Objective: The aim of this study was to compare highsensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and Lipoprotein(a) levels [Lp(a)] levels between diabetic and non-diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Study Design: Cross sectional Study. Place and Duration of study: This study was conducted in the department of Physiology of College of Medicine & King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh between August 2006 and December 2007. Methods: One hundred and three individuals with CAD and 30 healthy individuals matched for age and BMI were studied. CAD patients were divided into two groups based on presence (n=62) and absence (n=41) of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Overnight fasting blood samples were collected, and analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), Low density Lipoprotein (LDL) and High density lipoprotein (HDL), Lp(a) and hsCRP. Data about CAD severity was obtained from medical records. Results: Both groups of CAD without and with DM had significantly higher levels of Lp(a) [mg/dl] (25.58 ± 25.99, 25.90 ± 24.67 respectively) and hsCRP [mg/dl] (0.52 ± 0.71, 0.82 ± 0.78 respectively) when compared with healthy control subjects (Lp(a) =16.93 ± 15.34 & hsCRP=0.27 ± 0.21) [p<0.05]. Lp(a) levels between the two CAD groups were non significant. While, hsCRP levels were significantly high in CAD with DM compared to those without DM [p<0.05]. Gensini Score of CAD severity was also higher in CAD with DM [67.60 ± 45.94] than those without DM [52.05 ± 42.27, p<0.05]. Conclusion: Elevated Lp(a) and hsCRP levels are associated specifically with angiographically defined CAD. However, hsCRP elevation but not Lp(a) is also associated with CAD in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Measurement of hsCRP and Lp(a) may be considered optional markers for better prediction of cardiovascular risk.

Background: and Purpose There are reports of decline in the rates of acute emergency presentations during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic including stroke. We performed a meta-analysis of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on rates of stroke presentations and on rates of reperfusion therapy. Methods: Following the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines, we systematically searched the literature for studies reporting changes in stroke presentations and treatment rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aggregated data were pooled using meta-analysis with random-effect models. Results: We identified 37 observational studies (n=375,657). Pooled analysis showed decline in rates of all strokes (26.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 22.4 to 29.7) and its subtypes; ischemic (25.3%; 95% CI, 21.0 to 30.0), hemorrhagic (27.6%; 95% CI, 20.4 to 35.5), transient ischemic attacks (41.9%; 95% CI, 34.8 to 49.3), and stroke mimics (45.6%; 95% CI, 33.5 to 58.0) during months of pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic period. The decline was most evident for mild symptoms (40% mild vs. 25%–29% moderate/severe). Although rates of intravenous thrombolytic (IVT) and endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) decreased during pandemic, the likelihood of being treated with IVT and EVT did not differ between the two periods, both in primary and in comprehensive stroke centers (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.24 and OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.09, respectively). Conclusions Rates of all strokes types decreased significantly during pandemic. It is of paramount importance that general population should be educated to seek medical care immediately for stroke-like symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic. Whether delay in initiation of secondary prevention would affect eventual stroke outcomes in the long run needs further study.

Viral diseases are the most devastating health concern worldwide. Outbreaks of coronavirus (CoVs)-related acute respiratory diseases are responsible for the massive health/socio-economic breakdown in the last two decades including the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the third reported spillover SARS-CoV-2 from an animal coronavirus to humans. After the H1N1 pandemic influenza (2009), SARS-CoV-2 (novel-beta coronavirus) causing COVID-19 has stretched across 215 countries in 5 major continents with 200,523,190 confirmed cases (4 August 2021; https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/). COVID-19 patients had cough, fever, dyspnea, headache, and respiratory failure, as well as shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis in severe instances. Independent of two preceding epidemics, SARS (2002) and MERS (2012), a knowledge gap about the emerging medical manifestations as well as complications of SARS-CoV-2 (2019-2020) infections in humans must be filled, with a focus on immunological complications and computational genomics for forecasting/ preparedness for a similar outbreak in the future. This paper aims to address aspects of this gap.
Drug Repositioning