Findings suggest substantial long term burden of covid-19 related illness on healthcare systems
People discharged from hospital after covid-19 appear to have increased rates of organ damage (“multiorgan dysfunction”) compared with similar individuals in the general population, finds a study published by The BMJ today.
The increase in risk was not confined to the elderly and was not uniform across ethnic groups, prompting the researchers to suggest that the long-term burden of covid-19-related illness on hospitals and broader healthcare systems is likely to be substantial.
Although covid-19 is most well known for causing serious respiratory problems, it can affect other organs and systems within the body, including the heart, kidneys, and liver.
Date Time
There’s More Than One Way to Splice a Gene
UConn researchers are investigating how alternative splicing plays a key role in inflammation, a key part of the immune response.
RNA alternative splicing
Inflammation is part of the body’s natural response to injury or infection. It helps eliminate the cause of cell injury, clear away dead cells, and initiate tissue repair. While inflammation is generally beneficial, if left unchecked, it can damage key systems, including the cardiovascular system.
When the inflammatory response goes awry, it can contribute to vascular lesions. These lesions play a role in aneurysm, seizure, stroke, atherosclerosis, and other diseases.
is a valuable tool for health care providers to help prescribe the right drug for the right patient to enhance efficacy and avoid side effects.
A new research paper funded in part by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) shows a clear advantage of genetic testing in helping health care providers choose the appropriate anti-platelet drug. Testing helps determine if a patient carries genetic variants in CYP2C19 that cause loss of its function. These variants interfere with the body’s ability to metabolize and activate clopidogrel, an anti-platelet medication.
Anti-platelet drugs are given to prevent complications from blood clotting after a procedure to open clogged arteries. These patients can use one of the various anti-platelet medications, such as clopidogrel, ticagrelor or prasugrel.