Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Coronavirus: Europe's daily deaths rise by nearly 40% compared with last week - WHO
Covid: Antibodies 'fall rapidly after infection'
India's first 'saviour sibling' cures brother of fatal illness
Syria: Inside a refugee camp where Covid is spreading
Therapy patients blackmailed for cash after clinic data breach
Covid: Melbourne's hard-won success after a marathon lockdown
Monday, 26 October 2020
Covid: Italy brings in sweeping new coronavirus measures
Covid: Trump's chief of staff admits US cannot control pandemic
Covid: Spain imposes national night-time curfew to curb infections
Covid-19: China tests entire city of Kashgar in Xinjiang
Dr Fauci: Covid vaccine result could come by end of 2020
Covid nurse: 'I thought I wasn't going to make it'
Sunday, 25 October 2020
Virus to stay 'at least until next summer' - France's Macron
Coronavirus: US cases reach record high amid new wave of infections
Covid: The NHS workers 'still recovering' as second wave looms
Covid: Why is coronavirus so deadly?
Friday, 23 October 2020
Coronavirus: Inside Europe’s most infected area
Thursday, 22 October 2020
Covid: US gives full approval for antiviral remdesivir drug
Tuesday, 20 October 2020
Covid: China's Sinovac vaccine to be included in Brazil immunisation plan
UK plan to be first to run human challenge Covid trials
Coronavirus: Argentina's confirmed cases surpass one million
Coronavirus: Republic of Ireland to move to highest restrictions
Coronavirus: Germany improves ventilation to chase away Covid
Monday, 19 October 2020
Coronavirus: New Covid-19 cases rising rapidly across US
Coronavirus: Belgium facing 'tsunami' of new infections
Covid: Wales to go into 'firebreak' lockdown from Friday
Covid-19: Italy tightens rules after coronavirus cases surge
Could cold water hold a clue to a dementia cure?
Friday, 16 October 2020
Covid: Remdesivir 'has little or no effect' on survival, says WHO
Thursday, 15 October 2020
Elevated White Blood Cell Count (WBC) Linked With Cardiovascular Disease
A growing body of evidence suggests that low grade inflammation contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease and, specifically, coronary artery disease (CAD). WBC-derived macrophages and other phagocytes are believed to contribute to vascular injury and atherosclerotic progression. Multiple markers of inflammation have been tested as potential risk factors for the development of CAD such as IL-6, E-selectin and CRP.
Elevated white blood cell count (WBC) that is well within the normal range was associated with an increased risk for developing CAD in multiple studies.
A large-scale study demonstrated that a single measurement of WBC in healthy young men may predict CAD incidence independently from other risk factors for CAD such as elevated lipids, and a positive family history. WBC level above 6,900 cells/mm3 was associated with a 2-fold increase in the risk for CAD with a significant 17.4% increase in CAD incidence observed for every increment of 1,000 WBC/mm3: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0047183
An elevated WBC count may enhance atherogenesis. Granulocytes and monocytes are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Monocyte-derived macrophages produce oxidants that can induce endothelial cell injury and subsequent thrombus formation. Activated WBCs also reflect the inflammatory activity of atherosclerosis that perpetuates vascular injury and tissue ischemia.
WBC count is associated with several cardiovascular disease risk factors:
- positive associations with body weight, systolic blood pressure, cigarette smoking, fasting glucose level, and fasting insulin level
- negative associations with high density lipoprotein cholesterol level, family income, alcohol consumption, and physical activity or physical fitness
High-normal WBC count is an independent and reliable risk factor for CAD.
The joint effect of WBC count, a readily available measurement, with other known risk factors for CAD may help to better identify people at either high or low cardiovascular risk.
References:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0047183
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5533311/
https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/154/8/758/131409