar cerebral infarction. A total of 134 elderly hypertensive patients with lacunar cerebral infarction were randomly divided into 3 groups using the random number table method. Group A, the folic acid group, had 45 cases and received low-dose folic acid (0.8 mg/d) treatment on the basis of antihypertensive treatment. ⋯ Patients in group C presented significantly decreased TNF-a, MMP-9, TC, and LDL-C levels and systolic and diastolic blood pressure after 8 weeks of treatment, compared with those in groups A and B (both P < .05). These patients also showed significantly decreased IMT levels compared with those in the other groups (P < .05). Low-dose folic acid combined with pravastatin in elderly patients with lacunar cerebral infarction can reduce the level of homocysteine, improve the degree of carotid atherosclerosis, protect vascular endothelium, and reduce blood lipids and blood pressure, presenting better benefits than pravastatin alone.
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Observational Study
Cardiovascular disease and prevention among people living with HIV in South Florida.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved survival of patients living with HIV (PLWH); however, this has been accompanied by an increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although preventative measures for CVD among the general population are well described, information is limited about CVD prevention among PLWH. The goal of this study was to characterize the prevalence of CVD in our population and to assess the use of primary and secondary prevention. ⋯ CVD risk and rates of CVD are high among PLWH and receiving ART could protect against CVD. However, the use of medications for primary and secondary prevention is low. Increased awareness of CVD risk-reduction strategies is needed among providers of PLWH to decrease the burden of CVD.
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The SARS- CoV-2 virus has been a public health crisis since its emergence in 2019. It has affected nearly all aspects of life. Education has been particularly hit, and a lot of effort has been put to implement more and more virtual platforms through online classes, meetings and conferences. ⋯ Limited data exists in the literature concerning the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students in the middle East. Medical students reported that they feel more stressed and nervous during their clinical rotations and after the shift to online education, affecting their academic and social life. Further studies using a larger sample size are needed.
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Review Meta Analysis
Perioperative omega-3 fatty acids for liver surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
The effect of perioperative omega-3 fatty acids for liver surgery remained controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the influence of omega-3 fatty acids versus placebo in patients undergoing liver surgery. ⋯ Perioperative omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial to reduce the incidence of infection after liver surgery.