Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Editorial Comment
Equality in Living Conditions as a Prerequisite for Health Equity.
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The histomorphological changes of lung damage in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have not yet been adequately characterized. In this article, we describe the sequence of pathological changes in COVID-19 and discuss the implications for approaches to treatment. ⋯ Autopsies are crucial for the systematic assessment of new diseases such as COVID-19: they provide a basis for further investigations of disease mechanisms and for the devising of potentially effective modes of treatment. The autopsy findings suggest that focal damage of the microvascular pulmonary circulation is a main mechanism of lethal lung disease due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It may also be a cause of persistent lung damage in patients who recover from severe COVID-19.
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Identifying regions with low life expectancy is important to policy makers, in particular for allocating resources in the health system. Life expectancy estimates for small regions are, however, often unreliable and lead to statistical uncertainties when the underlying populations are relatively small. ⋯ We do not find a consistent urban-rural gap in life expectancy. Our results suggest that policies that improve living standards for poorer segment of the population are the most likely to reduce the existing differences in life expectancy.
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Comment Letter
Preterm Birth Rate in Germany- No Numbers Exist for This.