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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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.
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common disease with increasing prevalence, approximately 3.2% in the adult population. In addition, about one third of AF cases are considered asymptomatic. Due to increased longevity, increased detection and increased prevalence of risk factors, the prevalence of AF is expected to at least double by the year 2060. ⋯ The knowledge gaps in AF screening consist of the magnitude of the net benefit or net harm inflicted by AF screening because the oral anticoagulation treatment will also increase the risk of bleeding, and the psychological effects of AF screening are not very well studied. So far, the AF screening recommendations issued by the European Society of Cardiology have had limited impact on national and regional AF screening activities. Several large-scale AF screening studies will report results on hard endpoints within the next few years, and these results will hopefully manifest AF as a cardiovascular disease which we need to pay more attention to.
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The effect of calcium channel blockers (CCB) on mortality and ischaemic stroke risk in dementia patients is understudied. ⋯ Amlodipine was associated with reduced mortality risk in dementia patients diagnosed with AD and DLB-PDD. AD patients using amlodipine had a lower risk of ischaemic stroke compared to other CCB users.
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COVID-19 is a new pneumonia. It has been hypothesized that tobacco smoking history may increase severity of this disease in the patients once infected by the underlying coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 because smoking and COVID-19 both cause lung damage. However, this hypothesis has not been tested. ⋯ Tobacco smoking history increases the risk for great severity of COVID-19 but this risk is achieved unlikely by affecting the lungs.