The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been emerged as a global health emergency with consequences of magnitude both at health, social, and economy level. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as for May 25, 2021, more than 167,000,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, including 3,472,068 deaths. 1 Several risk factors, both modifiable and nonmodifiable, could influence the susceptibility of acquiring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The severity of the symptoms among infected patients varies considerably from being asymptomatic to developing a critical illness with lethal complications, and some genetic and clinical characteristics of patients have been proposed as determinants of poor outcomes. 2 SARS-CoV-2 uses the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor for cell entry, and thus it has been suggested that host genetic factors may play a role in susceptibility to COVID-19. According to published evidence, people with ACE2 polymorphism who have type 2 transmembrane serine proteases (TMPRSS2) would be at a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, patients possessing HLA-B*15:03 genotype may become immune to the infection. 3

We found no di erences in total numbers of deaths, heart or vascular deaths, total heart problems, or vascular problems, nor in total serious harms, between lower and standard blood pressure goal approaches. Based on very little information, we found more dropouts resulting from drug-related harms in the lower blood pressure target group and no overall health benefit among people in the lower target group. Quality of the evidence The best available evidence does not support lower blood pressure goals over standard goals in people with elevated blood pressure and heart or vascular problems. More new trials are needed to examine this question. Overall, the quality of evidence was assessed as low to moderate according to the GRADE assessment. Blood pressure targets for the treatment of people with hypertension and cardiovascular disease (Review)

Blood pressure targets for the treatment of people with hypertension and cardiovascular disease (Review)

Background Hypertension is a prominent preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality. People with hypertension and established cardiovascular disease are at particularly high risk, so reducing blood pressure below standard targets may be beneficial. This strategy could reduce cardiovascular mortality and morbidity but could also increase adverse events. The optimal blood pressure target in people with hypertension and established cardiovascular disease remains unknown. Objectives To determine if 'lower' blood pressure targets (≤ 135/85 mmHg) are associated with reduction in mortality and morbidity as compared with 'standard' blood pressure targets (≤ 140 to 160/ 90 to 100 mmHg) in the treatment of people with hypertension and a history of cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, peripheral vascular occlusive disease). Search methods The Cochrane Hypertension Information Specialist searched the following databases for randomized controlled trials up to February 2017: the Cochrane Hypertension Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (from 1946), Embase (from 1974), the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also searched the Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature Database (from 1982) and contacted authors of relevant papers regarding further published and unpublished work. There were no language restrictions. Selection criteria We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with more than 50 participants per group and at least six months follow-up. Trial reports needed to present data for at least one primary outcome (total mortality, serious adverse events, total cardiovascular events, cardiovascular mortality). Eligible interventions were lower target for systolic/diastolic blood pressure (≤ 135/85 mmHg) compared with standard target for blood pressure (≤ 140 to 160/90 to 100 mmHg). Participants were adults with documented hypertension or who were receiving treatment for hypertension and cardiovascular history for myocardial infarction, stroke, chronic peripheral vascular occlusive disease or angina pectoris. Blood pressure targets for the treatment of people with hypertension and cardiovascular disease (Review)

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABO blood group has been described as a possible biological marker of susceptibility for the disease. This study evaluates the role of ABO group on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and related complications in a population-based cohort including 87,090 subjects from the Navarre population (Northern Spain) with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and with known ABO blood group, after one year of the pandemic (May 2020 – May 2021). The risk of infection, hospitalization, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and death was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for possible confounding variables. A lower risk of infection was observed in group 0 vs non-0 groups [OR 0.94 (95%CI 0.90-0.99)], a higher risk of infection in group A vs non-A groups [OR 1.09 (95%CI 1.04-1.15)] and a higher risk of infection in group A vs group 0 [OR 1.08 (95CI 1.03-1.14)] (when the 4 groups are analyzed separately). No association was observed between blood groups and hospitalization, ICU admission, or death in SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects. Regarding the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we observed a protective role of group O and a greater risk in the A group.