Int J Med Sci
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Purpose: To investigate the effect of obesity on mortality and invasive respiratory care (IRC) in patients with COVID-19. Methods: We studied 1,105 patients for 34 months and collected data. The primary outcome was all-cause death at 29 days. ⋯ Results: Age- and sex-adjusted multivariate regression analysis for 29-day deaths showed the significance of body mass index (BMI) > 19.6 kg/m2 (odds ratio 0.117, 95% confidence interval 0.052-0.265, P<0.001). The graphs with BMI in the abscissa showed, within a BMI between 11 and 25 kg/m2, a decreasing pattern for mortality and IRC rate, and no increase in overweight. Conclusion: In Japanese COVID-19 patients, the risk of mortality and the IRC rate decreased in underweight patients and remained low in overweight patients, suggesting the importance of the obesity paradox.
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Atherosclerosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease characterized by a lipid-driven infiltration of inflammatory cells in large and medium arteries and is considered to be a major underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases. Cuproptosis, a novel form of cell death, is highly linked to mitochondrial metabolism and mediated by protein lipoylation. However, the clinical implication of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in atherosclerosis remains unclear. ⋯ The area under the curve (AUC) of SLC31A1, SLC31A2 and SOD1 performed well for the diagnostic validation in the two datasets. In conclusion, the cuproptosis-related gene signature could serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker for atherosclerosis and may offer novel insights into the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Based on the hub genes, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA and a transcription factor regulation network were ultimately constructed to explore the possible regulatory mechanism in atherosclerosis.
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Purpose: The effectiveness of inactivated vaccines against acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has become a global concern. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate vaccine safety and to assess immune responses in individuals with chronic respiratory disease (CRD) following a two-dose vaccination. Methods: The study cohort included 191 participants (112 adult CRD patients and 79 healthy controls [HCs]) at least 21 (range, 21-159) days after a second vaccination. ⋯ Female was identified as a protective factor for CoV-2 NAb levels. Conclusion: Inactivated COVID-19 vaccines were safe and well tolerated by CRD patients but resulted in lower Ab responses and the frequencies of RBD-specific MBCs. Therefore, CRD patients should be prioritized for booster vaccinations.
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Background: Although regarded as a potentially efficient approach to address tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-associated complications, the adverse event profile of everolimus has not yet been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to clarify the adverse event spectrum in patients with TSC who are using everolimus for common indications, in comparison to those who do not use everolimus. Materials and Methods: We recruited patients with TSC who were followed up annually at TSC integrated clinics or referred for medical assistance. ⋯ None of the everolimus users presented with CTCAE level III or higher. Conclusion: Patients with TSC who are everolimus users had a higher tendency to develop gingivostomatitis and proteinuria compared to nonusers. However, no differences were observed in the occurrence of other adverse events between everolimus users and nonusers.
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Chronic venous disease (CVD) is a complex and common vascular disorder characterized by increased blood pressure and morpho-functional changes in the venous system like varicose veins. Pregnancy is one of the main risk factors for suffering from this condition. Despite the consequences of CVD during pregnancy remains to be fully understood, compelling evidence support that this condition represents an important stress for the mother and the fetus, leading to significant histopathological changes in the placenta. ⋯ In this sense, the present work aims to analyze gene and protein expression of these components in the placenta of women with CVD (n=62) in comparison to healthy women (n=52) through RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Our results show an increased gene and protein expression of the different studied markers, suggesting their potential involvement in the pathological environment of the placenta of women who undergo CVD during pregnancy. In this sense, further studies should be directed to deep into the potential implications of these changes to understand the effects and consequences of this condition in maternofetal wellbeing.