Association of seizures with COVID-19 infection in underage during the pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has caused worldwide transmission. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the morbidity and characteristics of seizures after SARS-CoV-2 infection in underage (≤18 y) and to provide valuable reference material for subsequent clinical treatment. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were searched up to 10th May 2023. We utilized the search strategy of medical subject headings combined with entry terms to search all related literatures. RESULTS: The meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA reporting guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). A total of 12 articles were selected, including 4153 subjects and 333 seizure-prone minor patients with COVID-19. The morbidity of seizures after SARS-CoV-2 infection in immature patients was approximately 8.2 (95 % CI, 4.7%-12.4 %). By subgroup analysis, we know that the morbidity of male, Americas, with fever and first occurrence of seizures were 4.2% (95 % CI, 0.4-10.5 %), 4.6 % (95 % CI, 0.4 %-11.7 %), 5.4 % (95 % CI, 2.6 %-9.1 %) and 3.7 % (95 % CI, 0.7 %-8.2 %), respectively. Generalized seizures are the main type of seizures (80.6 %). CONCLUSIONS: Seizures can be caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in underage groups, with a pooled morbidity of 8.2% and a higher morbidity in females, in African regions, in febrile groups and during 2022-2023. In addition, generalized seizures being the predominant seizure type.

Relationship between cardio-ankle vascular index and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in hypertension and coronary heart disease subjects.

Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor for vascular diseases. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is a new index of arterial stiffness. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a strong prognostic marker in advanced stage of coronary heart disease (CHD). In the present study, we investigated the relationship between CAVI and NT-proBNP in hypertension and CHD subjects. Five hundred one subjects (male/female, 209/292) from Vascular Medicine of Peking University Shougang Hospital were divided into four groups: healthy group (n = 186), hypertension group (n = 159), CHD group (n = 45), and hypertension with CHD group (n = 111). CAVI was measured using VS-1000 apparatus. Our results showed that CAVI was significantly higher in hypertension subjects with CHD than in healthy and hypertension group, respectively (8.42 ± 1.51 vs. 7.77 ± 1.19; 8.42 ± 1.51 vs. 7.92 ± 1.11; both P < .05). NT-proBNP was significantly higher in hypertension subjects with CHD than in healthy, hypertension, and CHD group, respectively (422.48 ± 761.60 vs. 174.29 ± 415.48; 422.48 ± 761.60 vs. 196.14 ± 299.16; 422.48 ± 761.60 vs. 209.66 ± 242.66; all P < .05). And after log transformation of NT-proBNP, this phenomenon also exists (2.32 ± 0.47 vs. 2.03 ± 0.40; 2.32 ± 0.47 vs. 2.09 ± 0.44; 2.32 ± 0.47 vs. 2.12 ± 0.42; all P < .05). There was positive correlation between log NT-proBNP and CAVI in the entire study group, healthy group, and nonhealthy group (r = 0.235, P < .001; r = 0.184, P = .023; r = 0.237, P < .001; respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that NT-proBNP was an independent associating factor of CAVI in all subjects (ß = 0.150, P = .021). Our present study showed that CAVI and NT-proBNP were significantly higher in hypertension subjects with CHD compared with healthy and hypertension groups. There was significant correlation between NT-proBNP and CAVI, which indicates the relationship between arterial stiffness and biomarkers in vascular-related diseases.

Arterial stiffness evaluation by cardio-ankle vascular index in hypertension and diabetes mellitus subjects.

Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor for vascular diseases. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is a new index of arterial stiffness. In the present study, we investigated the possible risk factors involving CAVI in hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) subjects. One thousand sixty-three subjects (M/F 533/530) from Shougang Corporation Examination Center were divided into four groups: healthy group (n = 639); hypertension group (n = 312); DM group (n = 58); and hypertension with DM group (n = 54). CAVI was measured by VS-1000 apparatus. Our results showed that CAVI was significantly higher in hypertension subjects with DM than in healthy and hypertension group, respectively (8.59 ± 1.08 vs 7.23 ± 1.10; 8.59 ± 1.08 vs 7.94 ± 1.33; both P < .05). CAVI was positively correlated with age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, uric acid, total cholesterol, triglycerides in the entire group (r = 0.633, 0.280, 0.172, 0.269, 0.209, 0.254, 0.176, 0.129, 0.175; all P < .05, respectively). There was negatively correlation between CAVI and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the entire group (r = -0.167; P < .05). Multivariate analysis showed that age, body mass index, HbA1c, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were independent associating factors of CAVI in all subjects (ß = 0.699; P < .001, ß = -0.189; P = .001, ß = 0.144; P = .015, ß = -0.136; P = .019, respectively). Our present study suggested that CAVI was significantly higher in hypertension subjects with DM compared with healthy and hypertension groups.

[Adiponectin up-regulates the expression of T-cadherin in cardiomyocytes injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation].

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of adiponectin (APN) on the expression of T-cadherin in cultured Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat cardiomyocytes injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Primary myocardial cells from neonatal rats were obtained by enzymatic digestion. The cells were divided into control group, H/R group and H/R+APN (3, 10, 20 and 30 µg/mL) groups. The H/R group was incubated in anoxic environment (anoxic solution saturated with high concentration N2) for 3 h, and then in the reoxygenation environment (the reoxygenation solution saturated with pure oxygen) for 1 h. The H/R+APN group was pretreated with different concentrations of APN for 24 h prior to the initiation of H/R. The content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was measured by chemistry chromatometry. Cellular apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The expression of T-cadherin was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The results showed that, compared with control group, the apoptotic rate and release of LDH were significantly increased in the H/R group, whereas the expressions of T-cad mRNA and protein were decreased. Pretreating with APN significantly and dose-dependently decreased apoptotic rate and LDH release, and up-regulated T-cad mRNA and protein level in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes under H/R conditions. These results suggest that APN may protect cardiomyocytes against H/R-induced injury by up-regulating H/R-decreased T-cad expression.