1. Microvascular disease confers additional risk to COVID-19 infection.
- Author
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Bale BF, Doneen AL, and Vigerust DJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Aging immunology, COVID-19 etiology, COVID-19 immunology, Cardiovascular Diseases epidemiology, Cardiovascular Diseases immunology, Child, Diabetes Mellitus epidemiology, Diabetes Mellitus immunology, Disease Susceptibility, Humans, Hydrogen Peroxide metabolism, Hypertension epidemiology, Hypertension immunology, Hypochlorous Acid metabolism, Lung blood supply, Lung immunology, Microcirculation, Microvessels physiopathology, Neutrophils immunology, Neutrophils metabolism, Peroxidase metabolism, Risk Factors, United States epidemiology, COVID-19 epidemiology, Immunity, Innate, Pandemics
- Abstract
The majority of fatalities thus far in the COVID-19 pandemic have been attributed to pneumonia. As expected, the fatality rate reported in China is higher in people with chronic pulmonary disease (6.3%) and those who have cancer (5.6%). According to the American College of Cardiology Clinical Bulletin "COVID-19 Clinical Guidance for the CV Care Team", there is a significantly higher fatality rate in people who are elderly (8.0% 70-79 years; 14.8% ≥80 years), diabetic (7.3%), hypertensive (6.0%), or have known cardiovascular disease (CVD) (10.5%). We propose a biological reason for the higher mortality risk in these populations that is apparent. We further present a set of pathophysiological reasons for the heightened danger that could lead to therapies for enhanced management and prevention., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2020
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