Postgraduate medical journal
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Extremely preterm birth reflects global disruption of the third trimester environment. Young adults born preterm have an adverse cardiovascular and metabolic health profile, together with molecular evidence of accelerated ageing and a reduced life expectancy. The underlying mechanism for these observations is unknown. This review summarises recent evidence of the lifetime effects of preterm birth and highlights the risks survivors face.
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Historical Article
Learning from the past in the COVID-19 era: rediscovery of quarantine, previous pandemics, origin of hospitals and national healthcare systems, and ethics in medicine.
After the dramatic coronavirus outbreak at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, on 11 March 2020, a pandemic was declared by the WHO. Most countries worldwide imposed a quarantine or lockdown to their citizens, in an attempt to prevent uncontrolled infection from spreading. ⋯ In this educational paper, a historical overview from the sacred temples of ancient Greece-the cradle of medicine-to modern hospitals, along with the conceive of healthcare systems, is provided. A few foods for thought as to the conflict between ethics in medicine and shortage of personnel and financial resources in the coronavirus disease 2019 era are offered as well.
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It is uncertain how diastolic blood pressure (DBP) may associate with ischaemic stroke in elder patients with hypertension. We aimed to explore this relationship in a Chinese community. ⋯ DBP had a non-linear association with the risk of ischaemic stroke among Chinese elderly patients with hypertension. DBP between 70 and 80 mm Hg may be an appropriate indicator for a lower stroke risk.