Journal of internal medicine
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The primary objective was to investigate the relationship between periodontitis and hypertension in two independent large surveys. The secondary objective was to ascertain whether systemic inflammation had a mediation effect in the association. ⋯ These findings suggest that periodontitis is closely linked to hypertension and systemic inflammation is, in part, a mediator of this association.
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The onset of human disease by infection with SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 has revealed risk factors for disease severity. There are four identified factors that put one at high risk for infection and/or mortality creating a disparity: age, co-morbidities, race/ethnicity and gender. Data indicate that the older a person is, and/or the presence of obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease place one at higher risk for COVID-19. ⋯ There is growing evidence that androgen-enabled expression of ACE2 receptors and the serine protease TMPRSS2, two permissive elements engaging the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for infection, may contribute to severe COVID-19 in men. Overall, COVID-19 has generated disparities for who is infected and the severity of that infection. Understanding the mechanisms for the disparity will help nullify the differences in risk for COVID-19.
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Lung diseases are amongst the main healthcare issues in the general population, having a high burden of morbidity and mortality. The cardiovascular system has a key role in patients affected by respiratory disorders. More specifically, the right ventricle (RV) enables the impaired lung function to be overcome in an initial stage of disease process, reducing the severity of dyspnoea. ⋯ Cardiac involvement in lung diseases is often observed, and RV changes are reported also in early stages of pulmonary diseases. The role of right ventricle in chronic respiratory disease patients has to be evaluated in detail to describe the response to therapy and the degree of disease progression through multimodality and advanced imaging techniques. The aim of this review is to describe the different pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiac impairment in primary lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and sarcoidosis) and to summarize the role of cardiac multimodality imaging in the diagnosis and the prognosis of these diseases.
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is, besides breast, prostate, lung and skin cancers, the most common cancer worldwide and is suitable for screening. The incidence of CRC varies considerably in different parts of the world: in well-developed countries, the incidence is between 30 and 70 per 100 000 inhabitants, whereas in less-developed countries such as sub-Saharan Africa, it is 10-20/100 000 inhabitants. Women have a lower incidence of CRC, which is usually one-third of total incidence. ⋯ Gender is an issue in CRC screening, as women have about 20% fewer colorectal adenomas and CRCs, but they also have more right-sided lesions, which are more difficult to detect with tests for faecal blood since they create less blood in faeces. Thus, other strategies may have to be developed for women in order for screening to have the same effect. It is essential to introduce colorectal cancer screening in all countries together with other clinical pieces of advice such as information on smoking, obesity and exercise in order to reduce one of the most dangerous cancers.
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Convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 relies on transfer of anti-viral antibody from donors to recipients via plasma transfusion. The relationship between clinical characteristics and antibody response to COVID-19 is not well defined. We investigated predictors of convalescent antibody production and quantified recipient antibody response in a convalescent plasma therapy clinical trial. ⋯ Advanced age, fever, absence of myalgia, fatigue, blood type and hospitalization were associated with higher convalescent antibody titre to COVID-19. Despite variability in donor titre, 80% of convalescent plasma recipients showed significant increase in antibody levels post-transfusion. A more complete understanding of the dose-response effect of plasma transfusion amongst COVID-19-infected patients is needed.